The month of July is full of awesome stuff going on in our area….there’s the All Star Game, 4th of July festivities and tons of other events going on all month long! Not to mention that it’s finally hot enough outside for some fun in the sun and water. July will be a perfect month to get out of the house and have some fun and party in our city as you never have before! Here’s a great list of events to help you get started in planning your events calendar!
Family Friendly Things to Do in Cincinnati & NKY {July 2015}
We have a few 4th of July events listed in this post, but for a more extensive list see this post: Celebrate Independence Day in Greater Cincinnati ~ July 4th Events & Fireworks
July 1 ~ 5
Kings Island is offering FREE entrance to the park July 3 – 5 for all military personnel, both active and retired all weekend long! Bring your Military ID with you to get in FREE and to purchase discount tickets for your family. Check out the Kings Island Website for more details.
Larosa’s Balloon Glow at Coney Island ~ July 3rd – a perfect way to kick off the holiday weekend, with hot air balloons glowing in the night & a Rozzi fireworks display. For more information see the Coney Island website.
Red, White and Kaboom July 3, 2015 Fairfield Parks and Recreation Harbin Park, Village Green Park and Fairfield Aquatic Center Red, White & Kaboom celebrates Independence Day in Fairfield with an amazing fireworks display from Rozzi’s Famous Fireworks with entertainment, food, and activities at three official viewing locations: Harbin Park, Village Green Park, & the Fairfield Aquatic Center.
93rd Annual Sisters of Notre Dame 4th of July Festival 7/4/2015 1601 Dixie Highway Covington, KY 41011 We have many kids games and activities including pony rides, petting zoo, and balloon man. This is more of an old fashioned festival. Silent Auction, Sisters Market with handmade and homemade items, raffles, musical entertainment. Great food and drinks. Everything is priced reasonably for families! www.sndky.org
Incline District Street Fair Saturday, July 4th ~ 3001 Price Ave Cincinnati, OH 45204 A collection of local artisan vendors in support of the community. www.facebook.com/InclineDistrictStreetFair
Red White & Boom ~ July 4th at Riverbend, the Cincinnati Pops present a concert full of patriotic and American favorites and the evening ends with Rozzi’s fireworks. Show starts at 8pm. Visit the CSO website for tickets.
BB Riverboats Princess Cruise ~ Saturday July 4th, Boarding: 11:00am Sailing: 12:00pm – 2pm We respectfully request that all Royal Princesses come aboard for an enchanting afternoon with your favorite fairy tale princesses aboard our Princess Cruise. On select Saturdays this summer, enjoy a unique cruise featuring a DJ, dancing and some of the memorable princesses that we all love. Bring your “Little Princess” onboard and enjoy an afternoon that will truly be a “Royal” experience. Visit the BB Riverboats website for all the details: http://www.bbriverboats.com/index.html
July 6 ~ 12
The 2015 MLB All Star Game ~ The big All Star Game is on Tuesday, July 14th but starting July 10th there will be all sorts of great things going on around town! Check out our MLB All Star Game & Events Post for all the details!
The Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival July 10, 11, 12 Smith Park at 500 Tytus Avenue, Middletown, OH The Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival features a hot air balloon competition with over 40 balloons. Come out to see sky divers, special shape balloons, firework displays, beautiful balloon glows and more! Visit the website for an up-to-date schedule of events. www.ohiochallenge.com
St. Thomas More JulyFest July 10th, 11th, 12th, 2015 St. Thomas More Parish, 800 Ohio Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45245 “Bring family and friends out to the St. Thomas More JulyFest, one of the largest festivals on the eastside of Cincinnati. The St. Thomas More JulyFest is held the second full weekend in July, and is the major fundraiser for the parish. St. Thomas More’s JulyFest was voted best festival in Clermont County for 2005. The 2015 event will be held July 10th, 11th, and 12th.
JulyFest offers great food and entertainment for the entire family. This year’s festival offers games and midway rides for children from Murray Bros. Shows, as well as face painting, caricature artist, and photo booth. Raffles include our $10,000 Grand Raffle, and several big ticket raffles. Our JulyFest midway includes games available for adults and kids, and our famous JulyFest casino will host several tables of blackjack Texas Hold ‘Em, 7 Card Stud, and Let It Ride. This year’s JulyFest will include a variety of refreshments and food, including sausage sandwiches, roasted corn on the cob, brats, metts, hotdogs, hamburgers, baked potatoes, funnel cakes, homemade desserts, and more! Contracted vendors include LaRosa’s, Hogs On Wheels, Kona-Ice, and Mr. Softee. And, of course no one will want to miss our delicious Sunday dinner! This year’s dinner includes fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, assorted desserts, and lemonade for $8. The Sunday dinner is from 1-8pm (or until we run out!) on Sunday. Beverages at this year’s JulyFest include soft drinks, various imported and domestic beer products from our large Beer Garden, our Lime-A-Rita/Straw-Ber-Rita/Mang-O-Rita/Raz-Ber-Rita booth, and wines from Harmony Hill Vineyards.
JulyFest 2015 continues a tradition of music excellence, as we “Rock the FEST!” with a stellar line-up of local musicians performing on the JulyFest Soundstage. Friday night is the “”Friday Night Dance Party”” featuring The Cheap Thrill Band and 2nd Wind. Saturday night is the “”JulyFest Country Jam”” featuring The Taylor Shannon Band and The Dan Varner Band. Sunday is “”Beauty and the Blues”” featuring Anna and Milovan, Brian Keith Wallen, and The Doug Hart Band. sttm.org https://www.facebook.com/JulyFest
Hits of the Big Red Machine Era (1970-76) 7:30 p.m. July 11, 2015 KSO www.kyso.org Devou Park Bandshell, Covington, KY Free (though donations encouraged) As Sparky, Johnny, Pete and Tony were making River Front Stadium a World Series destination for four out of six years (1970-76), acts like Queen, Barry Manilow, The Hollies, KC and the Sunshine Band, Three Dog Night, Wings, the Bee-Gees were dominating the pop charts. Nostalgic Reds lore and tuneage of the day will kickoff All-Star weekend and the KSO’s 21st Summer in Devou Park.
BB Riverboats Super Hero Cruise ~ Saturday, July 11th, Boarding Time: 11:00am Sailing Time: 12:00pm – 2:00pm ATTENTION ALL POTENTIAL SUPER HEROES! BB Riverboats requests your presence for this 2 hour cruise complete with official Super Hero Training. Bring the whole family to learn the ins and outs of being a Super Hero and test out your skills as you learn them. After you have mastered your special powers, show them off on the dance floor as we throw a DJ Dance Party with all the Super Heroes! Visit the BB Riverboats website for all the details: http://www.bbriverboats.com/super_hero_cruise.html
Second Saturday Street Faire July 11, 2015 Waynesville, OH Waynesville Merchants Association is hosting the Second Saturday Street Faire on the second Saturday of July from 10am-5pm. The festival includes booths where artists, crafters, and authors display and sell their creations. Over forty artisans will feature everything from woodworking to fiber arts. A Quick Draw Art Contest is free to enter to compete for cash prizes. Krafty Kids Market is a great place for young artisans ages 7-16 to sell their creations. There will be a free Book Swap and a Cruise-In as well as local entertainment www.secondsaturdaystreetfaire.com
Civil War Weekend July 11, 2015 10am-5pm and July 12, 2015 10 am-3pm Heritage Village Museum inside Sharon Woods Park 11450 Lebanon Road Cincinnati OH 45241 $8 adults, $5 kids 5-11 Witness General Lee’s Confederate army attempts to break the Union lines as soldiers reenact the fighting of April 9, 1865. This special living history event will feature military & civilian demonstrations, education stations, and children’s activities. Learn about the dramatic final months of the Civil War and see the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Court House.
Want to take a road trip? Oldham KY Tourism & Conventions will host Kentucky Farm Fest, the only festival of its kind in Kentucky, July 11-12, 2015, at “The Maples,” a 20-acre farm in Crestwood, KY. The family-friendly educational festival, held in conjunction with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and Kentucky Proud®, will celebrate all things Kentucky agriculture including fresh farm goods from producers and growers around the state.
In addition to sampling Kentucky foods, the festival will offer: hourly cooking demos with celebrity chefs, more than a hundred “how-to” workshops taught by Kentucky agriculture experts and gardeners, six bluegrass bands, large hands-on exhibits, Kentucky artisans and a book store with Kentucky author signings.
Children can enjoy free pony rides on Saturday, take part in Jr. Chef Competition Workshops, and hear from local children’s authors like Ellen Troutman, author of “Tails of Windy Meadows.” They can also participate in hands-on exhibits such as a live ATV rescue with a helicopter, made possible by the Department of Agriculture’s Farm Safety department.
Tickets for the event can be purchased on-site for $5 and include all-day admission, free eco-shopping bag and water bottle refills. Children 12 and under will receive free entry into the Festival and Kids’ Fun Area. For the full line up of activities visit: www.kyfarmfest.com
July 13 ~ 19
NVL Brings Pro Beach Volleyball to The Beach Waterpark July 16-18, 2015 | 9:00am-Dusk – The National Volleyball League The Beach Waterpark $23.99-28.99 The National Volleyball League (NVL) is returning to The Beach Waterpark from July 16 – 18 to host the Midwest Championships, the fifth stop on the pro tour this season. The tournament will include a 16-team draw per gender with teams battling for a $50,000 prize purse. Tickets are available for purchase at local Menards locations and online: http://bit.ly/1HgOM0w. NVL RIZE, the league’s official amateur series, will also host a Clinic with the Pros on Thursday, July 16 followed by a tournament Friday and Saturday, with finals being played on center court at The Beach Waterpark.
Art Around Towne July 17, 2015 Towne Center Fort Thomas, KY We are excited to announce the Art Around Towne event in the beautiful Towne Center District spanning the cross sections of Highlands Ave and North Fort Thomas Avenue to the City Building in Fort Thomas, KY! Every third Friday from June through September, Fort Thomas businesses’ will open their doors to the community to celebrate in the cultural arts. As you walk from business-to-business and vendor booth-to booth, all of your senses will be engaged in great art, artisan creations, art demonstrations, food, music and entertainment along the art hop route that makes this the place to turn your Friday night into great fun and memories! www.artaroundtowneft.com
Family Class: Solar Cooking July 18, 2015 | 10:30 am – Noon Civic Garden Center http://www.civicgardencenter.org/classes-events/classes/ 2715 Reading Road Cincinnati, OH 45219 $5 Have you ever tasted sunshine? Join us for a fun filled day of solar oven construction and experimental cooking using energy from the sun.
July 20 ~ 26
Raptors at the Northside Farmers Market July 22nd, 2015 4:30pm Northside Farmers Market at Hoffner Park, 4101 Hamilton Ave Free! RAPTORS INC. is bringing live raptors to the Northside Farmers Market on July 22nd! Kids can see and learn about all kinds of birds right at the market.
The City Flea July 25 / Washington Park 10a-4p 2015 The City Flea is one of the most interesting and unique markets around. Check out the works of awesome crafters and vendors while chowing at the food trucks and listening to fine tunes by the DJ. Take the whole family! Read more in this post: http://www.familyfriendlycincinnati.com/2014/06/08/city-flea-washington-park/
Family Festival: UnMuseum Block Party! July 25, 2015 1:00-4:00 pm Contemporary Arts Center 44 East Sixth Street Cincinnati Ohio 45202 Free with Admission or Membership Stop by the UnMuseum for the best Block Party of the summer! We’ll be making firework t-shirts, playing Metrobot corn hole, creating swimming pool art and decorating sunglasses. Join us for some summer snacks with candy hamburgers served “on the grill” and freshly made gelato from Dojo for the first 200 guests.
BB Riverboats Princess Cruise ~ Saturday July 25th, Boarding: 11:00am Sailing: 12:00pm – 2pm We respectfully request that all Royal Princesses come aboard for an enchanting afternoon with your favorite fairy tale princesses aboard our Princess Cruise. On select Saturdays this summer, enjoy a unique cruise featuring a DJ, dancing and some of the memorable princesses that we all love. Bring your “Little Princess” onboard and enjoy an afternoon that will truly be a “Royal” experience. Visit the BB Riverboats website for all the details: http://www.bbriverboats.com/index.html
July 27 ~ 31
Cincinnati Children’s Choir Summer Festival July 27- August 1 University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music Young singers, ages 9-15, interested in enjoying and developing their skills in musicianship will come together for an exciting week as they attend inspiring, interactive sessions at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. Sessions will include Vocal Artistry, sight-singing, Musicianship through Movement, Music Theory, and Choral Artistry. Come sing and make new friends with CCC this Summer! http://www.cincinnatichoir.org/programs/summer-festival/
Ongoing Events in July ~
BB Riverboats Pirates of the Ohio Cruise ~ Every Friday, Memorial Day through Labor Day. Boarding Time: 2:30pm Sailing Time: 3:00pm – 4:30pm and Saturdays: June 20th, July 18th, August 15th, September 19th. Boarding Time: 11:00am Sailing Time: 12:00pm – 4:30pm Ahoy Mateys! Board the Captain’s boat for an afternoon cruise full of fun and games for the entire family. The kids will pick up their free pirate hat and eye patch before boarding this popular cruise on the Ohio River. Get your pirate tattoo or participate in one of our pirate games to see if anyone will have to “Walk the Plank”. See if you can use your treasure map to collect your bounty before the cruise pulls back into dock. Ever wonder why BB Riverboats flies the “Jolly Roger”? Listen to the Captain’s commentary as you cruise by all of the sights!
Newport Aquarium is making a splash this summer with the return of its Summer Family Hours promotion, when up to two children (ages 2-12) receive FREE admission between 4-7 p.m. with the purchase of one full-priced adult ticket. This cannot be combined with other discounts or coupons. This family-favorite offer is available for purchase online only, at newportaquarium.com, for visits now through Aug. 31, Sundays through Fridays. Guests will have even more opportunities to enjoy a million gallons of fun as Newport Aquarium has extended its operating hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. now through Aug. 31. With the earlier opening time, the daily Penguin Parade will begin at 9:15 a.m. during this period.
Dining Outdoors ~ Summer has arrived and it’s the perfect time to go out to eat and eat OUTSIDE! Check out our list of Outdoor Dining in Cincinnati & NKY for new places to check out!
FREE Summer Movies : Be sure to check out our post about Free Movies this summer. We know it costs a small fortune to take a family to the movies, so save a few bucks this summer with all the wonderful free movie events going on around town!
The Cincinnati Reds are back in town, and you can watch their games for FREE on the big screens at Fountain Square! Visit the Fountain Square website for more details
Farmer’s Markets: With the warmer weather it’s the perfect time to visit a local Farmer’s Market! We have a HUGE list of local Farmer’s Markets you can check out: Farmer’s Markets in Cincinnati & NKY ~ cook fresh, cook local!
Great list…thank you. I took my kids on the riverboat cruise last weekend and they had a blast! Lots to do. Checking out the list were going to the civil war weekend tomorrow. thanks for this list it takes all of the research out of it for me. Tired kids are happy parents 🙂