Fun, wholesome, highly recommended and would come again! Some of the food tents have employees that shouldn't be working, some sassy little Fu@kers. But oh well! Take ur friends and get beer bloated. read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

My Mr. and I make it an effort to go every year to Oktoberfest. I don't care if it's hot. It's one of my favorite festivals of all time followed by the Renfest. I've been going since they held it on Fountain Square, The Banks and now Sawyers Point. Each year is unique. I know my favorite beer and food vendors and keep going back to them. The Weiner dog race is such a hoot to watch. Watching everyone dress up is fun as well. The whole festival has good vibes and energy. Love watching the bands and there's plenty of tents and seating. There's a section for vendors if you want to shop. My Mr and I was excited to see a cuckoo clock and purchased a small one. Overall I always enjoy going. Good food, beer and laid back. read more

See all

It was an okay experience. $25 to park ... lines were extremely long for everything and the choices of beers were slim to none ... read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

This is a huge festival on the river with great food and beers. So many vendors and a huge oompah band tent with continuous entertainment day and night. Tons of locals and visitors come to celebrate the Oktoberfest tradition . The best part is that there is no entry fee. So you only pay for what you eat and drink read more

Los geht's! Please stay on the River! America's largest Oktoberfest is rightfully amazing. You won't feel like you are in Munich, but you will know that the same spirit is present. The large Festhall has a stage in the center and enough space for even a busy day. If you want to camp out inside the tent you totally could and have am amazing time. My advice is bring your own picnic and chill on the grass. The beer choices are what you expect, German-wise, with some fun local additions to try. I was a little, just a tad, that Moerlein did NOT show up with a large number of their beers in 2024. They had 2 or 3 of their typical ones, but I was missed their smaller batch varieties I would get when the event was on Vine Street. You could say I like to go just for them, so I was underwhelmed. The event is FREE and parking is around $10. I COULD tell you where close free parking is, but I won't. :) All I'll say is wave to the event as you pass by and you'll soon find a nice spot. You will find many FREE samples from food to drink if you get your steps in. We got free bags of pretzels, t-shirts, and beer samples (very plural). The food is good, but like I said, bring your own and make a day of it. The music was fun and stages were unique river fronts. I think the event space is so spread out now, that dance floors can feel a little empty if that's your thing. I have been going to this event since 2012 off and on. I think they finally found a home on the river. read more

It's back FINALLY. We have missed this over the top German celebration. The have expanded the hours to Thursday at 5 through Sunday night. The delicious food and beer is aplenty. I got my favorite goetta balls and a Strawberry ale. What a combo. I am so glad that slowly celebrations are returning and we get to experience fantastic food and cheer read more

See all

if you can't be in Germany, this is where you should be! Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is traditionally the nation's largest Oktoberfest and the second largest in the world to the original Oktoberfest in Munich. The people of Cincinnati never met a reason to party that they didn't like, it's like "festival" is our middle name. And since it's during football season, they usually have it set up where hard core fans can enjoy the game and the festival- so no one has to is out. Definitely put this one on your lost of things to experience at least once. **(2020 Festival was held virtually due to pandemic, some of my photos reflect our celebration of Oktoberfest Zinzinnati at home featuring pretzels from Tuba Baking (check them out!) Prost! read more

See all

This event keeps growing and growing. It was huge this year, lining 3rd and 2nd street on the Banks. It was hot and sweaty, with plenty of beer, food and entertainment! read more

Who doesn't like beer, brats and fun? Oktoberfest has it all and Cincinnati's is America's largest Oktoberfest. So what does that mean for you? Plenty of options for food, drink and entertainment. The hours are great and parking is not hard to find close to the festival. And don't worry about just having a card many booths are equipped to accommodate. Tips to make your visit a success: 1) Toilets. There are plenty of porta potties around and available, but if you believe your buns deserve a better less smelly class of toilet, there are better toilets close by that have a/c and other amenities like running water. 2) Scan before your buy. Many vendors will be selling the same things but endeavor to look around or scan several booths before purchasing. You wont regret making a decision based on someone else's plate. Eat well and be merry at the Oktoberfest!! read more

See all

If you truly want to experience Cincinnati's German heritage and love of good beer, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is a must to attend. So much great German food, live music, and all sorts of tasty brews on tap, too many to even remotely name here. My lady and I have gone a few years now and I went by myself a few years before that when it was held on Fountain Square. The newer location of 2nd and 3rd Street makes it much more open and easier to traverse, though with less shaded areas, makes it a bit hotter during the day. Still, it's worth a little sweat to experience it all. Personally, it's not an Oktoberfest experience if I don't have a brat, potato pancakes, and a limburger and onion sandwich (from Reuben's, because theirs is THE best), and ofcourse, some good beer (and at least one pint of Weihenstephan hefe weissbier). All of that is VERY easy to find too. Want some cool souvenirs? Those are easy to find all over too. Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is just all around fun! It's one of those events I always look forward too every year. So much to do, see, eat, drink, and enjoy! read more

This festival needs to be moved back to the fountain to keep everyone from roasting. There is no shade over the busy highway. It used to be cool and breezy and you could sit down anywhere for a beer. Now if there is not a space under a tent it is unbearable. The festival vendors and entertainment are great though. Do noy order the Zoomer, I have been getting this since I was a boy with my dad when it was Strausse Haus. It used to extend off the plate, now they always run out of peppers and half the size with twice the price. Never again. Look at the picture from 2012 to 2022. read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - 2012 zoomer - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

This was my first time attending the famous Zinzinnati Oktoberfest. Unfortunately, I was not too impressed. While plenty of beer was flowing, many other aspects were lacking. I was hoping for more varieties of German cuisine (I struggled to find even one stand that sold strudel, and the one I ended up getting wasn't even that great). The music on the stage at the time also was a 70s and 80s rock cover band, not authentic German music. Lastly, there was a definite need for more tables and tents, as it was hot and there was nowhere for people to sit and relax or enjoy their food/drinks. read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - Apple strudel - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I don't know how I've missed Oktoberfest for so many years considering I grew up near Cincinnati. But at least I can say I'm in the dark no more! I went last night for a few hours and had a blast. First of all, the beer was plentiful (Hofbrau House, Sam Adams, Yuengling, Hudepohl and Erdinger, among others). I was able to try a few I hadn't been able to before. And copious amounts of German food were on hand. One of my particular favorites is goetta, which, if you haven't had the pleasure, is an oatmeal and pork mixture. They had good ol' goetta like my mom and grandmother make on Christmas morning but also goetta balls, goetta mac and cheese, goetta burgers, goetta omelets, goetta nachos and even goetta donuts. Other German favorites included sauerkraut, schnitzel, pretzels and strudel. It was a veritable cornucopia of German comfort food! So much more than a street party parading as a cultural event, this Oktoberfest had some authenticity to it (though a party it definitely was). One of the only negatives was the fact that there were not enough garbage cans. Bottles and cans covered the street, and I had to carry around my trash for a bit before I found a receptacle. All in all, though, Cincinnati's Oktoberfest earned its designation as the largest Oktoberfest celebration outside of Germany. I'll definitely go back! read more

See all

Yay for zinzinnati oktoberfest! One of many reasons I love being back in this city! I love that they close down the roads - it's such a great weekend (or day, whichever you prefer) to gorge on the best, most delicious foods and drink: goetta, any kind of sausage you could ever want, cream puffs, fried everything, beer, cider..... Yes, it's crowded, but what festival isn't?! Love the ambiance, food and how into it people get, especially seeing the costumes! What's not to love? read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - Cream puff!!!!! - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

@Eating.Drinking: I think it is safe to say that Cincinnati's #Oktoberfest was a massive success even throughout the rainy Saturday! * A massive thank you must go to @oktoberfestzinzinnati & the main sponsors @samueladamsbeer & @amazon, as well as all of the other companies and businesses who played a huge part in making this past weekend one to remember for all Cincinnatian's, and those who travelled to the Queen City for the second biggest Oktoberfest outside of Munich! * The Samuel Adam's ale was thoroughly enjoyed, as was the platter which included a huge German style hot dog, and exquisite German sides. The stunning funnel cake was washed down by yet more ale, while enjoying the buzz in the air. read more

See all

Let me tell you my top four things about this event: 1. It is FREE! Yes--free. You will pay for parking, but it's only $10. 2. Free samples are here if you look hard enough. Cookie bars, Samuel Adams, and more to be found here! 3. Awesome variety of beers and foods. We spent a while looking for a pumpkin beer--and we found it! 4. You get your steps in (which I love). What I like about this oktoberfest is that there are several stages, and a lot of ground to cover. You will have things to see for quite some time at this event. Prost! read more

How have I not been to the Cincinnati oktoberfest in 30 years (which means ever at the time of writing)??! Talk about an event a city shows up for. Downtown is essentially shut down. German themed booths and decor are everywhere. The beer is good, the food is good, the entertainment is good. Truly, an amazing event that is enjoyable for all ages. Note, cash only, unless I couldn't find the card accepting booths...bring them dollars and get to slinging! read more

It's a hoot and hollar! Biggest state side! 3 blocks on either side of the highway to meander through food, beer, bands, and chotchkies! The beer choices were phenomenal. The food choices were affordable If you are into food ball they have the game showing on all the big screens. If you need shade or get out of the rain - plenty of tents are around. read more

Cincinnati is extremely German, so it should be no surprise to you that we host the largest Oktoberfest in America. We do not take our German heritage for advantage in this awesome city, especially when it comes to going all out for Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati. My favorite things that happen at Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati are "The Running Of The Weiners", where lots of Dachshunds are dressed up in hot dog outfits as they run in a race to their other person. It's easily the cutest part of Oktoberfest, and one of the cutest things you will ever see in your life. I also really love that we are host to "The Worlds Largest Chicken Dance". Where whoever was selected has Grand Marshall of Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati leads everyone in doing the chicken dance together. My favorite Grand Marshall, a couple years ago we had George Takei do it. It was glorious. The obvious things about Oktoberfest are that there is lots of great beer and lots of great food. To fully enjoy all of the beer at Oktoberfest I would suggest you buy one of the (usually) $12 Souvenier mug (with a beer in it) and you get to go around to ALL of the beer booths throughout your time there and get it refilled for $8. Way more bang for your buck and you get to take home a badass mug. I'm really not into eating sausages, for the reason not because they don't taste good, but because I have weird texture issues with certain foods. Sausages being one of them. I guess I just didn't get that somehow with all my German heritage. If that's your thing, make sure you get one, loaded with sauerkraut. I've been told it's amazing. I on the other hand really enjoyed smashing on a freshly made huge pretzel. In which before I even got my pretzel, I sat there and watched the girl who was making them from scratch and baking them. Drool worthy. If you're not a fan of drinking, drunk people, loud obnoxious people and large crowds I would not suggest Oktoberfest for you. Dan love beer and food so we went. But I have horrible social anxiety, and we went on Sunday during the evening and it wasn't that packed and I had no issues. So, if you do decide to go and you are everything I just described. Try Sunday evening. It's way more chill and not as crazy. The crowds are minamal compared to the other days. read more

See all

Ok, so the Oktoberfest committee seemed to have listen to the people! This year was so.much better than previous years. I saw no big chain restaurants and up until the last block they were actually all German themed! And not a LaRosa's booth in site! The layout was also tons better this year! Going from the edge of fountain square and going down past Broadway this year. It opened a lot of space up. And there were more beer selections. Still the Bud and Miller stands, but fewer, and a few more craft beer stands. I still went on Sunday, albeit earlier this year. But some stands were still packing up early and were running out of little things. I still don't get why the end of the strip they seem to shove the smaller booths (like our poor Yelp booth) down at the end so no one really has a reason to flow down that way... The Hudepohl bar and glockenspiel set up was by far the greatest setup I've ever seen. Well done. Is it perfect? No... but it is getting better... slowly... Now if it were just a little more German infused :p read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Oktoberfest was fun, but not really my scene. It was crowded as hell, dirty, and just a general cluster. A LOT of drunk people getting rowdy in the streets...Definitely not family friendly. We went on Saturday night at 8:30pm, so that was probably our mistake. The wait for beer was ridiculous. We easily spent 10 minutes waiting for freaking Sam Adams...We should've headed straight to the Brewer's Alley, but we didn't know where it was! Why are there no maps?? The Oktoberfest is huge, but it was very disorganized. However, once we did find Brewer's Alley, that's where we stayed. All of the beers there were very good, and much more reasonably priced considering the quality was better ($6 for what I think was about 16 oz). They had great breweries...locals like Madtree, Braxton, or Urban Artifact and some out-of-town beers, like Stone, Brooklyn, etc. I was impressed with the beer selection in Brewer's Alley! FYI they stop serving beer at 11pm. We tried 3-4 different food vendors and none of them were really that good. I was disappointed, because we moved here from Pennsylvania, where we can get delicious potato pancakes or pierogies at any town fair, but the ones here were not very good. Even the funnel cake was kind of bad. Bring cash because most vendors are CASH ONLY. Oh, and the place is a mess. The streets were filthy, and the parking garage in Fountain Square had vomit right in front of the pay-to-park kiosk (gross!). It was fun, but I think next year I'll come during the day to try to avoid the alcoholics. And I'll probably eat somewhere else... read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - Spiral chips with ranch, cheese sauce, and bacon bits - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Let's start with the massive fact that this is the 2nd largest Oktoberfest outside of Munich on top of Nick Lachey, of 98* heartthrob fame, singing the Chicken Dance live in Fountain Square with hundreds of thousands of people: retread what I just wrote and blow out your mind one more time. BLOWN. Now let's get ahold of your sanity and talk about this fantastic weekend I. THE heart f the city. Yes, it's everything you hope for. And yes, I did buy lederhosen just for the meet fact it's here and it's amazing. BUT 600,000 are hard to fit downtown anyway you cut it. Long beer lines and shoulder to shoulder action wherever you go make up the only part of this awesome event you'll get frustrated with (and the reason for 4 not 5 stars). It's over for 2014, but it was awesome and so much fun! Freshen up on your polka music and get ready for 2015. read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - Proof Zincinnati Oktoberfest is fabulous. - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

My great grandfather was German and I was fortunate enough to visit Germany and other parts of Europe as a teenager, so my interest in German cuisine comes naturally. This was our first Cincinnati Oktoberfest and if you like Brats, Kraut, Noodles, Strudel, or Beer then this was the place to be! Some of the highlights for us included Cabbage, noodles & sausage, Sam Adams Oktoberfest, Goetta sliders, Sauerkraut balls, Deep Fried Pumpkin Roll, Rivertown Divergent Sour Ale, Brat with Kraut on bun, and German Roasted Almonds (to go). We also took part in "The World's Largest Chicken Dance." I'll give the event 4 stars rather than 5 due to the crowd (although that's really part of the experience). Do yourself a favor and visit this festival next time around, and remember...Oktoberfest happens in September, not October! read more

See all

Always an amazing time, great food great drink and lots of fun people to watch, look forward to going every year. We are very blessed in Cincinnati. Prost! read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - BFF for 33years, going strong! - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I went to the Zinzinnati Oktoberfest for the first time this year. I really enjoyed the event, not realizing ahead of time that this is one of the largest Oktoberfests in the country! There is a wide variety of food vendors. The food is the reason to go! The beer is good too, but given the the passion for craft beers the city has, if you want to drink great beer, this is not the event. If you are looking to just have fun and down some suds, then the beer is fine. There are many stages with band playing German music. The entertainment is probably the other great draw for me besides the food I highly recommend going in future years; I know I will be! read more

After going 3 days in a row, I figure I'll put together a little compendium of what I've learned this year. Like many things, Oktoberfest is what you make of it. If you go on the busier nights (Fri and Sat), it is going to be uber crowded and might drive ya crazy. But you might be saying, "that's the only time I can go." And I sympathize, so you will have to grin and bear it. Besides, this is a great event with some of the best people watching opportunities. So what can you do to help ease the tension? Avoid walking down the main thoroughfare at all costs. If you do, people with strollers, and large groups that stop unexpectedly and then take up the lane will impede your progress. Instead, walk along the outside and duck in to the particular booth you want to patronize. Lots of the same food is available at multiple places, so don't worry if that cream puff line is 30 people deep, move along to the next place and check out the line situation. Speaking of food, did any of you see the deep fried PB&J sandwich? Holy cow! Drinking here can be a bit of a pain. Beer lines tend to be extremely long except during the opening hours. One thing I did notice is that the Barefoot Wine booth ($5 a glass) had almost no wait and they had over 6 of the varietals. Save some time and drink vino, it usually has a higher level of alcohol anyway. Parking? I would try to drop off anyone that can't walk several blocks, and then park at least 4 blocks away. Being stuck in the Fountain Square garage for over half an hour is not fun. Area meters are free after 5PM on Saturday, but good luck as this is not a secret to anyone. Parents... you might want to get a babysitter and leave the little ones at home. But if you must, this year it would have been easy to stick to the East side where the carnival rides, several food and beer booths resided. Take breaks. There are usually places to sit and rest near the P&G garden. Oh, and maybe drink water (what's that?). Lastly, definitely stop by the Yelp booth and give some encouraging words to the people that are helping spread the word about this great site. They have to deal with large numbers of half drunk people that really want that Yelp Coozie. ha ha read more

See all

A few weeks or so after you take in Oktoberfest in Covington you can have a "Groundhog Day" experience and do it all over again at Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati. This year's festival is Sept. 20-21. Although it has become North America's largest Oktoberfest, I don't think the Zinzinnati version has same feel as the Main Strasse version. To each his own, but it's still a great experience. Plenty of food, drink and music as you wander down 5th street. Try something new like a sauerkraut ball or pickled pigs' feet if you dare! And don't miss the World's Largest Chicken Dance! read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - From Cincinnati Chamber web site - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I had never been to Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati before this past year, or any other Oktoberfest celebration for that matter. I found this one to be fun, engaging, and full of activities. There was music playing all day and there were plenty of attractions. Drinks were obviously priced high and there were long lines, but there were plenty of types of beer to try. There were also plenty of types of food to try but I wish they had smaller portions available so you could try more types of food. Most importantly, there were plenty of restrooms available, and I never had to wait in line to use one. They were well-placed and as clean as you can expect from a porta-potty. read more

See all

Cincinnati does well with organizing such a large Oktoberfest in the heart of downtown. If the weather is nice, expect huge crowds. This past year we went on Friday evening and the crowds were very manageable. They built throughout the night, but we were able to quickly get beer or food from all vendors we visited. If you're going, make sure to take cash, since I'm pretty sure all vendors were cash only, and ATM lines were very long. All in all, a nice annual event for Cincinnati. read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - Can you really go to Oktoberfest and not get the collectible mug? - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Plan on fun filled event this entire weekend. I've lived in Cincinnati for 23 years and this was my first time to the festival. Fair warning, the beer line is longer than the lines for food. This makes it a little easier to navigate down the road but it will still be crowded. I had a brat, pretzel, and sugar cookie and all were amazing. I also had the Oktoberfest Sam Adams beer. It was better than some select others I have tried. There were free samples of beer from Kroger and free samples of wine from Cupcake. The music and different outfits were great and overall I had a great time. The only thing I wish is that I would have known the times for the annual events better so I could have planned to see some of those. read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - Oktoberfest Beer Cookie from Servatii. Also you have to check out their huge pretzel!!!! - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Judging by the way I feel this morning, I'm going to say Oktoberfest was a good time. It was a bit crowded but what more can I expect from one of the top five Oktoberfests outside of Germany? Yes - that fact is true. :) We couldn't find a map to save our life and point us in the direction of Izzy's or the Woodchuck booth (a map which materialized itself on my kitchen counter this morning) but we eventually figured it all out. Everywhere you looked people were smiling, drinking and eating schnitzel. It was definitely good times. There was German music (and I'm surprised I missed the Chicken Dance in the almost four hours of being there). This was definitely an event I didn't want to miss and I sure had an amazing time. We got collectible Oktoberfest 2011 mugs for $11 and the rest of the night it was $7 for refills. Why not? If you miss it this year, go next year. It's definitely worth it!!! Yay! read more

Delicious fried foods: check Enough beer to keep a frat house busy for a semester: check Goetta on/in everything (including a donut, and deep fried balls of goetta): check Oompah music with accordions: check Chicks in beer-wench costumes and dudes in lederhosen: check Second largest Oktoberfest celebration in the *world*...pretty awesome! But seriously folks, the crowds are a little crazy (although everyone is friendly), and of course you're paying festival prices (read: expensive beer), but it's a once a year celebration of all things German. It's a pretty sweet tradition, and Cincinnati is lucky to have such a unique event. read more

Here's the dark secret of Cincinnati's Oktoberfest - it's only fun for an hour. Total. In your entire lifetime. Or, maybe it's 1 hour every 5 years. But once you cross that hour you're in for bad times. Of course the time to go is Saturday night, but it's a mess. You can't walk, lines are forever long, people cut in and out, etc. You're better off going and sitting on the patio at Nada, drinking beer and/or sangria there, and enjoying better food. Saturday is a serious mess. I love being out drinking, but this feels like New Year's Eve in Times Square - amateur hour. People that don't regularly get out will get in the way of those of you that do. How about Sunday, you ask? Well, you have more time to sample the food. Unfortunately, it's all the same food. Everywhere you look it's Mett, goetta, brats, "schnitzel," and kraut. Everywhere. Plus german chocolate cake and cream puffs. Few places offer anything different, and it's a gamble which you choose. Throw a dart, flip a coin (more like a 20 sided die), whatever. There's identical German food as far as the eye can see. Some may be better than others, but how can you tell? As for beer, there's an overwhelming amount of Bud. Sorry, guys, you can drink Bud anytime (and you shouldn't drink it any time.) At the very least go with the Sam, or even better - go German and Cincinnati and get some Moerlein. If you come to Oktoberfest to drink a mass market beer I do not understand you at all. I kind of enjoy mocking Cincinnati festivals for being all the same, or for allowing Larosas and Papa John's to have booths at Italian festivals, but Oktoberfest is the worst of the bunch. It's for families and for people that live 20 miles away and never come into the city. And it's not worth making the trip. Come in on a normal Saturday evening and hit some of the great restaurants or interesting bars. Or, if you must do a festival, try Taste of Cincinnati - at least that one has different offerings instead of 40 booths with the same 5 items. It's hard to live Downtown and enjoy these festivals, I think. This is just a State Fair with more limited food options. Next year look for me people watching from the comfort of one of my regular bars and spending less money to eat better food at one of countless restaurants. read more

Seriously fun times. I live in NKY so I avoid all parking hassles by walking across the Roebling. And every year, no matter what day or time I go, the amazing Klaberheads are on stage at fountain square, compelling me to yell " E I E I E I O!" as I hoist my plastic stein and spill beer on my shoes. I swear that band is stalking me, as is the old guy with the tall cardboard hat with the handwritten signs. Anyway, go, get there in the daylight, eat some sausage, drink some real beer (you can drink your bud light in the ally with your neighbor) and listen to the Klaberheads. Ja! read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

An every year event for us! We go every year since we moved up here in 2013. This year we were there from 11-9. Hahaha. Go figure! We had tons of fun with friends and trying almost every drink they have. My yearly purchase is the German almonds!! Next year I'll be buying more than just 1! Hahaha! It's gone by the next week!!! I want roasted almonds!!! read more

Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati - Festivals Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

One of the best events the city has to offer. I have a couple of complaints to make the thing better. 1.) Allow more beer booths. The lines are getting insane lately. 2.) Deny any restaurant not serving German food. I don't want to see and Chinese, Soul Food, Ribs, Fast Food etc. They can wait for Taste of Cincinnati with the rest of the crap they allow to set up there now. If you go expect a MASSIVE crowd, lots of lines, lots of drunks, and dress warm. It's not for the faint of heart. If you want to avoid the mess go early and leave before the sun starts to go down. read more

Apparently this event had over half a million guests to try out over 100 craft beers, wow! I'm not a beer fan, but I did try the hard cider and lemonades and those were great. There wasn't much food selection, monly Mets, Bratworst, Mock turtle soup, Reuben sandwiches, but I was able to try out a few selections from mom and pop shops, and those were great. I was suprised to find that I could get great German food in the Cincinnati area without driving up to Columbus for some. I came Early Friday at around 5pm, so I was able to avoid the crowd. A few coworkers went later at 8pm and it was described as ' lots of drunk people, crowded, dirty, rowdy.. but still good beer" I recommend you plan accordingly on when to arrive. Other than beer and german food, there is some traditional music for entertainment, but not much else in terms of games or things to do. It's mostly an event to have a great time with friends while drinking. They had about 10-15 porta potties lined up near Race/ Elm streets. Parking gets congested the closer you get, so I would recommend Uber/Lyft to get the event. read more

Cincinnati shuts down 5th Street in the vicinity of Fountain Square for an entire weekend so people can come and party quasi-German style. Nice maps show the street and list all the food vendors as well as what each is selling and the price of their food. Beers are available from Sam Adams (the biggest sponsor), Warsteiner, Huedepohl, Moerlein, Great Lakes, and I believe 3 other local-ish breweries as well as Bud, Miller, Coors, etc. Beer isn't cheap, but if you buy the plastic souvenir stein your refills are $4 (2011) which is pretty average for a pint of craft brew. Wine is also available. Some folks are wearing their traditional German outfits while others are just wearing vaguely German costumes. I love to watch couples both old and young polka in Fountain Square. There are 3 stages, one in Fountain Square and one at each far end of the festival strip. One plays more traditional stuff (accordion band, etc.), one has contests like bratwurst eating as well as occasional music, and the big one in the square has music and dancing throughout the day. Most of the food is German-esque. Goetta is prominently featured, as are pretzels, potato pancakes, various sausages, cream puffs and other pastries, corned beef, limburger cheese sandwiches, cabbage and noodles, and sauerkraut. At many of the booths you can watch them preparing the items from scratch, a definite rarity. YES there are booths selling roasted corn, funnel cakes, and walking tacos...but it's an Ohio festival...how could there NOT be? For me the best thing about this festival is that I came to enjoy myself, and it was evident that everyone else did too. People are happy, smiling, interacting with strangers, and having fun. read more

Okay, first off, if you aren't thrilled with crowds, and don't like to wait in lines, then take a hint from common sense: don't go to an event that attracts 500,000 Germans-for-a-day, type people. It's like going in to an Irish pub on St Patty's Day and complaining to the bartender that they are serving green beer. However, if you want to drink a bit of beer, visit with some friends, eat some artery clogging, gastronomic delights while listening to an eclectic mix of music while maybe stretching your feathers, make a go of it. A few tips to keep in mind: Families: if you intend to bring the family, come down early. I'd recommend a half hour before opening as many booths tend to open a bit earlier. Yes, little Johnny and little Susie are adorable in their little German costumes with their chicken hats, but pushing your stroller around when it gets crowded will only frustrate you as you face grid lock while spilled beer starts cascading down your back and and your children start doing a jig of another nature waiting for the port-a-potty. Parking: again, getting downtown early doesn't hurt. That said, be prepared to pay up for parking, or be willing to walk a bit. If the Reds or Bengals are playing, be prepared to pay more, or walk further. The P&G parking garage on 6th street is always a good choice for the thrift minded imbiber. Food: mostly German fare, but, over the years, other cultures masking as German have made it a point to abuse political correctness and have decided to attend. Goetta kebab anyone? It used to be that sauerbraten, pickled pigs feet, spaetzle noodles and German cole slaw were common. Now you'll see Bubba's BBQ and mediterranean fare amongst others. Granted, Germans are very industrious with how they cook the swine. In fact, bubba is a word of German derivation that means boy, so I suppose we should be forgiving, at least for the BBQ. Then again, those Chinese egg rolls also have a bit of pork in them. Nightlife: people having fun: some, perhaps drinking a bit more than the surgeon general might recommend, certainly eating food the surgeon general would not recommend. It does get crowded, and surprise, lines get long since it seems that everyone wants to drink a beer. Even the tired mom sloshes her beer around as she pushes her stroller through the crowd with little Johnny and Susie in tow. She knows that by jostling her flagon of beer, she can part the crowds like Moses parted the sea. In this way, she'll walk meander two miles to her car, pack up the kids, head towards home and think that next year, she'll leave the kids at home so that she can drink her beer, do the chicken dance and grab a Servatii's pretzel in peace. read more

Wow what a cluster f***. Wayyyy too many people. Not enough beer stands. Not enough porta potties. Craziness all around. Not my thing. Great people watching though! read more