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Top 9 things to do in Cincinnati during Labor Day weekend: Sept. 1-5

Posted at 1:17 PM, Aug 31, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-04 07:03:25-04

It's the holiday weekend and there's a lot happening. Read on to find ways to fill these end-of-summer days.

Riverfest (of course)

Riverfest is THE thing to do in Cincinnati on Labor Day weekend. What could be better than a daylong party on the riverfront with rubber ducks, fantastic fireworks and 500,000 people? Here are things to know before you go, including details on the Rubber Duck Regatta, entertainment and the Western & Southern / WEBN Fireworks. We’ve also got tips for first-timers, picks for bars and eateries with great views of the show and a list of watch parties to know.

Noon-10 p.m. Sunday. Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove, Downtown. (3 p.m. Sunday: Rubber Duck Regatta; 9:05 p.m. Sunday: fireworks.) Free admission. www.webn.com

Ohio Renaissance Festival

Bring on the giant turkey legs! The Ohio Renaissance Festival kicks off Labor Day weekend, bringing knights, swordsmen, fire jugglers, strolling minstrels and more 16th-century English characters to life. 

10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Monday. 10542 East State Route 73, Waynesville. Friends and Family weekend tickets: adults, $21.95, buy one get one free; kids age 12 and under free. Runs weekends through Oct. 23. www.renfestival.com

Shirley Murdock

“It’s morning, and we slept the night away …” The opening lyrics of “As We Lay” still have the power to get people all in their feelings. It’s a classic for a reason, and it’s R&B singer Shirley Murdock’s greatest hit, so she is sure to perform it during her free concert in Washington Park on Friday. Get ready to sing along.

7-10 p.m. Friday. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St. Free admission. For more details visit the event page on Facebook. 

It’s Oktoberfest Season

Expect plenty of German food and beer, rides, games, live music, dancers and more entertainment at the Liberty Home Association's Oktoberfest this weekend. Bonus: See our week-by-week guide to local Oktoberfest celebrations.

6-11 p.m. Friday, 2-11 p.m. Saturday, 1-10 p.m. Sunday. Liberty Home Association, 2361 Hamilton-Cleves Road (Route 128), Hamilton. Admission: $3, children under 14 free. www.libertyhome.net

Yoga at the ballpark, plus Chase Rice

Get your stretch on outside during an on-field yoga session at Great American Ball Park’s annual Sliding into Om event on Saturday. Instructors from the Yoga Bar will lead a one-hour session in the outfield grass, and admission includes a ticket to the Reds game Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals. And don’t worry -- regardless of whether you’ve never tried yoga or are a pro, all are welcome.

Later Saturday, country singer Chase Rice will play a free concert at the ballpark following the 4:10 p.m. game against the Cardinals. If you’re already going to the game, you’re welcome to stay afterward for the show. There are also field pass packages available to catch the concert only.

  • Sliding into Om: 8 a.m. Saturday: registration; 8:30 a.m. yoga session begins. Great American Ball Park, 100 Joe Nuxhall Way. $15 and $25 packages available. Ages 12 and under free. www.reds.com/yoga
  • Chase Rice: Concert starts about 20 minutes after the end of the 4:10 p.m. Saturday game. Great American Ball Park. Field pass packages start at $32. www.reds.com/ChaseRice

A Day with King Records

On Saturday, Washington Park will kick off King Records Month with live music from local bands, including special covers of King Records’ artists. Eclipse Movement, Pike 27, The Perfect Children, The Midwestern Swing and Young James Brown with Deuces are scheduled to perform, and there will be plenty of Eli’s BBQ and beer, too.

3-10 p.m. Saturday. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Free admission. For more details visit the event page on Facebook.

KSO season finale

The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra will wrap up its summer series in Devou Park on Saturday with “Straussing Out,” a KSO version of the Viennese New Year’s Concert. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and picnic to enjoy, and if you forget food, don’t worry: Buona Vita food truck and Kona Ice will be at the park.

7:30 p.m. Saturday. Devou Park Amphitheater, Covington. Free admission. www.kyso.org

Cincy Brewers Series

When Virginia native Melvin Dillon moved to the Queen City four years ago, he found a welcoming, creative community at the city’s breweries and record shops, which planted the seeds for his newly launched Cincy Brewers Series. The vinyl release series kicks off Sunday with a launch party at MadTree Brewing. For the inaugural album, Dillon has partnered with MadTree, which is making a special infused beer for the party, and local band Krystal Peterson & The Queen City Band, which recorded two songs for a limited-edition seven-inch vinyl and will play a free show in MadTree’s taproom.

6:30-7:30 p.m. Sunday. MadTree Brewing, 5164 Kennedy Ave., Columbia Township. Free admission. For more details visit the event page on Facebook. 

Labor Bey Bus Bar Crawl

If you love Beyonce as much as I do, this sounds like a ridiculously fun way to spend a Sunday. Taft's Ale House, The Overlook Lodge and Next Chapter in Mount Adams are hosting a bar crawl celebrating the singer’s music on Sunday, her birthday.  At each stop, there will be a lemonade stand featuring Watershed Distillery cocktails and the music of Queen Bey. The Cincy Brew Bus is offering free rides to each stop (room is limited so first come, first served), and you can see the fireworks from the final stop, Next Chapter. Bar crawl organizers will donate $1 from each drink to Dress for Success, which provides professional clothing, services and resources to disadvantaged women pursuing jobs. 

Starts at noon Sunday at Taft’s Ale House, 1429 Race St. Free admission. For details, visit the event page on Facebook.

Two more events to put on your radar

  • Art on Vine, a monthly showcase of more than 40 local artists, returns to Fountain Square for a Labor Day weekend edition. Noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Fountain Square, Fifth and Vine streets, Downtown. Free admission. For more details visit the event page on Facebook.
  • Country singer Trace Adkins will perform at Jack Cincinnati Casino on Saturday. 8 p.m. Saturday. Jack Cincinnati Casino, 1000 Broadway St. $35-$55. www.jackentertainment.com