May in Cincinnati is an exciting time! Take this time to soak in the cooler spring temps with a visit to one of our city’s wonderful parks, enjoy a celebration or two (hello, Mom!), and enjoy some traditional city festivals like Taste of Cincinnati!
Enjoy this month long list of Things to Do in Cincinnati for the month of May:
May 2: Tunes and Blooms drops into May due to a date that was rained out in April. The scheduled band is My Brother’s Keeper (check with the Zoo to verify as the date gets close). On Thursdays during Tunes & Blooms, admission is free after 5pm. Parking is $10. Music starts at 6pm.
May 4-5: The Cincy-Cinco Latino Festival will be at Fountain Square (Saturday noon-10pm, Sunday noon-6pm). Featuring authentic Latino food with colorful and delicious flavors, they’ll have participating restaurants from Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, and more. Entertainment, music & dancing from almost two dozen of the most notable performers in the Midwest will fill downtown Cincinnati with family fun, folkloric performances, and in the evenings full of salsa dancing.
May 4: Growfest will be held at the Civic Garden Center. This annual event happens from 10am-2pm. Every dollar you spend goes to support core programs, including the Community Gardens program, Green Learning Station, school gardens and youth education, and our Hands-on Horticulture program.
May 4: Westside Market (showcasing over 100 local vendors, food trucks and offers family fun activities) opens for the 2024 season, 10am-3pm. Find it at the Westwood Town Hall.
May 4: Grab your hat and a mint julep ’cause it’s Kentucky Derby Day!
May 4: It’s CAM Kids Day at the Cincinnati Art Museum, 11am-3pm. Each CAM Kids Day celebrates a new exhibition in the museum with themed activities. From 11 a.m.–1 p.m., families with preschool aged children (ages 3–5) enjoy hands-on gallery activities, art making led by community artists, story time with the Cincinnati Public Library, and a special age-appropriate performance. In the afternoon from 1–3 p.m. families with children ages 5–12 can experience collaborative activities, art experiments, games, art making stops, and a family performance.
May 4: It’s time for the Clay Alliance’s Spring Pottery Fair, 10am-4pm. You’lll find everything from mugs and dinnerware to one-of-a-kind art and garden pieces. Find them just one block west of the intersection of Woodburn Ave. and Madison Rd. with free parking immediately adjacent.
May 4: The Cincinnati Dog Treat Festival will be at Sonder Brewing, 13-3pm. Bring your dog out to taste a variety of snacks from Cincinnati treat makers!
May 5: Fibonacci Brewing Co. hosts its first Monthly Farmers Market of the year, 12-3pm.
May 5: Get your poles ready for the Blue Ash Police Dept. Youth Fishing Tournament starting at 8:30am. Kids will compete to catch the largest fish for prizes and trophies. Must register in advance.
May 10-12: Smoke on the River BBQ Fest will be at Newport’s Festival Park at the Levee on Riverboat Row. Enjoy some great food and live music along the banks of the Ohio River. Hours: Friday 5-11pm, Saturday 12-11pm, Sunday 12-9pm.
May 11-12: The annual Appalachian Festival will be at Coney Island. Enjoy hundreds of “down-home” crafts, non-stop music and storytelling, traditional dances, and lots of food.
May 11: It’s time for May Farm Fest at Gorman Heritage Farm, 9am-3pm. Celebrate the season of new growth on the farm with baby animal interactions, touch-a-tractor, farm scavenger hunt, education stations, face painting, craft vendors, food trucks, music and fun activities for all ages.
May 11: The City Flea will be at Washington Park, 10am-4pm.
May 11: The O.F.F. Market makes its 2024 debut at Summit Park, 11am-5pm. The O.F.F. Market is a monthly marketplace that brings together small businesses, artisans, brewers, bakers, farmers and the like to provide a unique shopping experience that supports strong community connections and strives to grow a hearty local economy.
May 11: The Hamilton Flea, Hamilton’s first curated, urban artisan market, will be at Marcum Park from 10am to 4pm.
May 11: The 53rd Annual Duveneck Art Show will be at George Rogers Clark Park in Covington, noon-5pm. Enjoy art, music, food trucks, and a great view!
May 11: It’s time for the Loveland Food Truck Rally! This family friendly event features an assortment of food trucks, entertainment and live music, and more. Happening 12-8pm at the Shoppers Haven Center.
May 11: It’s Free Family Movie Night at Union Township Veteran’s Memorial Park.
Mother’s Day is May 12. Don’t miss our list of Things to Do for Mother’s Day!
May 12: The Burlington Antique Show is at the Boone County (KY) Fairgrounds, 6am-3pm. Admission charged, parking is free. Rain or shine.
May 12: Art on Vine will be at Washington Park, 12-6pm.
May 18: The Crafty Supermarket will be at Music Hall, 11am-5pm. Shop amongst 100 vendors in the ballroom! This show features handmade goods made by local, regional and national artists. The event is FREE to the public. They’ll have a live DJ, hands-on craft activities, local food and free swag bags for the first 100 shoppers.
May 16: Rockin’ the Roebling kicks off its free summer music season on the Schmidlapp Lawn (adjacent to the Moerlein Lager House), 6-10pm. The band for May 16 is Floyd and the Walkmen. Bring a blanket or a chairs if you’d like. Food and beverages available onsite.
May 17: CityBeat’s Margarita Madness will be happening on the Purple People Bridge, starting at 5:30pm. Sample local bars and restaurants margaritas and cast your vote for the People’s Choice Best Margarita. Tickets required.
May 17: Malts in Ault will be at Ault Park starting at 6pm. Tickets required.
May 18-19: The Benton Farm Spring Craft Show will be happening at the farm. This is a juried craft show with 100+ vendors.
May 18: Head to Heritage Village Museum (at Sharon Woods) for Escape the Village, an escape room style challenge. Choose from one of two escape room adventures: “Morgan’s Raiders of the Lost Art” or “Leaving the Station.” Each session can accommodate four to eight people. Reservations required.
May 19: The Wyoming Art Show, a juried art show and competition, will be on the streets of Wyoming (Ohio) from 11am til 5pm.
May 23: It’s time for Rockin’ the Roebling, a free summer music event on the Schmidlapp Lawn (adjacent to the Moerlein Lager House), 6-10pm. The band for May 23 is NKG. Bring a blanket or a chairs if you’d like. Food and beverages available onsite.
Memorial Day is Monday, May 27. Check out this list of
Memorial Day Celebrations in Cincinnati
May 25-27: Taste of Cincinnati returns for 2024! Started in 1979, Taste of Cincinnati is a Cincinnati culinary tradtition that features more than 65 restaurants, food trucks and Findlay Market vendors.
May 25: The Barbie Truck Dreamhouse Living Tour East will make a Cincinnati appearance at the Kenwood Towne Centre, 10am-7pm. Find it at the entrance near Restoration Hardware.
May 31: Art After Dark will be happening at the Cincinnati Art Museum, 5-9pm. Free admission. RSVP not required. Please arrive early or consider taking an Uber/Lyft. Parking is limited.
May 31-June 2: Summerfair will be at Coney Island
May 31-June 2: Cincitalia! The Cincinnati Italian Festival will be celebrating all things Italian with delicious Italian food, wine, Italian music and plenty of fun and games for all ages. The festival kicks off with an adults-only (21+) ‘Carnevale’ celebration on May 31, 6 p.m. to midnight. Saturday and Sunday are family-fun days filled with old-fashioned fun.
Check Out These Ongoing Events for May:
The May Festival, the longest-running choral festival in North America, is May 17-25. The full Chorus returns to Music Hall’s stage for this joyful reunion of singers and lovers of song.
Zoo Babies is happening at the Cincinnati Zoo during the month of May. Watch their site and grounds for announcements of new babies to visit.
