Threw and Threw
The American Cornhole Organization has unveiled the top ten cities for playing cornhole. Find out where Cincinnati landed on the list.
Cornhole is moving out of the backyards and into the big time.
This week, the American Cornhole Organization (ACO), the official governing body of the sport, named the top places in the country to play cornhole, based on both ACO membership and major tournament participation.
“As bags fly from hundreds of thousands of hands coast to coast, and likely millions worldwide, the ACO travels city to city to find the best players and the best people out there,” said Frank Geers, the founder and president of the ACO. “These are just the cities where we find them all. The sport and its players continue to amaze us all.”
See the rankings in the gallery and also check out when the next ACO competition will be played there!
Queen for a Day
FOUND, a month-long celebration of events and programs of a city founded during the holiday season, offers the chance to learn more about how Cincinnati began and all that it has become.
FOUND, a community-produced, month-long celebration of a city founded during the holiday season, offers the chance to learn more about the city’s past and present.
From shows to light installations, sales to Santa, FOUND is a way to discover all there is to experience each day during the holiday season. (Details below.)
Beyond Porkopolis
Cincinnati thrived during the Gilded Age (from the 1870s to about 1900), with industry and the arts both flourishing.
15+ – Railroads connected Cincinnati to other parts of the United States.
130 – The number of newspapers and magazines in the city.
200 – The number of churches in the city.
37,143 people / square mile – The city had the densest population of any city in the United States.
80,000 – Books in the public library
103,325 – People employed by Cincinnati's industries (among those iron production, meatpacking, cloth production, and woodworking).
$200 million – Value of good produced by those industries.
But before you begin your adventure in our fair city, be sure you know some of the finer points of our history.
24 – The first chapter of Cincinnati history took place during the holiday season, as 24 pioneering families settled in an untamed frontier they called Losantiville. Founded on the banks of the Ohio River on Dec. 28, 1788, flatboats traveling down the Ohio River landed at what would later be Sycamore Street, directly across from the Licking River. Israel Ludlow, Matthias Denman, and Robert Patterson purchased eight hundred acres from John Cleves Symmes along the Ohio River at the Licking River's mouth. Denman provided the necessary funds; Patterson found settlers; and Ludlow surveyed the land to make sales and also establish a town.
1790 – Arthur St. Clair, the governor of the Northwest Territory, changed the name of the settlement to “Cincinnati” in honor of the Society of the Cincinnati.
1824 – Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in as the first Black church in Ohio.
1850 – First city in the U.S. to publish greeting cards at the Gibson Greeting Card Company.
1853 – The city of Cincinnati started the first full-time professional fire department in the United States. Two Cincinnati inventors also developed the first practical steam fire pumper, making the city famous for the design and manufacturing of firefighting apparatus.
1869 – The Cincinnati Reds, originally known as the Cincinnati Red Stockings, became the first all-professional baseball team in 1869 with 10 salaried players and have been alternately thrilling and breaking our hearts ever since.
1870 – First city in the U.S. to establish a municipal university – University of Cincinnati.
1875 – First city to establish a Jewish theological college – Hebrew Union College.
1903 – The Ingalls Building opens as the world’s first reinforced concrete skyscraper. (This was once a Jeopardy! question, we hope you got it right!)
1930s – WLW is the first to broadcast at 500,000 watts.
1935 – The Reds played in Major League Baseball’s first-ever night game at the former Crosley Field.
1952 – First heart-lung machine- makes open heart surgery possible. Developed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
1954 – First licensed public television station, WCET.
2003 – The Contemporary Arts Center is first U.S. museum to be designed by a woman, designed by Zaha Hadid.
2017 – The most famous hippo in the world, Fiona, is born at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.
– Thanks to cincinnatiusa.com/article/region-superlatives for much of this information.
Finding FOUND
FOUNDERS FOREST: Founders Forest illuminates the renovated community space, Imagination Alley in Over-the-Rhine. The public art installation will feature 50 lit trees and movie programming.
FINDING LOSANTIVILLE: Designed by an expert team of game creators, this four-week-city-wide scavenger hunt takes contestants on a journey to find the key to Losantiville. Each week a new clue is released with physical challenges throughout the city. One lucky winner will find the key to Losantiville and a grand prize and weekly prizes will be awarded as well.
WINDOWS OF WONDER: For most of the last century, Downtown Cincinnati has transformed into a holiday wonderland each year. FOUND is bringing back a piece of this loved tradition with Windows of Wonder, a visual holiday-scape which will expand across windows throughout the city. Each window will be logged on a digital walking map for guests to venture out and discover them all.
Talking Turkey
Thanksgiving means turkey, potatoes, and shopping! See where your neighbors are picking up the ingredients for the big meal and check out their favorite stores so you know what to expect for Black Friday.
You’ve got a big shopping week ahead!
Whether you’re responsible for part of the meal or making the whole dinner yourself, you’ll need to pick up some things for Thanksgiving. From humble snacks to impressive sides and decadent desserts, you’ll definitely be heading to the grocery store.
Maybe you’re already planning your Black Friday excursion. Before you head out for a great deal on a TV or to pick up the latest tech accessory, you need to do a little research.
Chiefly, where is everyone else going to be?
grocery shopping
What are the most popular places to shop for the big meal, to make sure you have plenty of leftovers.
Here are the most popular places shop for food among Tristate shoppers.
Kroger 85.8%
Walmart Supercenter 44.9%
ALDI 20.5%
Jungle Jim's 13.3%
Dorothy Lane Market 1.3%
Hometown pride is strong with almost 86% of us doing our shopping at Kroger. Though Dorothy Lane Market isn’t at the top of list, it’s a safe bet that having one closer to Cincinnati will push that number up in the next year if folks are already seeking it out for brownies and beyond.
Black Friday
Sure, you’re going to the mall. But which mall?
Take a look at this rundown to figure out how crowded your fave place is going to be.
Kenwood Towne Centre 26.9%
Rookwood Commons 16.6%
Liberty Center 15.6%
EastGate Mall 14.4%
Florence Mall 13.5%
Downtown Cincinnati 11.4%
Tri-County Mall 10.5%
Northgate Mall 10.1%
Crestview Hills Town Center 9.3%
Anderson Towne Center 8.7%
Big Box
Maybe the mall isn’t your thing. Here’s how many of us do our shopping anyplace elese!
Walmart 66.1%
Dollar Tree 44.5%
Target 43.4%
The Home Depot 39.8%
Dollar General 39.1%
Lowe's 37.6%
Meijer 37.2%
Family Dollar 30.5%
Costco 20.6%
Sam's Club 20.5%
but what’s for breakfast?
You need to fuel up for your big day! Here’s the breakdown of where we pick up breakfast-on-the-go.
McDonald's 20.3%
Dunkin' 8.2%
Starbucks 6.5%
Sure, cappuccino is nice, but pass that Egg McMuffin!
Data from Scarborough Research
Feb 2020–Jan 2021, Total Adults 18+
No Time to Pie
Time is running out to order you Thanksgiving pies from Bust A Crust! Find out more about the Meals on Wheels fundraiser and how you can help seniors just by buying dessert!
The inaugural Bust A Crust! in 2020 raised money that helped Meals on Wheels meet the needs of homebound seniors in our community during the holidays and beyond. This year, you can join the effort!
Visit bustacrust.org to order your Thanksgiving dessert. Bulk orders are available, too, so you can also order pies for clients, employees, or friends.
Running Strong
The 2021 DAV 5K raises funds that support programs and services Disabled American Veterans offers to veterans free of charge. Find out how to join the race at The Banks on Nov. 6 or virtually from Nov. 6–11.
DAV (Disabled American Veterans) holds its 2021 DAV 5K at The Banks on Nov. 6, with a virtual option held Nov. 6 to 11, 2021. Register and join the virtual 5K now .
The DAV 5K is a walk, roll, run and motorcycle ride that thanks those who served and raises awareness of the issues our ill and injured veterans face every day. The virtual DAV 5K allows participants to show support for veterans from anywhere they choose.
DAV Impact in 2020
3,400 – Participants in the first-ever virtual DAV 5K in 2020
21,000 – The number of separating service members counseled by DAV transition service officers
17,000 – Applications presented for for earned VA benefits.
32,000 – Veterans, spouses and service members who attended one of 92 DAV job fairs, most of which were converted from in-person events to virtual due to precautions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
243,000 – No-cost ride provided by DAV voluntary drivers despite the challenges presented by COVID-19
1 million – DAV veterans and their families helped
9.6 million – Miles traveled to transport veterans to and from VA medical appointments.
join the race
Registration
Registration is open through Nov. 1 at www.DAV5K.org. The virtual 5K is open through Nov. 11!
Race Day
7 a.m. – Check in and registration open.
9 a.m. – Race begins
Race Location
The race is held at Great American Ball Park. There is a 1-mile route option. Signage and volunteers will direct those who want to take the shorter route.
Packet Pickup
Thursday, Nov. 4
10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
DAV National Headquarters
860 Dolwick Drive
Erlanger, Ky. 41018
Friday, Nov. 5
10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Feet Fleet Blue Ash
9525 Kenwood Rd #42
Blue Ash, Ohio 45242
Participants can pick up their race bib and shirt. Pick-up is also available on race morning at 7 a.m.
Post Party
The after-party will be held at Moerlein Lager House. Veterans receive a complimentary drink and all race participants enjoy light refreshments from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Flying High
With three days of races this year, and taking place in the Fall, the Flying Pig Marathon will be different this year, but things remains the same – all the people dedicated to making it a success.
The Flying Pig is back! And it’s bringing the Queen Bee with it.
Next weekend, Oct. 29–31, in-person events will be held for the combined Flying Pig and Queen Bee weekend.
The P&G Health and Fitness expo will be held at the Duke Energy Center Oct. 29-30 and the Michelob Ultra Post-Race Party will be held in Smale Park during each day’s races.
Friday, Oct. 29, 7 p.m. – Fifty West Mile, part of the TQL Beer Series
Saturday, Oct. 30, 7:30 a.m. – Toyota 10K
Saturday, Oct. 30, 9:30 a.m. – Tri-State Running Company 5K
Saturday, Oct. 30, 11 a.m – Queen Bee Medpace 4 Miler
Saturday, Oct. 30, 12:30 p.m – Flying Fur
Sunday’s schedule includes the Flying Pig Marathon presented by P&G, the Paycor Half Marathon, the Queen Bee Half Marathon, empowered by P&G and Kroger, and the CityDash 4-person relay. All Sunday events will start at 7:30 a.m.
“All of us with the Flying Pig and Queen Bee are thrilled that we will ‘return to flight’ in October with in-person events,” said Iris Simpson Bush, president and CEO of Pig Works, the umbrella organization of the Flying Pig, Queen Bee, TQL Beer Series and FCC3. “Based upon all information available to us from the CDC, local health care providers and our Board of Directors, we feel confident in the safety of moving forward with in-person events. We’ll continue to assess any changes that the CDC recommends and adhere to their guidance for a safe event.”
FLYING PIG EVENT REGISTRATION HISTORY
(Registered numbers reflect total number of signups for all events)
1999 Registered: 6,163; Finishers: 5,297
2000 Registered: 6,064; Finishers: 5,183
2001 Registered: 7,976*; Finishers: 6,534
2002 Registered: 8,436; Finishers: 7,323
2003 Registered: 9,271**; Finishers: 8,101
2004 Registered: 12,124; Marathon Finishers: 8,978
2005 Registered: 13,282***: Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers: 7,946
2006 Registered: 15,756; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers: 8,600
2007 Registered: 18,192; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers: 9,551
2008 Registered: 22,149; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers: 11,992
2009 Registered: 22,285; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers: 12,671
2010 Registered: 23,944; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers:15,140
2011 Registered: 30,408; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers:15,189
2012 Registered: 30,993; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers:14,938
2013 Registered: 33,852; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers:15,182
2014 Registered: 36,131; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers:15,273
2015 Registered: 37,770; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers:15,349
2016 Registered: 39,692; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers: 15,441
2017 Registered: 37,244; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers: 14,758
2018 Registered: 43,127; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers: 18,860
2019 Registered: 43,691; Marathon/Half Marathon Finishers: 15,242
*First year of 5 mile race
**First year of 10K race (changed from 5 mile)
***First Year of Half Marathon
One Step at a Time
The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk is Saturday, Oct. 23 at Yeatman's Cove. See how you can get involved to help raises awareness, and funds, to combat this disease.
Making Strides of Greater Cincinnati
Saturday, Oct. 23, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Yeatman’s Cove, 705 E Pete Rose Way
secure.acsevents.org/site
In October, brands from Kitchenaid to the NFL “think pink” in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month. While we are all familiar with the pink ribbon, it wasn’t widely used as a breast cancer support symbol until 1993, when it was adopted by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Over the past three decades, funding to increase and improve research has increased dramatically, with breast cancer research now receiving the most funding of any cancer.
One way to directly join the fight against breast cancer is by taking part in the Making Strides of Greater Cincinnati breast cancer walk. You can still sign up or volunteer for this noncompetitive, family-friendly 3-mile walk next Saturday.
Mercy Mobile Mammography Screening
www.mercy.com/news-events
Tuesday, Oct. 19, 1 p.m.
Price Hill Health Clinic, 2136 W. Eighth St.
Wednesday, Oct. 20, 8:30 a.m.
Anderson Kroger, 7580 Beechmont Ave.
Tuesday, Oct. 19, 9 a.m.
Bobbie Sterne Health Center, 1525 Elm St.
Friday, Oct. 22, 2021, 8 a.m.
Evendale Walgreens, 3105 Glendale Milford Road
Fri, Oct. 22, 2021, 8:30 a.m.
Everybody Fitness West Chester, 7060 Ridgetop Drive
Saturday, Oct. 23, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Silver Springhouse, 8322 E. Kemper Road
Monday, Oct. 25, 8:30 am
Dillard's, 6290 Glenway Ave.
Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, 8:00 am
Rookwood Commons, 2367 Edmondson Road
Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, 12:30 p.m.
Mercy Health — Rookwood Medical Center
4101 Edwards Road
TriHealth Women’s Services Van
www.trihealth.com/womens-services-van/calendar
Wednesday, Oct. 20, 9 a.m .– 2 p.m.
Blue Ash Internal Medicine, 4260 Glendale-Milford Road
Thursday, Oct. 21, 1 – 5 p.m.
City of Cincinnati-CFD, Station 9 (District 4)
4379 Reading Road
Friday, Oct. 22, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Walgreens-Colerain, 9775 Colerain Ave.
Friday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Walgreens-Norwood, 4605 Montgomery Road
UC Health Mobile Diagnostics
www.uchealth.com/pink/events
Monday, Oct. 25, 8 – 9:30 a.m.
UC Health Primary Care (Mason), 9313 Mason Montgomery Road
Monday, Oct. 25, 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
UC Health Primary Care (Wyoming), 175 W Galbraith Road
Wednesday, Oct. 27, 8 – 11 a.m.
Price Hill Medical Center, 2136 W. Eighth St.
Thursday, Oct. 28, 8 – 11 a.m.
UC Health Physicians Office (Florence), 68 Cavalier Blvd.
Though the overall numbers about breast cancer are scary, research and early detection have led to a decrease in the death rate from 2013 to 2018.
Early detection is critical – women whose breast cancer is found in an early stage have a 93 percent or higher survival rate in the first five years. Below is a list of mobile mammography locations the rest of October.
1 in 8 U.S. women (about 13%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.
The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are sex (being a woman) and age (growing older).
In 2021, an estimated 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 49,290 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.
About 2,650 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men in 2021. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 833.
About 43,600 women in the U.S. are expected to die in 2021 from breast cancer.
Death rates have been steady in women under 50 since 2007, but have continued to drop in women over 50. The overall death rate from breast cancer decreased by 1% per year from 2013 to 2018. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances and earlier detection through screening.
Breast cancer incidence rates in the U.S. began decreasing in the year 2000, after increasing for the previous two decades. They dropped by 7% from 2002 to 2003 alone. One theory is that this decrease was partially due to the reduced use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) by women after the results of a large study called the Women’s Health Initiative were published in 2002. These results suggested a connection between HRT and increased breast cancer risk. In recent years, incidence rates have increased slightly by 0.5% per year.
About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations.
Breast cancer became the most common cancer globally as of 2021, accounting for 12% of all new annual cancer cases worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
In women under 45, breast cancer is more common in Black women than white women. Overall, Black women are more likely to die of breast cancer. For Asian, Hispanic, and Native-American women, the risk of developing and dying from breast cancer is lower. Ashkenazi Jewish women have a higher risk of breast cancer because of a higher rate of BRCA mutations.
A woman’s risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Less than 15% of women who get breast cancer have a family member diagnosed with it.
– breastcancer.org
Movie Business
The film industry isn't just for Hollywood anymore. It's also billion dollar business responsible for thousands of jobs in Ohio. Film Cincinnati alongside Cleveland Film recently released a study showing the impact of film productions close to home.
Movies are good business for Ohio.
Film Cincinnati alongside Cleveland Film commissioned a study by Olsberg SPI, an entertainment consultant group. The following chart has their findings on the benefits of having the $40 million a year Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit.
How 'Bout Them Apples?
What's on your list of Fall activities? Grab that pumpkin spice latte and head out for an autumnal adventure to enjoy National Apple Month and better appreciate this humble fruit.
October, fittingly enough is National Apple Month. So dust off those boots and grab your scarf, because you’re going apple-picking! (Or shopping – Some places don’t want you up on a ladder. In a tree. For safety reasons.)
Close to home, you’ll find numerous options to find or harvest apples within an hour’s drive of Cincinnati.
We’ve picked few of the most fun.
Hidden Valley Orchards
5474 N. State Road 48, Lebanon, 513-932-1869
For hours and information: www.hiddenvalleyorchards.com
This operational farm and market offers homegrown fruits, vegetables, seasonal U-Pick crops, and activities. With more than 60 acres, Hidden Valley also has an ice cream barn, Taprooms with HVO hard ciders and Fall “Crop-Tails,” and Market with local vendors and seasonal meals.
Hollmeyers Orchard
3241 Fiddlers Green Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45248, 513-574-0663
For hours and information: www.facebook.com/HollmeyerOrchard
This family-owned, 105-year-old orchard on the west side of Cincinnati sells in-season produce in its market including peaches, plums, pears, apples, and an array of vegetables. They also make their own pickles and unpasteurized cider. Cash only.
Irons Fruit Farm
1640 Stubbs Mills Road, Lebanon, OH 45036, 513-932-2853
Hours and information: www.ironsfruitfarm.com
The fourth generation on this farm makes apple cider, apple butter, jams and jellies. A greenhouse was built in 1999 allowing us to grow vegetable plants for our field crops. In the Fall, they have a 12-acre corn maze and hayrides for pumpkin-picking, with a bakery making pies, apple fritters, cider donuts, caramel apples, and more.
McGlasson Farms
5832 River Road, Hebron, KY 41048, 859-689-5229
Hours and information: www.mcglassonfarms.com
This roadside farm has been family owned and operated for six generations. All of their fruits and vegetables are picked and ready for sale at the stand, along with opportunities to pick-your-own produce, including apples and pumpkins in the Fall.
106 The number of apple orchards in Ohio, according to OhioApples.com.
291 The number of breweries in Ohio, many of which make cider so, huzzah, gluten-free friends!
15 The number of dedicated cider-makers in Ohio, with Kentucky Pete's Apple Cider, Over-The-Rhine Cider Co., Rhinegeist Brewery, and Rivertown Brewery and Barrel House among the local favorites.
Ohio is one of the top 10 states in apple production in the United States. It produces around 50 different varieties, including 2 Ohio originals.
There are over 7,000 apple varieties grown across the world.
2,500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States.
Apples are grown in all 50 states.
Apples are grown commercially in 36 states.
A medium apple is about 80 calories.
Apples harvested from an average tree can fill 20 boxes that weigh 42 pounds each.
For All the World to See
After seeing Rose Lavelle and the USWNT trounce Paraguay, Cincinnati is ready for its next moment in the soccer spotlight See the impact hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 would have on the Greater Cincinnati area.
Rose Lavelle and the U.S. Women’s National Team soundly defeated Paraguay at TQL Stadium this week, adding to Cincinnati’s mythos as a soccer city.
Cincinnati is in the running to host the FIFA World Cup 2026. Take a look at the impact that would have on Greater Cincinnati, beyond the pitch. (HINT: It’s bigger than hosting the Super Bowl, and the Super Bowl’s economic impact ranges from $300 million to $500 million.
$5 Billion
Total Economic Impact of
FIFA World Cup 2026
Hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ could generate more than $5 billion in short-term economic activity, including supporting approximately 40,000 jobs and more than $1 billion in incremental worker earnings across North America, according to a study done by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a leading global management consulting firm.
Canada, Mexico and the United States are hosting the 48-team tournament in 2026, which will be the largest in FIFA World Cup™ history. The overall net benefit to the region would be $3-$4 billion. The study further estimates that individual host cities could expect to see approximately $160-$620 million in incremental economic activity. That translates to a net benefit of approximately $90-$480 million per city after accounting for potential public costs.
1.1 billion
Global Media Exposure of FIFA World Cup
Audience Viewership of the Super Bowl: 98 million
According to FIFA, the last World Cup final between France and Croatia reached an average live audience of 517 million viewers, with more than 1.1 billion people tuning in over its 90 minutes. The 2019 Super Bowl pales in comparison, having had an average viewership of 98 million in the United States plus an estimated 50 to 65 million around the world.
by the Billions
Publicity/Increased Global Awareness of Cincinnati
Since Cincinnati was named as a Candidate Host City, there have been more than 1,100 news stories in print/online and broadcast resulting in more than 3.2 billion impressions and with earned media value of $37 million (or the total cost of buying space in these media outlets).
Boosting Long-term Tourism
Raising the Profile of Cincinnati
In 2018, Russia has hosted more than 700,000 foreign soccer fans during the World Cup tournament, spread over 11 cities including Moscow, St Petersburg and Sochi. Future tourism estimates that visitors to World Cup host cities in Russia may increase as much as 15 percent year over year.
Dogged Determination
The greatest, shortest athletes in the world return, as the Running of the Wieners takes to the streets for Oktoberfest Zinzinnati. See how their 400 feet stack up against all the beer, bratwurst, and pretzels.
Expanded Oktoberfest Zinzinnati
Thursday, Sep. 16, 5 p.m.– midnight
Friday, Sep. 17, 11 a.m–midnight
Saturday, Sep. 18, 11 a.m.–midnight
Sunday, Sep. 19, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
Learn more at www.OktoberfestZinzinnati.com.
The Running of the Wieners ist back at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, Thursday, Sep. 16, at 11 a.m. The Downtown Zinzinnati tradition will again feature 100 dachshunds racing on Freedom Way at The Banks, between Walnut and Rosa Parks Streets. Each dog will wear its provided hot dog bun costume while running approximately 75 feet, in heats of ten, to its owner waiting at the finish line. The winners from each heat will compete in a final race to determine the winning wiener!
“Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is expanding to open on Thursday in 2021 and we’re kicking it off in our meaner, cleaner wiener arena,” said Cynthia Oxley, director of Oktoberfest Zinzinnati.
Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third place dachshunds. Each owner will be provided an official Oktoberfest Zinzinnati Running of the Wieners 2021 t-shirt. Entry fee is $35. The event is free for spectators.
Registration, rules and complete details for the Running of the Wieners are now available at link. Oktoberfest Zinzinnati®, presented by Samuel Adams, will now open one day earlier and stay open one hour later, Thursday evening, Sep. 16 through Sunday, Sep. 19.
Along with the 400 legs of the racing dachshunds, spread out across 10 heats, the numbers for the rest of Oktoberfest are just as impressive.
87,542 metts
64,000 sauerkraut balls
24,640 potato pancakes
20,000 cream puffs
6,000 jumbo pickles
1,875 lbs. German potato salad
700 pigtails 80,500 bratwurst
56,250 sausages
23,004 soft pretzels
16,002 strudel
3,600 lbs. sauerkraut
702 lbs. Limburger cheese
400 pickled pigs feet
Gone to the Dogs
We would argue every day is "dog day," but the official observation is Aug. 26. While you plan your celebration, find out how your pooch stacks up against the most popular breeds in the country.
Officially, National Dog Day is Aug. 26, but if we’re honest, it’s today and was also yesterday and every other day this week. The ofiicial day is designed to encourage dog ownership of all breeds.
Curious if your dog is in the American Kennel Club’s “top 10” most popular breeds? Check below to see how your best friend stacks up. We’re pretty sure she’s #1, no matter what.
Not pictured: Classic American Mutt
A Net Gain
What does it take to make the Western & Southern Open? Take a look at the volunteers, charitable donations, and the biggest names in tennis at nation's oldest professional tennis tournament played in its city of origin.
The Western & Southern Open is the nation's oldest professional tennis tournament played in its city of origin.
The Open will be held August 14–22, at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason.
First played in 1899 on the site of current day Xavier University, the Open has been a fixture in the Queen City for more than a century. The champions list reads like a who's who of tennis greats, with more than 100 International Tennis Hall of Famers having played in Cincinnati over the years.
While delivering great tennis to the world is the main product, the Western & Southern Open's primary mission for decades has been to use the event as a force for good. Over the past decades the tournament donated to key community beneficiaries.
Giving Back
$11 million – Total money donated directly to key community beneficiaries.
$9 Million – Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
$1.5 Million – The Barrett Cancer Center at UC
$994,633 – Tennis For City Youth
The Volunteers
1,300 – People from the Greater Cincinnati area who annually volunteer
31 – Committees, from Ballpersons to Player Escorts to Transportation, volunteers
On the Court
The Lindner Family Tennis Center and the venues for the four Grand Slams are the only venues in tennis with more than two permanent stadiums.
The capacity for the Center’s stadia are:
11,435 – Center Court
5,000 – Grandstand Court (capacity
3,500 – Court #3
2,500 – Court #9
The Players
56 Draw size
44 direct acceptances
7 qualifiers
4 wild cards
1 special exempt
Winners
The first winner of what is today the Western & Southern Open was Nat C. Emerson in 1899. Bobby Riggs won four times, from 1936-38 and again in 1940.
7 – Roger Federer has won the Cincinnati Masters the most times on the men’s side, the last of which came in 2015. Other multiple champions in the Open Era include
4 – Mats Wilander
3 – Andre Agassi
3 – Pete Sampras
3 – Marty Riessen
FYI, Novak Djokovic has won the Cincinnati Masters twice while Rafael Nadal has won the tournament once.
Between 1974 to 2003, the women’s event was held only once. No woman has won the tournament three times in the Open Era, with Rosie Casals (1970), Margaret Court (1972) and Yvonne Goolagong (1973) among the winners prior to that. Those with two titles include defending champion Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams.
Book Smart
Have you decided what you're doing for National Book Lovers Day on August 9? See why the Mercantile Library is a great place to explore books, old and new.
If you love books, a library is a good place for you.
If you love libraries, the Mercantile Library is the best place for you. Part eclectic book collection, part Old Curiosity Shop, and all Cincinnati history, it’s a perfect spot to while away your book-obsessed hours.
To commemorate National Book Lovers Day on Monday, August 9, we checked in with Cedric Rose, librarian and collector at Mercantile Library since 2005. He shares details with us about just a few of the more than 80,000 books in the collection.
The oldest book in the collection:
Hieroglyphica, seu de sacris Ægyptiorum by the Italian Humanist Pierio Valeriano, and dedicated to Cosimo I de' Medici was published in 1614, based on an earlier work apocryphally attributed to the Egyptian priest Horapollo.
The latest book added to the collection:
Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara, a Real Crime mystery set in 1944 Chicago, about a young woman searching for the truth about her revered older sister’s death after their release from a concentration camp.
(We add new books almost daily, but this is true as of this writing.)
Most checked out book during the Library's history:
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, librarian’s thumb for scale
Hard to say because we don’t have circulation records that are searchable going back to 1835. However, because we didn’t originally collect fiction, I’m going to guess the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin would be up there. A very well-worn pocket edition survives in our first catalog, the original collection that dates to our founding in 1835 . As one of the founders of the Library Company of Philadelphia, Franklin was a big part of the Membership Libraries movement, which was all about “self-improvement.”
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin just returned to the collection after the book was beautifully rebound by The Ohio Bookstore bindery. The work was paid for by a long-time supporter of the Mercantile Library as part of our adopt a book program.
In the last 16 years or so—that’s how long I’ve been here—it’s got to be Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, who was supposed to be our Niehoff Lecturer when COVID hit. We just keep wearing this book out.
Author most represented in the library:
Probably Shakespeare, because we have a “Shakespeare” collection that includes a sub-collection dedicated to the question of who Shakespeare really was. And many, many sets of the plays.
“Most popular” books, currently:
In order from most to fifth-most circulated within the past five years (ish):
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert.
The Dutch House, A Novel by Ann Patchett.
The Searcher by Tana French.
Notre-Dame: A Short History of the Meaning of Cathedrals by Ken Follett
The Overstory, A Novel by Richard Powers.
With the recent announcement of its expansion to the 12th floor of its building, the Library will be doubling in size. So expect more authors, more programs, and yes, more books.
Find out more at mercantilelibrary.com.
Up in Your Grill?
National Grilling Month is winding down – Did you get your grill on? Find out how many grill masters we have in town and what they're cooking up this summer.
– Scarborough Nielsen Research
Before you join the 66% of your fellow Cincinnatians breaking out that grill, make sure you’re doing it right! The only thing worse than warm cole slaw is undercooked chicken.
Use these grilling tips so you can keep the grill fired up all summer long.
Wash your hands. Use hand sanitizer when clean water isn’t readily available where you are grilling.
Keep food cold until you are ready to put them on the grill. Letting them sit allows bacteria to grow.
Don’t mix raw and cooked foods. Keep raw foods separate from each other. Once cooked, use a clean dish to place your final masterpiece. The bacteria from the raw food will contaminate the freshly cooked meal.
Keep hot food warm to at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit, until it’s ready to be placed in a cooler with ice or refrigerator to prevent bacteria growth. For salads and cold foods, keep them chilled on ice.
– National Day Calendar
Game(s) On
Hosting the Olympics is a Herculean feat on its own! See what it takes to put on the games with a look at the dollars spent, the countries competing, sports being introduced, and more.
As Cincinnati born and based athletes head to Tokyo, take a look at the numbers behind the games.
$26B+ – Estimated cost of hosting the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
$15B – Estimated economic loss for Japan from barring overseas spectators and limiting the number of domestic fans to 50% of the capacity.
$900 Million – Amount to be spent for Tokyo 2020 on coronavirus countermeasures.
80% – Share of people in Japan who want the Tokyo Olympics canceled or postponed again as the coronavirus pandemic rolls on.
79K – Tons of small electronic devices donated by Japanese citizens, from which 32kg of gold, 3,500kg of silver, and 2,200kg of bronze were extracted to create medals.
44K – Number of security personnel who will work the Tokyo Games – roughly half the number of the 2016 Rio Olympics.
11K – Athletes, from 205 counties, will compete in the Olympics.
7K – Hours of programming NBCUniversal will produce.
5K – Olympic medals, made of recycled electronics.
600+ – Number of athletes on Team USA
339 – Sporting events will take place in Tokyo.
57 – Age of the oldest member of Team USA, equestrian Phillip Dutton.
42 – Venues will be used for the games, with 33 in Tokyo and nine in co-host cities.
24.5 – Tons of used plastic were collected to create the podiums for the victory ceremonies.
15 Years – Age of the youngest member of Team USA, swimmer Katie Grimes.
4 – Sports will make their debut in Tokyo: karate, sport climbing, surfing, and skateboarding.
2 – Sports making a comeback, baseball for men and softball of women.
1st – Games to ever use artificial intelligence managed security features, with the ability to correctly verify the faces of 230 million people in one second.
– Information from WalletHub
Time to Sit Back
Swimming, biking, and hiking – Oh, my!
See how you're spending your time summer vacation stacks up to what others in the Tristate are doing.
HOW I SPEND MY SUMMER VACATION
With the extra daylight (and time off) during summer, there’s no end to fun things to do. Whether it’s swimming in the backyard or tackling a home improvement project, we looked at whate folks in the Greater Cincinnati are doing this time of year.
– Data from Scarborough Research
NIL All
As of July 1, college athletes in a number of states, including Ohio, now have the opportunity to make money from their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). What does that mean for the athletes and schools?
July 1, 2021 will be known in the history books as the day that college athletics changed forever due to the NIL or Name, Image and Likeness adoption by the NCAA and several U.S. states including Ohio and Kentucky.
NIL means that collegiate athletes can be paid for the use of the name and/or an image of them playing their sport. Endorsements from for profit companies can range from paid appearances, private training sessions with youth, autographs, social media posts and more. Financial experts are forecasting that the new NIL market will be valued at more than one billion dollars in the next few years. Top collegiate quarterbacks could make more than $1 million a year in deals.
“As NIL deals roll out between brands and college athletes, it will be interesting to see this new billion dollar market emerge,” said Jackie Reau, CEO of Game Day, a media and marketing agency who has been studying the effects of NIL as it relates to sports business. “On July 1, 500,000 plus student athletes are on the market for endorsement and marketing deals.”
On Monday, June 28, Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order to allow student-athletes to profit off their own name, image and likeness, with the support of the state’s collegiate athletic leaders. DeWine joined Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who the previous week issued an executive order of his own to put Kentucky’s own name, image and likeness executive order in place.
On July 1, these orders went into effect, finally allowing student-athletes to monetize their NIL. States are making individual decisions on the NIL issue, so those that don’t allow student-athletes to earn money this way are at a disadvantage in competitive recruitment.
Click to visit a website to track state-by-state progress of NIL legislation.
NIL laws in effect
Immediately
Oklahoma (schools can grant rights immediately, but no later than July 1, 2023)
Nebraska (schools can grant rights immediately, but no later than July 1, 2023)
July 1
Alabama
Florida
Georgia
Mississippi
New Mexico
Texas
Kentucky
Ohio
July 23
Arizona
September 1
Connecticut
January 1, 2022
Arkansas
Tennessee
Nevada
July 1, 2022
South Carolina
December 31, 2022
Michigan
January 1, 2023
California (there’s currently a proposal to move up the date to no later than 1/1/22)
Colorado
June 1, 2023
Montana
July 1, 2023
Maryland
2025
New Jersey (the law goes into effect the 5th academic year after passage)
Game Day Communications has been aggressively researching what NIL rules will mean for recruits and for present student-athletes. Game Day CEO Jackie Reau is available to talk about the implications of the rules, and how student-athletes can prepare to make themselves more marketable with social media strategies, media training and the like:
Background:
Thursday, July 1 is the magic date for these orders to go into effect. That's because a slew of states, including Alabama, Georgia and Florida, have NIL laws that will take effect on that date. (here is a state tracker to show the progress of NIL legislation) https://businessofcollegesports.com/tracker-name-image-and-likeness-legislation-by-state.
Leader of the Pack
Top dogs and cool cats battle it out for space on our laps and in our hearts. But who has the upper paw in local homes?
best buds
–Data from Scarborough Research
In the Cincinnati area, 70.8% households include a pet. (Maybe that other 30% is trying to figure out what to name a kitten or puppy before they bring it home.) Nationally, about 57% of homes have pets.
Of those local homes, 38.8% have dogs. The American Kennel Club registrations indicate that the Labrador Retriever is the most popular breed nationally, while its polar opposite, the French Bulldog, comes in at #2.
Cats rule over 22.8% of homes in the region.
So based purely on statistics, dogs win.
The local numbers are comparable to national numbers. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association report for 2018-19, 38.4% of homes had dogs, with 25.4% having cats.
About 9.2% of your neighbors have “other” pets, which include birds, reptiles, and small exotics.
Top Spots
Heading to the beach this summer? Hopping a flight to Vegas? Or maybe the mountains are more your speed? See how your favorite vacation destination stacks up against where other locals like to visit.
This year, more than many others, may be the Year of the Road Trip. But with more flights, to more destinations, opening up every day, going farther than you may want to drive is also an option.
According to AAA, these are the Top 5 destinations for Cincinnati-area travelers this summer. So don’t be surprised if you see run into your neighbors even when you’re out of town.
Where do you want to go today?
–List courtesy of AAA