The Art of It All
Long renowned as an arts center, Cincinnati has been home to artists, musicians, and authors throughout its history. With an opera, symphony, art museums, and theaters, no celebration of our local history would be complete without a robust and diverse arts lineup.
With musical performances that include classical, gospel, folk and indie, the America’s River Roots Festival also offers arts experiences that touch on the region’s rich legacy of artisan craft, story-telling, and even filmmaking.
The Good N' Rooted artisan market, kicking off Thursday, Oct. 9 at 11 a.m., features more than 40 local merchants selling handcrafted items, art, jewelry and more.. Organized by Rachel DesRochers, founder of Grateful Grahams and the Incubator Kitchen Collective, the market is a great way to experience all the Cincy Region has to offer and support your local communities and economy.
Good N’ Rooted is on the Purple People Bridge, connecting Cincinnati and Newport, open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the festival.
The River Talk series, which also kicks off on Thursday, offer a different take on culture and history through discussion and performances. Sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, these free programs are a lively and engaging way to take a deeper look at the city’s past.
Straight Outta the Underground
Thursday, Oct. 9 11 a.m.; Friday, Oct. 10, 1 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m.
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Uncover the truth about America’s 200-year-old struggle with slavery when you play a part in this historic retelling. On this journey, you’ll follow Harriet Tubman, the most recognized conductor of the Underground Railroad. Nicknamed “Moses,” Harriet Tubman lived up to her name by gaining her own freedom, as well as traveling back and forth from North to South over 19 times and freeing over 300 enslaved people!
Scenes from Ellis Island: An Afternoon with Benjamin Verdery
Thursday, Oct. 9, 4:30 p.m.
Queen City Club
Famed Yale guitar composer and instructor Benjamin Verdery will perform with CCM guitar musicians his award-winning Scenes from Ellis Island suite. He will also be demonstrating the history of guitar through the musical styles of iconic musicians, Prince, Jimi Hendrix and Elvis and the impact these artists have had on contemporary music.
The Arts in the Queen City: An Afternoon with the Directors of the Opera, Symphony & Ballet
Friday, Oct. 10, 12 p.m.
The Mercantile Library
The CEOS of from Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Ballet will join panel host Victoria Morgan to discuss the contemporary state of arts organizations and the realities facing them. Our panelists will also discuss the role the Performing Arts play in the richness of our city with an eye on both the historical and contemporaneous view of their impact.
The Cincinnati Food Shed: An Afternoon with R. Alan Wight
Friday, Oct. 10, 2:30 p.m.
The Mercantile Library
Noted academic R. Alan Wight will discuss his new project highlighting the unique role the Cincinnati Food Shed and the Ohio River Valley shaped our national and global food systems.
Experience the Power of Art and Legacy of Robert S. Duncanson
Saturday, Oct. 11, 1 p.m..
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Join the Taft Museum of Art’s Duncanson Program as it takes center stage on Saturday, from 1–3 pm. As part of the program’s vibrant Fall Pop Up Event series, we’re proud to welcome two extraordinary former Duncanson Artists-in-Residence—Annie Ruth and Ajanae Dawkins—for an unforgettable afternoon of spoken word, poetry, and performance. Hosted by Duncanson Program Manager Kareem A. Simpson, this dynamic showcase celebrates the enduring power of creativity, community, and storytelling. Come be inspired as we uplift voices and honor the artistic spirit rooted in freedom and cultural legacy.
The Freedom Center will be free on Friday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 11, interpreting 250 years of America's journey toward inclusive freedom through the lens of Southwest Ohio—honoring its founding as a free state in 1803 and celebrating the enduring contributions and excellence of marginalized communities today.
On Friday, Oct. 10 at 10 a.m., Freedom Center will be home to a poetry reading. Created in collaboration with the Ohio Poetry Association, Ohio: The Body Poetic is inspired by the 250th anniversary of America’s founding. with poems inspired by the river and freedom. The program includes a ready by Cincinnati Poet Laureate Dick Hague, along with more than 10 other poetts.
Poets are at the forefront of history and our voices have always been a powerful source of cultural awareness.
Installations at the Freedom Center include the Anderson Slave Pen, brought to life through docents, interpreters, and a discussion of source materials like letters and auction/probate records, experiential and sensory learning designed to engage visitors of all ages, and speakers, presentations, performances, and artistic expressions for the Harriet Tubman stage and Grand Hall.
Sounds From The River, an interactive educational concert and curriculum by Kathy Wade, will be performed on Saturday, Oct. 11, 1:30 pm. at Yeatman’s Cove. The program brings to life the music and stories born along America’s great waterways. Tracing the historical development and migration of music from the diverse populations that traveled along the Ohio River, Sounds From The River, will becoe part of a national curriculum that will share the river’s stories with students across the country.
On Friday, the documentary “Kings of Them All” premieres on CETconnect and other PBS stations. This documentary by Yemi Oyediran, explores the influences and musical trailblazers who have quietly kept Cincinnati in the music scene for decades.