A CINCINNATI HOLIDAY
GIFT GUIDE
find EXPERIENCES to share all year long!
ARTSWAVE
Share the arts all year long with a one-year subscription to the expanded ArtsWave Pass! Your gift provides a year of 100+ arts experiences with 50%-off savings, dozens of last-minute and free passes to the arts, plus restaurant and retail offers. It also provides access to exclusive content in the ArtsWave App!
Each gift recipient will get an email from ArtsWave letting them know of your generous gift and support of Cincy’s arts. That email will include simple instructions on how to access ArtsWave Pass through the ArtsWave App.
So what are you waiting for? Each year’s subscription to ArtsWave Pass is as unique as Cincy’s arts are, so plan to give one to everyone on your list!
The Banks
This year, the bars and restaurants at The Banks are going all out for the holidays! Don’t miss cozy pop-up experiences, Cincinnati Christkindlmarkt, SantaCon, and more! While you’re out celebrating, you can pick up a gift card to your favorite spot(s) to make sure the fun lasts into the New Year.
Beyond being a great place to hang out with family and friends, The Banks is also home to the Bengals Pro Shop and Reds Team Shop, where you’ll find the perfect gift for diehard Cincy sports fans!
Cincinnati Ballet
Is it even the holiday season without Cincinnati Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” at Music Hall?
Whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth, don’t miss your chance to see the Ballet’s longest-running and most attended production. Share the magic, music and memories of the season with this classic tale of Drosselmeyer, dreaming, and dancing! Get tickets now for performances Dec. 18–28.
Have a dancer in your life? This month, Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy invites new students of all ages to experience their first class absolutely free. This limited-time offer welcomes everyone into the world of dance!
You can also snag tix to upcoming productions of the classic “Swan Lake” in February, the annual “Family Series: Pinocchio,” and a new production concept — “DIRECTOR’S VISION: Liberty In Motion,” a patriotic triple bill this Spring.
CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER
Give the gift of art and creativity with a membership to Cincinnati’s Contemporary Arts Center.
The Contemporary Arts Center brings art and the creative process to all people through various exhibitions, performances, and experiences that inspire and open minds.
Members enjoy invitations to exclusive events, discounts, and reciprocal benefits to select museums through the Ohio Museum Reciprocal Membership Program, Modern and Contemporary Reciprocal Program, North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association® and Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM).
Frisch’s
Be the hero everyone deserves this holiday season!
Bring a beloved Frisch’s pumpkin pie to a family dinner, work party, friends gift exchange, or any random Friday!
All 31 locally owned and operated Frisch’s locations are serving not only pumpkin, but plenty of other flavors of pie. Plus pick up jars of tartar sauce and gift cards for fun stocking stuffers!
HARD ROCK CASINO
Had enough of 2025! Make plans now for NeonNYE with DJ Boywife and JonJon!
Plus you can give the gift of great music, with upcoming shows in December
Sunday, Dec. 14 – Masters of the Mic
Friday, Dec. 19 – Chris Isaak
Friday, Dec. 26 – Little River Band
NIGHTS OF LIGHTS
Looking for a warm and cozy way to treat the family to a light show? Head to Cincinnati’s Nights of Lights at the Clermont County Fairgrounds in Owensville, Ohio.
The beloved holiday tradition features more than two million dazzling lights synchronized to your favorite holiday classics, creating a one-of-a-kind experience for families, couples and friends. Visitors can drive through the immersive displays of sparkling tunnels, animated scenes and festive music.
Cincinnati’s Nights of Lights is the region’s premier drive-thru holiday light experience, featuring over two million synchronized lights and displays choreographed to beloved holiday music. For the past decade, it has delighted visitors from across the Tri-State with a festive celebration of lights, music, and holiday spirit.
SUMMERFAIR CINCINNATI
Summerfair is an annual fine art and craft fair held at Coney Island. Through the proceeds of the Fair, Summerfair supports young artists, individual artists, and community-based arts organizations through awards, scholarships, and exhibitions.
Order tickets now to treat the art-lovers in your life to an amazing weekend while supporting local artists and art organizations!
Summerfair is May 29–31, 2026 at Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave. The fair is held rain or shine. Luckily snow shouldn’t be an issue, though!
Tire Discounters
Give the gift of safety this season with gift cards from Tire Discounters. For the first time you can pick them up at Kroger, and while you're there, package it with a few car care items for a great gift for any driver.
Tire Discounters offers lifetime rotation, balancing, flat repairs, free tire repairs for life, free inspections, free roadside assistance, free TPMS recalibrations, and free air, plus additional auto services, including oil changes, brake services, and other scheduled maintenance needs.
YMCA
Now is the time to think about summer!
Register now for Camp Ernst – a perfect gift for kids and grandkids. Since 1928 YMCA Camp Ernst has been building into kids and families.
If you sign up for Camp Ernst before Dec. 15, you'll get a special camp memento to put under the tree.