Check out the top free Cincinnati activities throughout the week!
Exploring free Cincinnati activities offers exciting ways to connect with the city’s rich culture and vibrant community. From cultural museums to lush parks, Cincinnati provides an array of free experiences everyone can enjoy. Residents can choose from various free activities to have a good time around the city. Dive into this diverse list of free Cincinnati activities that are fun for all.
The information in this article is as current as the publication date. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information before acting.
Family-Friendly Free Activities in Cincinnati
Monday
Kids Crew
June 1 – August 25
Newport on the Levee (Newport)
11 a.m.
Bring the little ones for weekly adventures featuring face painters, storytellers, magicians, crafts, and more!
Ziegler Hoops
Through October 26
Ziegler Park (OTR)
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Teens play every Monday at the Ziegler Park Basketball Courts. Bring the A-game and enjoy an evening of hoops and friendly competition.
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Tuesday
Neighborhood Night
Last Tuesday of each month
Through October 27
Imagination Alley (OTR)
5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Enjoy music, fun, food fresh from the grill, and great times with the community.
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Wednesday
REC Reads
Cincinnati Art Museum (Mt Adams)
First and Third Wednesdays
Through August 19
11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Bring your toddler or preschooler to the Rosenthal Education Center (REC) for a morning of art-themed story books, sensory activities, and artmaking!
Pop-Up Play
Imagination Alley (OTR)
First and Third Wednesdays
Through October 21
4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Add a bit of creative fun to the day at Pop-Up Play. Head over to the Imagination Alley for many opportunities to spark imagination.
Wednesday in the Woods
Burnet Woods (Clifton)
June 3 through August 12
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Join CCAC at Burnet Woods Bandstand for free concerts. The event includes free hands-on artmaking for kids and local food truck vendors.
Thursday
The Lucky Cat Museum
The Lucky Cat Museum (Walnut Hills)
3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Reserve a 45-minute slot to check out the collection of lucky cats.
American Sign Museum
American Sign Museum (West End)
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The museum covers everything from early, pre-electric signs adorned in gold leaf to the earliest electric signs, beautiful art-deco neon, and the modern plastic-faced sign. Expect to spend at least an hour exploring the history of this always-seen but virtually unnoticed industry. Three children under 12 are free with every paying adult. Adults can get free admission with a Discovery Pass.
Backyard Bingo
Imagination Alley (OTR)
Third Thursdays
Through October 15
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Once a month, enjoy a friendly neighborhood bingo game with a chance to win prizes!
Friday
Baby Tours
Cincinnati Art Museum (Eden Park)
Select Saturdays
10 a.m.
Baby tours introduce infants (ages 0-2) to visual and mental stimulation activities. Reservations are required online or by calling 513-721-2787.
Pop Up Play
Ziegler Park (OTR)
Through October 2
3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Add a bit of creative fun to the day at Pop Up Play. Join the community on Fridays for games, adventures, craft projects, and more.
Saturday
Saturday Hoops
Ziegler Park (OTR)
Through September 12
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday Hoops is a growing group of friends and kids who meet for fun, faith, and positive role modeling on Saturday mornings. The goal is to make kids feel loved, important, and confident. The time together is fueled by a healthy breakfast, lunch, and snacks.
Sunday
Taft Museum of Art
Taft Museum of Art (Downtown)
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
It offers an extensive art collection that includes American master paintings, Chinese porcelains, and European decorative arts. Make sure to visit the historic Duncanson murals, painted by the famous African American landscape artist.
Fifth Third Community Days at the Underground Railroad Freedom Center
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (The Banks)
Every Third and Fifth Sunday of the month, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center creates a collective heritage, a more complete history that unites local and national communities. On Fifth Third Community Days, visitors can enjoy free admission to the museum.
Movie Night
Imagination Alley (OTR)
First Sunday
Through October 4
8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Grab the entire family for an evening flick with freshly popped popcorn under the Cincinnati stars!
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Daily
21c Museum Hotel
21c Museum Hotel (Downtown)
24 hours
21c presents curated exhibitions and site-specific installations that reflect the global nature of art today.
Art Beyond Boundaries
Art Beyond Boundaries (OTR)
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Closed Saturday and Sunday
A professional, mainstream fine art gallery where local and regional artists with disabilities display, market, and sell their artwork. This non-profit gallery allows art with a different perspective to be shown in our community.
ArtWorks Murals
Multiple Locations
Artists from ArtWorks have painted over 130 public art murals in 44 Cincinnati neighborhoods. Check out the map and take you and your family on a self-guided art walk.
Cincinnati Art Museum
Cincinnati Art Museum (Eden Park)
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Closed Mondays
General admission tickets to the art galleries and parking are free. Special exhibits by regional and local artists are also available for a low price.
Cincinnati Parks
Multiple Locations
Various Times
Check websites for specific descriptions of each park, such as hours. Many parks offer spaces for picnics, play equipment, and open trails.
Connector – Street Car
View a map of stops and nearby locations
7:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.; 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m., Saturday; 9:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m., Sunday
See what downtown has to offer! The Connector is an electric-powered streetcar that operates along a 3.6-mile loop connecting Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine and Banks neighborhoods via the Central Business District. See sites from the train or explore popular destinations on the route, including Great American Ball Park, Fountain Square, Contemporary Arts Center, Public Library, Aronoff Center, Hard Rock Casino, Music Hall, and Washington Park.
Contemporary Art Center
Contemporary Art Center (Downtown)
Hours Vary; Closed Monday through Tuesday
The CAC is dedicated to showing contemporary visual art, sculptures, and other works that inspire thought, action, and creativity. The arts center’s website lists upcoming events and fine arts classes for young artists.
Graeter’s Lil’ Pints Indoor Playroom
Graeter’s Ice Cream (Anderson) & Graeter’s Ice Cream (Kenwood)
Hours Vary
The indoor playground features multiple ice cream-themed slides, a banana-split-inspired teeter-totter, plenty of room to play, and a fun ice cream truck photo opp. Perfect for children nine and younger.
King Arthur’s Court Dungeon
King Arthur’s Court (Oakley)
10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Take your child to experience King Arthur’s Court’s newest, renovated basement. Your child can grab a book from the book wall, enjoy climbing a seven-foot-tall toy mountain, and even zip across their indoor kid-friendly zipline.
MakerSpace
Multiple Locations
Hours VaryGain access to 3D printers, audio and visual equipment, laser cutters and engravers, sewing machines, cameras, and other hardware and software tools to create, invent, and learn.
Shakespeare in the Park
Various Locations
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is putting on a production of Hamlet. While grappling with the grief of his father’s murder, Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, is thrust into a web of deceit, betrayal, and impending war.
Sharon Woods
Sharon Woods (Sharonville)
6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sharon Woods features a visitor center with exhibits, a recreation area with paved trails, golf, boating, a museum, a gift shop, and the Adventure Station.
William Howard Taft National Historic Site
William Howard Taft National Historic Site (Mt. Auburn)
6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Free admission is offered to the entire family. Check the calendar of events to find fun for all ages.
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Cincinnati has plenty of free activities for children and the entire family. Make sure to take advantage and explore everything the city has to offer. Cincinnati’s vibrant community provides a variety of things to do throughout the week.
Use these free Cincinnati activities to create new experiences and discover new favorites around the city. Take advantage and create lasting memories within the Cincinnati community. Embrace what Cincinnati has to offer, all for free.
Did we miss any? Please let us know at The Voice of Black Cincinnati.
The Voice of Black Cincinnati is a media company designed to educate, recognize, and create opportunities for African Americans. Want to find local news, events, job postings, scholarships, and a database of local Black-owned businesses? Visit our homepage, explore other articles, subscribe to our newsletter, like our Facebook page, join our Facebook group, and text VOBC to 513-966-3328.
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