Cincy's Summer Fun 2019

2019

Bike, Hike & Kayak Through The Region

GUIDE TO SUMMER FESTIVALS SUMMER GETAWAYS IN MICHIGAN

PLUS: MORE THAN

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Smale Park

EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE TRISTATE

THE WORLD IS 71% WATER

CHILDREN ARE 100% CURIOUS

Help keep them safe This year we’ll teach 6,000 local kids life-saving water safety skills.

Donate a new swimsuit, new goggles or a new towel

before May 31 and we’ll waive your joining fee Offer valid at any YMCA of Greater Cincinnati May 1-31, 2019. Visit MyY.org for locations

These three words have the power to comfort, support, and motivate, especially when you hear them from Dr. Michael Miller. Voted a 2019 Top Doctor in Sports Medicine by Cincinnati Magazine, Dr. Miller is known for his personal approach to addressing nagging pain and getting you back to the activities you love. Dr. Miller represents everything you can expect from our integrated Sports Medicine program. From athletic training to physical therapy to a top Sports Medicine doctor, you’ll find them all right here at St. Elizabeth.

Call 859-301-5600 to schedule an appointment or visit stelizabeth.com/sports

Contents

Summer Lovin’ After a dreary winter, I am ready for summer. I want the sun on my face, parks to explore and plenty of excuses to get out of the house.

W h i l e w e c a n’t bring the sun, we’ve worked to fill this guide with plenty of the other two. In this issue, we’ve found dozens of summer events and festivals, taken a peak at the region’s museums, discovered the region’s recreational opportunities and more.

There is no better time to live in the Tristate than during the summer—our annual Summer Fun Guide is proof of that.

Hopefully, you’ll use this guide to experience as much of the Tristate as possible over the next three months. After all, it’s time for summer fun.

2019 PAGE 4

Your guide to events this summer, plus in-depth looks at locations that have something happening all summer long.

By Corinne Minard

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More than Art

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A Culinary Twist

21

The Great Outdoors

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Live Well: Sports Medicine

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Living History

43

Midwestern Traveler: Michigan

26 34 2

The Civil Rights Movement makes a spirited entry at the Freedom Center with a new exhibit. BY AMARA AGOMUO Local parks provide plenty of opportunities to enjoy the fresh air. BY ERIC SPANGLER Warren County celebrates its history both within and outside the Harmon Museum.

BY LAURA LEAVITT

Welcome to Festival Season Stay busy all summer long thanks to the Tristate’s many festivals.

BY CORINNE MINARD

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Area doctors and therapists give advice on properly exercising in the summer months.

BY KEVIN MICHELL

Northern Michigan offers visitors one-of-a-kind experiences at every turn. BY ERIC SPANGLER

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Midwestern Traveler: Georgetown/Scott County

Cincy Co. LLC Cincinnati Club Building, 30 Garfield Place, Suite 440, Cincinnati, OH 45202 PUBLISHER: Eric Harmon MANAGING EDITOR: Corinne Minard ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Kevin Michell, Eric Spangler CONTRIBUTORS: Amara Agomuo,

Laura Leavitt, Deborah Rutledge ART DIRECTOR: Katy Rucker DIGITAL CONTENT COORDINATOR: Danielle Cain ADVERTISING/CIRCULATION MANAGER: Laura Federle PRODUCTION MANAGER: Keith Ohmer EVENTS MANAGER: Hannah Jones EVENTS COORDINATOR: Alexandra Tepe ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Rick Seeney ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Abbey Cummins SALES & OPERATIONS MANAGER: Anthony Rhoades CUSTOM PUBLISHER: Brad Hoicowitz ADVERTISING SALES: Susan Montgomery, Katelynn Webb WORK-STUDY STUDENT:

Esvin Perez, Aliyah White Contact Cincy: information@cincymagazine.com or call (513) 421-2533. Go to cincymagazine.com to get your complimentary subscription to Cincy and Best of the West.

Georgetown, Kentucky, is the place to get up close and personal with horses. BY ERIC SPANGLER

Many Happy Returns

Nicola’s celebrates new highs and familiar faces in its 23rd year of operations. BY KEVIN MICHELL

The chef of The Summit hotel brings his own twist to Midwest flavors and hotel cuisine.

BY DEBORAH RUTLEDGE

PUBLISHED BY magazine Locally, family and veteran owned

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Love Cincy

Subscribe or pick up your complementary copy at local supermarkets and travel destinations.

2019 It’s easy to love summer in the Tristate. Thanks to a plethora of concerts, festivals and more, something is happening almost every day. In addition, many regional attractions and locations offer special events throughout the summer that bring communities together and encourage us to explore the great things to do that are close to home.

If you don’t know where to start, we hope you use this guide to plan out your family’s summer of fun. This guide includes full calendars of events for June, July and August and in-depth looks at locations that have something happening all summer long. Get ready—it’s time to enjoy summer in the Tristate.

By Corinne Minard 4

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SUNDAY

JUNE

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY 1 [6/1-29] The Ensemble Theatre presents the regional premiere of The Wolves.

2 [5/31-6/2] View the work of more than 300 fine artists and craftspeople at Summerfair.

3 [6/3] Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 fame brings songs from his fourth solo album to Riverbend.

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6 [6/1-7/7] Dust off your best cowboy hat for a trip to the Old West Festival in Williamsburg.

9 [6/7-9] Car enthusiasts are invited to see mid-century modern vehicles in Ault Park during Concours d’Elegance.

10 [6/10] American folk band Hiss Golden Messenger, led by MC Taylor, plays the Taft Theatre.

11 [6/11-16] Jellicle songs aren’t just for jellicle cats when the national tour of Cats comes to the Aronoff.

12 13 [6/12] The sisters of electronic-soul band Ibeyi will play songs from their first album at the Taft.

7 [6/7] Hozier, known for his distinct bluestinged indie rock, make a stop at the Taft Theatre.

8 [6/8] Country artists Lee Brice and Tyler Farr celebrate summer at SummitFest in Blue Ash.

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15 [6/15] The fourth annual Tusculum Street Fest promises to be a day of live music and local food.

16 17 [6/16] Kenny Wayne Shepherd joins blues-rock guitarist Buddy Guy for a show at Riverbend.

18 19 [6/18] Young the Giant and Fitz and the Tantrums bring the party with a night of pop-rock at Riverbend.

20 [6/20] Head to Ault Park’s June Summer Music Festival for a night of free family fun.

21 [6/21-22] After 7 and Pieces of a Dream headline the 2019 A Celebration of Black Music.

22 [6/22] Paint the city in every color of the rainbow during the Cincinnati Pride Festival.

23/30 [6/23] Shop ‘til you drop at the 2019 Cincinnati Summer AvantGarde Art & Craft Show in Loveland.

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27 [6/27, 29] Experience Romeo & Juliet’s tragic romance once again at this performance by the Cincinnati Opera.

28 [6/23] Shop ‘til you drop at the 2019 Cincinnati Summer AvantGarde Art & Craft Show in Loveland.

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Cincinnati Art Museum The Cincinnati Art Museum, home to more than 67,000 works spanning 6,000 years, is keeping busy this summer with two special exhibits. “No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man,” which will be at the museum through Sept. 2, features works created at and inspired by Burning Man. “Kimono: Refashioning Contemporary Style” opens at the museum June 28 and celebrates the kimono’s influence on fashion from the late 1800s and onward.

For those looking to add more to the experience, the museum offers free public tours throughout the week—from the Highlights of the Permanent Collection to sketching tours—and Sunday-only Gallery Experiences, which are in-depth hourlong tours that have a different theme each week. 953 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati. cincinnatiartmuseum.org.

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Newport Riverfront Across the river, Northern Kentucky spends the summer celebrating food of all kinds on the Newport Riverfront.

Italianfest, held June 13-16, brings authentic Italian food, live Italian music, a cooking contest, game, rides and more for a weekend celebrating all things Italy. The Bacon, Bourbon & Brew Festival July 11-14 honors the region’s pork product and brewing history with specialty food and drinks.

Glier’s Goettafest has expanded into two weekends this year (July 25-28 and Aug. 1-4) to better celebrate the local specialty, goetta. And don’t forget the Great Inland Seafood Festival Aug. 8-11, which serves up lobsters alongside oysters and shrimp.

Riverboat Row, Newport.

television reached for the stars instead of ratings?

Support the one place that never stops asking “what if?” www.CETconnect.org

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SUNDAY

JULY

MONDAY 1

TUESDAY 2

[7/2] Crash into a night of ‘90s music with Dave Matthews Band during a concert at Riverbend.

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14 [7/12-14] Bacon, Bourbon and Brew Festival in Newport brings pork and brewing together for a weekend of fun.

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THURSDAY

3 [7/3] Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the LaRosa’s Balloon Glow at Coney Island.

4 [7/4] Red, White and Blue Ash is a free celebration full of music, entertainment and fireworks.

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10 [7/10] The Summit hotel serves classic picnic food and street fare during Summit Food Fest.

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13 [7/13] Cincy Blues Fest has moved to the Schmidlapp Event Lawn at Smale Park for another year of music.

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18 [7/18] Parrotheads rejoice! Jimmy Buffet and the Coral Reefer Band return to Riverbend.

19 [7/19] The Grammywinning Tedeschi Trucks Band stops its Wheels of Soul tour in Cincinnati for the night.

20 [7/20] Try 42-plus beers and food from eight restaurants at the Crafted Local Food, Beer & Music Festival.

25 [7/25-27] Mary J. Blige and Maxwell headline the 2019 Cincinnati Music Festival at Paul Brown Stadium.

26 [7/26] The Righteous Brothers and The Temptations team up for a show at Riverbend.

27 [7/27] Heart returns to Riverbend for the first time in three years with their new Love Alive tour.

[7/17] Pretend it’s the ’90s again at a Riverbend concert featuring Third Eye Blind and Jimmy Eat World.

23 [7/23] Rock icon Alice Cooper will be joined by rock band Halestorm for a show at Riverbend.

28 [7/28] Progressive rock band moe. and Blues Traveler stop at Riverbend for the night.

WEDNESDAY

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24 [7/24] Train and The Goo Goo Dolls bring songs from their decadesspanning careers to Riverbend.

31 [7/31] John Bellion mixes pop, hip-hop, R&B and rock during a show at Riverbend.

FRIDAY

[7/12] Guitarist Peter Frampton says goodbye to touring when his final tour stops at Riverbend.

SATURDAY

F R E E FO R S P EC TATO R S!

Come celebrate the 10th anniversary of Crazy Cardboard Regatta!

Saturday, July 20, 2019 | 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Voice of America MetroPark in West Chester, Ohio Cardboard Boat Races • Music, Food & Drinks • Vendors Kids Activities & Games • Demonstrations & MORE!

Register here!

or at YourMetroParks.net

Boat registration early bird discount until July 1st

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center To commemorate the 55th anniversary of the Freedom Summer, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is hosting a series of events called Freedom 55. These includes lectures and discussions with scholars and participants of Freedom Summer, music programs that focus on the music of the time period, films that focus on the people who lived that summer, book signings and more. Upcoming events include showings of An Ordinary Hero: The True Story of Joan Trumpauer Mulholland June 2, 6 and 9 and a Freedom Lecture June 27 with Bob Moses, president and founder of the Algebra Project, Inc., and Dave Dennis, who organized the first Freedom Bus ride in 1961. 50 E. Freedom Way, Cincinnati. freedomcenter.org.

GROOVIN’ ON THE GREEN | 7 - 9 PM

Village Green park Live entertainment and eats for the whole family, on Thursdays from May 16 – August 22 No concert: May 23, May 30 & July 4

4TH FRIDAYS AT THE GREEN | 8 - 10 PM Village Green park 4th Friday of each month from June – August, food trucks and draft beer available

FAIRFIELDOH.GOV/EVENTS

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Coney Island

JAY BACHEMIN PHOTOGR APHY

Coney Island continues to add to its summer events, bringing in more bands and performers every year. Coney’s Friday Night Dance Parties in the Moonlite Gardens, a 20-year tradition, continue this summer with Soul Pocket June 7 and Aug, 2, BlueStone Ivory June 21, ALL IN July 5, Gee Your Band Smells Terrific July 19 and Sly Band Aug. 16. For even more music, head to the pool on Sundays June 30-Aug. 1. That’s when The Sunburners will perform.

Visitors looking for a new thrill will be able to find it June 8-16 when the Daredevil Firefighter High-Dive Show is in town. The show features stunt divers making Olympic-style dives alongside comedy dives in a family-friendly show. Also new this year is Movies Under the Moonlite, in which families can enjoy a double feature under the stars on June 28, July 26 and Aug. 30.

Something that hasn’t changed? The LaRosa’s Balloon Glow, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. 6201 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati. coneyislandpark.com.

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IT’S PLAYTIME, CINCY.

Cincinnati’s best place to game, dine and have fun is Belterra Park Cincinnati.

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A great variety of exciting games are waiitng for you.

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877.777.4064 • 6301 Kellogg Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45230 BelterraPark.com Must be 21 or older. Offer not valid for persons on a Disassociated Patrons, Voluntary Exclusion or Self Exclusion List in jurisdictions which Pinnacle Entertainment operates or who have been otherwise excluded from the participating property. For help with a gambling problem in Ohio, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1.800.589.9966.

For help with a gambling problem in Indiana, call 1.800.994.8448. ©2018 Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved.

Washington Park Washington Park continues to be an outdoor oasis in the center of Over-the-Rhine. For those looking to spend more time taking in the fresh air, the park hosts events throughout the summer, including: - Cincinnati Sports League Kickball: Adult coed kickball. Must register beforehand. Mondays and Thursdays 6-11 p.m. through Aug. 29.

- Youngster Yoga: Free children’s yoga classes.

Tuesdays 11-11:30 a.m. through Aug. 13.

- P&G Workout on the Green: Free fitness classes led by licensed instructors. Tuesdays and Wednesdays 6-8:30 p.m. through Aug. 27.

- Summer Cinema: Free movie screenings in the park that feature a new movie each week.

Wednesdays 9-11 p.m. through Aug. 28.

- Roots Revival: A free evening of bluegrass, roots and Americana music. Thursdays 7-9 p.m. through Aug. 29 - P&G Friday Flo: Free R&B concerts. Most Fridays 7-10 p.m. through Aug. 16.

- Weekend Workout: Rotating workout classes (like Zumba, yoga and kickboxing) led by YMCA instructors. Saturdays 9-11 a.m. through Aug. 31.

- Fourth of July: A free Fourth of July celebration that includes live music and fireworks. 6-10 p.m.

1230 Elm St., Cincinnati. washingtonpark.org.

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SUNDAY

MONDAY

AUGUST TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

1 [8/1] Country act Florida Georgia Line is joined by Dan + Shay and Morgan Wallen for a show at Riverbend.

2 [8/2] Chart-topping alternative artists Beck and Cage the Elephant bring their national tour to Riverbend.

3 [8/3] Kayak, canoe or paddleboard your way down the Ohio River during the 2019 Paddlefest.

8 [8/8] JJ Grey & Mofro, a Southern soul rock band from Florida, brings its distinctive sound to Riverbend.

9 [8/9] Country music singer-songwriter Thomas Rhett plays Riverbend for the evening.

10 [8/10] Santana celebrates the 20th anniversary of his album Supernatural with a tour stop at Riverbend.

15 [8/15] Ault Park gets one more party in before school starts with its August Summer Music Festival.

16 [8/16-18] The empowering Midwest Black Family Reunion brings together families and the community for three days of fun.

17 [8/17] American rapper Joey Bada$$ will be joined by Flatbush Zombies for a show at Riverbend.

4 5 [8/1-4] Explore the tables of 100 vendors in MainStrasse Village during the 127 Yard Sale.

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11 12 [8/10-18] The world’s best tennis players head to Cincinnati for the Western & Southern Open.

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[8/7] Multi-platinum rock band Breaking Benjamin will play songs from its newest album EMBER at Riverbend.

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18 19 [8/18] Get ready for a night of hard rock at Riverbend when KoRn and Alice in Chains come to town.

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22 23 [8/22] Special guests Kane Brown and Carly Pearce will join Jason Aldean for a show at Riverbend.

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25 26 [8/25] Pop sensation Why Don’t We stops by Riverbend with its latest hit “8 Letters.”

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28 [Through 9/2] The Burning Man art exhibit “No Spectators” celebrates creativity at the Cincinnati Art Museum.

29 30 [8/29] KISS brings its final tour, the End of the World tour, to Riverbend for the night.

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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

K ATHY NEWTON

The Cincinnati Zoo pulls out all the stops each summer to bring something special to those who love animals.

The summer season starts with Zoo La La on June 7, an after-hours party that features dinner-by-the-bite, cocktails and live entertainment. On Father’s Day, dads can visit the zoo for free. On June 17, Reds players will host a special question-and-answer session at the Wings of Wonder Theater for Reds Day at the Zoo. Twilight Tuesdays, in which the zoo stays open until 8 p.m., happen every Tuesday in July and the after-hours Cocktails for Conservation on July 11 will feature zoo-inspired cocktails created by Molly Wellmann. And on July 17, admission is only $1 for the Macy’s Kids, Culture, Critters and Crafts Festival, which adds live music and crafts alongside the animals. 3400 Vine St., Cincinnati. cincinnatizoo.org.

Cincinnati Museum Center Through Aug. 18, visitors can travel back in time to ancient Egypt at the Cincinnati Museum Center. “Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs” features more than 350 original artifacts dating back over 4,500 years.

Outside of the exhibition, explorers of all ages can attend museum center events. Kids can learn how to keep pets happy and healthy at Pet Academy (July 27 and Aug. 24). This hour-long program brings real veterinarians and veterinarian technicians (and real dogs) into the Duke Energy Children’s Museum to give kids some hands-on experience.

Adults 21 and older can also get some time in the children’s museum during the CurioCity event Duke Energy Children’s Museum Turns 21 on June 7.

Outside of Union Terminal, the Museum Center arranges special Heritage Program Tours for those looking to learn more about the Tristate. This summer, history lovers can tour historic Cincinnati Parks on June 5 or get in a special photo session of Union Terminal’s Rotunda on June 23. 1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati. cincymuseum.org. w w w.

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Fountain Square When summer hits, it seems that everyone downtown heads to Fountain Square. The square’s summer schedule is packed, with something happening every day—and sometimes twice a day. Fountain Square’s regular events include: - Art on Vine: A monthly fine art and handmade items market. First Sunday of the month, noon-6 p.m. through Sept. 1.

- Trivia Night: Mondays 7-9 p.m. through Oct. 7.

- Strauss Troy Market: A weekly market that features produce, local products and lunch items. Tuesdays 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. through Oct. 8.

- Fountain Feud: Fountain Square’s version of the classic TV game show. Tuesdays 7-9 p.m. through Oct. 8.

- World Fare: International cuisine comes to the square. Wednesdays 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. through Oct. 9.

- Reggae Wednesdays: Wednesdays 7-10 p.m. through Aug. 28.

- FSQ Eats: A rotating lineup of food trucks park at Fountain Square for lunch. Thursdays 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. through Oct. 10.

- P&G Salsa on the Square: Thursdays 7-10 p.m. through Sept. 26.

- Fifth and Vine Live: A free concert series that features national, regional and local acts. Fridays and Saturdays 7-11 p.m. through Aug. 31.

520 Vine St., Cincinnati. myfountainsquare.com.

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Behringer-Crawford Museum The Behringer-Crawford Museum, nestled within Devou Park in Covington, takes full advantage of the outdoors during the summer months. Music@BCM brings free concerts to the region every Thursday night. The summer music series covers all genres, from jazz, blues and Latin to rock and bluegrass. If you’re looking for an event that’s more educational, Chippie’s Sensational Science Labs for kids age 3 to 5 introduces youngsters to STEM concepts. For example, the June 6 event will focus on dinosaurs. And adults can attend the museum’s Brown Bag Lunches, which include mid-day lectures, concerts and performances. The June 20 event will focus on identifying local plants with Richard Detzel, director of The Nature Academy. 1600 Montague Road, Covington. bcmuseum.org.

Paducah inspires creativity as a UNESCO Creative City. Home of the National Quilt Museum, Paducah’s rich American heritage and engaging attractions create the foundation for authentic cultural experiences. Travel to Paducah and find your inspiration!

Visit Paducah.travel to plan your next getaway!

1-800-PADUCAH

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Summit Park The 130-acre Summit Park in Blue Ash is home to a playground, observation tower and plenty of green space, but it’s also home to many of Blue Ash’s signature events. SummitFest regularly brings country stars to Blue Ash for a free community music festival. Held June 8 this year, featured acts include Lee Brice and Tyler Farr.

Red, White and Blue Ash on July 4 includes a 35-minute fireworks show in addition to plenty of entertainment, food and drinks. Summit Park also hosts a summer concert series (dates, times and performers to be announced) and a farmers market every Wednesday 3:30-7 p.m. through Sept. 25. 4335 Glendale Milford Road, Blue Ash. summitparkblueash.com.

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Museums

More than Art

THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT MAKES A SPIRITED ENTRY AT THE FREEDOM CENTER WITH A NEW EXHIBIT

By Amara Agomuo

T

he Civil Rights Movement ended 51 years ago, but its impact is still being felt. Revealing the not-sodistant memory of this revolutionary, decades-long struggle, “We Who Believe in Freedom,” a new exhibit in the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, paints a vivid picture of the Civil Rights Movement with symbols of liberation, resistance and empowerment—all reflected through the canvas of a quilt.

Founded by historian, author, lecturer and artist Carolyn Mazloomi, the Women of Color Quilters network used their artistic expression to create the “We Who Believe in Freedom” exhibit to offer social commentary on the civil rights movement and issues of race through these quilted pieces. Established in 1985, the Women of Color Quilters is now a nonprofit with 1,700 members and helps preserve the art of quilt making for women of color. Displayed in the Skirball Gallery, this display will serve as a dedication to all of the African American women who contributed to the Civil Rights Movement and felt that both their voices and their contributions were marginalized and ignored. Mazloomi will also curate the exhibit. “‘We Who Believe in Freedom’ is an art exhibition, not an exhibition of historic artifacts,” says Mazloomi. “As public frustration mounts, art is equipped to provide alternative avenues for dialogue that empower and create trust for achieving the ideals of democracy and equality. Art communicates beyond the limits of language, making it a powerful force for illuminating civic experience, demonstrating a unique capacity to provide public space for discussion of important civic issues where such space does not exist.”

Initially trained as an aerospace engineer, Mazoolmi traded in this expertise to follow her passion for bringing global attention to the unrecognized contributions of African American quilt artists. Her pieces have been featured in the Mint Museum, American Folk Art Museum in New York City, National Civil Rights Museum, Museum of Art and Design, Wadsworth 20

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One of the quilts featured in “We Who Believe in Freedom”: MLK: We Just Keep On Coming by L’Merchie Frazier Atheneum Museum and the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

So why the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center for the “We Who Believe in Freedom” exhibit? Mazloomi says, “The narrative quilts included in ‘We Who Believe in Freedom’ promote civic dialogue and conversations in a museum setting, telling authentic American stories, specifically centered in the context African American experience. The Freedom Center is a neutral and ‘safe’ space in which people feel comfortable enough to engage in difficult discussion, which is absolutely necessary in healing the racial divide in

this country. “ National Underground Railroad Freedom Center President and COO Dion Brown echoes the same sentiment and says, “After experiencing this exhibit, guests will have an in-depth understanding on how art inspires people to express themselves, especially when using it as an outlet for justice, equality and freedom.”

You can now check out these phenomenal pieces and the moments they captured during the Civil Rights Movement from now through July 12 at the Cincinnati National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. For more information, visit freedomcenter.org. n

The Great Outdoors LOCAL PARKS PROVIDE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO ENJOY THE FRESH AIR

By Eric Spangler

Sharon Woods

T

here’s no shortage of outdoor recreational opportunities in the Tristate this summer. From hiking and biking to fishing and boating, the numerous parks in the Greater Cincinnati area offer residents plenty to see and do in the great outdoors.

One of the most popular outdoor recreational activities in the parks is walking and hiking, says Rocky Merz, Cincinnati Parks business services division manager.

“We’ve got hiking trails, biking trails and areas where you can take a walk with a stroller and your family at all of our parks,” he says.

The Cincinnati Parks has 5,000-plus acres of city parklands consisting of five regional parks, 70 neighborhood parks, 34 natural areas, five neighborhood nature centers, five parkways, 16 scenic overlooks and 65 miles of hiking and bridle trails.

There are plenty of hiking trails in many of Cincinnati’s larger parks, including Mt. Airy Forest and California Woods Nature Preserve, says Merz. “California Woods is a great spot for hikers,” he says.

Great Parks of Hamilton County also

has plenty of places to walk and hike, says Kimberly Whitton, public engagement coordinator. “We have 78 miles of trails,” she says. “Our trails include nature trails, shared-use trails—which are the ones that you can run on, ride bikes on, hike on—usually they’re paved trails.”

For those who are a little more adventurous mountain biking may be the outdoor recreational activity for you. Great Parks of Hamilton County has an 8-mile mountain bike trail at Mitchell Memorial Forest, says Whitton. It was the first official mountain bike trail in Hamilton County, she says.

Not to be outdone, Cincinnati Parks is constructing a mountain bike trail in Mt. Airy Forest, says Merz. That project is being built in collaboration with the Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance, an organization of volunteers that builds, preserves and advocates for more multiuse natural surface trails in the Tristate area.

For those who prefer a little more relaxed approach to outdoor recreation, fishing might just be the activity for you.

Merz says Burnet Woods has a lake for catch-and-release fishing that is stocked

with hybrid bluegill, channel catfish and largemouth bass.

The Great Parks of Hamilton County has four fishing lakes—Miami Whitewater Forest, Winton Woods, Sharon Woods and Lake Isabella. Visitors can fish from shore or from a boat, says Whitton.

All of the lakes have boathouses that are fully stocked with bait and tackle, and each has boats available to rent. Miami Whitewater Forest, Winton Woods and

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Sharon Woods offer canoes, kayaks, rowboats, pedal boats and small motorboats for rent, she says.

Only rowboats are available to rent at Lake Isabella, Whitton says. “That’s strictly a fishing lake,” she says. “So that’s really popular with families.”

Another popular outdoor recreational activity at Lake Isabella is camping. The Lake Isabella campground consists of 24 campsites for tents only, she says. The layout of the campground is unique because four campsites surround a communal fire ring so people who like to camp with friends and family can share the same fire.

There are six communal fire rings.

“It’s right along the Little Miami River so you have access to the river,” says Whitton.

“You also have access to Lake Isabella’s fishing lake right there in the park. So you’ve got the best of both worlds.”

The Great Parks of Hamilton County has three other campgrounds, including Miami Whitewater Forest, Winton Woods and Steamboat Bend. For those who do not own a tent or recreational vehicle, the campground at Winton Woods also offers deluxe and rustic cabins for rent, says Whitton.

The basic cabins have bunk beds and electricity. “That’s kind of roughing it, but you’re off the ground,” she says. If camping really isn’t your idea of fun but you enjoy getting out for a walk and enjoying nature then the deluxe cabins offer electricity, a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom with a

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For those who would like to camp but don’t own a tent or recreational vehicle, Winton Woods offers both deluxe and rustic cabins for rent. shower, says Whitton.

Another popular outdoor recreational activity is disc golf. There are four disc golf courses in the Great Parks of Hamilton County, including nine-hole courses at Miami Whitewater Forest and Embshoff Woods and 18-hole courses at Winton Woods and Woodland Mound.

Cincinnati Parks has t wo disc golf courses, including a nine-hole course at Burnet Woods and an 18-hole course at Mt. Airy Forest, says Merz. “Mt. Airy is one of the premier disc golf courses in the country,” he says. “It gets a lot of activity.”

For those who prefer actual golf the Great

Parks of Hamilton County has seven golf courses, says Whitton, including Little Miami Golf Center, Meadow Links and Golf Academy, Miami Whitewater Forest, Sharon Woods, Shawnee Lookout, the Mill Course and the Vineyard.

One of the most popular golf courses is Sharon Woods, she says. It was opened in 1938 and professional golfer Bobby Jones officially hit the first ball, says Whitton.

“It’s a challenging course,” she says. “It’s nice and hilly, but it’s beautiful.”

As the summer heats up and the temperature rises there’s no better way to cool the kids down than by letting them run around in bathing suits at an interactive fountain.

Cincinnati Parks has interactive fountains at Smale Park and Washington Park, says Merz.

There are wet playgrounds at two Great Parks of Hamilton County parks, including Winton Woods and Woodland Mound.

Not only can visitors enjoy nature in Cincinnati Parks they can also get up close and personal with a type of wildlife not typically seen in this area. Now through June 16 Cincinnati Parks is offering the “Butterflies of Ecuador” exhibit at the Krohn Conservatory in Eden Park. “This is an amazing experience where … 12,000 butterflies are flying freely around Krohn Conservatory,” says Merz.

And if your outdoor recreation amounts to just getting out and enjoying nature in a quiet setting there’s plenty of room for that as well. “We’re very fortunate in Cincinnati to be able to provide the environment for people to get out and enjoy regardless of their age, their interests or their hobbies,” says Merz. n

Museums

Living History IMAGES PROVIDED BY THE WARREN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

WARREN COUNTY CELEBRATES ITS HISTORY BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE HARMON MUSEUM

By Laura Leavitt

M

any people make the drive out of Cincinnati to visit Warren County to savor a meal at the famous Golden Lamb in downtown Lebanon; the historical nature of the area is immediately apparent. But that’s not the only place history lives in Warren County.

“We skipped the awkward period where you tear down the old to build the new; instead, you preserve and appreciate the old here,“ says John Zimkus, education director and historian at the Harmon Museum and Glendower Mansion. “It gives your community a personality, a sense of belonging, and a heritage to be proud of.”

Just down the street from the Golden Lamb, the Harmon Museum contains wellpreserved artifacts from over 200 years of history in Warren County, from an awardwinning Underground Railroad exhibit to a Victorian wing. The dedicated Warren County Historical Society has amassed a wide-ranging collection of art as well, which they include in history displays as well as in a contemporary art wing.

They also have an extensive collection of Shaker furniture and other related artifacts. The Shaker religion, whose major settlement, Union Village, was located in Warren County, became known for their ultra-simple, classic style of furniture and 24

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buildings; their influence is seen in some of the home architecture in Lebanon.

Wa r ren Cou nt y i s t he birthplace of Russel Wright, Top: Harmon Museum who created some of the most popular dishware and Above: An early wood-burning locomotive on the place settings of his time and Little Miami Railroad in Morrow, taken ca. 1865 was considered a pioneer of American industrial design in the ‘30s and ‘40s. “Like the Shaker furniture, there’s a simplicity Outside the downtown area is the Glento these items that doesn’t quite go out dower Manor, a stately Greek Revival of style,” says Zimkus about the Harmon mansion that has stood since 1845, offering Museum collection of Wright dishwares. an insight into the lives of past owners and The Harmon Museum connects to the residents through antique furnishings.

Lebanon Conference and Banquet CenThe Golden Lamb, a major food destinater, which used to be the Lebanon Post tion for those coming to see Warren County, Office. The front area of the conference is the oldest continually operating business center includes a Neil Armstrong exhibit; in all of Ohio. It continues to maintain a hotel Armstrong was a long-time resident of full of character and antiques, and you can Lebanon, and his “Golden Frisbee Award” explore the “museum viewing rooms” set up for achievements in flight hangs in the to showcase life in Ohio almost 200 years ago. lobby beside the rows and rows of old post Even as businesses join the historic office boxes. Next door is the Lebanon landmarks downtown, the heart of LebaPublic Library; it was funded by Andrew non remains intact. “Lebanon is growing,” Carnegie in 1903, who made it his mission Zimkus says. “However, the core of the city to establish libraries in many small towns is still recognizable. You can walk down across the United States. this street with a photograph taken 130 Downtown isn’t the only place to find years ago, and look at it today, and you historical locations in Warren County. know exactly where you are.” n

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WELCOME TO

Festival Season STAY BUSY ALL SUMMER LONG THANKS TO THE TRISTATE’S MANY FESTIVALS

NEIL SHUMATE

By Corinne Minard

Summer means its festival season. From church and community celebrations to music and food extravaganzas, the Tristate is packed with festivals of all shapes and sizes during the months of June, July and August. In fact, we’ve counted 64 festivals that have announced their dates and more are sure to come.

Finding the right festival for you, though, can be a struggle.

That’s why this year we’ve organized the Tristate’s events by region—Central, the East Side, the North, Northern Kentucky and the West Side. Hopefully this makes it easy for you to find the festival that’s right for you and close to home.

Bunbury

CENTRAL While downtown Cincinnati hosts many festivals, several during the summer center on music. From the alternative pop-rock of Bunbury to the R&B celebration that is the Cincinnati Music Festival, downtown’s festivals celebrate almost every genre of music. Not a music fan? Don’t worry, there’s plenty in the city for you, too.

A Celebration of Black Music June 21-22 theabercrumbiegroup.com/ blackmusic

Cincinnati Music Festival July 25-27 cincymusicfestival.com

Cincinnati Pride June 22 cincinnatipride.org

Bunbury May 31-June 2 bunburyfestival.com

Ohio River Paddlefest Aug. 3 ohioriverpaddlefest.org

Cincy Fringe Festival May 31-June 15 cincyfringe.com

Cincy Blues Fest July 13 cincybluesfest.org

Midwest Black Family Reunion Aug. 16-18 myblackfamilyreunion.org

Juneteenth Festival June 15-16 juneteenthcincinnati.org

Crafted Festival July 20 craftedfest.com

Cindepdendent Film Festival Aug. 29-31 cindependentfilmfest.org

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NORTH The region between Loveland and Oxford keeps busy all summer long with a plethora of summer events. In fact, there’s one every weekend. The season kicks off with the All Saints Parish Festival in Sycamore Township and Queen of Peace Church Festival in Hamilton and ends with the Ohio Valley Indigenous Music Festival in Springboro, but everything from music and food to churches and ethnicities are celebrated in between.

All Saints Parish Festival May 31-June 2 allsaintsfestival.com Queen of Peace Church Festival May 31-June 2 queenofpeacechurch.net

Celtic Fest Ohio Oxford Wine & Craft Beer Festival June 1 oxfordwinefestival.com

Lebanon Country Music Festival June 8 lebanoncountrymusicfest.wordpress. com

Panegyri Greek Festival June 28-30 holytrinity.oh.goarch.org

SummitFest June 8 blueashevents.com

Banana Split Festival June 7-8 bananasplitfestival.com Valley Vineyards Wine & Beer Festival June 7-8 valleyvineyards.com Jungle Jim’s International Beer Festival June 14-15 junglejims.com Celtic Fest Ohio June 14-16 celticfestohio.com Assumption Festival June 7-9 assumptionmthealthy.org

St. Columban Festival June 21-23 stcolumban.org

St. Michael Festival June 7-9 stmichaelfestival.net

Taps, Tastes & Tunes Festival June 21-23 cincinnatifestivalsandevents.com

Red, White & Blue Ash July 4 blueashevents.com Festival in Sycamore July 12-13 sycamoretownship.org Cincinnati Kosher BBQ Cook-Off and Festival July 14 jewishcincinnati.org The Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival July 19-20 ohiochallenge.com w w w.

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NORTH (CONTINUED) Schutzenfest July 19-21 schuetzenfestcincy.com Blues, Brews & BBQ July 27 pyramidhill.org SMOY Fest July 27-29 smoyfest.org Lebanon Blues Festival Aug. 3 lebanonbluesfestival.com Bellwether Music Festival Aug. 9-10 bellwetherfest.com Ohio Valley Indigenous Music Festival Aug. 24-25 facebook.com/ TheOhioValleyIndigenousMusicFestival/

cincyblues.org

Sat, July 13th, 4:00 PM

New Location • Schmidlapp Event Lawn 115 Joe Nuxhall Way • Cincinnati 45202

$20 - General Admission $15 - Cincy Blues Society Members $5 - Adolescents Free - Kids under 12

The Blues Beatles G. Miles & the Band of Helping Hands Leroy Ellington’s Sacred Hearts Ben Levin Band w/ Philip Paul Blues in the Schools Band (BITS) Cincy Blues Challenge Winners 28

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WEST SIDE On the West Side, festival season is an opportune time to celebrate our heritage.

Italy, Germany and Guatemala are all represented this summer. However, the region also offers something for everyone.

West Siders will also be able to experience many church festivals, a new music festival and a family day at Striker’s Grove amusement park.

CincItalia May 31-June 2 cincitalia.org Guatemalan Film Festival June 14-15 cincinnatifilm.org

St. James Parish Festival July 26-28 stjamesfestival.com

Bluegrass Music, Art & Craft Festival June 1 vinokletwines.com

Dearborn County Fair June 17-22 dearborncountyfair.com

St. John the Baptist Festival Aug. 9-11 stjohnsdr.org

Schwabenfest June 7-8 donauschwabenreceptionhalls.com

St. William Festival July 19-21 saintwilliam.com

Stricker’s Grove Family Day Aug. 11 strickersgrove.com

True Celtic Returns!

July 26-28

Dayton’s First and Free Celtic Fest Returns.

FREE! • FOUR STAGES • FAMILY FRIENDLY • RAIN OR SHINE

Come celebrate the best of Celtic music, dance, art and culture at Dayton’s largest Downtown event. Visit DaytonCelticFestival.com for more information.

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EAST SIDE Every church on the East Side seems to have a festival. And each year they get bigger and better. Our Lord Christ the King’s Junefest, for example, features a gaming tent and food trucks. AngelsFest will feature craft beer from 50 West Brewing Company and Mt. Carmel Brewing Company. And St. Thomas More Parish’s JulyFest promises to offer more music, food and fun than ever before.

Our Lord Christ the King’s JuneFest May 31- June 2 ctk-junefest.org

Concours d’Elegance June 7-9 ohioconcours.com Tusculum Street Fest June 15 tusculumstreetfest.org St. Veronica Annual Festival June 28-30 stveronica.org St. Thomas More Parish JulyFest July 12-14 facebook.com/JulyFest/

Frontier Days May 30-June 2 frontierdaysmilford.com

Summerfair May 31-June 2 summerfair.org

Immaculate Heart of Mary Festival July 19-21 church.ihom.org

St. Gertrude Festival June 6-9 stgertrude.org

Great Anderson Days July 26-28 andersonparks.com

AngelsFest June 7-9 parish.gaparish.org

StreetEats Miami Aug. 3 streeteatsmiami.com

See all that Cincy has to offer in the Arts, Business and Culture.

Visit cincymagazine.com for a FREE subscription to Cincy Magazine

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY In Northern Kentucky, festival season is almost always about the food. The feast starts with the Taste of Newport (which features samples from many Newport restaurants) and continues with Italianfest, the Bacon, Bourbon & Brew Festival and Glier’s Goettafest. In addition to celebrating food, the region is also home to many church festivals.

Taste of Newport June 2 newportky.gov

JIM CR AYCROFT

NKY Pride Festival June 9 nkypride.org

Italianfest June 13-16 newportky.gov Mary, Queen of Heaven FunFest June 21-23 mqhparish.com Bacon, Bourbon & Brew Festival July 11-14 facebook.com/ events/2182587985342934/ Glier’s Goettafest July 25-28 & Aug. 1-4 goettafest.com Holy Cross Parish Summer Festival July 26-27 holycrosscov.org Birds of a Feather Festival Aug. 15-18 birdsofafeatherfest.com 32

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Dining

Many Happy Returns NICOLA’S CELEBRATES NEW HIGHS AND FAMILIAR FACES IN ITS 23RD YEAR OF OPERATIONS

By Kevin Michell

From the spring menu: beef ternderloin with peas, mushrooms and ramps

T

hree years ago, Nicola’s future was uncertain. The man—Nicola Pietoso—was battling stage 4 colon cancer and his eponymous restaurant, which had stood at the corner of Liberty and Sycamore in Over-the-Rhine for two decades, was far from the top priority because of it. It was a period of massive uncertainty for one of the few downtown34

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area restaurants that weathered the lean years between 2001 and 2010.

When Pietoso was going through his cancer treatments, Matthieu Charbonneau was general manager of Nicola’s.

“I did my best to try to preserve his legacy,” says Charbonneau, now the office manager for the restaurant, “but there’s something about having that man here

that makes this place just magical. There’s a power to Nicola’s presence; there’s a reason his name’s on the building.”

Fast-forward to 2018 and Pietoso, known as “Nick” to many, came back to his restaurant free of cancer and with renewed energy, saying that he returned “with a vengeance.” Since then, nightly guest counts have grown—Saturdays aver-

age over 200 diners and Monday nights, famous for Nicola’s weekly $15 special of tagliatelle alla Bolognese and a house salad, are similarly packed—and sales have risen while the restaurant has increased its efforts to host events.

It’s another high-water mark for Nicola’s, a fine Italian dining establishment founded in OTR years ahead of the neighborhood’s current resurgence. When the old car barn at 1420 Sycamore was bought in the mid1990s, many thought the idea was, at best, a gamble. But over the years Nicola’s has garnered accolades such as OpenTable Diner’s Choice and AAA Four Diamond Awards; received national recognition for its service, wine offerings and cuisine; and hosted notable diners like Robert Redford and the president of Mexico. Yet, through it all, it’s still a neighborhood joint that has built an intimate relationship with its guests and the community surrounding it.

It’s incredible, Charbonneau notes, that Pietoso was so far ahead of the curve in establishing his restaurant in Over-theRhine and that he created a special place that drew people to that little corner of the neighborhood no matter the state of things in the downtown area.

Charbonneau himself returned to Nicola’s in November 2018 after taking a brief break from the food and hospitality industry and has since helped spearhead this latest chapter for one of Over-theRhine’s modern landmarks.

A large part of that has been a flurry of special events at Nicola’s. A busy May kicked off with a new spring menu from executive chef Jack Hemmer and the restaurant’s annual fundraiser dinner for Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired. Shortly after, Nicola’s opened for its first Mother’s Day dinner, offering a menu of classic offerings with its new spring dishes. Reservations filled fast after the dinner was first announced in April, laying the groundwork for a new annual event.

Hemmer’s menu for the return of the warmer months includes items such as a grilled Spanish octopus antipasto with fried garbanzo beans, pickled eggplant and a ponzu sauce featuring a base of “Kentuckyaki”—teriyaki aged in bourbon barrels—which debuted on the winter menu.

Brand new for spring is a beef tenderloin entrée with butter-glazed English peas, maitake mushrooms and locally foraged

ramps that are both pickled and used in a pesto for the dish.

Hemmer returned in June 2018 to lead the kitchen of the restaurant he grew up eating in and where he landed one of his early cooking gigs, working under Nicola Pietoso’s son Christian, who himself has carved out a career as a restaurateur. After coming back, Hemmer quickly assembled a new menu that demonstrated his flair for flavor while also keeping many of Nicola’s signature dishes and he is excited for the many new menus he’ll craft down the road.

Events soon to come are visits from Italian winemakers Italo Cescon (on June 13) and Enrico Santini (in mid-July), featuring custom menus from Hemmer to match the wines on offer. Bottles from the producers will also be available to purchase for carryout. And, in the spirit of giving back to its customers new and old, Nicola’s is offering free $15 gift cards for every $100 in gift certificates bought during Christmas in July all month long.

That generosity is exemplary of the restaurant and its owner’s commitment to providing high-quality experiences to every guest. The menu and the setting draw visitors in but the service provided by the staff is what brings them back and transforms them into regular repeat customers.

That level of service is more noticeable, Charbonneau notes, in a time when OTR’s glut of eateries and gastropubs has thinned the city’s food service talent pool, making exceptional dining experiences more rare.

“We still provide that,” he says, “and that’s the difference right now.”

On Monday, April 15, celebrating the 23rd anniversary of Nicola’s opening, Pietoso gifted every guest their classic Bolognese.

The restaurant gave over $2,000 worth of the dish away for free that night. Among those guests was a local married couple that has been coming in for every one of those 23 years.

“Their [wedding] anniversary is the same as ours,” Charbonneau recalls with a smile.

“Their first day here was our first day of being open. They come every year on our anniversary and they love celebrating with us on that same day.” After their dinner, the couple let the staff know they never expected such a gift, nor would have ever asked for it. So they came back on Friday that same week to dine again and support the business.

“That’s how cool the community is that comes in to support this business,” ob-

Nicola’s is adding more events this year, such as its Mother’s Day dinner and winemaker dinners.

serves Charbonneau. “It is truly a unique guest-centered community here.”

The restaurant’s staff has worked hard to continue building the legacy of Nicola’s based on the qualities of the man who started it. “Work, kindness and courtesy are the keys to hospitality,” says Pietoso, something that has been his motto for 23 years. Those traits are what bring guests back time and again for that trademark Nicola’s experience, much like Charbonneau, Hemmer and Nicola Pietoso have returned after their brief periods away from the restaurant.

But now, with Pietoso cancer-free, Hemmer’s kitchen humming like a fine-tuned machine and the front-of-house staff providing attentive, tailored service night in and night out, Nicola’s future seems as bright as ever—something that should continue thanks to the presence of the man whose name is on the building.

“Fortunately we’ve got Nicola here who’s all about hospitality and he realizes it makes the difference,” Charbonneau says.

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Dining & Events

A Culinary TWIST

THE CHEF OF THE SUMMIT HOTEL BRINGS HIS OWN TWIST TO MIDWEST FLAVORS AND HOTEL CUISINE

By Deborah Rutledge

C

hef Larr y Monaco, a native of Orange County, California, and veteran of culinar y scenes in Seattle, New York and LA, is a fan of all things Cincinnati.

“I have yet to find a negative,” he says, dismissing even humidity.

He appreciates Cincinnati’s scenery, friendliness, cost of living and lack of traffic. And he has an impressive handle on this town’s food vernacular, so much so that he’s incorporated it into the menu at The Summit, a Dolce Hotel, where he is the executive chef.

“He brings a great culinary twist to Midwest flavors,” says Denise Bayless, director of sales and marketing at the hotel, which celebrated its first anniversary April 17.

He brings to mind memories of childhood favorites, like corndogs and Frisch’s Big Boys, but elevates them with simple but refined and rustic flavors.

Grilled cheese, for example, Monaco prepares with Boursin cheese, aged cheddar, and a tomato chutney. The corndogs he makes are Mortadella corndogs with whole-grain mustard and spicy aioli for dipping. And his beet salad features beets that are pickled, roasted, fried and raw in 36

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a salad with fennel, goat cheese and buttermilk dressing.

Likewise, he aims to elevate the hotel dining experience for business travelers, who he envisions coming in Sunday night for typical burger, wings and beer fare, but, pleasantly surprised by atypical quality of hotel food, return for more hotel meals after their allotted days of in-town business meetings.

“Hotels get the stigma of [serving] rubber chicken,” he says.

But the Summit, which adjoins Medpace, offers atypical hotel amenities like its stateof-the-art library for work or billiard tables for playing pool. And the Summit is entering a prime hospitality season.

“It’s a truly inspiring time at The Summit,” says General Manager Martin Pittman. “From the opening of the rooftop terrace, to our new seasonal menu in Overlook Kitchen and Bar, we are very enthusiastic to welcome summertime.”

The Summit also functions as a convention center for meetings and events, Bayless says.

It features 21,000 feet of gathering space among 19 indoor f lexible meeting and banquet rooms on multiple floors. There is

TOP: The Summit’s Overlook Kitchen and Bar ABOVE: Chef Larry Monaco 11,600 feet of rooftop terrace and gardens space, which can accommodate large meetings or social events.

Built-in audio-visual components, ergonomic chairs and Dolce’s signature food and beverage program—Thoughtful Food for Thoughtful Minds—plus natural lighting are all intended to accentuate the experience for meetings-goers. “Nourishment Hubs” provide energizing refreshments throughout the day. n

Cincy Live Well: Sports Medicine

Taking It

Slow

Tim Enwright, clinical manager and physical therapist with Christ Hospital, working with a patient.

AREA DOCTORS AND THERAPISTS GIVE ADVICE ON PROPERLY EXERCISING IN THE SUMMER MONTHS

By Kevin Michell

T

he winter doldrums have subsided and people are getting active again with the warmer weather. But summertime, with its increased sports and exercise, can bring flocks of patients to see the doctor or visit a physical therapist’s office if they’re not careful.

It’s crucial to have a plan for reaching workout goals and to pace oneself when

starting an exercise regimen or joining a sports league. Easing back into activity is the first step to preventing muscle and joint injuries that can occur, sports medicine practitioners agree.

“The appropriate thing to do if you’re a runner is you have to build up,” says Tim Enwright, clinical manager and physical therapist with Christ Hospital. “You can’t just go out and run 5 miles. You build into that program slowly as opposed to saying, ‘OK, I’ve been sitting on the couch too long, I’m just going to go out and do it and really intensely.’”

The key is not to overdo it, even if someone is impatient to get back in shape or lose some

weight. Slowly and progressively building up a running program involves setting realistic, increasing goals. For new runners especially, Enwright suggests starting with walking a substantial distance and then using small portions of the route to run in brief spurts, like between two telephone poles or from stop sign to stop sign.

Over time—as long as there is a routine and schedule in place—a jogger can increase their comfort zone for maximum exertion until they reach where they want to be, whether that’s running a mile or a marathon.

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Cincy Live Well: Sports Medicine active, it puts a lot of stress on a person’s back, hips and knees.

“We’ll see a lot of runners develop a symptom called iliotibial band [ITB] syndrome,” Enwright explains, “and that is pain that can radiate all the way from the outside of their hip to the outside of their knee.” The ITB is a ligament that connects the hip and knee, providing stabilization when walking or running, but can rub against the femur with overly aggressive exertion.

Running on poor surfaces—such as outdoor trails with loose debris as opposed to padded tracks or paved paths—or wearing inadequate footwear can exacerbate this stress on joints, muscles and connective tissue.

“I always try to go back to the basics,” says Dr. Michael Palmer, orthopedic surgeon at Christ Hospital. “Never stretch a cold muscle—make sure you do a proper warmup—make sure you have proper technique and you want to have proper equipment. That’s the first thing, just make sure that you’re properly prepared.”

Enwright agrees and points out that many people may not realize what portion of a workout is the best time to stretch.

“In my opinion,” he says, “a very com-

mon misconception is we were always told we need to stretch before we exercise. But if you look at it, stretching is really best done when the tissue is warm. Muscles are like taffy. If you pull taffy when it’s warm it will stretch nicely, but if it’s cold it will kind of rip. So, we’re actually better after we exercise. Of course, the warmup should not be missed.”

Both Enwright and Palmer suggest starting with mild exertion for three to five minutes to build up the body’s core temperature. After that, build up to a full workout of 15 to 20 minutes for beginners—those who have been consistently exercising for a while can push past that, depending on their comfort level—before ending with a cool down period that includes stretching out the warmed muscles.

Rest in between workouts is of equal importance as exercising properly. “I think people forget is how important rest is,” Palmer notes. “You don’t want to overdo it and go 100 miles an hour every day.”

That recovery time is what helps build up muscles to be stronger than before after working out. It’s a fine line between healthy exertion that causes muscle fatigue and detrimental overuse that can lead to injury.

Those who worry they may have over-

Modern Sports Medicine Treatments As sports medicine develops, new technologies, treatment methods and recovery techniques that were once exclusive to professional athletes are now available to the public. Derek Krautzmann of Mercy Health describes some advancements that patients can utilize at Mercy’s network of facilities.

AlterG treadmills were originally developed for NASA’s astronaut training. These gravity-diminishing exercise machines—available at four Mercy locations in Cincinnati—allow patients to work out in an environment with as little as 20 percent of regular gravity. This takes a person’s body weight mostly out of the equation so they can maintain fitness, technique and mechanics with minimal stress on muscles and joints.

Blood flow restriction, or BFR, is what Krautzmann describes as “the biggest gamechanger” he’s seen over the last two years. This technique utilizes a tourniquet to involve more muscles in each motion and thus spread out the stress among them. This allows both people looking to take the next step in strength conditioning and those recovering or experiencing muscular degeneration to maintain muscle development with less exertion.

Generally, developing stronger muscles takes lifting 60 to 85 percent of a person’s onerep maximum (the largest amount of weight a person can comfortably handle for three to five repititions). With BFR, patients can get the same development at just 25 to 35 percent of their one-rep max.

Dry needling addresses persistent muscle knot in patients. “We always say normal muscles don’t have knots,” Krautzmann says, “but those knots are typically a protective mechanism for a muscle.” By using a filament similar to an acupuncture needle, Mercy physical therapists stimulate a trigger point to elicit a twitch reaction, which causes that muscle to relax.

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Dr. Michael Palmer done it during their exercise routine should keep an eye out for the warning signs.

Soreness is normal after a good workout, but that which lingers beyond 24 to 48 hours—known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)—is a red flag that may require more rest or taking precautions in case of a muscle injury.

In this situation, it’s helpful to fall back on the tried-and-true adage abbreviated as RICE—rest, ice, compression and elevation—to address inflammation at the site.

If that doesn’t improve symptoms, then a visit to the doctor or therapist should be in order.

Acute pain, especially in a joint, should always be treated cautiously and checked out by an orthopedic physician if it is persistent.

“If the pain is localized,” Enwright says, “[and] you can put your finger right on it, that’s an indicator that you’re dealing with something other than broad muscle fatigue or even an injury you can just treat with ice.”

Certain regions are especially worth paying attention to. Medial knee pain— pain on the inside of the knee joint, where the medial meniscus is located—can be a sign of damage to the cartilage there, which is vulnerable to tearing.

“As far as joints go,” Palmer adds, “if you notice significant swelling, [a] difference in size between one side and the other, sharp pains, instability—feeling like you’re buckling or giving way—are all things we kind of worry about.”

If people are concerned that jogging

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Cincy Live Well: Sports Medicine or running could be too much stress on their back, hips, knees or ankles, there are plenty of viable alternatives. Exercising in pools—whether just swimming laps or doing weight training in water—is generally less stressful because of the buoyant environment. But swimmers in particular should always maintain proper technique and be careful of pulling muscles that are used more in different strokes.

Since not everyone can access a pool whenever they’d like, it can be more useful to consider other aerobic options for dry land. Recumbent bikes cause much less stress on one’s joints than a traditional bicycle, whether riding one on the road or using a stationary version at the gym.

Upright elliptical machines are a great method for burning calories effectively.

There is still some of the standard joint and muscle stress that comes from working out upright, but is a better at mitigating wear and tear because one’s feet stay flat and leg motion is a gentle sweeping back and forth instead of a plodding rise and fall.

Above all else, Enwright says, it’s im-

portant for people to find something that works for them so they can commit to continued exercise and maintain some variation to prevent boredom with the rout i ne. A nd it ’s equally important t hat people educate themselves on knowing the right target range for their heart rate during exercise.

“With heart rate Tim Enwright, a physical therapist with Christ Hospital, training, your heart recommends stretching after a workout instead of before. rate dictates how hard you’re working,” Enwright says. “First own target range by subtracting their age you find out what your target heart rate from 220 to find their maximum. Generrange and once you find that range then ally, people should stay in a range of 60 you learn to stay within that range based to 70 percent of that maximum heart on what you’re trying to do, whether it’s fat rate when exercising, but especially fit burning or if it’s aerobic exercise.” or experienced individuals can go a little Exercisers can easily determine their higher than that. n

Live Well Cincy brings you balanced, health-related editorial content to help you discover wellness in multiple aspects of life.

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LiveWellCincy

@ LiveWell_Cincy

PARTNER PROFILE

Post-Concussion Syndrome Symptoms and Treatment

S

pringtime means warmer temperatures and the start of spring sports.

While coaches, parents and students are all excited for sports to begin, a major concern on everyone’s mind is how to keep young athletes safe while still enjoying the game. Emily Dixon, DO, with the TriHealth Orthopedic & Sports Institute wants to emphasize the need to protect student-athletes from concussions.

The first thing you need to understand is how the skull functions to protect the brain. “Your brain floats in a bowl of fluid,” explains Dr. Emily Dixon, director of the TriHealth Concussion Program and a physician with the TriHealth Orthopedic & Sports Institute. “Think of it like an egg yolk in a shell. Shake up an egg and you might not damage the shell, but you can damage the yolk.”

This is why athletes and coaches should not rely on helmets as their sole protection against concussion. “Helmets prevent neck injury and skull fracture,” says Dr. Dixon.

“But they aren’t the best protection against concussion.

Concussions are caused by rapid head movements which can result from impact or whiplash, so it’s important to watch for signs of concussion whether the athlete has direct contact with an object or the ground or not.

Side effects of a concussion can vary widely as no two brain injuries are the same.

Possible symptoms could include: - headache - confusion - blurred vision - balance issues - nausea - feeling foggy - changes to touch, taste and smell - difficulty with communication and understanding - changes to memory and reasoning - personality changes - anxiety or depression - social inappropriateness

Dr. Emily Dixon

While a single concussion is cause for concern, multiple concussions can cause more serious injuries. While the effects of a single concussion may heal without long-term effect, having multiple injuries over the course of months or years can result in cumulative changes in thinking sensation, language or

emotions. Research has found that people who sustain recurrent concussions are at higher risk for developing epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, permanent brain damage and death.

Although most patients see an improvement in concussion symptoms within a week to three months, for some symptoms last much longer. Post-concussive syndrome is a complex disorder where symptoms of a concussion can last months to years after the original injury. There is no correlation between the severity of the concussion and the risk of developing post-concussive syndrome.

If a concussion is suspected, it’s important to see a medical expert like those with the TriHealth Concussion Program to determine the diagnosis and have appropriate treatment including treatment for underlying medical issues such as mental health issues, chronic headache disorders, neurological issues, or musculoskeletal injuries that can cause headaches. Treatment for postconcussion syndrome typically requires a multi-disciplinary approach including physicians, physical therapists, vestibular therapist, occupational therapist, psychology and neuropsychology.

To learn more, go to TriHealth.com/ortho, or call 513 24 ORTHO.

go high speed or slowly savor

When you’re in a pre!y great place, the pace is what you make it. It’s where you can pour out your energy, or sit back for a second pour. And where every speed---or lack thereof--- is another reminder you’re in a pre!y great place.

TraverseCity.com

Midwestern Traveler: Michigan

Magical Michigan

NORTHERN MICHIGAN OFFERS VISITORS SCENIC BEAUTY AND ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCES AT EVERY TURN Headlands International Dark Sky Park in the Petoskey area

By Eric Spangler

A

pril Carroll knows exactly why people vacat ion in nor t hern Michigan. “It’s because it’s the most beautiful place in America,” says the manager of Visit Up North Vacation Rentals. “It’s magical.”

Starting in the most northern portion of the state, the Upper Peninsula, one of the most beautiful sights to see is Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, one of the top attractions, says Tom Nemacheck, executive director of the Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore features sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, inland lakes, a deep forest and a wild shoreline. Hiking, camping, sightseeing and four-season outdoor opportunities are plentiful in this national park.

One of the most popular summer activities is kayaking on Lake Superior in the Pictured Rocks area, says Nemacheck.

There are a number of outfitters that can get visitors out on the water, he says.

Another popular activity in the Upper

Peninsula is watching ships pass through the Soo Locks and taking the Soo Lock tour, which takes visitors right through the busiest locks in the world.

For those who are looking for a complete wilderness getaway Nemacheck recommends Isle Royale National Park, an archipelago in Lake Superior. Other top attractions in the Upper Peninsula are Mackinac Island and Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, he says.

Petoskey, nestled along the shores of Little Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, is a wonderful resort community packed full of history, Victorian architecture and beautiful, sweeping views.

Some of the “must-see” attractions in Petoskey are the plays, operas, discussions and classes that are open to the public during the summer months at Bay View Association, Lavender Hill Farm in Boyne City, Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs, the Crooked Tree Arts Center, Little Traverse Conservancy preserves throughout the

Northern Michigan offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation, like paddleboarding.

Petoskey area and the new Great Lakes Center for the Arts, says Diane Dakins, assistant director of the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau.

The Petoskey area is also near to Charlevoix’s Earl Young homes, also known as “mushroom houses,” and the Headlands w w w.

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Midwestern Traveler: Michigan International Dark Sky Park, one of the first 10 official dark sky parks in the country, she says.

Another great place to view the beauty of the stars and the Milky Way galaxy is on the eastern side of northern Michigan in Alpena. There visitors can explore three Dark Sky Preserves that are protected from artificial light pollution— Negwegon State Park, Rockport State Recreation Area and Thompson’s Harbor State Park, says Mary Beth Stutzman, president of the Alpena Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“Alpena is known as the Sanctuary of the Great Lakes, a place to relax, rejuvenate and restore,” she says. Visitors can spend some time kayaking over 19th century shipwrecks in Lake Huron, hiking or biking on groomed trails, wine-tasting with friends downtown, or fishing on inland lakes or on Lake Huron, says Stutzman.

“Restaurants in the area offer the Catch & Cook program, where you can take in the fish you catch and they will prepare it for you for dinner,” she says. “Alpena is the hub of a four-county region serving as the

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Downtown Traverse City is full of restaurants, shops and historic attractions.

perfect basecamp for all of your northeast Michigan adventures,” says Stutzman.

Back on t he west side of nort hern Michigan is another perfect basecamp for

adventures—Traverse City. There visitors can set off to see one of the most popular attractions in northern Michigan—Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which

features immense sand dunes towering 400 feet above Lake Michigan, lush forests, clear inland lakes, unique flora and fauna, and an island lighthouse.

Popular attractions in Traverse City itself include the City Opera House; State Theater; the Village at Grand Traverse Commons with its restaurants, shops, galleries and apartments; Clinch Park; the TART trail; the Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park; Sleder’s Family Tavern, Michigan’s oldest continuously operated bar; and the beautiful Victorian architecture of the Central Neighborhood.

Need a place to stay in northern Michigan but reluctant to check into another cookie-cutter hotel room? Visit Up North Vacation Rentals has ever ything you could imagine and more, including cottages, cabins, condominiums, log homes, waterfront properties and hidden, tuckedin-the-woods homes.

“We have a little bit of everything, from luxury to budget friendly and lots and lots of pet-friendly rentals as well,” says Carroll.

More than 50 percent of the rentals offered

by Visit Up North Vacation Rentals are pet friendly, she says. “If you’re a pet owner your pets are like your family and so it’s important to us,” says Carroll.

Visit Up North Vacation Rentals not only provides places for visitors to stay, it

also offers something much more important—information about the area. “A lot of people are using search engines now but if people have never been here and they’re looking for a particular experience it’s always good to talk to somebody here at

Visit Up North Vacation Rentals offers a variety of cabins and vacations homes.

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Midwestern Traveler: Michigan the office,” says Carroll. “Because we live here, we work here, we’re inside of these homes, we play up here and we can tell you just about anything you want to know.”

For those visitors traveling Interstate 75 through Michigan a must-see location is Frankenmuth. “Frankenmuth is most well known for chicken and Christmas,” says Christie Bierlein, sales and marketing director of the Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Frankenmuth is home to Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, the world’s largest Christmas store, she says. And Zehnders of Frankenmuth and the Bavarian Inn restaurant (two of the largest independently owned restaurants in the country) both serve world-famous, allyou-can-eat chicken dinners, says Bierlein.

“Aside from chicken and Christmas, the downtown is beautifully lined with flowers from June until September and sets the perfect stage to shop your way through the charming downtown boutiques and shops,” she says. n

Downtown Frankenmuth

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Midwestern Traveler

Horsing Around

GEORGETOWN, KENTUCKY, IS THE PLACE TO GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH EQUINES

By Eric Spangler

F

or families wanting to horse around during a weekend getaway, the Georgetown, Kentucky, area is the place to go. That’s because there are three destinations in the Georgetown area that have horses to see, touch, feed and even ride.

Those destinations are Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm, The Kentucky Horse Park and Whispering Woods Riding Stables, says Bailey Gilkerson, marketing director of Georgetown/Scott County Tourism Commission.

Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm, 1841 Paynes Depot Road, Georgetown, is a 136-acre farm with a herd of more than 175 rescued and retired horses. More than 20,000 visitors each year come to see famous racing horses such as Kentucky Derby and Preakness champions Silver Charm and War Emblem.

“It’s probably one of my favorites,” Gilkerson says of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm. At most farms the thoroughbred horses would be off-limits, but because these horses are done being raced and bred visitors get an up-close

Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm

and personal look at those famous faces.

“You can pet them and love on them and feed them a carrot, take selfies with them,” says Gilkerson. “There are some pretty cool horses that you get to meet.”

The Kentucky Horse Park, 4089 Iron Works Parkway, in nearby Lexington, is another great place to have a personal visit with horses, she says. Guests can enjoy horse-drawn tours and live equine presentations during the day and visitors can even pack a lunch and eat in the picnic area on the grounds.

The Kentucky Horse Park isn’t limited to just thoroughbred horses. “It’s focused on the horse in general,” says Gilkerson. “The best of the best in the different fields of the horse industry is out there,” she says. “So you may have a dressage winner, you may have a derby winner, so all different types.”

There are also two museums located on the grounds— the world-renowned International Museum of the Horse and the American Saddlebred Museum.

If all that meeting horses up close and personal has the family ready to saddle

up on their own horse to ride it’s time to head over to Whispering Woods Riding Stables, 265 Wright Lane in Georgetown.

It’s the only local horseback riding stable that offers more than 250 acres of riding trails.

W hispering Woods Riding Stables offers guided trail rides, private rides, horsemanship class, birthday parties and pony rides. There’s also a pavilion with picnic tables, a playground and a small tack shop.

If the family is feeling a bit famished after riding then a great place to visit is Evans Orchard and Cider Mill, 198 Stone Road in Georgetown. The sixth-generation farm offers visitors a chance to pick their own fresh fruit and then eat at the Farm Market or Sweet Apple Café.

Having trouble deciding just what to order? Gilkerson has a tip. “They have the best fried apple pies,” she says. “You are on an apple orchard so you’ve gotta have some fried apple pie.”

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Love Cincy Katy Rucker, Art Director and photographer Krohn Conservatory

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welcome to

playtime welcome to

family time — in —

michigan's

Li#le Bavaria

FRANKENMUTH

DETROIT FRANKENMUTH AUTO FEST

Whether you’re looking for an escape from the ordinary everyday with the family at a waterpark hotel, or an eclectic night out with friends at a wine bar or brewery, in Michigan’s Little Bavaria, there’s something fun for everyone all year long.

Plan your next getaway at frankenmuth.org!

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Speed matters during an acute heart attack. TriHealth Heart Institute has developed multidisciplinary practices that work to speed heart attack patients to heart-saving therapies significantly faster than the national standard.

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