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Another week, another excuse to get out and explore! Whether you’re looking for live music, open-air markets, or a reason to finally make it to the museum before it’s too late, Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky have you covered this week. From a beloved outdoor market returning to Washington Park to the final days of a once-in-a-generation art exhibition, there’s something for everyone. Here’s everything on our radar for May 11–17!
⭐ The One We’re Most Excited About
The City Flea – Saturday, May 16
The City Flea is back at Washington Park and honestly, it’s one of those events I look forward to every single time it rolls around. This is Cincinnati’s original independent maker market, we’re talking local vendors, handmade goods, vintage finds, art, and the kind of browsing that somehow always ends with me walking away with something I didn’t know I needed. Washington Park is the perfect backdrop for it, and the OTR energy on a market day is unmatched. I’m planning to make a full morning of it and grab brunch in the neighborhood after, highly recommend doing the same.
📍 Washington Park, Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati
🕐 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
🏟️ Free to attend
🔗 More info: thecityflea.com
Things to Do in Cincinnati on Tuesday, May 12
Florence Y’alls Home Opener – Opening Day vs. Mississippi Mud Monsters
📍 Thomas More Stadium, Florence, KY
🕐 6:52 PM
🏟️ Tickets available at florenceyalls.com
Baseball is back in NKY! The Y’alls kick off their 2026 home season with Opening Day presented by Thomas More University, the first 1,000 fans through the gates score a free clear bag giveaway. There’s nothing quite like that first home game energy.
🔗 Tickets: Florence Y’alls
Things to Do in Cincinnati on Wednesday, May 13
Florence Y’alls vs. Mississippi Mud Monsters – Wrestlin’ Wednesday
📍 Thomas More Stadium, Florence, KY
🕐 6:51 PM
🏟️ Tickets available at florenceyalls.com
If you’ve never been to a Wrestlin’ Wednesday at Thomas More Stadium, this is your sign. Live pro wrestling on the concourse before the game — yes, really — plus the ballpark’s own Winning Wednesday guarantee: if the Y’alls lose, your ticket gets you into the last Wednesday game of the season.
🔗 Tickets: Florence Y’alls
FC Cincinnati vs. Inter Miami CF
📍 TQL Stadium, Cincinnati
🕐 7:30 PM
🏟️ Tickets at fccincinnati.com
Inter Miami is in town and TQL Stadium is going to be electric. Whether you’re a die-hard FCC supporter or just looking for a great live sports experience, this is one of the bigger matchups of the season.
🔗 Tickets: FC Cincinnati
Things to Do in Cincinnati on Thursday, May 14
Florence Y’alls vs. Mississippi Mud Monsters – Thirsty Thursday
📍 Thomas More Stadium, Florence, KY
🕐 6:54 PM
🏟️ Tickets available at florenceyalls.com
$2 draft cans. That’s all you need to know. Catch the last game of the Y’alls’ opening home series and toast the week with a cold one.
🔗 Tickets: Florence Y’alls
Cincinnati Reds vs. Washington Nationals
📍 Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
🕐 6:40 PM
🏟️ Tickets at mlb.com/reds
The Reds continue their midweek homestand against Washington — a good Thursday night option if you want to catch some MLB action under the lights.
🔗 Tickets: MLB
Things to Do in Cincinnati on Friday, May 15
Cincinnati Reds vs. Washington Nationals
📍 Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
🕐 6:40 PM
🏟️ Tickets at mlb.com/reds
Friday night baseball at Great American Ball Park, hard to beat. The Nationals are in town for one more before the weekend wraps up.
🔗 Tickets: MLB
Florence Y’alls vs. Evansville Otters – Red, White, and Y’alls
📍 Thomas More Stadium, Florence, KY
🕐 7:03 PM
🏟️ Tickets available at florenceyalls.com
The Y’alls celebrate America’s 250th birthday in style — patriotic jerseys, red/white/and blue everything, a special flag giveaway to the first 1,000 fans, and post-game fireworks. A great Friday night option right here in NKY.
🔗 Tickets: Florence Y’alls
May Festival – An Eclectic Opening Night
📍 Music Hall, Cincinnati
🕐 7:30 PM
🏟️ Tickets at mayfestival.com
The 2026 Cincinnati May Festival officially kicks off tonight — one of the oldest choral festivals in the western hemisphere, now curated by the incredible Festival Director Julia Bullock. Opening Night promises to be something special.
🔗 Tickets: mayfestival.com
Things to Do in Cincinnati on Saturday, May 16
The City Flea
📍 Washington Park, Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati
🕐 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
🏟️ Free
See above, this is our pick of the week. Go. Browse. Buy something you don’t need. You’ll thank yourself.
🔗 More info: The City Flea
Florence Y’alls vs. Evansville Otters – Throwback Night + Rockin’ Saturday
📍 Thomas More Stadium, Florence, KY
🕐 6:36 PM
🏟️ Tickets available at florenceyalls.com
Dress in the style of the decade you were born and you might walk away with a prize for best-dressed. Plus magnet schedule giveaway to the first 1,000 fans and a live band performance after the game. Solid Saturday night plans right in Florence.
🔗 Tickets: Florence Y’alls
May Festival – The Water’s Journey
📍 Music Hall, Cincinnati
🕐 7:30 PM
🏟️ Tickets at mayfestival.com
One of the May Festival’s mainstage concerts this weekend — a great opportunity to experience one of Cincinnati’s most beloved annual traditions if choral music is your thing (or even if it isn’t yet).
🔗 Tickets: May Festival
Last Chance — Rembrandt: Masterpieces in Black and White
📍 Taft Museum of Art, 316 Pike St, Cincinnati
🕐 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Wed–Mon)
🏟️ Tickets at taftmuseum.org
This is it, the final weekend to catch the Rembrandt exhibition at the Taft before it closes May 17. Nearly 50 rare etchings on loan directly from the Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam, including self-portraits, landscapes, and narrative scenes. The Taft is one of Cincinnati’s most beautiful spaces on its own; this exhibition makes it a must-visit.
🔗 Tickets: Taft Museum
Things to Do in Cincinnati on Sunday, May 17
Cincinnati Reds vs. Washington Nationals
📍 Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
🕐 12:40 PM
🏟️ Tickets at mlb.com/reds
Sunday afternoon baseball — a perfect way to close out the week. Afternoon starts at GABP always hit different.
🔗 Tickets: MLB
Florence Y’alls vs. Evansville Otters – Family Sunday + Bark in the Park
📍 Thomas More Stadium, Florence, KY
🕐 1:07 PM
🏟️ Tickets available at florenceyalls.com
Dogs welcome, kids run the bases after the game, players sign autographs, if you’ve got a Sunday afternoon free, Thomas More Stadium is a low-key great place to spend it.
🔗 Tickets: Florence Y’alls
May Festival – A Dream Deferred: Langston Hughes in Song
📍 Memorial Hall, Cincinnati
🕐 3:00 PM
🏟️ Tickets at mayfestival.com
A Sunday afternoon choral performance centered on the poetry of Langston Hughes, this one sounds genuinely moving and is one of the more distinctive events of the May Festival’s 2026 lineup.
🔗 Tickets: mayfestival.com
Last Day — Rembrandt: Masterpieces in Black and White
📍 Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati
🕐 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
🏟️ Tickets at taftmuseum.org
Today’s the final day. If you didn’t make it Saturday, this is your last shot at seeing these etchings before they head back to Amsterdam.
🔗 Tickets: Taft Museum
Maifest – Final Day
📍 Goebel Park, Covington, KY
🕐 Check maifest.org for hours
🏟️ Check site for admission
Maifest runs May 15–17 in Covington’s Goebel Park, bringing German food, live music, beer, maypole dancing, and vendors to the heart of NKY. Sunday is the final day — a lovely way to spend an afternoon across the river.
🔗 More info: visitcincy.com
🔄 Recurring & Ongoing
Things running all week, all month, or every weekend. Updated as things change.
Cincy Top 10 Sites & Bites City Tour · Daily, 10am · From $69/person Cincinnati’s top-rated food tour covers four neighborhoods, a streetcar ride, and tastings that hit all the classics, Belgian waffles, Cincinnati chili, goetta, Graeter’s ice cream, and more. A great way to see the city if you’re visiting for the first time (or want to play tourist for a day). Meets at Taste of Belgium at The Banks.
Covington Farmers Market · Every Saturday · 9am–1pm · Free Fresh local produce, vendors, and community vibes every Saturday morning through October. 📍 629 Washington St, Covington, KY
FSQ Eats – Fountain Square · Mon & Wed–Fri · 11am–1pm · Free to attend Local food trucks on the plaza in the heart of downtown. Check Street Food Finder for the daily lineup.
Live Music at Magnolia Rose · Every Friday · 6–8pm · Free Live music every Friday evening at this charming Hyde Park flower shop and garden boutique, a low-key, lovely way to end the week. 📍 4024 Plainville Rd, Cincinnati
Newport Farmers Market · Every Saturday · 9am–12pm · Free Locally grown produce, fresh baked goods, honey, eggs, flowers, and more, all KY Proud vendors. Selection changes with the season so there’s always something new to discover. 709 Monmouth St, Newport, KY
Pickleball Tuesdays · Every Tuesday · 6–8pm · Free Outdoor pickleball at Austinburg Neighborhood Park in Covington, all skill levels welcome, no registration required. Just show up with your paddle (or borrow one) and play.
Rembrandt: Masterpieces in Black and White · Through May 17 · Wed–Mon, 10am–5pm · Tickets required Rarely seen etchings from the Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam, this is one of only four U.S. venues to host it, and it’s closing soon. Don’t let this one slip by. 316 Pike St, Cincinnati, OH
Starlite Drive-In · Every Fri & Sat · Box office opens 7pm · From $6 Double features every weekend at Amelia’s beloved drive-in. Check the site for the weekly movie lineup.
Jazz at the Square – Fountain Square · Every Tuesday · 5–8pm · Free Live jazz from local acts every Tuesday night: May lineup includes the Evan Gidley Trio, Brooks Giles Quartet, Organized Gentlemen, and Marc Fields Sextet.
That’s everything on our radar for the week of May 10–17! Whether you’re staying close to home in NKY or crossing the river into Cincinnati, or honestly doing both this weekend, there is no shortage of things to do. This might be one of the most action-packed weekends we’ve seen all year, and we are absolutely here for it. Drop a comment below and let us know what you’re checking out this week, we love hearing from you!
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Bethany is a self-proclaimed foodie and adventure seeker who loves nothing more than exploring the coolest spots in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Follow along on her journey as she discovers the best the region has to offer and shares it with all her fellow food and fun enthusiasts!