CINCINNATI – Despite a delay of game, the Queen City is ready to celebrate Reds Opening Day on Friday.
Parties celebrating the return of baseball season will begin at 9 a.m. Friday and continue after the Reds finish their season opener against the Washington Nationals. First pitch is scheduled at 4:10 p.m. at Great American Ball Park.
I love the festive atmosphere that takes over Cincinnati on Opening Day. That's why I plan to stop at a few of the bigger Opening Day celebrations. Here is my hour-by-hour party schedule for the day, just in case you need some recommendations. (If you see me, feel free to say hi!) You can follow my updates on Twitter and Instagram.
It's going to be a loooooooong day, which is why my first stop will be at Rhinegeist. The brewery, located at 1910 Elm St. in Over-the-Rhine, opens at 9 a.m. Friday, and I plan to fuel up on brunch provided by Sartre.
Moerlein Lager Housewill be the second stop on my parade of Opening Day parties. I plan to be at Moerlein when it opens at 10 a.m. Friday. The restaurant offers prime real estate to hang out near Great American Ball Park before the game.
Opening Day wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Opening Day Celebration at Fountain Square. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. Friday with food, music and drinks. Stay long enough and you can watch the Reds game on the big LED screen starting at 4:10 p.m.
I should be ready for lunch by the time I hit the Backstage Block Party at noon Friday. Downtown Cincinnati Inc., 21c Museum Hotel, Nicholson's and Scene Cincinnati will host the party in the Gano and Ruth Lyons alleys from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday. The party will include drinks, lunch, music, a cornhole competition and giveaways.
After a quick bite (and maybe a few beanbag tosses), I'm going to head to the Opening Day Street Party in the Cov, hosted by Nash FM, Budweiser and Smoke Justis. There will be live music from the Derek Allen Band and the Tyler Moore Band, and someone will win a pair of tickets to the Opening Day game. The party will run 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday at 302 Court St. in Covington.
Depending on the weather (and how much energy I have left), my last stop might be in front of the ballpark at the Banks. The Reds Community Fund Charity Block Party, at Joe Nuxhall Way and Freedom Way, will feature live music, food and drinks. It'll kick off at 11 a.m. Friday and end at 4 p.m. before the Reds take the field.
Click here for a full list of Opening Day and Findlay Market Parade parties.
