With the holidays fast approaching, it's easy to run into the nearest department store for last minute holiday shopping or to get free two-day shipping from Amazon Prime. But what if we told you there was a way you could spend the day at a fun event, eat great food, all while perusing art and handmade gifts from local artisans in one central location? This season, Cincinnati will play host to several fantastic holiday arts and craft shows where you can not only check off everyone on your shopping list — you can also support local artists! We've curated a list of the winter-themed arts and craft shows that we are the most excited for this year. Grab your bags and get ready to #ShopLocal!
During the holidays the Cincinnati area turns into a winter wonderland. Snow blankets the city and downtown is adorned with millions of twinkling lights. Between the festivals, holiday markets, theater performances and light displays, it's hard to decide how to celebrate. To make it a little easier, we put together a list of our most anticipated events of the season. There are opportunities to get a little gift shopping done, experience some magical shows and even watch Santa swim with sharks. We guarantee there's something for everyone in the Queen City this holiday season, so get the family together and hit the town!
This post was updated on September 4, 2019 to reflect current information.
If you're looking for historic, educational and kid-friendly farm experiences around Cincinnati, you're in the right place. Right here in our southwest corner of Ohio and into Kentucky, we have countless farms and orchards that have been family-owned-and-operated for decades. During the fall, these places turn festive, selling their homegrown pumpkins and hand-picked apples alongside seasonal fun like corn mazes, hayrides and petting zoos. This year, make the most of the season and see how many of these pumpkin patches you can visit. There might even be one on the list that turns into your new favorite family tradition. Enjoy!
This small, family-owned farm has been in operation since 1918, accumulating one hundred years of experience in growing, harvesting and celebrating. During the fall, that culminates into an October fall extravaganza complete with more than 20 varieties of locally grown apples, corn stalks, gourds and pumpkins of all kinds, Indian corn, apple cider and mums. While visiting the farm in Ross, families can also enjoy the corn maze, the skid maze, the Halloween scavenger hunt, the crawl-through straw tunnel, the corn pool and weekend hayrides!


Right here in Cincinnati, Parky's Farm is run by Great Parks of Hamilton County and is nestled on more than 100 acres in Winton Woods. Those acres are home to beehives, goats, gardens, chicken coops, farmland and a barnyard. A visit during the fall means you can find out what it's like to grow up on a farm and take home your own pumpkin.