Nick Lachey leads the chicken dance at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati 2016.Dig out your lederhosen, practice your Chicken Dance and prepare to sample from what's likely the largest selection of German cuisine found this side of the pond, from sauerkraut to strudel to potato pancakes. Not to mention beer, which will flow like water in the festival's five beer gardens.
Held downtown on Second and Third streets between Walnut and Elm streets, the weekend kicks off with the Running of the Wieners, a dachshund race in which the four-legged competitors don hot dog costumes in their quest to be crowned "King of the Wiener Dogs." There are also brat-eating, stein-lifting and beer barrel-rolling compe-titions (for humans), all to the sounds of German-style music being performed on seven stages throughout the festival.
Cincinnati is known for its chili, typically served "five way," with chili, spaghetti, onions, cheese and beans.Cincinnati is known for its chili, typically served "five way," with chili, spaghetti, onions, cheese and beans. Skyline Chili is a local legend.
Don't be surprised to find a long line at The Eagle Food and Beer Hall, where Cincinnatians go for Southern food like fried chicken and collards.
Head to Nada for a twist on traditional Mexican food in the downtown area.
Mariemont Inn Keep with the Old World theme of your trip with a stay at Mariemont Inn, a historic hotel built in the Tudor style with period furnishings along with Tempur-Pedic beds. It's within walking distance of shops and restaurants in the charming village of Mariemont, including local favorites LaRosa's Pizzeria and Graeter's ice cream, and is about a 20-minute drive from downtown Cincinnati.
The Hilton Netherland Plaza is a French Art Deco gem in the heart of downtown next to Fountain Square. Located inside Carew Tower (head to the observation deck on the top floor for a great view of the city), the hotel's gorgeous public spaces include the Bar at Palm Court, with its fan-shaped banquettes, baroque murals and circular bar, where you'll find live music and great cocktails; and the spectacular Hall of Mirrors. The buffet breakfast is divine and offers a smorgasbord of options. Built in 1931, the hotel was home to the first automatic parking garage.
Cincinnati's 21c Museum Hotel is located in a historic 1924 hotel and features original art, premium bedding and in-room Nespresso machines. It's across the street from the Aronoff Center for the Arts and next door to the Contemporary Arts Center, and offers free docent tours of the hotel galleries and CAC every Saturday at 1 p.m. The hotel also boasts a restaurant and rooftop bar, which has great deals on cocktails, beer, wine, charcuterie and other small bites weekdays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and Sundays from 7 p.m. to close.
By The Numbers
48,000: Number of people who participated in the World’s Largest Chicken Dance at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in 1994, as recorded in the 1997-98 edition of “The Guinness Book of World Records.”
The influence of the influx of German immigrants to the area in the 19th century is clear in the architecture of the Over-the-Rhine area, exemplified in Cincinnati Music Hall. The area had gradually fallen into disrepair, but is bustling once again with art galleries and restaurants. It's also home to the city's Brewery District, where you can explore the underground tunnels built during Prohibition via the Prohibition Resistance Brewery Tour. Don't miss The City Flea, a monthly curated urban flea market held in Washington Park across from the music hall. This month's is Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hofbrauhaus Newport, just over the Ohio river in northern Kentucky, is a re-creation of Munich's Hofbrauhaus featuring German-American fare, brews crafted by an authentic Bavarian brew master and the area's largest bier garden.
Nearby Covington, Kentucky, welcomed more than 200 German immigrants a day between 1840-1845. Covington's MainStrasse Village toasts the area's German heritage at its own Oktoberfest Sept. 8-10. Along with German food, drink and entertainment, the festival features a "kinderplatz" area with games and rides for the little ones.
Can't find your lederhosen? No worries. Wiesnkoenig, the official supplier of lederhosen and dirndls for Munich's Oktoberfest, has its U.S. flagship store in Cincinnati inside the Christian Moerlein Brewery, a one-stop-shop where you can take care of all your urgent Bavarian apparel and refueling needs.
When you get your fill of brews and brats, Queen City has lots of other options to check out. Take in a Reds game at the Great American Ball Park, experience the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center or visit the Cincinnati Zoo, which, built in 1875, is the second-oldest in the country. It's also been named "The World's Sexiest Zoo," as more births have happened there than in any other zoo. The baby hippo is a must-see.