Cincinnati Music Festival returns to the riverfront

Casey Weldon

Nighttime stadium filled with a massive crowd across multiple tiers. A brightly lit stage and blue-screen displays dominate the right; tents and equipment line the front, dark sky overhead. — Most Cincinnati Music Festival attendees travel from outside the region, according to tourism bureau Visit Cincy. Photo: Courtesy of Visit Cincy

Downtown is once again set to become the center of the R&B and hip-hop world as Mary J. Blige, Charlie Wilson, Nelly and Talib Kweli headline the Cincinnati Music Festival at Paycor Stadium (July 23-25).

Why it matters: The annual three-day concert is one of the region's biggest weekends, drawing more than 80,000 people from across the country for a tradition that has celebrated Black music and culture since 1962.

What's new: An on-field Club Lounge featuring upgraded seating, expanded bar service and large video screens.

It'll also host Thursday night's kickoff concert.

The lineup:

Thursday: Talib Kweli, DJ Spinderella, special guest Hi-Tek and DJ Vader
Friday: Charlie Wilson, Nelly, Tyrese, Ledisi and 803 Fresh
Saturday: Mary J. Blige, Trey Songz, SWV, Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick and Heatwave

If you go: Tickets start at $109.80 for Thursday and $67.15 for both Friday and Saturday.

Beyond the concerts, free events and fan experiences will keep downtown buzzing all weekend.

Festival513 returns to Freedom Way with nearly 100 food and merchandise vendors just across from the stadium on Friday and Saturday.
Visitors can also explore the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame, a free, interactive outdoor attraction along the riverfront.

Of note: The Reds are thankfully out of town, so traffic congestion shouldn't be too bad.

But if you're planning to head to The Banks at all this weekend, expect traffic – and parking prices – to be more than usual.

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Cincinnati Music Festival returns to the riverfront

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