LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Author: Cassie Mattia

LHS Women’s Cross Country Team Grabs 1st Place at Season Opener!

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio- LHS Tiger Athletics kicked the Fall sports season off with a bang as the Women’s Cross Country Team collected their first 2021 victory on Saturday at the Ohio High School Athletics Association (OHSAA) Cross Country Season Opener!

Both Loveland’s Women’s and Men’s Cross Country Teams competed Saturday against 43 (scored) teams from all across Ohio at Fortress Obetz in Columbus, Ohio, which is also where the OHSAA’s 2021 State Cross Country Meet will be run this year.

Both Tiger teams are being looked at with high expectations this year as they have a squad full of veteran runners returning including 2020 Eastern Cincinnati Conference Runner of the Year Senior Ryan Chevalier and 1st Team All-ECC Jesse Gibbins and Emmy Sager.

Loveland did not disappoint their supporters at the first meet of the 2021 season as the Women finished in 1st place out of 43 very talented teams and the Men finished in 3rd place. The Women finished with a score of 90 (11-12-18-20-29-108-130), a team time of 1:38:48, a runner average of 19:46, and a mile average of 6:22. The Men finished with a score of 185 (5-13-38-50-79-116-132), a team time of 1:26:04, a runner average of 17:13, and a mile average of 5:33.

For LHS’s Women’s Cross Country Team, Junior Madison Conatser finished 11th with a time of 19:27.8, Senior Jesse Gibbins finished 12th with a time of 19:33.7, Senior Sarah Madix finished 18th with a time of 19:40.5, Senior Emmy Sager finished 20th with a time of 19:51.5, Junior Ally Colegate finished 29th with a time of 20:13.6, Senior Maaike Snider finished 108th with a time of 22:00.2, and Sophmore Lauren Gard finished 130th with a time of 22:24.8.

The Men’s Cross Country Team also had some impressive finishes with Senior Ryan Chevalier finishing in 5th with a time of 16:13.6, Junior Brady Steiner finishing in 13th with a time of 16:44.9, Senior Sam Neiger finishing in 38th with a time of 17:26.1, Freshman Nick Huff finishing in 50th with a time of 17:38.1, Junior Grant Hanson finishing in 79th with a time of 18:00.4, Senior Andrew Waple finishing 116th with a time of 18:21.8, and Junior Alex Saletta finishing in 132nd with a time of 18:32.7.

For the full meet results click here.

Congratulations to LHS’s Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Team’s on their 1st and 3rd place finishes in their first meet of the 2021 season! We are looking forward to seeing all the Tiger success this year! Thank you to LHS Cross Country parent Paul Madix for providing us with both the stats and photos from the opening meet!

The Tigers will compete again on Friday, August 27th at Christ Church for the Moeller Prime Time Invitational at 8:45 P.M.

Tentative 2021 LHS Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Schedule

8/24 Sat, OHSAA Season Opener, 10:00 a.m. at Fortress Obetz

8/27 Fri, Moeller Prime Time Invitational, 8:45 p.m. at Christ Church

9/4 Sat, Loveland Invitational 8:45 a.m. at Home of the Brave

9/11 Sat, Mason Invitational 9:00 a.m. at Corwin Nixon Park

9/18 Sat, Asics Woodbridge XC Classic TBD at Irvine, California

(Top 7 Times from the OHSAA Season Opener & possible wildcard. Pending approval from OHSAA & Loveland Schools)

9/25 Sat, Loveland Sunset Invite 6:00 p.m. at Loveland High School

10/2 Sat, Saturday Nights Lights TBA at Centerville HS

10/16 Sat, ECC Championships TBD at Home of the Brave

10/21 Thur, Southwest Ohio Championships 5:45 p.m. at Site TBD

(Based on the ECC Championship results, all remaining non-Top 7 will compete)

10/23 Sat, District Championships TBD at Voice of America

(Top Seven will compete)

10/30 Sat, Regional Championships ** TBD at Troy, Ohio

11/6 Sat, Ohio State Championships ** TBD at Fortress Obetz

** Team or Individuals must qualify for the Regional & State Championships

*** Start Times will vary due to our participation in multiple races.

For more LHS sports updates stay tuned to the Sports 411 With ME, Cassie Mattia!

August 25, 2021
Local Business Creates a Luxury Picnic Experience Like no Other!

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – What better way to celebrate an event or milestone than gathering around one another outdoors for a customized elevated picnic experience! This is exactly what new local business Epic Picnics is all about!

Loveland resident and Owner of Epic Picnics, Amanda Ericson, started the business in 2020 in hopes that she could use her love for art, her passion for the community, and her attachment to the outdoors to craft and create one beautiful experience!

“Every day should be cherished, celebrated, and lived to the fullest,” Ericson said, “My husband and I believe in living healthy robust lives surrounded by family, friends, and our beloved dog Butters. This is why we are excited to bring an elevated picnic experience to the Cincinnati area! We believe every day is worth celebrating!”

Ericson, a Studio Art Major, began her journey managing a Coffee and Wine Bar and then eventually moved into sales and customer service. Although she always loved the jobs she took on, Ericson knew that there was something more she was meant to do; that’s when Epic Picnics came into conception!

Epic Picnics “specializes in creating the personal perfect atmosphere for a romantic picnic for two, a memorable moment for brunch in the park, an outdoor movie experience in your backyard, a surprise engagement, a gender reveal party or a private intimate moment.” The luxury picnic set-up is really anything but ordinary! Ericson not only creates the theme of the picnic based on the location, the type of Epic Picnic selected, and a questionnaire filled out by the customer explaining what special touches they want to be added to the picnic, she also executes the picnic set-up and packs up everything after the picnic!

Ericson is able to create and customize any picnic for any occasion and of course, if a customer is unsure of what they want Epic Picnics does offer picnic set-up options such as The 1-hour Picnic, The 2-hour Picnic, The Luxury Movie Night, “Just Brunchin,” and Uniquely Yours (typically for large groups like Corporate Events, Weddings, Baby Showers, Proposals, Engagement Parties, and Birthdays). All of the picnic options include a unique set-up depending on the theme and the customized add-on’s selected by the customer.

After chatting with Ericson on the phone about Epic Picnics I knew we had to get her on-camera talking about the concept and her passion for creating!

Ericson offered to set up an Epic Picnic for me, my best friend Stacie, and my grandma in the heart of Downtown Loveland at Nisbet Park so that we could experience exactly what an elevated picnic feels like. The experience was above and beyond my expectations and the “Boho Sheek” picnic theme was to die for! The Epic Picnic was the perfect backdrop for an on-camera interview with Ericson so we decided to share with YOU the readers not only what Epic Picnics is all about but also what an Epic Picnic looks like!

Without further ado, Cassie the Food Guru brings to you Amanda Ericson from Epic Picnics in her first on-camera interview! Believe me, you won’t want to miss out on all the fun and delicious snacks we got into on our elevated picnic!

Are you looking to celebrate a meaningful occasion or host a unique event with style? Visit Epic Picnics website or give them a call at (513) 525-4812 to start planning your luxury picnic today!

A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your requested picnic date. The balance due must be paid in full 7 days before the reservation date or the reservation may be subject to cancellation. All picnics include take-out boxes for leftover picnic food, sanitizer, and bug spray. Flowers included in the picnic setup can go home with you!

For more local food and restaurant reviews stay tuned to Cassie the Food Guru!

Watch more LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV stories on our YouTube channel!

August 25, 2021
How to Get Involved With The Loveland Learning Garden!

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – Would you like to make a difference and give back to the community? Local non-profit, The Loveland Learning Garden, provides the opportunity for anyone to volunteer to help teach local students about the environment, or maintain the vegetable garden, the flower garden, and the nature trail!

The Loveland Learning Garden, located at 600 Loveland-Madeira Road (Loveland Primary and Loveland Elementary school grounds), dedicates everything to giving kids the opportunity to form “lifelong connections to the wonders of the natural world.” The non-profit outdoor education program not only strives to build awareness and community support but also maintains a vegetable garden, a flower garden, and a nature trail that is used for hands-on learning. The over 1,200 Loveland 1st-4th grade students involved are able to get an interactive experience, through a 20-week curriculum (taught by “Garden Educators” during the school day in the Spring and Fall), with nature while still adhering to the academics they are being taught in class. Seeing how food is grown, tasting fresh produce, and harvesting food that is eventually donated to local non-profit LIFE Food Pantry are just a few things students are able to get involved in at the Loveland Learning Garden.

Planting Kale in May at the Loveland Learning Garden

Board President, Laurie Flanagan, chatted with us at the Loveland Learning Garden about why gaining dedicated volunteers is vital to keeping the non-profit education program running.

“In order to successfully sustain our program, we seek people who want to share their talent and ‘dig in’ to join us by taking on leadership roles on our board or owning pieces of work that make the organization run,” Flanagan explained, “Our committees include education, communications, garden and trail maintenance, volunteer recruitment, and grants/fundraising. We have a diverse volunteer base of ages and backgrounds and welcome everyone! For example, we have students from the LHS National Honor Society, Tigers in Service, and the LHS Environmental Club who have helped us, University of Cincinnati students, workgroups, church groups, students from neighboring school districts, local parochial schools, and many individuals from across the Cincinnati area.“

Check out the video below to see Laurie Flanagan explain how you can help the Loveland Learning Garden!

During the months of March-October volunteers are heavily needed at the Loveland Learning Garden. If you or your organization would like to volunteer email the Loveland Learning Garden.

The Loveland Learning Garden will be a part of the 2021 Great Outdoor Weekend sponsored by Green Umbrella. On September 25th from 9 AM-1 PM, the Loveland Learning Garden will be holding a scavenger hunt for kids ages 4-10. For more information click the above Great Outdoor Weekend link!

To stay informed on the Loveland Learning Garden’s upcoming events and volunteer opportunities you can visit their Instagram and/or Facebook.

Loveland Learning Garden History
The foundation for Loveland Learning Garden was planted in 2002 as a floral garden on grade school grounds thanks to the vision of a grandmother who wanted to share the joy of picking fresh flowers with children. With the addition of vegetable gardens and a nature trail in the woods behind the school, Granny’s Garden School grew to be one of the most comprehensive school garden programs in the country and was recognized as a model for nature-based education training. In 2016, the founder retired while a new group of leaders, believing in the value of the program to students and the community evolved the nonprofit to its next iteration. Today, with new energy and a refreshed identity, the Loveland Learning Garden operates with strong, collaborative school partnerships, diverse leadership, community involvement, and a continued passion to educate and inspire children to the lifelong benefits found through nature.

For more ways to get involved with the community stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!

August 23, 2021
Local Interactive Garden Changes the Lives of Loveland Students!

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – Now more than ever is the time to encourage our youth to both protect and benefit from our ever-changing environment! This is exactly what local non-profit, The Loveland Learning Garden, aims to achieve.

The Loveland Learning Garden, located at 600 Loveland-Madeira Road (Loveland Primary and Loveland Elementary school grounds), dedicates everything to giving kids the opportunity to form “lifelong connections to the wonders of the natural world.” The non-profit outdoor education program not only strives to build awareness and community support but also maintains vegetable and flower gardens, as well as a nature trail used for hands-on learning. The 1st-4th grade students involved are able to get an interactive experience, through a 20-week curriculum (taught by “Garden Educators” during the school day in the Spring and Fall), with nature while still adhering to the academics they are being taught in class. Seeing how food is grown, tasting fresh produce, and harvesting food that is eventually donated to local non-profit LIFE Food Pantry are just a few things students are able to get involved in at the Loveland Learning Garden.

Board President, Laurie Flanagan, believes that exposing the over 1,200 Loveland students that the outdoor education program serves to the environment at an early age will leave a lasting impact of positive impressions with nature.

“We’re instilling a love of nature, joy, and wonder in discovering the outdoors and influencing the growth of the next generation of people who care for our environment,” Flanagan said, “We have a diverse volunteer base of ages and backgrounds and welcome everyone! For example, we have students from the LHS National Honor Society, Tigers in Service, and the LHS Environmental Club who have helped us, University of Cincinnati students, workgroups, church groups, students from neighboring school districts, local parochial schools, and many individuals from across the Cincinnati area.“

The Loveland Learning Garden operates using dedicated volunteers so gaining new talent is vital to keeping the non-profit education program running. “In order to successfully sustain our program, we seek people who want to share their talent and ‘dig in’ to join us by taking on leadership roles on our board or owning pieces of work that make the organization run,” Flanagan explained, “Our committees include education, communications, garden and trail maintenance, volunteer recruitment, and grants/fundraising.”

During the months of March-October volunteers are heavily needed in order to maintain both the garden and nature trail. If you or your organization would like to volunteer email the Loveland Learning Garden.

Here at Loveland Magazine, we found the Loveland Learning Garden to be both interesting and inspirational so we decided to meet Laurie Flanagan, Melanie Simon, and Jen Banzinger at the garden for an on-camera tour. To see just what the Loveland Learning Garden is all about watch the video below!

The Loveland Learning Garden will be a part of the 2021 Great Outdoor Weekend sponsored by Green Umbrella. On September 25th from 9 AM-1 PM, the Loveland Learning Garden will be holding a scavenger hunt for kids ages 4-10. For more information click the above Great Outdoor Weekend link!

To stay informed on all the latest Loveland Learning Garden updates you can visit their Instagram and/or Facebook.

Loveland Learning Garden History
The foundation for Loveland Learning Garden was planted in 2002 as a floral garden on grade school grounds thanks to the vision of a grandmother who wanted to share the joy of picking fresh flowers with children. With the addition of vegetable gardens and a nature trail in the woods behind the school, Granny’s Garden School grew to be one of the most comprehensive school garden programs in the country and was recognized as a model for nature-based education training. In 2016, the founder retired while a new group of leaders, believing in the value of the program to students and the community evolved the nonprofit to its next iteration. Today, with new energy and a refreshed identity, the Loveland Learning Garden operates with strong, collaborative school partnerships, diverse leadership, community involvement, and a continued passion to educate and inspire children to the lifelong benefits found through nature.

For more local inspirational stories stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!

August 18, 2021
It’s Time for the 2nd Annual “Old School Corgi Meet-up!”

Cassie Mattia is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine.

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – It’s that time of year again for the Annual Old School Corgi Meet-up! Pet owners grab your Corgi’s and head down to the old Loveland School House this Saturday for what promises to be one heck of a time!

This will be the 2nd year Bailey Vermette has spearheaded the corgi-friendly event with her friend Nikki Tran Duff.

“I met Nikki at a corgi meet-up she put together before we were known as Cincy Corgis. I told her my vision of the old school corgi meet-up and our partnership bloomed,” Vermette said, “We run monthly meet-ups at the West Chester VOA Dog Park, members homes, and our largest event is now at the Old School Corgi Meet Up just a few miles north of Loveland.”

Vermette welcomes all Corgis and their owners to come out to 10266 Murdock-Goshen Road from 11 AM to 2 PM this Saturday to enjoy some socialization with other Corgis and their owners. The 2nd Annual Old School Corgi Meet-up will also feature BBQ, local vendors, fun activities, and raffles with prizes for both humans and dogs!

The beautiful green T-shirt to the left was created by local business Apex Imprinted Sportswear, located at 523 West Loveland Ave, for the Annual Old School Corgi Meet-up!

Apex provides customers with theme creativity, layout, and design, as well as the finest imprinted and embroidered items. Apex has access to over 600,000 promotional products and is dedicated to finding the ideal product for your promotional need.

Below Vermette provided us with all the details you need for the event!

????: 2nd Annual Old School Corgi Meet-up

???: All corgis, corgi mixes, corgi owners, and corgi enthusiasts are welcome!

????: Saturday, August 14th from 11 AM-2 PM

?????: 10266 Murdock-Goshen Rd, Loveland, OH 45140

(a private property that sits on 2 acres with a pond and a vintage schoolhouse)

???: The goal of our meetup group ‘????? ??????’ is to connect the local corgi community and beyond. This event is a great way to responsibly socialize your corgis, get to know local owners, enjoy some bbq, support local vendors, and win awesome prizes!

????: FREE entry!

?????????? ???????:

-FREE cookout with hot dogs and water for the humans!

-FREE dog-friendly ice cream for the doggos!

-Doggy pools!

-Fun photo ops!

-Lawn games!

-RAFFLE with amazing prizes for both humans and doggos! (The drawing will be at 1:00 pm‬. You must be present to win.)

-??? ???? ????: 5 local vendors will provide a fun, interactive shopping experience for attendees (including treats, bandanas, accessories, fresh flowers + more)!

Old School Corgi Meet-up Facebook event page.

Cinci Pet Magazine attended the inaugural event last year. Read their story HERE and look at all the photos they took.

——————————————————————

“The old one-room schoolhouse was purchased by Dave, Stacey, and Bailey Vermette in 2016. After doing some research about the old school, the Vermette’s uncovered the name of the old building; Pleasant View school which was built in 1872. The vision that the Vermette’s had for the schoolhouse was to create an art studio and a gathering place for family and friends. The structure has been decorated in a very relaxing and unique way to honor Loveland, art, and our love for animals.”- The Vermette’s

For more of the latest Loveland event updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!

August 11, 2021
Nothing Bundt Cakes Offers Pet of the Month Winners a Special Treat!

Self-described “Dog Mom” Cassie Mattia lives in Historic Downtown Loveland with Nala, Dean, and her boyfriend Adam. Cassie is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine.

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio- Who doesn’t like cake?! The launch of Loveland Magazine’s Pet of the Month has caught the attention of many local businesses one being Nothing Bundt Cakes!

Nothing Bundt Cakes, located at 9540 Mason Montgomery Road, creates delicious readily available cakes using only the highest quality ingredients for anyone in search of a great-tasting cake that is also aesthetically pleasing. Nothing Bundt Cakes is known for its signature cream cheese frosting as well as its one-of-a-kind handcrafted cake designs. Any cake requested can be customized for any theme or occasion!

Mason’s Nothing Bundt Cake Co-owner, Mary Thress, is well-known for giving back to the communities surrounding her location, including Loveland, so when she emailed Loveland Magazine offering our Pet of the Month winner a Bundtlet Tower we were beyond happy and filled with gratitude.

“Would you like to give the winner of pet of the month a cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes?” Thress wrote in the email. “I’d be happy to provide a Bundtlet Tower with decoration relating to Loveland and pets!”

A Bundtlet Tower is comprised of 1-3 miniature Bundtlet Cakes (flavors can be vanilla, chocolate, or red velvet) covered in the signature cream cheese frosting (made with velvety cream cheese and real butter). Thress is providing the Pet of the Month winner a 2 tier Bundtlet Tower, one cake-flavored chocolate, and the other vanilla, covered in the signature cream cheese frosting.

We want to thank Mary and her entire team for being so kind to Loveland Magazine and our pet lovers! We are thrilled to award the Pet of the Month such an unbelievable delicious treat!

Scott Gordan, owner of The Works Pizza in Downtown Loveland, also contributed a gift card to the Pet of the Month prize bundle. Scott sent a message to us saying, “If you need gift cards for your pet of the month, The Works is happy to donate! Love my dogs…and my cat!”

We appreciate you Scott Gordan for donating another amazing prize to our Pet of the Month winner!

In addition to receiving the Bundtlet Tower, The Works Pizza gift card and being featured in Loveland Magazine’s publication, the weekly newsletter, and social media platforms, the winner will also receive a framable glossy 8×10 photo keepsake that will be delivered to their home.

Thress is providing the Pet of the Month winner a 2 tier Bundtlet Tower, one cake-flavored chocolate, and the other vanilla, covered in the signature cream cheese frosting.

To enter into Loveland’s Pet of the Month contest you must email me, Cassie Mattia, at cmattia12@gmail.com 2-5 of your favorite photos of your pet along with a short bio about your pet. Share with us and the community why your pet is so special to you along with any other unique facts that set your little buddy apart from other pets! The window for receiving pet of the month candidates will run from the 1st to the 25th (deadline) of every month starting on August 1st. When sending in your pet photos and bios please include your pet’s name, age, and breed as well as your contact info with a short description of each photo you provide us with. If you want to share where your pet’s favorite spots are in Loveland that would be great as well!

The first official Loveland Pet of the Month will be featured on September 1st.

Check out Nothing Bundt Cakes Mason on Facebook. Follow The Works Pizza Loveland on Facebook.

August 10, 2021
Cassie The Food Guru Visits Loveland Dairy Whip!

Cassie Mattia

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – I scream, you scream, we all scream for Loveland Dairy Whip Ice Cream!

Loveland is home to many family-owned businesses and historical buildings due to the fact that Loveland itself was founded in 1876. Businesses have come and gone and a majority of the historical buildings have had to go through some major renovations, but there is one business in particular that has not only called Loveland home from the beginning but has also kept its building as close as possible to the original layout. The Loveland Dairy Whip (LDW) located at 611 West Loveland Ave. has been serving up the community the finest high-quality ice cream since 1955 and has managed to satisfy sweet-tooths all over the city for 66 years! That’s why I couldn’t resist paying LDW a visit for my next round of “Cassie The Food Guru!”

Teresa (Flint) Morgan and her husband Rick Morgan became official LDW owners in 2001 although the ice cream hot spot had been in the Flint family since 1972. Teresa’s parents Marian and Jim Flint bought LDW in 1972, sold it in 1986, then bought it back in 1993. Up until 2001 when Teresa became the owner of LDW, she had been helping her parents run the shop since age 11 so she was no stranger to the LDW way of life!

The Morgan’s now run one of the longest-standing businesses and buildings in the City of Loveland. The LDW has not only been able to keep its historical charm intact even after the minor yet much-needed renovations that took place in 2014 it has also managed to stay true to its mantra, which is to continue offering the community the absolute best quality ice cream at a price that any family can afford! From the legendary vanilla, chocolate, or twist dip-top cones to the delicious Chocolate Mountain Cyclone to the yummy Oreo Parfay to the fan-favorite Banana Boats, LDW can sweeten anyone’s day with its magical ice cream creations!

Without further ado, I bring to you “Cassie the Food Guru” takes on Loveland Dairy Whip! Click below to see my on-camera interview with owner Rick Morgan!

For more restaurant reviews and interviews stay tuned to Cassie The Food Guru!

August 10, 2021
Are you Ready for “Zoveland’s” First Oktoberfest?!

by Cassie Mattia

Cassia Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – Can you believe Fall is already right around the corner? With Fall comes an amazing line-up of events and festivals in Downtown Loveland including “Zoveland’s” 1st Oktoberfest!

On Friday, September 24th from 4 PM-10 PM, and Saturday, September 25th from 5 PM-11 PM, Downtown Loveland will become “Liebesland” (Loveland in German) for Oktoberfest 2021. The festival will include a plethora of traditional German activities, competitions, food, drinks, and of course some spectacular German attire!

Warsteiner, an international German beer company that came to conception in Warstein, Germany in 1753 when Antonius Cramer was asked to pay beer tax after his home brewing volumes passed the amount allowed for personal use, will be hosting a Biergarten (beer garden in German) Emporium in Nisbet Park. Traditionally a Biergarten is an open-air space where beer and food are served. This concept dates back to the 19th century in Bavaria in which breweries planted gardens above cellars to keep their lagers cool enough to ferment underground.

The Warsteiner Biergarten will be serving up their finest beer from the Premium Pilsner, “A refreshing, pale golden pilsener with a clean taste perfectly balanced with hints of barley malt, subtle bottom fermenting yeast tones and mild hoppy bitterness,” to the Premium Dunkel, “a rich dark amber beer with full-flavored, smooth taste nicely accented with satisfying notes of roasted malt and subtle bottom-fermenting yeast tones,” to the Oktoberfest Special Edition, “a well-balanced, mild, and smooth taste with a uniquely soft, hoppy aftertaste and 5.9% alcohol.”

All of the tips collected from the Biergarten will benefit Cancer Free Kids.

Of course, what goes better with beer than traditional German food! The majority of Loveland’s Downtown restaurants will be adding a few German-inspired food options in celebration of Oktoberfest. Not sure what traditional German food is? Read this CNN Travel article that I found that talks all about German cuisine!

Although the Little Miami Chamber Alliance (LMRCA) is still in the planning stages of what activities and competitions will be held during Oktoberfest, the Chamber has confirmed that there will be a Stein Hoist competition as well as a Lederhosen competition.

The Stein Hoist prelims will begin on Friday around 6:30 PM and the finals will be held on Saturday at 6 PM. The competition will include 6 contestants and will be emceed by Channel 5’s Randi Rico. Stein Hoisting is a traditional Bavarian strength contest in which participants hold a full one-liter beer stein (weighs 5.5 pounds typically) in front of their bodies with a straight arm, parallel to the ground. The person that can hold the pose the longest wins.

The Lederhosen competition (German costume contest) will begin on Friday. The winner will be selected around 7:30 PM. Lederhosen’s are leather shorts with H-shaped suspenders that men in the working class from Alpine regions such as Bavaria wore. They wore these while they were working because the leather material made the dust and dirt collected from work easier to clean off. Lederhosen’s also have cultural and social meaning for those within the German culture.

There is in fact a female version of the Lederhosen called a “Dirndl,” which is a dress that can fall either to the knees or the floor. The dress includes a tight bodice that is meant to compliment a woman’s chest.

On Friday, Oktoberfest will also feature live entertainment from the Cloggers at 5 PM and the Counting Skeletons at 7 PM.

On Saturday, Oktoberfest entertainment will kick off at 4 PM with Premier Dance and Tumbling, and shortly afterward at 5:30 PM, the Cloggers will perform once again.

Of course, we can’t forget about one of the most coveted German Oktoberfest traditions, the tapping of the Keg! The tapping of the Keg is one of the oldest traditions in Germany’s Oktoberfest celebrations. The Keg tap is typically done by the Mayor of Munich, which in Loveland’s case will be Mayor Kathy Bailey. The goal of the Keg tapping is for the Mayor to hit the Keg with a hammer the least amount of times possible before yelling “O’zapft is” (keg breached). Once the Mayor yells “O’zapft is” surrounding vendors may officially sell their beer!

Before the Keg tapping in Germany, there is a “procession” held in which colorful horse carriages and wagons covered with flowers march down to where the Oktoberfest celebration is being held. The procession is traditionally led by the Münchner Kindl (coat of arms of Munich) and is followed by the Mayor’s festival carriage. Behind the Mayor are carts of the landlords and breweries as well as the waitresses who will be serving beer who are typically holding beer mugs in the procession. This part of Zoveland’s Oktoberfest will include Mayor Kathy Bailey, the LMRCA Board of Directors President Doug Portmann, and Oktoberfest’s Presenting Sponsor. The procession itself will be a surprise to all as the details have yet to be released!

On Saturday at 6 PM the Stein Hoist finals will be held and right after the Zinzinnati Bierband will perform until 10 PM.

The LMRCA is still hard at work adding more activities, competitions, entertainment, and food options for the 2021 Zoveland Oktoberfest so stay tuned for the latest event details!

Oktoberfest is still in need of sponsors! If you or your business would like to become a sponsor read over the sponsorship options below and contact the LMRCA through email or you can call their office at 513-683-1544.

For more Zoveland Oktoberfest 2021 updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!

August 9, 2021
Introducing “Loveland’s Pet of the Month!”

Self-described “Dog Mom” Cassie Mattia lives in Historic Downtown Loveland with Nala, Dean, and her boyfriend Adam. Cassie is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine.

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – Who doesn’t love sharing a beautiful photo of their pet? If you are a Loveland resident and live close to the Loveland Bike Trail you know more than anyone that Loveland has a special place in its heart for pets. From dogs to cats to horses to exotic animals the Loveland community welcomes all animals with open arms! This is why here at Loveland Magazine we want to celebrate your pets!

At the beginning of every month starting on August 1st we will be selecting and featuring “Loveland’s Pet of the Month,” in which that pet will then be featured in our publication, weekly newsletters, and our social media platforms for that entire month.

The featured pet will also receive a beautiful, glossy, high-quality 8X10 photo keepsake that will be mailed to the pet owner’s home. We love our pets as much you do Loveland so let’s pay tribute to them together every month!

This is Dean, Cassie’s older household sibling to Nala.

To enter into Loveland’s Pet of the Month contest you must email me, Cassie Mattia, at cmattia12@gmail.com 2-5 of your favorite photos of your pet along with a short bio about your pet. Share with us and the community why your pet is so special to you along with any other unique facts that set your little buddy apart from other pets! The window for receiving pet of the month candidates will run from the 1st to the 25th (deadline) of every month starting on August 1st. When sending in your pet photos and bios please include your pet’s name, age, and breed as well as your contact info with a short description of each photo you provide us with. If you want to share where your pet’s favorite spots are in Loveland that would be great as well!

The first official Loveland Pet of the Month will be featured on September 1st.

Remember we DO NOT discriminate against any pets; all pets are welcome to enter into the contest!

As a reminder, you may start sending in pet photos and bios beginning on August 1st. The deadline once again will be on the 25th of every month. The first pet selected will be featured on September 1st.

We are so excited to share the love you have for your pets and the joy they bring you every day with the community!

ENTER YOUR PET

July 29, 2021
Let ME Help YOU get the Word out About Your Business, Event, or Organization!

Hello to all the Lovely Local Businesses out There!

Cassie Mattia is the Marketing Director for Loveland Magazine

Summer is here, but have no fear – because Loveland Magazine is here to help you get the word out about your local business, organization, or event!

We understand that last year was rough on a lot of local businesses, some barely surviving and some, unfortunately, having to shut their doors permanently. This year we want to make sure that our beloved local businesses survive and the best way we know we can help is by making sure that we offer the lowest advertising rates in the Loveland and Cincinnati area!

We care about YOU, YOUR employees as well as YOUR local business, organization, or community event so we strive to do everything we can to help those that work alongside you and those that look forward to visiting your business, being a part of your organization, or attending your event!

So what are you waiting for?! Join the Loveland Magazine Team and celebrate your business or organization’s successes by advertising with the longest-running and locally owned Loveland publication?

To join the Loveland Magazine Team all you have to do is let me know through email what you are interested in advertising and when you would like to begin. We offer a month-to-month advertising plan that costs 90 percent less than ALL the other advertising plans in the Loveland and Cincinnati area! Each month you are able to recommit to our ad plan meaning you don’t have to sign a long-term contract. We want to make sure you are happy with the results Loveland Magazine is giving, which is why you are able to recommit to us each month!

Our advertising plan includes an ad (sent to us by you representing your business, organization, or event) that will be placed on our Loveland Magazine Homepage and in our weekly E-News Letter. I can change out your ad at any time – you just have to let me know!

I also commit to sharing or publishing any information that I see on your business’s or organization’s social media pages that I feel the community will be interested in as well. I will also share and publish information that you send to me through email that you feel is important for the community to see.

Check out this 51-second video below to see exactly what Loveland Magazine does:

If you think you have a good feature story idea about your business – I can do that! As a feature story is a larger time commitment for the Loveland Magazine staff we offer the feature story opportunity for an additional one-time fee of 99 dollars per feature story. Here are a few examples of feature stories I have done for our local businesses:

Here are a few examples of feature stories we have done for our local businesses:

Cassie the Food Guru Takes on Ramsey’s Trailside!

Bands and Brews Brings the City of Loveland Together to Celebrate…

[Video Interview] Authentic Italian Restaurant Plants its Roots in the Heart…

Community Rally’s Around LHS’s Coach Parker at Opening Night of “Rolling Mondays”

Loveland Magazine relies on the community in order to keep publishing the latest news in the community so all advertising fees go directly back into making sure we can keep writing, publishing, and reporting!

If you are new to the community and aren’t entirely sure you know who we are here is a link to the ABOUT LOVELAND MAGAZINE section of our website.

I will strive to help your business, organization, event, and your loyal employees have the best 2021 yet through spreading the word about what your business or organization offers!

Contact me now to start your advertising journey with Loveland Magazine! I can’t wait for you to join the team!

When contacting me, please don’t forget to state your name, phone number, your business or organization’s address, and what type of business, organization, or event you would like to advertise.

Sincerely,

Cassie Mattia

Director of Marketing

July 23, 2021