Loveland, Ohio – “Making these cards makes me feel both fulfilled and safe. This Arts and Crafts show has been my home for 4 years and now I want to be an entrepreneur!”
Loveland High School (LHS) Senior Annelise Dartnall expressed how excited she was on Tuesday about The Loveland Arts and Crafts Fair being back in action after not having it 2 years in a row due to COVID-19. Dartnall along with several other LHS special needs students have participated in creating handmade cards to sell at the Loveland Arts and Crafts Fair in order to raise funds for the LHS Special Needs Program and gain valuable work experience. Dartnall has also worked at the Loveland Farmers Market, several Loveland Arts and Crafts Fairs where she showcased the special needs students carefully crafted cards, and the Loveland High School News Network.
Retired Teacher Molly Swaine came up with the idea of LHS’s special needs students designing, creating, packaging, and selling these handmade cards to the community and staff members of Loveland right in her very own room just a few years ago.
“The past couple of years the students were unable to attend our biggest sales event, The Loveland Arts and Crafts Fair, due to the pandemic so the fact that our students have the opportunity to once again practice social and life skills out in the community is great,” LHS Intervention Specialist Emily Hicks said.
Caitlin Haury, LHS Intervention Specialist, and Payton Lafonda also aided Hicks with the handmade cards project in hopes that the special needs students at LHS would gain valuable work experience and raise enough sales to buy supplies for the classroom, activities, and celebrations.
Over the past few weeks, the excitement for Loveland’s Arts and Crafts Fair has been building, as the event is set for November 6th at LHS from 9:30 AM to 3 PM. We decided to take a trip down Tiger Trail to LHS to talk to Annelise about the handmade cards project and why it’s so important that everyone gets involved.
Buying the cards during the Craft Expo requires cash. The students can not accept credit cards, Apple Pay, Venmo, etc.
Without further ado, we bring to you LHS Senior Annelise Dartnall as she explains to YOU the Loveland Magazine readers why you should support the LHS Special Needs Handmade Cards Project!
Interview and video by David Miller
If you are unable to attend Loveland’s Arts and Crafts Expo the Special Needs Program created a contactless google link in which you can select your cards and have them sent to you through the mail. Cards are $2 for a pack of 4. You will also need to send your form of payment through the mail to LHS’s Caitlin Haury. Click here to order your handmade cards today!
If you missed our previous article on the LHS Special Needs Handmade Cards Project click below!
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.
November DEADLINE extended for Halloween costumes!
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – Is there really anything cuter than a pet in their spookiest Halloween costume?! Now is your chance to show off your pet’s Halloween attire in November’s Pet of the Month contest!
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, we select and feature “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!
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 November Pet of the Month candidates is being extended to November 1st so that you have the opportunity to send in photos of your pet in their Halloween costume!
November’s Pet of the Month will be Announced on Friday, November 5th.
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!
Remember we DO NOT discriminate against any pets; all pets are welcome to enter into the contest! And, if your pet does not like the spookiness of Halloween or your iguana just won’t sit for a Halloween pose, don’t be “frightened” that she won’t be chosen.
We are so excited to share the love you have for your pets and the joy they bring you every day with the community!
Loveland, Ohio – With Halloween right around the corner, it only seems right to take YOU our readers to the Simpson Farm Asylum where you will once again meet Skeletor the Halloween Movie Guru!
Everyone loves a good scary movie, especially during Halloween, but at times it can be tough selecting the one that will be sure to chill you to the bone! Skeletor, who hibernates all year at the Simpson Farm Asylum, located at Loveland Magazine’s office, awakens in October to celebrate all things spooky and to share what 5 Halloween movies you should watch in preparation for the 31st.
Follow me down to the Simpson Farm Asylum where we will meet Skeletor for the 2021 Top 5 Halloween Movies! Turn off the lights, snuggle under your favorite blanket, grab a bag of candy, and prepare to be creeped out!
Skeletor’s 2021 Top 5 Halloween Movies and Where to Find Them!
Nightmare on Elm Street, 1984, Supernatural Slasher, Rated R, Watch on HULU or HBO MAX
The Hills Have Eyes, 2006 remake, Horror, Rated R, Watch on AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
Goosebumps The Series, 1995, Children’s Anthology Horror Television Series, Rated PG, Watch on NETFLIX
Fear Street The Trilogy, 2021, Horror Film Series, Rated R, Watch on NETFLIX
Child’s Play, 2019 remake, Slasher, Rated R, Watch on HULU or AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
Here is a collection of still photos from the Skeletor video shoot taken by David Miller.
Loveland Area Trick or Treating will take place between 6 PM and 8 PM on Sunday, October 31st!
Take a Look at my Skeletor Photo Album!
Did you miss Skeletor last year? Click below to watch Skeletor’s 2020 Top Halloween Movie Picks!
Symmes Township, Ohio – Loveland is full of so many wonderful things for families to get involved in and for parents to get their children involved within the community. The Loveland Music Academy (LMA) is one of those places that welcomes anyone that has a passion for music or simply wants to learn something new that is entirely community-oriented!
LMA came into conception in 2007 when Linda Bergholz and Aaron O’Keefe found a need within the Loveland community for a music academy that could provide quality instruction based on the need of the student. LMA began its journey by offering private lessons for guitar, piano, strings, woodwinds, brass, harp, percussion, voice, and acting in the heart of Downtown Loveland. LMA’s goal was to provide students with a solid musical education and lessons tailored to each student’s interests and goals. With that motto in mind LMA grew rapidly!
LMA quickly began to be known as the go-to place in Loveland and beyond for fantastic music education and instruction at a very reasonable price. In 2009, LMA moved into the Brown Building at 209 W Loveland Ave (which was across the street from LMA’s original location) because they were growing so fast and needed more space for studios. Within 5 years LMA gained 26 instructors educating 400-500 students per week!
“I teach from age six through adults; each lesson is tailored to the individual student. I believe that it is important for students to be exposed to all types and styles of music–from classical to jazz, rock to gospel, country to blues, broadway to reggae, we all find our ‘niche’–and learn to make the music we love. My goal in teaching a student is not that they win awards, but that they carry the love of listening to and playing music for a lifetime. You can’t always find someone to play a game of soccer or basketball or tennis with you, but you can always sit down to a piano (or keyboard, or pick up the flute) and make music yourself.” – Linda Bergholz
Bergholz started to make plans to both expand and improve the LMA building due to the influx of new students, instructors, and much-needed renovations putting in a significant amount of money to a building that LMA didn’t own. Over the course of 10 plus years that LMA called 209 W Loveland home, they paid over 200,000 dollars in rent to the Loveland Community Firefighters’ Association (LCFA), a non-profit organization that owns the Brown Building off the Loveland Bike Trail in Downtown Loveland’s Historic District where LMA resided.
The LCFA according to their website, “works year round to raise funds to help supplement the department and many other community services. Most of the members of the LCFA are also members of the fire department or their families. These individuals work diligently year-round at fundraisers to raise money to donate to the fire department and other causes around the community. The LCFA has always tried to give as much back to the community as possible that we serve.”
Because of the LCFA motto, Bergholz thought that LMA would be in Downtown Loveland forever as it not only served the community, and supplied local music instructors with jobs, but also brought in a lot of money for both local restaurants and shopping boutiques from its 400 plus students and their parents. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
LMA’s new home at 10084 East Kemper Road, just outside of the Loveland City limit in Symmes Township.
In September of this year, LMA moved to 10084 East Kemper Road, just outside of the Loveland City limit in Symmes Township because they were notified that their lease would not be renewed by the LCFA. Bergholz along with LMA’s music instructors and students were devastated as they thought this would be the end of Loveland’s only music academy.
Bergholz coincidentally came into Mile42 Coffee the day she was notified that LMA was being kicked out of the Brown Building and ran into me. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was not okay and that something major had happened. Bergholz sat with me and told me what had happened and said she just couldn’t let this be the end of LMA. I agreed and encouraged her to keep on fighting because hundreds of local students, parents, and music instructors depended on her strength and dedication. That’s just what Bergholz decided to do. Not only did she write a letter to LCFA asking why LMA’s lease wasn’t going to be renewed and if they would reconsider, she began to work as hard she could to find a new location for LMA. Bergholz later found out that LMA’s lease was not being renewed because LCFA wanted to acrue more income from the Brown Building i.e they wanted to put in a new bar or restaurant. Although Bergholz felt she could prove that LMA did provide a significant amount of income, she decided to move forward in search of a new building.
The search for a new LMA building was tough for Bergholz being that America was in the midst of a pandemic, the cost to move LMA would be extravagant due to all the heavy music equipment (LMA has several Grand Pianos), and LMA would have to stop doing business for however long it took to move. Bergholz was determined to make it work, and she did just that.
I decided to take a trip to the LMA’s new location to see how the moving progress was going and to talk to Bergholz about the journey that led to the new building! So without further ado, I bring to you a one-on-one EXCLUSIVE Loveland Magazine TV Interview with Linda Bergholz! Believe me you won’t want to miss this one!
If you would like to take music lessons or you would like to get involved with LMA you can call them at 513-239-7105 or send LMA an email.
In September of this year, LMA moved to 10084 East Kemper Road, just outside of the Loveland City limit in Symmes Township.
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For more heart-felt Loveland stories stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
Loveland, Ohio – Did you attend Loveland’s First Oktoberfest? If not well do we have an early Halloween treat for you!
I of course went to both days of Loveland’s Oktoberfest on September 24th and 25th and wow was it an absolute showstopper! Not only did all of the Downtown Loveland area transform into a place filled with German food, drinks, and activities, Nisbet Park located right off the Loveland Bike Trail successfully turned into a traditional Biergarten!
A Look Around Nisbet Park’s Oktoberfest Biergarten
The Nisbet Biergarten was home to the Warsteiner Beer Emporium, the Stein Slide, live entertainment, the Wiener Dog Race, local vendors like Kona Ice, Dolph’s Dog’s, Epic Picnics, Right Stuff Grill, and Cincy Shirts (sold custom Loveland Oktoberfest T-shirts), the Stein Hoisting finals, the Tapping of the Keg, and beautifully decorated picnic tables surrounded by lights for families and friends to sit down and take in the atmosphere! Those that attended were able to grab beer tickets or buy a Loveland Oktoberfest keepsake mug to fill with traditional Oktoberfest Warsteiner Beer.
The Warsteiner Beer Emporium in Nisbet Park’s Biergarten
The Stein Slide
Cincy Shirts set-up in Nisbet Park’s Biergarten
Epic Picnic’s Owner Amanda provided the Biergarten with a German themed picnic where you could have your photo taken
New local business Dolph’s Dogs served up some delicious sausages, hot dogs, and bratwursts in the Biergarten
Owner Dolph in action
Dolph’s Dog’s traditional Hot Dogs
Dolph’s Dog’s Bratwurst loaded up with peppers and onions
Kona Ice served up mouthwatering Ice creations in the Biergarten
A Stein Slide Challenge
The local Downtown Loveland restaurants also participated in the Oktoberfest magic by providing traditional German food specials and hosting the prelims of the Stein Hoisting a.k.a “The Masskrugen Challenge!”
The streets of Loveland were filled with people wearing their finest German Lederhosen’s or Dirndl’s, in which Bishop’s Quarter’s held a costume competition for those wanting to show off their attire!
The Wiener Dog Race was the star of the festival as 15 Wiener Dogs competed for a Tara’s Pet Boutique Gift Card in front of a sea of people. Although the race itself was tight, my very own Dorkie (Dachshund Yorkie Mix) Dean took the first place finish! I decided to donate the gift card to the 2nd place Wiener Dog who was also a very impressive competitor!
A Look Around The Wiener Dog Race
The Starting Line for the Wiener Dog Race that was held in Nisbet Park
I was in charge of making the Wiener Dog Race a success!
Thanks to all those who helped with the race!
Myself and the Wiener Dog Champion, my dog Dean!
Fox19 covering Loveland’s Oktoberfest
The Keg Procession Crew!
One of the most traditional Oktoberfest moments was the Keg Procession that then led into the Tapping of the Keg! I was proud to be a part of the Keg Procession that included many cherished Loveland community members including LMRCA President Cee Cee Collins, LMRCA Board President Doug Portman, and Mayor Kathy Bailey. Once we arrived at the Main Stage located in the Biergarten both Mayor Bailey and Portman tapped the keg which led to an explosion of cheers and beer chugging from the crowd. What a wonderful moment of celebration it was for the city of Loveland!
Check out the videos below of The Wiener Dog Race, The Keg Procession, and the Tapping of the Keg!
Loveland, Ohio – Have you ever seen a Tiger this fast? On Saturday, September 25th the LHS Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams competed in the Loveland Sunset Invitational where they both grabbed 1st place finishes! The Women won with a score of 15 and the Men took the top spot with 17.
The Loveland Women’s Cross Country Team not only secured a 1st place finish as a team but also broke some school records along the way. The Tigers for the first time ever had 4 Women run under 19 minutes in the same 5k race, with the top 7 finishing 1-2-3-4-5-8-9. Previously the Women had only had 2 Tigers in the same race finish under 19 minutes.
Senior Emmy Sager secured a 1st place finish with a time of 18:32.70, Senior Jessie Gibbins placed 2nd with a time of 18:35, Senior Sarah Madix crossed the line in 3rd with a time of 18:36.7, Junior Madison Conatser finished 4th with a time of 18:57.9, Junior Ally Colegate placed 5th with a time of 19:19.2, Senior Maaike Snider finished in 8th place with a time of 19:44.1, and Sophmore Lauren Gard placed 9th with a time of 19:54. For the complete meet results click here.
The LHS Women’s CC Team at the Loveland Sunset Invitational. Photo credited to Eric Colegate.
The top 5 finishers running in a pack at the Loveland Sunset Invitational. Photo credited to Eric Colegate.
The Tigers for the 1st time in school history are not only ranked number 1 in the state according to the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches poll they are also number 1 in the state for their average team time on Ohio MileSplit. In addition to all those impressive team accolades, individually several of the Loveland Women are at the top of the Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) with their latest times. Emmy Sager is number 1 in the ECC, Jessie Gibbins is number 2, Sarah Madix is number 3, Madison Conatser is number 5, and Ally Colegate is number 8.
OATCCC Week 4 Ohio High School Division 1 Women’s Poll
The Loveland Women’s Cross Country Team will compete again Saturday, October 2nd at Centerville’s Saturday Night Lights.
The Loveland Men’s Cross Country Team captured a nice win at their home meet last Saturday finishing 1-2-3-5-6-8-9 with a runner’s average of 16:30.
Senior Ryan Chevalier finished in 1st place with a time of 16:04.2, Junior Brady Steiner placed 2nd with a time of 16:08.2, Junior Cayden Dyer finished in 3rd with a time of 16:30.3, Freshman Nick Huff placed 5th with a time of 16:50.2, Senior Sam Neiger placed 6th with a time of 16:57, Junior Grant Hanson crossed the finish line in 8th place with a time of 17:08.5, and Senior Kyle Becker placed 9th with a time of 17:14.6. For the complete meet results click here.
The LHS Men’s CC Team at the Loveland Sunset Invitational. Photo credited to Jen Steiner.
The Tigers are currently ranked 6th in the state according to the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches poll and several individuals are ranked at the top in the ECC. Ryan Chevalier is ranked number 2, Brady Steiner is sitting in 4th place, and Cayden Dyer is in 7th place.
OATCCC Week 4 Ohio High School Division 1 Men’s Poll
The Loveland Men’s Cross Country Team will also be competing Saturday, October 2nd at Centerville’s Saturday Night Lights.
For more Loveland sports updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia! GO TIGERS!
On Friday, September 24th from 4 PM-10 PM, and Saturday, September 25th from 4 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.”
Beer Tickets will be sold at the Warsteiner Emporium in the Biergarten and can be used to purchase Warsteiner premium beer at the Emporium, The Works Pizza, Ramsey’s Trailside, or Bishop’s Quarter where they will be selling Warsteiner’s Oktoberfest. Domestic beer tickets will be $5 and Craft beer tickets will be $6.
When purchasing a beer ticket you will have the option to buy an authentic 14 ounce Loveland Oktoberfest keepsake Mug for $8 in which you will be able to get refilled with Warsteiner beer only for $5.
All of the tips collected from the Biergarten will benefit CancerFree 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. The Works Pizza will be featuring Potato Pancakes, Ramsey’s Trailside will have a Specialty Pretzel, Trailside Provisions will be serving Cream Puffs and Frozen Chocolate Bananas on Saturday only, All the Ingredients will have Sauerkraut Balls, Bratwursts, and Herb Potato Skewers, Loveland Sweets will be carrying Black Forest Ice Cream, Tano Bistro will have Schweinbraten (German Pulled Pork) and Apple Strudel, The Wicked Pickle will be serving up German Pulled Pork Sandwiches, and Bishop’s Quarter will have German Pancakes with Sour Cream.
In addition to Loveland’s local restaurants carrying specialty German food items, new local business Dolph’s Dogs will also be there to satisfy anyone’s sausage, bratwurst, or hotdog cravings! Kona Ice and Right Stuff Grill will also be present at the Oktoberfest festivities. Food vendors will be set up in the Biergarten near Nisbet Park.
Want to learn more about traditional German food? Read this CNN Travel article that I found that talks all about German cuisine!
The Landing Event Center will be holding an Oktoberfest event on Friday that will benefit The League for Animal Welfare. This special benefit will include beer tastings, an authentic German appetizer buffet, and live music. The event is free and open to the public.
The Jackson Street Market will have arts and crafts throughout the Oktoberfest celebration as well.
The Little Miami Chamber Alliance (LMRCA) has been hard at work for several months planning Loveland’s first Oktoberfest and truly can’t wait to see how all the German activities and competitions play out!
One of the most exciting and competitive German traditions will be The Stein Hoist competition a.k.a The Masskrugen Challenge, which will begin on Friday at 6:30 PM. The Winners Ceremony will be held on Saturday at 6 PM. The competition will include 6 contestants from each local restaurant participating. The Works Pizza, Ramsey’s Trailside, Cappy’s, Bishop’s Quarter, Cindy’s, Paxton’s Grill, The Landing Event Center and The Wicked Pickle will all be competing for the win! The Masskrugen finals 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.
Stop by the Loveland beer booth on Friday and the Biergarten on Saturday to say hi to the Christy Jones Team and hoist a stein!
The Lederhosen competition (German costume contest) will begin on Friday at Bishop’s Quarter. The winner will be selected at 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, at 5 PM at Oktoberfest Cappy’s and the Main Stage (located in Nisbet Park) will host a Stein Slide competition, in which you can buy tickets to compete for $2. Live entertainment will kick-off from the Kyle Hackett Duo at 6 PM at Cappy’s followed by the Counting Skeletons at 7 PM at the Main Stage.
On Saturday, Oktoberfest entertainment will kick off at 4 PM with Premier Dance and Tumbling, and shortly afterward Nisbet Park will hold the Wiener Dog Race at 4:30 PM (near the Little Miami Conservancy). The winning Wiener Dog will receive a gift card from Tara’s Pet Boutique! At 5:30 PM, live entertainment will continue with the Showboat Cloggers.
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 Loveland’s Oktoberfest will include Mayor Kathy Bailey and the LMRCA Board of Directors President Doug Portmann. The Keg procession will begin at 5:30 PM on Saturday and the Keg tapping will begin shortly afterward. The procession will start at Paxton’s Grill, go down Railroad Ave., and will end at the Main Stage located in Nisbet Park.
On Saturday from 6-10 PM, the Zinzinnati Bierband will perform and at 6 PM the Masskrugen Winning Ceremony will begin on the Main Stage.
Cincy Shirts will have a booth set-up near the Biergarten for those who PRE-ORDERED their exclusive Loveland Oktoberfest T-shirt. The Loveland Oktoberfest T-shirts are $20. If you did not get the chance to pre-order your 2021 Loveland Oktoberfest shirt (deadline was Sept. 19th) they will be on sale at the Cincy Shirts booth.
New local business Epic Picnics will have a beautiful German-themed picnic “photo booth” set up in Nisbet Park on Friday with Oktoberfest props and food that those attending the festival will have the opportunity to get a Loveland Oktoberfest photo taken.
LMRCA is also in need of volunteers to help with all of the exciting festivities! If you would like to sign up to volunteer for Oktoberfest click here to see what opportunities are available. You may also email LMRCA or call the office at 513-683-1544 to reach out about volunteering.
For more Loveland event updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
On Friday, September 24th from 4 PM-10 PM, and Saturday, September 25th from 4 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.”
Beer Tickets will be sold at the Warsteiner Emporium in the Biergarten and can be used to purchase Warsteiner premium beer at the Emporium, The Works Pizza, Ramsey’s Trailside, or Bishop’s Quarter where they will be selling Warsteiner’s Oktoberfest. Domestic beer tickets will be $5 and Craft beer tickets will be $6. When purchasing a beer ticket you will have the option to buy an authentic 14 ounce Loveland Oktoberfest keepsake Mug for $8 in which you will be able to get refilled with Warsteiner beer only for $5.
All of the tips collected from the Biergarten will benefit CancerFree 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. The Works Pizza will be featuring Potato Pancakes, Ramsey’s Trailside will have a Specialty Pretzel, Trailside Provisions will be serving Cream Puffs and Frozen Chocolate Bananas on Saturday only, All the Ingredients will have Sauerkraut Balls, Bratwursts, and Herb Potato Skewers, Loveland Sweets will be carrying Black Forest Ice Cream, Tano Bistro will have Schweinbraten (German Pulled Pork) and Apple Strudel, The Wicked Pickle will be serving up German Pulled Pork Sandwiches, and Bishop’s Quarter will have German Pancakes with Sour Cream.
In addition to Loveland’s local restaurants carrying specialty German food items, new local business Dolph’s Dogs will also be there to satisfy anyone’s sausage, bratwurst, or hotdog cravings! Kona Ice and Right Stuff Grill will also be present at the Oktoberfest festivities. Food vendors will be set up in the Biergarten near Nisbet Park.
Want to learn more about traditional German food? Read this CNN Travel article that I found that talks all about German cuisine!
The Landing Event Center will be holding an Oktoberfest event on Friday that will benefit The League for Animal Welfare. This special benefit will include beer tastings, an authentic German appetizer buffet, and live music. The event is free and open to the public.
The Jackson Street Market will have arts and crafts throughout the Oktoberfest celebration as well.
The Little Miami Chamber Alliance (LMRCA) has been hard at work for several months planning Loveland’s first Oktoberfest and truly can’t wait to see how all the German activities and competitions play out!
One of the most exciting and competitive German traditions will be The Stein Hoist competition a.k.a The Masskrugen Challenge, which will begin on Friday at 6:30 PM. The Winners Ceremony will be held on Saturday at 6 PM. The competition will include 6 contestants from each local restaurant participating. The Works Pizza, Ramsey’s Trailside, Cappy’s, Bishop’s Quarter, Cindy’s, Paxton’s Grill, The Landing Event Center and The Wicked Pickle will all be competing for the win! The Masskrugen finals 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.
Stop by the Loveland beer booth on Friday and the Biergarten on Saturday to say hi to the Christy Jones Team and hoist a stein!
The Lederhosen competition (German costume contest) will begin on Friday at Bishop’s Quarter. The winner will be selected at 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, at 5 PM at Oktoberfest Cappy’s and the Main Stage (located in Nisbet Park) will host a Stein Slide competition, in which you can buy tickets to compete for $2. Live entertainment will kick-off from the Kyle Hackett Duo at 6 PM at Cappy’s followed by the Counting Skeletons at 7 PM at the Main Stage.
On Saturday, Oktoberfest entertainment will kick off at 4 PM with Premier Dance and Tumbling, and shortly afterward Nisbet Park will hold the Wiener Dog Race at 4:30 PM (near the Little Miami Conservancy). The winning Wiener Dog will receive a gift card from Tara’s Pet Boutique! At 5:30 PM, live entertainment will continue with the Cloggers.
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 Loveland’s Oktoberfest will include Mayor Kathy Bailey and the LMRCA Board of Directors President Doug Portmann. The Keg procession will begin at 5:30 PM on Saturday and the Keg tapping will begin shortly afterward. The procession will start at Paxton’s Grill, go down Railroad Ave., and will end at the Main Stage located in Nisbet Park.
On Saturday from 6-10 PM, the Zinzinnati Bierband will perform and at 6 PM the Masskrugen Winning Ceremony will begin on the Main Stage.
There have been quite a few new additions to Loveland’s Oktoberfest! Cincy Shirts will have a booth set-up near the Biergarten for those who PRE-ORDERED their exclusive Loveland Oktoberfest T-shirt. The Loveland Oktoberfest T-shirts are $20. To pre-order your 2021 Loveland Oktoberfest shirt click here.
New local business Epic Picnics will have a beautiful German-themed picnic “photo booth” set up in Nisbet Park on Friday with Oktoberfest props and food that those attending the festival will have the opportunity to get a Loveland Oktoberfest photo taken.
It is never too late to become a sponsor for Loveland’s first Oktoberfest! If you or your business would like to become a sponsor contact the LMRCA through email or you can call their office at 513-683-1544.
LMRCA is also in need of volunteers to help with all of the exciting festivities! If you would like to sign up to volunteer for Oktoberfest click here to see what opportunities are available. You may also email LMRCA or call the office at 513-683-1544 to reach out about volunteering.
For more Loveland Oktoberfest 2021 updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
Loveland, Ohio – Sports has always been one of the best ways to both stay in shape and connect on a competitive level with friends and family. Unfortunately, most sports require so much physicality that you have to stop playing once you reach a certain age, but now there is a new sport in town that has NO age limitations and can be enjoyed by absolutely anyone. Introducing Pickleball, a sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and ping pong!
Pickleball got its start in 1965 on Bainbridge Island (close to Seattle, Washington) when 3 fathers, Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum, came together to break up the monotony of their children’s typical summer activities. Joan Pritchard came up with the name as a sort of “reference to the thrown-together leftover non-starters in the ‘pickle boat’ of crew races.” Fast forward to 1967, and Pritchard had the first Pickleball court built in his neighbor’s backyard!
By the time 1990 rolled around, Pickleball was being played in every single state in the U.S! Because the game itself was gaining so much popularity in 2005 the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) was formed, and eventually in 2020 became known as USA Pickleball. Now there are currently over 9,000 Pickleball locations across the U.S and over 4.2 million people participating!
So how do you play Pickleball? That’s a question that I needed to both see and hear for myself as I had never even heard of the sport until a few weeks ago! Here is a basic outline of what you need to know to get started “Pickleballing:”
Can be played both indoors and outdoors on a Badminton court (20 x 44) with a modified tennis net in between (34′ in the middle, 36′ outside)
Played with a paddle and whiffle ball (outdoor balls have more holes due to wind)
Can be played as Doubles or Singles
The game is played to 11 and you have to win by 2 (you can only score when you serve)
When the ball is served, the receiving team must let it bounce before returning, and the serving team must let it bounce before returning (2 bounce rule)
The Non-Volley Zone or “The Kitchen” is within 7 feet of the net and is not to be crossed or it is considered a “fault” (any action that stops play because of a rule violation)
After reading over the basics of Pickleball I knew I wanted to get more of a hands-on experience with experts that had a passion for the game. Jerry Ernst, a Pickleball instructor, and a Cincinnati Pickleball Club member, Kathleen Cupito and her husband John Cupito (avid Pickleball players) met me up at McCoy Park near Downtown Loveland, Ohio to teach me a thing or two about the game of Pickleball!
Without further ado, Loveland Magazine TV brings to you the readers 2 videos, one being an introduction to the game of Pickleball and the other being an interactive on-camera Pickleball lesson featuring Jerry Ernst, Kathleen, and John Cupito, and ME, Cassie Mattia! Now let’s get Pickleballing!
Would you like to play Pickleball? The Cincinnati Pickleball Club is a great place to start! The Club that now has over 900 members offers 1-3 year memberships for $25 per year. The membership includes 52 weekly newsletters, 3 annual tournaments, and 4 annual league sessions. Visit The Cincinnati Pickleball Club’s website to learn more!
Expert Pickleball instructor Jerry Ernst also does private Pickleball lessons! To learn more you can email Jerry or call him at 513-368-4833.
Stay tuned for Part 3 of my LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV interview: The 411 on Pickleball Locations and Equipment!
For more updates on local sports and activities, you can get involved in check-in with your Loveland Salad with ME, Cassie Mattia!
Loveland, Ohio – Loveland is known for not only being home to some of the most unique businesses but also the most inspirational business owners. There’s a new business in town and the concept is both one-of-a-kind and embodies that Loveland historical charm; introducing Old School Pix!
Bailey Vermette, a local who has paved the way for the non-profit group Cincy Corgis, and her mother, Stacey Vermette, decided shortly after the 2nd Annual Old School Corgi Meet-Up that their old schoolhouse paired with their 1953 Chevy 3100 truck would create quite the backdrop for those who wanted professional photos taken. On August 22nd Old School Pix officially came into conception and since then the response has been out of this world according to Bailey.
“Currently we already have 80 sessions booked, which is absolutely mind-blowing,” Bailey said, “We just started Sunday, August 22nd, and the response has been amazing! We also plan on holding more events at the property too which will be highlighted on our Facebook page.”
Old School Pix, located at 10266 Murdock-Goshen Road, features a 2-acre property that includes an 1872 one-room schoolhouse that was formally known as Pleasant View School, a 1953 Chevy 3100 Truck, and many other vintage props. Photographers are able to rent out time slots at the property so that they can conduct a beautiful photoshoot for their clients. The property itself is private so the Vermette’s do ask that you schedule a time slot to take a tour of the property or conduct a photoshoot.
Take a look below at the photoshoots that have been done thus far at Old School Pix!
Pleasant View School AD 1872 featuring the 1953 Chevy 3100, photo taken by Bailey Vermette
Photo taken by Jenna Renee Photography
Photo taken by Jenna Renee Photography
Penelope and Milo Jay, photo taken by Melanie Sajnog
Photo taken by Melanie Sajnog
Photo taken by Melanie Sajnog
Photo taken by Bailey Vermette
Photo taken by Shine On Photography
If you are interested in taking a tour of the Old School Pix property or you are a photographer interested in booking a time slot contact Bailey through Facebook messenger on the Old School Pix page or you can call Bailey at 513-668-3367.
If you are a business in need of promotion or you just simply want to get the word out to the community about your business contact me at cmattia12@gmail.com.
