News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area
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Loveland, Ohio – Downtown Loveland is ready to welcome the Fall season with open arms as the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance will be holding its second Oktoberfest!
On Friday, September 23rd from 4 PM-10 PM, and Saturday, September 24th from noon until 10 PM, Downtown Loveland will become “Liebesland” (Loveland in German) for Oktoberfest 2022. The festival will include a plethora of traditional German activities, competitions, food, drinks, and of course some spectacular German attire!
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – The Easter Weekend Food Drive proved nothing is sweeter than Loveland, Ohio!
On Saturday, April 16th in the heart of Downtown Loveland under the historic clock tower we kicked off our first ever Easter Weekend Food Drive benefiting LIFE Food Pantry! I had wanted to lend my time and energy to the LIFE Food Pantry for months, so when LIFE communicated that they were in desperate need of food and that food drives were the best way to gather that much-needed food I knew that this was my chance to give back to a community that had supported me throughout my time with Loveland Magazine.
Once I decided that I was going to organize a food drive I immediately reached out to the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance all-star duo CeeCee Collins and Meredith Taylor. They almost instantly agreed to help with the food drive as they both said that there was nothing more fulfilling than giving back to the community. I was overjoyed by their response and shortly after began working on the logistics.
I knew that I wanted the food drive to be on a day where there would be a lot of foot traffic on the Loveland Bike Trail but also envisioned doing it on a day that meant something. After brainstorming with CeeCee and Meredith, we landed on having the food drive on Easter Weekend! Having the food drive during Easter Weekend to me meant that I could help families less fortunate have the opportunity to celebrate Easter like my family and I had been lucky enough to do for the past several decades.
One of the biggest deciding factors in having a food drive during this particular time of year was because LIFE Food Pantry is almost always in desperate need of food donations due to a slower rate of donations coming in. To put it in perspective, just by holding this one food drive on Easter Weekend, we not only helped provide “staples” and everyday necessities to local families that then freed up money in their budgets so that they could celebrate a holiday like Easter, we also gave these same local families the opportunity to buy Easter candy for their baskets, decorate eggs, enjoy a beautiful Easter brunch, and hunt for chocolate bunnies on Easter morning! That thought alone made the Easter Weekend Food Drive that much more special to me.
After weeks of planning, passing out flyers around town, gathering Easter decorations, stuffing Easter eggs with candy, finalizing details with local restaurants and LIFE Food Pantry, writing food drive stories in Loveland Magazine, and spreading the word on social media, the day of the Easter Weekend Food Drive finally came! We set up our beautifully decorated Easter tent under the historic clock tower in Downtown Loveland and prepared for a fun-filled day of giving back.
The food drive kicked off at 10 am and almost immediately we began getting food, cash, and Venmo donations. For each donation, we received we made sure to express our gratitude followed by an Easter egg filled with candy! Parents and their children loved that we were celebrating giving back by wearing bunny ears and giving out Easter eggs! The day itself couldn’t have gone any better.
The Easter Weekend Food Drive wrapped up at 5 pm and as we were cleaning up the overwhelming feeling of love and gratitude touched us all. Those feelings alone were enough for me to agree to make the Easter Weekend Food Drive an annual event!
The Easter Weekend Food Drive collected $290 dollars in Venmo and cash donations and over 75 pounds of food for the LIFE Food Pantry. Needless to say, the food drive was an absolute success!
There were so many individuals and local businesses that helped make the Easter Weekend Food Drive possible and I want to take the time now to express how thankful I am:
Enjoy the slideshow of the photos I, Sean Behling, Adam Ploof, and David Miller took at the Easter Weekend Food Drive!
If you would like to help the pantry by volunteering, holding your own food drive or would like to donate dollars, please visit their WEB SITE. If you are in need of food or financial assistance you will learn about that also.
For Loveland event updates and coverage, stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – Spring has sprung which means the Easter Bunny will be paying Loveland a visit very soon! What better way to celebrate Easter than by giving back to those in need within the community. Join Loveland Magazine and the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance (LMRCA) for the Easter Weekend Food drive benefiting LIFE Food Pantry!
Easter weekend, for me, is one of the most coveted times to make memories with my family as we come together to enjoy a nice home-cooked meal and exchange Easter baskets filled with goodies. This year, I wanted to make sure that families less fortunate had the opportunity to celebrate Easter like my family and myself have been lucky enough to do for the past several decades. I knew that Loveland’s local food pantry, LIFE, was in desperate need of food donations as this time of year is often a slower time for incoming donations. I had chatted back and forth with some of the wonderful women from LIFE a couple of months ago and promised them that I would find a way to organize a food drive. I searched my brain for those that would be interested in joining me to help make this food drive happen. That’s when I thought, “I should ask CeeCee Collins and Meredith Taylor from the LMRCA to help me make this food drive a reality!” I emailed CeeCee and Meredith and explained my vision and seconds later they were on board! I was overcome with joy!
Over the past several weeks, Meredith, CeeCee, and I have worked hard to make this unbelievable Easter Weekend Food Drive the best it could possibly be, and needless to say, I couldn’t be happier with what we have in store for the Food Drive! Loveland Magazine, the LMRCA, and LIFE would love nothing more than all of those within our amazing community to come out on April 16th between 10 a.m-5 p.m and donate to the Easter Weekend Food Drive!
Here are some important Easter Weekend Food Drive details:
We hope to see all of you at the Easter Weekend Food Drive! If you have any questions about the Easter Weekend Food Drive please contact me, Cassie Mattia, or Meredith Taylor! Help us help those in need have a beautiful Easter too!
For the latest Loveland community events stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
![[Video] Hearts Were Filled During Loveland’s First Hearts Afire Weekend Celebration!](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/full-access-pass.png)
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio- Valentine’s Day 2022 couldn’t have been better in the Sweetheart of Ohio! Loveland hosted its first Hearts Afire Weekend February 11th-13th in the heart of the Downtown Historic District. People from all over the Cincinnati area grabbed their friends and family for the historical event so that they could get a first look at all the Valentine’s Day fun!
Loveland’s Hearts Afire Weekend included a plethora of Valentine-themed activities, treats, music, dancing, ice sculptures, and decorations that many members of the community and local businesses helped organize making the weekend that much more special.
I got the opportunity to be a part of the event committee for Hearts Afire Weekend and wow was it rewarding to see how many people came downtown to celebrate love! I of course wanted to take in as much Valentine fun as possible so I grabbed my boyfriend and my dogs and made it my mission to get as much footage as I could of all the things Hearts Afire Weekend offered.
I kicked off my Loveland Hearts Afire experience with a Tarot Card reading from Francine Haydon, a highly talented woman who does intuitive readings, energy work, and classes. I was astonished at how much information and advice Francine was able to give me based on what each card I pulled out showed! Each card represented a month of the year and would display several different images or objects that Francine would then explain. After the reading, I felt as though I was fully prepared for what 2022 had in store for me!
After my Tarot Card Reading, I ventured out to the Loveland Stage Company where there was a beautifully decorated Kitty Kissing Booth and several kittens that you could adopt on the spot. Needless to say, I wanted to take home all the kittens they had along with the 20-pound rabbit that they had sitting peacefully in a baby stroller. Next, I went to Eads Fencing and the Loveland Hardware store where I participated in an impromptu photoshoot in their Puppy Kissing Booth with my dogs Dean and Nala! I also got the pleasure of meeting volunteers from the Furgotten Dog Rescue organization along with some little buddies who were up for adoption. If I was able to facilitate a small zoo I would have taken all the puppies too!
I was sure to stop in Mile42 Coffee on my way out as they always decorate for holidays and events with such style. The coffee shop was decorated gorgeously displaying sparkling red and pink Valentine hearts, streamers, and balloons. Parked right near Mile42 Coffee was Dolph’s Dogs and of course, Dolph was serving up only the most quality hot dogs! Owners of Mile42 Katie and Tim Butler couldn’t resist grabbing one of Dolph’s Dogs, which I thought was just another beautiful example of Loveland’s local businesses supporting one another!
Next, I took a stroll down the Loveland Bike Trail where pristine ice sculptures were displayed everywhere! One of my favorite ice sculptures was Trailside Provision’s as it was a gourmet popcorn box with ice cubes acting as the popcorn kernels. Trailside Provisions is known for its delicious homemade popcorn and treats so after seeing the ice sculpture I had to check out their decked-out Valentine’s Day shop. Not only did the shop go all out with the Valentine’s Day decor, but they also intricately made each product in the shop to in some way represent Valentine’s Day. From the homemade Valentine’s cards made for the Loveland Healthcare residents to the sprinkle and chocolate-covered pretzels, marshmallows, and caramels to the Valentine gift boxes filled with goodies, Trailside Provisions truly embodied the meaning of Hearts Afire Weekend!
Shortly after getting my sweet tooth fix, I visited Alley Boutique which also had beautiful Valentine’s Day decorations throughout the store. Inside the shop were caramel chocolate samples, a heartfelt gift basket raffle, and an endless amount of perfect Valentine’s Day gifts. As I left Alley Boutique I began to see more ice sculptures on display in front of each local business which really made for some excellent photo opportunities!
After capturing each ice sculpture in a photo I took a tour of Eskimo Kisses Village which was located on the Fountain Greene. Wow was it incredible! The entire area was decorated with signs that lit up saying things such as “Marry Me,” “I Love You,” and “Love.” In addition to the love-themed signs, there was an LED Putt-Putt station with 9 holes, a game similar to whack a mole called “Penguin Escape,” corn hole, “ice” skee ball, and a ring toss completely made out of ice! There, of course, were more photo opportunities including a Loveland Hearts Afire ice sculpture in which you could insert your face into the carved-out head and take a photo keepsake. Once it became dark outside the entire Eskimo Kisses Village was decked out in LED’s creating quite the ambiance as The ShamRocker entertained the community with music. One of the best moments during my time in Eskimo Kisses Village was when Premier Dance and Tumbling began a Flash Mob in the middle of Downtown Loveland’s main road to L-O-V-E! It was the epitome of love seeing the community sing and dance with the talented group of ladies from Premier Dance.
After enjoying the Flash Mob, I stopped by Loveland Sweets. The window display was awesome as it displayed heart-shaped boxes filled with homemade truffles on one side and hot chocolate sitting on top of marshmallows on the other side! Loveland Sweets’ ice sculpture that sat right in front of the store really brought on the nostalgia as it was sculpted into candy hearts all saying “sweet nothings.” Everything inside the shop was prepped and ready for Valentine’s Day. Not only were there boxes filled with gourmet chocolates decorated with big bright red bows, but there were also decorated Oreos, chocolate bark, and Valentine’s themed candies such as “Gummy Hugs and Kisses,” “Cherry Sweethearts,” and “Valentine Gummy Bears.” One of the treats that caught my eye was the “Donut Pretzels,” which were chocolate-covered pretzel rings!
After visiting my second Valentine’s treat shop, I decided to wander around and take photos of Loveland’s local business’s decor. Along my journey, I of course saw more ice sculptures but I also was able to see what activity each business had planned for the weekend. Hometown Cafe put on a delicious Hot Cocoa Bar accompanied by Loaded Sweet Potato Chips, The Works Pizza decked out their historical train car for “Single in the City” Speed Dating, Cappy’s Wine and Spirits held a Valentine’s Day-themed Charity Date Auction, and Loveland City Hall opened up their building to feature the “Heartland Market,” which included several local vendors all offering homemade gifts to give to your Valentine! I must say the atmosphere in Heartland Market was one for the books as each vendor had their products festively displayed while purple and pink strobe lights covered the walls.
Hearts Afire Weekend also featured many other local businesses and food trucks throughout downtown that I stopped by just to see what they had in store for the big event. The Chili Hut food truck served up its homemade Cincinnati Style Chili for dinner while The Cheesecakery offered one-of-kind cheesecakes to those who wanted to skip dinner and go straight to dessert! Parked right in front of Alley Boutique was Old School Pix, a vintage truck perfect for any photoshoot. Old School Pix had a lovely Valentine’s Day set-up for those who wanted to hop in the truck’s bed and have their photo taken with their loved ones. I decided to take full advantage of the photoshoot opportunity with my boyfriend and my two furbabies and wow did the photo turn out great! It was a perfect keepsake to remember how fantastic Loveland’s first Hearts Afire Weekend was!
The Hearts Afire Saturday “night-time” activities featured a live ice sculpting demonstration, fire performers, vow renewals, and fireworks. What a way to end the night with a bang!
It’s safe to say that Loveland’s Hearts Afire Weekend was a success. Seeing the community celebrate Valentine’s Day the Loveland way with those they love the most is exactly why Loveland will forever be the Sweetheart of Ohio!
If you couldn’t make it to Loveland’s Hearts Afire Weekend or would like to simply reminisce on all the fun festivities, check out the Loveland Magazine TV “Hearts Afire All-Access Pass” below!
We hope you enjoyed your All-Access Pass to Loveland’s Hearts Afire Weekend! This event has definitely become a new Valentine’s Day tradition! To all those who attended, we hope you had an absolute blast, and for those that didn’t get to attend, we want to see you in your best Valentine’s attire next year!
Stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia for the latest local event updates!
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – Bells will be ringing this Saturday in Downtown Loveland for the city’s Annual Christmas in Loveland celebration! We have everything you need to know about this year’s festivities!
This Saturday from 4 PM-8 PM, Downtown Loveland will transform into a beautiful Winter Wonderland for those wanting to celebrate Christmas the Loveland way! Christmas in Loveland is set to feature a plethora of holiday activities and Christmas-themed displays with nearly every Downtown business participating this year. Friends and families will be able to visit the Madcap Puppet Theater and Santa and his elves at City Hall, pin the tail on the reindeer, and decorate sugar cookies at Eads Fencing, take a peaceful carriage ride along Railroad Avenue, enjoy a train ride at Loveland Museum, feast on complimentary food tastings and sip on holiday cocktails from Downtown’s restaurants, and write Letters to Santa At Mile42, create homemade reindeer food at Trailside Provisions, or create a gnome ornament at Whistle Stop Clayworks. This fun-filled holiday event will also include a “Christmas Time” free show at the Loveland Stage Company, and live Christmas entertainment from the Victorian Christmas Carolers, The Cincinnati City Shakers, and Broadway Bound, to name a few, that will take place at the Fountain Greene and throughout Downtown Loveland. Oh, and did I mention Loveland will be bringing back its live nativity scene?!
CeeCee Collins, President of the Little Miami Chamber of Alliance, said she couldn’t be more excited for this year’s Christmas in Loveland!
“There will be so many fun activities such as ornaments, singing with carolers, and meeting Elsa and Anna, just to name a few! This is such a great event where the businesses want to give back to everyone that has patronized and visited downtown,” Collins explained, “We truly appreciate everyone supporting local businesses and hope that the community will continue to come back, especially now that all the businesses are re-opened (and more have been built) after the pandemic. There will be tons of samplings and give-a-ways for all ages to enjoy!”
Here are a few important facts about Christmas in Loveland 2021:
If you need more information about Christmas in Loveland 2021 visit the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance website.
For more Loveland event updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – The Holidays are officially right around the corner, which means Downtown Loveland is once again preparing for one of its biggest events of the year; Christmas in Loveland!
On December 18th from 4 PM-8 PM, Downtown Loveland will transform into a festive Winter Wonderland for those wanting to celebrate Christmas the Loveland way! Christmas in Loveland is set to feature a plethora of holiday activities and Christmas-themed displays. Friends and families will be able to take a trip to the North Pole to see Santa and Mrs. Claus, take a peaceful carriage ride along Railroad Avenue, enjoy a train ride at Loveland Museum, feast on complimentary food tastings from Downtown’s restaurants, and put their creative skills to the test with holiday arts and crafts activities. This fun-filled holiday event will also include holiday-inspired beverages, live Christmas entertainment that will take place at the Fountain Greene and inside some of the local businesses, and a live nativity scene!
CeeCee Collins, President of the Little Miami Chamber of Alliance, said she couldn’t be more excited for this year’s Christmas in Loveland!
“There will be so many fun activities such as ornaments, singing with carolers, and meeting Elsa and Anna, just to name a few! This is such a great event where the businesses want to give back to everyone that has patronized and visited downtown,” Collins explained, “We truly appreciate everyone supporting local businesses and hope that the community will continue to come back, especially now that all the businesses are re-opened (and more have been built) after the pandemic. There will be tons of samplings and give-a-ways for all ages to enjoy!”
Here are a few important facts about Christmas in Loveland 2021:
If you need more information about Christmas in Loveland 2021 visit the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance website.
For more Loveland event updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – What do the holidays mean to you? Being from a very Italian family, during the holidays I’m always surrounded by family, friends, and a delicious yet large amount of homemade food! This is why I thought now would be the perfect time to go on my next Food Guru excursion, only this time I decided to hit up Dolph’s Dogs, a traditional yet elevated local Hot Dog Cart.
Dolph Himmelbauer moved to Downtown Loveland 5 years ago and has become a huge part of the community that he says, “Is the best, most welcoming place he’s ever lived in.” After being in the business world for several years, Himmelbauer made the decision after the Covid-19 pandemic hit to start his own business. Although he was a little unsure at first about what business he wanted to go into he knew he wanted to do something that Loveland had a need for.
At the beginning of 2021, Dolph’s Dogs came into conception! Himmelbauer came up with the idea after hanging out in Downtown Loveland late one night and realized that there weren’t any readily available food options. Himmelbauer already had a love for hot dogs so he thought why not start a hot dog business only let’s not serve them in a restaurant, but on a mobile cart! Flash forward a few months and Himmelbauer had secured a mobile cart, a few great serving spots in the Downtown Loveland area, and an absolutely delicious product.
Now, Himmelbauer is not only consistently serving his elevated hot dogs around town and selling out most weekend nights, but he is also being booked for parties and events, one of the events being Loveland’s first-ever Oktoberfest! According to Himmelbauer all the success with Dolph’s Dogs has been an absolute whirlwind and he couldn’t be more grateful for the support from his family, friends, and the community of Loveland!
Without further ado I Cassie the Food Guru brings to you an exclusive one-on-one Loveland Magazine TV interview with Dolph Himmelbauer, owner of Dolph’s Dogs! There’s no way you won’t want one of these delicious dogs after watching this!
For more stories and interviews on Loveland’s food culture stay tuned to Cassie the Food Guru!
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – The excitement all across Loveland is building as the Downtown area kicks off the city’s first Oktoberfest tomorrow at 4 PM brought to you by The Little Miami River Chamber Alliance, Warsteiner, CancerFree Kids, and many more!
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.
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!
[wpdevart_countdown text_for_day=”Days” text_for_hour=”Hours” text_for_minut=”Minutes” text_for_second=”Seconds” countdown_end_type=”date” font_color=”#000000″ hide_on_mobile=”show” redirect_url=”” end_date=”24-09-2021 23:59″ start_time=”1632234714″ end_time=”0,1,1″ action_end_time=”hide” content_position=”center” top_ditance=”10″ bottom_distance=”10″ ]Get there tonight and tomorrow![/wpdevart_countdown]by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – The excitement all across Loveland is building as the Downtown area prepares for the first Oktoberfest brought to you by The Little Miami River Chamber Alliance, Warsteiner, CancerFree Kids, and many more!
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.
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!
by Cassie Mattia
Loveland, Ohio – The smell of crisp Fall leaves, apple cider, and cool temperatures are on the horizon which means it’s festival season! Downtown Loveland is ready to welcome the Fall season with open arms as the city will be holding its first-ever 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 Loveland’s Oktoberfest will include Mayor Kathy Bailey, the LMRCA Board of Directors President Doug Portmann, and Oktoberfest’s Presenting Sponsor. The Keg procession will begin at 5:30 PM on Saturday and the Keg tapping will begin shortly afterward. The procession will go down Railroad Ave. and will end at the Main Stage on the Fountain Greene.
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 did confirm that a Stein Slide and a Wiener Dog Race will be added to the festival’s activities! As more details roll in about the addition of more activities, competitions, entertainment, and food options for the 2021 Loveland Oktoberfest we will be sure to let YOU the readers know!
Oktoberfest is still in need of a PRESENTING SPONSOR! The presenting sponsor will get top recognition on all marketing materials, their logo on the street banners and A-frame signage at the festival, promoted on the LMCRA’s website, the opportunity to announce entertainment at the festival, and introduced as the presenting sponsor on stage at the festival. 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 use the LMRCA contact info above to reach out about volunteering.
For more Loveland Oktoberfest 2021 updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!
