Washington Park Grand Opening Celebrations and Free Concerts

Posted by OTR Matters on June 18, 2012 · 3 Comments 

The official ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the reopening of Washington Park will take place on the bandstand in the center of the park at 10:00am Friday, July 6. Parks Director Willie Carden will emcee the event, with speakers Mayor Mark Mallory, City Manager Milton Dohoney, and officials from 3CDC and PNC Bank. The day’s festivities include free parking in Washington Park Garage, food vendors, and activities in the Children’s Playground.

The City Flea will host its curated urban flea markets once a month at the park all summer. The first market is July 14, 10am-4pm.To celebrate the grand opening of the expanded and renovated Washington Park, free concerts and a community festival are planned.

The band Over the Rhine will perform a free concert at Washington Park on July 22 at 7:30pm. The opening act is yet to be announced. On August 3 there will be a rare joint performance by Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, The May Festival, Cincinnati Opera and Cincinnati Ballet at Cincinnati Music Hall to celebrate the park’s grand opening. The joint concert is also free. The Over-the-Rhine Community Festival will be held the following day at the park for the 27th time in 28 years (not held at the park in 2011 due to construction).

Washington Park interactive fountain

Recently, I had the opportunity to tour the park and was blown away by the impressive quality and variety of experiences the park will offer. A few things to look forward to:

• Beautiful civic lawn ringed by park benches, flower beds and framed by Music Hall
• The finest Children’s Playground I’ve ever seen
• Huge interactive fountain that can be controlled by visitors’ mobile devices
• Central bandstand with outdoor string lights gracefully hanging over the ornate brick paver design
• Pillars at park corners enhanced by custom Rookwood Pottery
• The large open space of grass under the shade of the mature trees on the south side of the park
• Enclosed dog park with water features
• The remarkably well-preserved tombstones from the graveyard that was excavated during construction
• Refinished statuary, pillars, cannon and park fountains from earlier eras of Washington Park
• In addition to the new parking garage, permanent stage, gorgeous landscaping, concession area, restrooms, security cameras, and light poles

Here are a few photos of the park via thisisotr.com:

Washington Park bandstand – location of ribbon cutting on July 6, pic via instagram user laurenbishop

Music Hall and Washington Park via instagram user sarabhaus

Washington Park via instagram user sarabhaus

Washington Park playground via instagram user laurenbishop

Musical instruments installed in Washington Park playground

The view looking south from W. 14th Street

View from Race Street via instagram user nammitt

Civic lawn and Music Hall, pic via instagram user laurenbishop

Waiting for its big moment

According to CityBeat:

Washington Park officially re-opens on July 6 at 10 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. There will be a free “Friendship Concert” in the park later that day (5-7 p.m.), presented by the World Choir Games.

Like on Fountain Square, 3CDC is bringing a full slate of weekly musical events (as well as Saturday night movies and family-oriented fare on the weekends) to Washington Park. Full details will come with the launch of the new Washington Park website in early July. Plans so far are to have Bluegrass on Wednesdays, Jazz on Thursdays and R&B and Soul on Fridays.

Stay connected with the park via its website, facebook, twitter and flickr.

Filed under Over-the-Rhine Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine photos · Tagged with Washington Park