Contemporary Arts Center, a Zaha Hadid design.

Cincinnati

Cincinnati was founded on the Ohio River over two hundred years ago, Cincinnati grew upwards onto nearby scenic hills. The beautiful river valley reminded German immigrants of the Rhine. Once Cincinnati was among the largest cities in the country. The river and adjoining parks provide venues for sports, summer concerts, and festivals.

The region developed as a manufacturing center with Procter & Gamble its best-known firm. Other companies include Chiquita, General Electric, Cincinnati Milacron, American Financial Corporation, Gibson, Heinz, and Federated Department Stores national headquarters.

Cincinnati enjoys a strong arts tradition. Major arts institutions include the Cincinnati Opera, Ballet, May Festival, Symphony and Pops. The Museum Center houses the Museums of Natural History and the Cincinnati Historical Society and Omnimax Theater. Eden Park includes the Playhouse in the Park and Art Museum & Academy. The Taft and Contemporary Arts Museums are downtown. Galleries have Final Friday opening each month. The subscription audience for the Broadway Series (which features national broadway tours) is the country's largest.

Professional sports include the Reds, Bengals, and Cyclones. The basketball teams of UC and Xavier are typically nationally ranked. There are city and county systems of parks, where Cincinnati Symphony performs summer concerts. Festivals include Tall Stacks (a biennial event where riverboats converge on the city), Oktoberfest (the largest outside of Germany), Riverfest (an all-day event capped in the evening with fireworks), A Taste of Cincinnati, and the Black Family Reunion. The city proper is over one-third African-American with the greater Cincinnati and northern Kentucky metropolitan statistical area being approximately one-eighth black.

Educational institutions include the Universities of Cincinnati (with its renowned College-Conservatory of Music), Miami University, Xavier University, Northern Kentucky University, Mt. St. Joseph College, and Hebrew Union College.

Culinary highlights include many fine restaurants, Graeter's ice cream, and Cincinnati-style chili parlors.
Cincinnati @ CitySearch