The Leisure Travel Season in Cincinnati is Off and Running

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Runners from all 50 U.S. states and 14 countries will converge in Cincinnati this weekend for the 10^th annual running of the Flying Pig Marathon on Sunday, May 4, marking the start of the busiest leisure travel season for Cincinnati. Race officials are working closely with the Cincinnati USA Regional Tourism Network-CincinnatiUSA.com. to promote return visits to the region to the 50,000 out-of-market marathon guests. The RTN also launched a newly designed leisure travel web site, www.cincinnatiusa.com, earlier this month and will showcase it at the Marathon’s Health & Fitness Expo.

The Cincinnati USA Regional Tourism Network has identified numerous travel weekends, where on each weekend, there are some 25 events, festivals and special events at regional attractions for leisure travelers to enjoy, they include:

May: The Cincinnati Reds play two home stands as they host the Cleveland Indians on May 16-18 and Atlanta Braves on May 30-June 1. Fans of culture won’t want to miss May Festival choral performances beginning May 16 at Music Hall. Taste of Cincinnati, the longest running culinary festivals in the country, returns to downtown Cincinnati on Memorial Day Weekend.

June: The Cincinnati Reds host the World Champion Boston Red Sox over Father’s Day Weekend (June 13-15) for the first time in 32 years. Families will want to see the blockbuster exhibit, BODIES…The Exhibition at Cincinnati Museum Center and The Human Body OmniMax Movie both on view through September 1.

July: Music is on center stage in July with the return of the Cincinnati Opera for two performances including La Traviata, the Cincinnati POPS Concert Series at Riverbend featuring Gershwin and Tchaikovsky, the Macy’s Music Festival, one of the longest running jazz festivals in the country, featuring Patti LaBelle, Earth, Wind and Fire and Kem.

August: Plan a getaway on the cool Ohio River where you can see the amazing exhibits at the Newport Aquarium, shop and dine at Newport on the Levee and catch three Reds home stands against Houston, St. Louis and San Francisco. The Midwest Black Family Reunion also gets underway August 14-17.

September: Riverfest on Labor Day weekend with fireworks on the Ohio River by the world-famous Rozzi Family start the festivities this month. Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, known as America’s Oktoberfest--the largest celebration outside of Munich, is held on September 20-21 and the Milwaukee Brewers are in town to play the Reds.

For a full calendar, visit www.cincinnatiusa.com.

For a media interview with Linda Antus, president, Cincinnatiusa.com, contact: Jackie Reau, Game Day Communications, [phone], [e-mail]