
Memorial Day is past, the cool, rainy weather is pretty much over (for now), and it’s time to focus on summer arts and culture with a week filled with outdoor events.

If you thought there would be a lull in cultural enrichment during the holiday weekend, think again. Patriotic music. Some great jazz in our great parks. A reading of the Declaration of Independence. Cool indoor alternatives at the Woodward Theater and Mercantile Library. A walk-and-talk at spectacular Spring Grove Cemetery. May the Fourth be with you.

Jazz, books and theater. Opera, food and film. All in the same week. If you’ve never experienced Cincy Fringe, give this wild and wooly theatrical event a try. Emerging choreographers are featured at Mutual Dance Theatre, while Summerfair supports new and not-so-new artists. Two important films are screened and homegrown bands take the stage. Sample something new.

This is the week many Cincinnatians have been waiting for – the unofficial start of summer, as the May Festival has its last spring fling in Music Hall, Taste of Cincinnati takes over downtown, and outdoor events bring people out to enjoy the warmer weather in public parks and civic spaces. So let’s get out there!

Sound the Alarm, Stop Making Sense, Tinfoil Hat Cowboys, Rewind to the 80s. No, it’s not a presidential debate. It’s part of this week’s Culture FIX lineup, which features a wide range of outdoor concerts and Fourth of July celebrations. Grab a blanket, pack a picnic and get ready for the fireworks.

We’re at that sweet spot in the calendar where it might not be summer officially, but you certainly can feel it: No more frost advisories. The May Festival wrapping up. Outdoor concert series sprouting throughout the area. And partying with 500,000 of your closest friends at the Taste of Cincinnati. Yep, we’re headed for summer – come what May.