April showers bring… lots of free family fun! This month celebrates Easter, Reds Opening Day, Earth Day, and all things spring. And the best part? You can celebrate each and every one of these things with your family — for free!
Here are 25 free things to do in Cincinnati this April:
Nighttime Woods Walk
Sat., April 1 from 7:30-9 p.m. at Sharon Woods/Sharon Centre
Join us as we explore the park after dark and see what the nocturnal critters are up to. Dress for the weather as we’ll hike rain or moon-shine! For ages 8 and up.
Welcome to Golf Orientation
Sat., April 1 from 1-2 p.m. at Winton Woods/Meadow Links & Golf Academy
Take a tour of the nationally recognized Meadow Links & Golf Academy and see all the features the facility has to offer. Learn about the variety of lesson programs, meet the friendly Meadow Links staff and find out how they can assist you with your golf game.
Underwater Egg Hunt at the Y
Sun., April 2 from 12-2 p.m. at your local Cincinnati YMCA
The Great Underwater Egg Hunt at the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati is set for Sunday, April 2, 2017 from noon – 2 p.m. It’s free to the community! Parents will accompany their non-swimmers in the pool and are encouraged to join their children in the hunt. Eggs will be floating throughout the heated indoor pools. See age groupings below for times. Find a YMCA near you!
Opening Day Celebration
Monday, April 3, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at Washington Park
Join us for a free fun-filled Opening Day Celebration in Washington Park! Festivities begin Monday, April 3, at 11:00am with beverage sales, fun games and live music. The Findlay Market Opening Day Parade kicks off at noon and will pass by Washington Park on Race Street as it makes its way through the city. Kid-friendly activities all afternoon, plus free big-screen showings of the game starting at 4:10 p.m.
Canstruction® 2017
Tues., April 4-Sun., April 23 at the Weston Art Gallery
Organized by the Cincinnati chapters of the American Institute of Architects and the Society for Design Administration, Canstruction® is an international design/build competition of the architecture and engineering industry that unites the love of design, art, creative thinking, competition, and public service. Local teams race to build whimsical sculptures created entirely from canned and packaged food. After the event, all “building materials” are donated to the Freestore Foodbank.
Story Time at IKEA
Tuesdays at 1 p.m. in the Restaurant
Join us for story time in our Restaurant. Kids can enjoy classic tales of adventure and craft time after the story. Oh — and kids eat free every Tuesday at IKEA!
Special Edition Family Storytime: Meet a Police Officer
Wed., April 5 from 10:30-11:15 a.m. at the Harrison Branch Library
Meet an integral part of the community this week when Officer Joe Willig from the Harrison Police Department joins us to tell us about being a police officer, how to dial 911 and how to be safe in an emergency. Event will be held rain or shine and is subject to change due to Officer Willig’s availability. Space is limited!
Easter Egg Hunt at Washington Park
Sat., April 8 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Over-the-Rhine’s biggest egg hunt returns to Washington Park Saturday, April 8! This event is free and open to the public. Produced by 3CDC, our annual Easter Egg Hunt features 10,000 candy-filled eggs and photos with Mr. Easter Bunny & Mrs. Easter Bunny. More info to come! The hunt will be divided into age groups. Participants must bring their own baskets. FREE.
Looking for more Easter Egg Hunts? Be sure to check out our 2017 Guide to Easter Egg Hunts in Cincinnati!
Summerfair 50th Anniversary Poster Exhibition
Sat., April 8-Sun., April 23 at the Weston Art Gallery
The Summerfair 50thAnniversary Poster Exhibition celebrates fifty years of Summerfair and its unique and award-winning poster designs from the popular annual Cincinnati summer art fair—one of the oldest continuous art fairs in the country. Admission is free; donations are welcome.
New Manatee Story Time!
Sun., April 9 at 10 a.m. at Blue Manatee’s NEW Location! (3094 Madison Road, Oakley, OH 45208)
Celebrate our new store with stories and songs with friends from the blue manatee team, dress up a manatee of your own, and take home a blue manatee balloon! Free; all ages welcome.
PJ Library Passover Prep in the Park with Camp at the J and Camp Livingston
Sun., April 9 from 4-5:30 p.m. at Sharon Woods
Camp families and PJ families will hike, craft, and burn Hametz (bread) for Passover. Kids will make food over an open fire! FREE with RSVP.
Meet the Pout Pout Fish!
Tues., April 11 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at Blue Manatee’s NEW Location! (3094 Madison Road, Oakley, OH 45208)
Meet the Pout Pout Fish at the new blue manatee space at 3094 Madison Road! This special event will feature stories, a few songs, and an opportunity to take a picture with the Pout Pout Fish, the star of the popular picture book series by Deborah Diesen! Free costumed character event for ages 2 and up.
Painted Pots Week
Fri., April 14-Sat., April 29 at Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve/Nature’s Niche
Help decorate clay pots for the Birds, Blooms & Painted Pots Day on 4/29. Paint a pot and leave it for others to enjoy or pay a small fee to take it home with you. Pots will be hung in the trees throughout the park, where they will remain through the end of May.
Sensory Friendly Easter Egg Hunt
Sat., April 15, 12-3 p.m. at Miami Riverview Park
Often, the crowds of people and loud music that can happen at Easter Egg hunts can be downright painful to individuals on the Autism Spectrum. We decided that we want to put on an event that will be less stressful for these individuals so they may enjoy the activity that so many of us have grown up with. There will be a candy exchange for the eggs, plus mentors, tents for sensory regulation, and of course, the Easter Bunny.
36th Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Young’s Dairy
Sun., April 16 at 2 p.m. at Young’s Dairy
As is our tradition, we will hard boil and dye over 7,000 eggs for our Easter Egg Hunt. This event starts promptly at 2 p.m. for children ages 4 and under. At 2:20 p.m., we do it again for ages 5 to 7. And at 2:40 p.m. we have the final hunt for ages 8 to 10.
“Egg”-citing Funday
Sun., April 16 from 1-4 at the Taft Museum
Come celebrate Easter in this “egg”-cellent Funday. Decorate an egg to take home, learn how to create stories from art at the Art Cart, and then join us for a performance of The Ugly Duckling by TCT on Tour at 2 p.m. (suitable for kids grades K-5). Meet rabbits from Sunrock Farm at 3 p.m.
Take Me Out to the Ballgame
Mon., April 17 from 6-7 p.m. at the Northside Branch Library
Come celebrate the beginning of baseball season with some games and activities.
Party for the Planet
Thurs., April 20 from 4-8:30 p.m. at the Zoo
Join the Greenest Zoo in America as we celebrate Earth Day during our 8th annual “Party for the Planet”! Businesses and organizations from around the region will be on hand to share their expertise and resources about living more sustainably within our communities. Topics include solar energy, composting, recycling, energy efficiency, green building, rain gardens/barrels, sustainable food, green products, and much more! Admission is free after 5 p.m.; parking is $10.
Cincinnati Art Museum Baby Tour
Fri., April 21. Tours at 11 a.m. at 2 p.m.
This 30-minute experience introduces you and your infant (ages 0–2) to the world of art with a tour designed to stimulate their developing minds. Strollers are not permitted so that you and your child can better experience the art together. April’s theme is “Faces.”
Earth Day OTR
Sat., April 22 from 12-5 p.m. at Washington Park
3CDC in partnership with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful will be offering a fun filled day of eco-friendly activities and vendors on the park Civic Lawn. The event will feature live music, food and drink, eco-friendly products & goods for purchase, and a range of activities for both children and adults.
Fred the Fish
Mon., April 24 from 4-5 p.m. at the Wyoming Branch Library
Fred is a little fish whose curiosity gets the best of him as he sets out to explore the Mill Creek. He has no idea that there is a lot more than water in the water! We will follow Fred on his journey and see the effects of water pollution on wildlife as well as discuss what we can do to help keep the water clean. Presented by Barb Wriston-Ruddy, Director of Environmental Education, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful.
Junie B. Jones Story Time
Fri., April 28 from 4-4:40 p.m. at the New Blue Manatee Store (3094 Madison Road, Oakley, OH 45208)
Even though Junie B. was born on “Junie the first,” her creator, Barbara Parks, celebrates her birthday on April 28th. We’ll read a chapter or three from the first Junie B. Book, and find out which of the 28 books in the series is the crowd favorite! Free; all ages welcome.
Healthy Kids Day
Sat., April 29 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Winton Woods
Get moving at Healthy Kids Day with fitness class demos, scavenger hunts, an inflatable bounce house, wagon rides and more. We will be joined by the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati. FREE.
Crafty Supermarket
Sat., April 29 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center
Crafty Supermarket is back for their spring craft show on April 29! We expect more than 2,000 shoppers throughout the day to shop with 50 vendors, enjoy great local food, a live DJ and hands-on craft activities for the young and young at heart! This event is free and open to the public.
Horse Show
Sun., April 30 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at Winton Woods
Outside riders and Winton Woods Riding Center (WWRC) novice level and above students can compete in the disciplines of Hunt Seat & Western Speed events in this all-day show. Spectators are welcome to come and cheer on these hard-working equestrians. Free for spectators, $10/class for riders.
