It started with just a few people from theater, dance, music, museums, and the Fine Arts Fund staff, and grew to include hundreds of Cincinnati residents.

Even though the initial invitation didn’t say what the participants would be doing, hundreds of people signed on to show their enthusiasm for the arts. We successfully kept the secret for weeks because we all shared the goal of touching others in our community with the unexpectedness of the event.

Dance breaks out on Fountain Square

Just after 12:30 p.m., as the song “Bop ‘Til You Drop” by the Nylons blared from the square’s loud speakers, a few people emerged from the lunchtime crowd and began dancing.

More joined in. Then more, until about 150 people – some wearing suits, some in T-shirts and jeans – were moving to the music in unison on the southern edge of the square.

Then as suddenly as it began, it was over. The song ended. The dancers dispersed. Fountain Square was back to normal.

Read the Enquirer article, and watch the video below.

Jacques Munkey writes to us about National Soul Patch Day on May 29th.  (I guess any buffoon can declare a National anything day on the internets.)

What is National Soul Patch Day?  Well, besides the newest, best holiday, it is also a contest with real prizes (well, real t-shirts)!

The soul patch is the very foundation of unshaven awesome. That’s why it’s my choice for getting the most bang for my self-expression buck.

The time has come for everyone to experience this kind of cool. WonderGroup is declaring May 29th “National Soul Patch Day.” To inaugurate this auspicious day, we’re holding a Soul Patch Contest.

There’s not much time!  Facial hair comes more slowly for some of us than for others. For more information, read The Soul Patch Contest Details.  You can also follow Messr. Munkey on Twitter and Facebook.

National Soulpatch Day

Farmers markets have popularized the idea of putting local, seasonal organic food on our tables, and now an innovative Atlanta-based retailer has extended the “buy local” concept to handmade, one-of-a –kind products from local, independent designers. Beehive Co-op (www.beehiveco-op.com), founded in 2004 by Petra Geiger, taps the most dazzling local design talent and showcases their clothing, jewelry and accessories for the home in a well-edited retail environment that is equal parts sexy, stylish and sustainable.

Beehive’s interpretation of the cooperative is simple: the store rents space to local designers, who pay a low monthly rent in return for a dedicated boutique area in the store. Each cooperative member must work four hours in the store each week, which keeps overhead low and creates a collaborative environment where burgeoning entrepreneurs can learn how to grow their businesses.

I’ve not been there yet, but to me, it sounds like a real-world Etsy. 

So support your local crafts-makers.  And read more about the co-op at Soapbox, 5chw4r7z, and CincyBurb.

Photo by 5chw4r7z

Cincinnati Freedom, the fugitive cow that drew worldwide headlines when she escaped from a Camp Washington slaughterhouse in 2002 and eluded authorities for 11 days, has died at an animal sanctuary in New York.

I don’t really remember this cow.  And I certainly did not know that her escapades garnered worldwide headlines and a book deal (I hope she got some royalties out of it).  But her tale sounds almost Paul Bunyan-esque.

Cinci became a folk hero in February 2002 when, moments before she was to be slaughtered, she jumped a six-foot fence at Ken Meyer Meats in Camp Washington and then evaded police and officials from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals while foraging in Mount Storm Park.

So long and moo, ol’ friend.  You will have been an inspiration to all of us who, buffeted on all sides in the crowded slaughterhouse of life, yearn to jump the fence of our responsibilities and seek an animal sanctuary in our hearts.

I imagine her headstone now reads:

The wide expanse of fields–bovine Eden

Landscape off my moo, moo dreams calls to me

Thoughts of childhood cows gets my heart bleedin’

I want to graze the sky so set me free.

Tudor Idris Lewis

via Visualingual

Our goal is to facilitate the sale of the Cincinnati Bengals and the creation of a massive stone labyrinth in Paul Brown Stadium.

As a Bengals fan, I hate Mike Brown.  And I hate what he’s done to my football team.  Something like just might make me feel good about their sweetheart lease, and all the prime riverfront property they use up for 10 events (mostly losses) a year.  But I digress.

Imagine that!  A giant labyrinth the size of PBS!  That would be too cool.  For a while anyway.  David Bowie would be happy.  Be sure to sign the petition.

via Visualingual

© 1986 TriStar Pictures

Pledge to spend $100 of your shopping dollars at locally owned and operated businesses this year and you will be entered to win one of our deluxe prize packages from local merchants. With your support, we can make a difference in the economic health of our community.

Last day to register for the Shop Local Pledge is December 18, 2008.

“I PLEDGE TO SHOP LOCAL
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON“

via 5chw4r7z.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered the AP had picked up on this important new craze sweeping the nation.

CINCINNATI – The projectiles are lighter than horseshoes and safer than lawn darts, but the idea’s the same: Players try to hit a target several paces away. The game is called cornhole, or corn toss, because players try to throw cloth bags filled with corn into a hole. It is an Ohio phenomenon that is catching on elsewhere around the Midwest and beyond.

Christy’s Bierstube, Rathskeller and Biergarten, which caters to University of Cincinnati students, has installed a game court. Teams also compete in leagues at Tommy’s on the River, a bar and restaurant on the city’s waterfront.

You don’t have to work up a sweat, either. About the worst thing that could happen is you could spill your beer.

More from the American Cornhole Association.

Cincinnati is in bad need of some civic spirit. I propose formation of a City of Cincinnati fan club, a simple boosters organization whose sole purpose is to promote and encourage civic pride in our Queen City!But that’s as far as I got with the idea. A cool website that sells merchandise would be a start. We would need a lot of designs and logos.

They already have a store for us! The I Love Cincinnati Shoppe in Tower Place downtown has the right idea, but needs to work on promotion, presentation, and most definitely merchandise.(The purely Cincinnati merchandise, excluding the sports paraphanelia, leaves much to be desired.)

As for a name for this group, at last check the following domains are still available.

http://www.ilovecincinnati.com (UPDATE! already taken!)
http://www.cincinnatiboosters.com
http://www.cincyholics.com (my favorite)