WINTER

The Cincy Region lights up during the holiday season. The Ark Encounter and Creation Museum host Christmas displays from November through year-end, and the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden puts on a dazzling annual display at the PNC Festival of Lights. Sharonville’s popular Holiday in Lights event is one of the country’s largest with over a million lights and 250 light displays. Or join the fun at Y’alls Stadium during Deck the Y’alls Lightfest and experience more than 2 million lights, themed areas, holiday shopping, great food, a visit from Santa, ice skating, and a carnival. Model train enthusiasts will adore the wonderful holiday railway exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum Center, a building which houses a history museum, children’s museum, an OMNIMAX Theater®, and more.

Winter is also the perfect time to taste the Queen City’s famous Cincinnati-style chili. This Greek-influenced take on chili is the perfect warm pick-me-up and can be found in many restaurants throughout the city. After fueling up, it’s time to take on holiday craft shows, which pop up left and right through the region. Visit Christkindlmarkt, the region’s oldest German Christmas market, to find unique gifts imported from

Germany and works by local craftspeople, or peruse the Greater Cincinnati Holiday Market at the Duke Energy Convention Center

For more Cincy-style holiday shopping, visit Covington, the largest city in Northern Kentucky. See downtown’s historic buildings as you browse eclectic small businesses, including Donna Salyers Fabulous Furs, the shops of MainStrasse Village, and the numerous art galleries of the Covington Arts District. Also in Covington, check out events and exhibitions at The Carnegie, which serves as a gallery, theater, and education center.

Winter sports make for an excellent outing this time of year, and the Cincy Region has you covered. Attend a Cincinnati Cyclones hockey game at the Heritage Bank Center, or take to the ice yourself and go skating on one of the Cincy Region’s many frozen lakes. A visit to the ice rink on Fountain Square or going on the bumper cars is an annual tradition for locals and visitors alike. Rent skates at Lawrenceburg’s Winter Wonderland Ice Skating Rink or Ice Rink at Summit Park in Blue Ash, or for indoor skating (and rentable skates!), visit the Northland Ice Center in Evendale.