The Seventh Annual OTR 5K Run and Summer Celebration is Saturday, May 18, and will start and finish in Washington Park for the first time this year. The event kicks off with the OTR 5k at 10 a.m. and continues with a day-long Summer Celebration of live music, food, adult beverages, an expanded fine art show, vendors, and entertainment!
Vendor applications for the fine art show, which will feature thirty to forty fine art and craft artists, craftsmen, and designers, are available at www.otrgateway.com. Registration is open for the OTR 5K Run at www.gootr.org. Dogs and strollers are welcome. This year’s event features a children’s race, with varying age groups, and prizes.
The local music lineup will be featured on two stages: Event Lawn Stage and Bandstand:
The Cincy Brass (Event Lawn Stage 10:15am-11:30am) A mainstay of the Summer Celebration lineup, this nine-piece brass band's release “Ain’t Nuttin Louder” is so funky it features a guest appearance from RNR Hall of fame bassist Bootsy Collins. It’s no surprise the Brass earned the “Best R&B/Funk/Soul” trophy at the 2011 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards (CEAs).
Baoku & the Image Afro-Beat Band (Event Lawn Stage 12:00pm-12:45pm) Nigerian native and drummer Baoku Moses leads his ten piece world beat ensemble - a perennial live favorite at regional music festivals - through a set of original and classic tunes that take inspiration from Afro-beat icon, Fela Kuti.
DAAP Girls (Event Lawn Stage 1:15pm-2:00pm) Self-described "gutter punk, rock n soul," this raw and ready quintet released their debut album last year with not one, but an entire album of songs with girls' names in the titles. Their raucous live shows helped them earn New Artist of the Year honors at this year's CEA's.
Decker (Event Lawn Stage 2:30pm-3:15pm) Decker is the new project of Belle Histoire (an Alternative Press 100 Bands You Need To Know artist) front woman Jane Smith. Lush arrangements and Smith’s inimitable voice make Decker an artist to watch this summer.
The Tillers (Bandstand 11:30am-12:15pm) The headline should read: Recovering punk rockers take on folk music in a steel cage match and win with an award winning blend of bluegrass, Americana, and angelic back wood's harmonies. The Tillers areCincinnati's preeminent roots trio, impressing critics, music fans, and Tom Brokaw.
Mia Carruthers (Bandstand 12:45pm-1:30pm) Carruthers appeared on MTV’s Cincinnati-based reality show “Taking the Stage” for two successful seasons, but she’s left that all behind with the spring debut of the first of many new tunes, including the terrific “Bell and a Basket.” The OTR based singer/songwriter hooked up with a Nashville producer to hone her growing sound and plans to take it on the road this summer, including hometown stops at the Summer Celebration and Bunbury Music Festival.
With special appearances from:
Young Professionals Choral Collective (Bandstand 10:45am-11:15am) (http://choralcollective.com/)
Cincinnati Opera (Bandstand 2:00pm-2:20pm) (http://www.cincinnatiopera.org/)
Queen City Brass Band (Bandstand 2:45pm-3:30pm) (http://www.qcbb.org/)
