Weather related update
Kenton County is implementing a special weather plan for Friday and Saturday for areas near the riverfront given the threat of inclement weather.
The Homeland Security Emergency Management Agency is changing its criteria for sounding its outdoor weather warning sirens. The agency will sound the weather sirens if a severe thunderstorm warning is issued that could affect the riverfront areas.
The Kenton County Parking Garage at 230 Madison in Covington will be available for anyone who needs a place to shelter, the county says in a release.
Sirens included in this temporary change include Johnson St. in Covington, Devou Park, 2nd St. and Columbia in Newport, 1-471 at Route 8, and the Dayton, KY city building.
"So it goes…" Taylor Swift—and her army of Swifties—are coming to Cincinnati
Downtown will be packed Friday, June 30 and Saturday, July 1 as Cincinnati prepares to host two Taylor Swift shows that will draw tens of thousands of fans from the Tri-State and beyond.
“All our hotels are sold out,” said Julie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of Northern Kentucky tourism bureau meetNKY. "The demand is epic."
But Swift’s shows won’t be The 1 Superstar event happening in town this weekend. On Friday, The Very First Night Taylor takes the Paycor stage at 6:30 p.m., the Reds open at 5:10 p.m. against the San Diego Padres at Great American Ball Park next door. That’s expected to draw thousands of fans, too.
On Saturday, fans will cram into the two-mile radius along the riverfront over the course of an afternoon for a 1:40 p.m. Reds vs. Padres game, the 6:30 p.m. Taylor Swift concert, and a 7:30 p.m. FC Cincinnati game against the New England Revolution.
There will be a lot of Red on Google Maps and GPSs come weekend.
Whether you’re hoping to see Mirrorball or baseball, here’s everything you need to know about parking, traffic, and ticketing on Friday and Saturday—to not just Tolerate it, but navigate it in Style.
Traffic & Transportation: Not "The Best Day"
When it comes to traffic and parking, it really will be a Cruel Summer weekend.
“There’s going to be a lot of traffic,” said Brandon Rudd, director of research & data at Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. Rudd encourages residents to explore alternative transportation options to avoid traffic Downtown and along the riverfront.
Courtesy of Visit Cincy’s The Swiftie’s Guide to Cincinnati, here's a list of alternative transportation options on June 30 and July 1:
- The Connector Streetcar: free, free, free! The streetcar runs in a giant loop around downtown Cincinnati and Over-the-Rhine. Your stop for the concert will be #1 — The Banks. It’s just a short walk from where the streetcar picks up/drops off to Paycor Stadium. Here's a map of the entire route.
- Red Bikes: rent a regular bike or an e-bike and zip around town as needed! You’ll find many charging and return stations throughout Downtown and in Northern Kentucky. There's a station conveniently located at The Banks, near Paycor. Download the app ahead of time to check availability at each station.
- TANK and Cincy Metro – Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati’s bus systems with drop-offs across Downtown.
- Note: TANK, the Tansit Authority of Northern Kentucky, will be offering $1 rides to help make your commute to and from Paycor as easy as possible.
- TANK will be adding an additional drop-off/pick-up service for both nights. Park and ride from Northern Kentucky University (NKU) for $3 roundtrip (and no additional cost to park at NKU). Buses will run Downtown from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. and will return to campus anytime from 7 PM - 12 AM. Riders can enjoy a DJ, friendship bracelet and portable charger giveaways, and trivia at NKU.
- Lime/Bird Scooters – a fun, quick way to get around Downtown. Note – they are deactivated after 9 PM.
All that traffic means the Closure of a number of streets the weekend of the concerts, mostly around The Banks.
- Second Street Sidewalk- south side sidewalk closed between Elm Street and the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge from 12 p.m. until 1 a.m.
- Elm Street- closed south of Second Street from 12 p.m. until 1 a.m.
- Freedom Way- closed between Elm Street and Marian Spencer Way from 12 p.m. until 1 a.m. (Closed from Rosa Parks to Marian Spencer at 10 a.m. for pre- party)
- Race Street- closed south of Third Street from 3:30 p.m. until 1 a.m.
- Rosa Parks Street- closed south of Second Street from 12 p.m. until 1 a.m.
- Marian Spencer Way- closed south of Second Street from 10 a.m. until 1 a.m.
Joe Nuxhall Way- closed south of Second Street after the start of the Reds game
The following closures will happen after 10 p.m.:
- Central Avenue- southbound closed south of Seventh Street
- Third Street- eastbound closed east of Clay Wade Bailey Bridge
- Walnut Street- closed south of Third Street
- Gest Street- southbound closed south of Third Street
Parking: Find the "Blank Space"
From the North: For fans driving in from north of Paycor, Rudd recommends parking farther from Downtown to avoid the traffic and taking the streetcar for a free ride down to the stadium. “Drive in, park up near Findlay Market or Washington Park,” he says. “Avoid the traffic down by The Banks.”
From the South: Visitors driving north toward Paycor can park in Covington and take a 14-minute walk to Paycor via the pedestrian Roebling Suspension Bridge. It’s a seven-minute walk across the bridge and another seven minutes from the foot of the bridge to the stadium.
However, if you do find yourself stuck in traffic, not knowing when you’ll be Out of The Woods, here are details on parking, ride-sharing, and pick-up locations for Fearless friends and family members on driving duty:
Friday Night Parking:
- No advance parking sales through Paycor Stadium (Reds game at 5:10 p.m.).
- Central Riverfront Garage (CRG), East Garage, Broadway lot, and Lot E will open at 9:30 a.m. for parking sales and for Reds parking pass holders.
- 1 p.m. – Lots A, B & D will open for parking sales.
- 2 p.m. – UE Garage opened for UE parking pass holders only (no parking sales).
Saturday Night Parking:
- Advance parking sales are available through Paycor Stadium.
- CRG, East Garage, Broadway lot, and Lot E will open at 8:30 a.m. for parking sales and for Reds parking pass holders.
- 1 p.m. – Lots A, B & D will open for parking pass holders only.
Park and Ride:
For fans looking to park in Northern Kentucky and ride the TANK from Northern Kentucky University to the Riverfront Transit Center, drivers can park in Lots K, L, M, P, and Y on NKU’s campus.
Ride Share
Dedicated ride share pick-up/drop-off lot will be Hilltop North located west of Paycor Stadium along Mehring Way (look for signage).
Family/Friend Drop-off/Pick-up:
Family members and friends dropping off ticket holders are strongly encouraged to park at the CRG and enjoy the festivities along The Banks until the show is over and take your family member/friend back home.
Alternate options for drop-off include:
- The south curb lane heading eastbound on Mehring Way between West Pete Rose Way and Central Avenue.
- The north curb lane on Second Street between Elm Street and Walnut Street.
ADA Drop-off/Pick-up:
- Prior to the concert, ADA guests can be dropped off at the curb cut-out along Central Ave. between West Pete Rose Way and Mehring Way.
- ADA guests can be picked up at the corner of Race St. and Freedom Way, just outside E + O Kitchen.
Ticketing and Entry: "Tolerate It"
While fans might bring a mixed bag of emotions to the concert, here are the things you can and can’t have in your physical bag and what you need to know to get in, online, and on time:
Mobile Ticketing:
Prior to the show, please add your mobile tickets to your digital wallet to facilitate a seamless and fast entry to Paycor Stadium.
Clear Bag Policy:
Paycor Stadium has a clear bag policy. For non-approved items/bags, Paycor Stadium will have lockers on-site available for rent. Consult the policy for what is and isn't allowed inside the stadium.
Technology:
- Be sure your phone is charged.
- Bring an additional battery power bank if available.
- Be sure you and your party have activated location services on your phone to keep track of each other.
- Consider having all members of your group bring an Air Tag or other location device in case their phone dies. (You can also put one in your car if you park in unfamiliar places to help you locate your vehicle.)
Gate Times:
- Gates open at 4:30 p.m. on both days.
- Taylor Swift VIP early entry will be at 3:30 p.m. at Gate E.
- Non-ticketed fans will not be permitted onto the Paycor Stadium Plaza.
WiFi:
You may connect to FreeJungleWifi when you arrive at Paycor Stadium.
Payment and Merch: Don’t bring "Change"
Cashless
- Paycor Stadium is 100% cashless. Nothing New there.
- To convert your cash to a card, you may visit one of two kiosks at section 122 or section 149.
Merchandise
- A merchandise shop will open on Thursday morning on Race Street south of Freedom Way next to the Andrew J. Brady Music Center.
- The shop will be open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Times are TBD.
- There will be several points of sale for merchandise inside Paycor Stadium for both shows.
"Eyes Open" for the Action
Call It What You Want, but 'Tis the Damn Season for Taylor Swift. "It kind of feels like a holiday," Rudd said. "I'm just excited to see what it's going to be like."
He added that even non-Swifties can share in the festivities.
"I encourage everybody to just, even if you're not going to the concert, come Downtown," Rudd said. "Enjoy it."
