The December holidays in Downtown Cincinnati may look a little different this year and onward. A new park is opening soon, and 3CDC is shifting some of its programming around.
What stays the same
A 52-foot concolor fir tree arrives on Fountain Square, from Traverse City, Michigan, this weekend. The annual holiday tree will be installed Saturday, followed by the decorations. The tree won't officially be lit until the annual Light Up The Square event on Nov. 28, the Friday after Thanksgiving.
The tree traditionally needs a little time to get fluffed up after transport, then it gets adorned with more than 25,000 LED lights. A new tree-topper was unveiled in 2022. It's a 14-point star created by a local blacksmith.
What's new
Joining the tree at Fountain Square is Winterhaus, a glass-enclosed, heated space with room for activities. It holds a tree-trimming party Saturday morning, with ornament-making. A grand opening party is planned for Saturday evening.
Winterhaus will house entertainment and events daily through the holiday season. That includes hosting euchre games, drag bingo, bourbon tastings, and live music.
3CDC says the debut of the Fountain of Lights is Saturday at 7 p.m. Instead of water, the Tyler-Davidson Fountain will hold a light display crafted to resemble the flow of liquid. It will "be viewable seven days a week."
The ice rink, which has been at Fountain Square since 2006, is moving two blocks west, to a new park.
The Elm Street Plaza was created by closing off Elm Street between 5th and 6th streets, as part of the Convention Center renovations. It covers two-and-a-half acres and sits on the former site of the Millenium Hotel, which was torn down in 2022.
The Elm Street Plaza, and the ice rink, will officially open Nov. 21. While the rink will be seasonal, the park will be open year-round.
In between the Elm Street Plaza and Fountain Square, the Shillito Elves take up residence along 5th Street in Carew Tower. The mechanical elves go to work starting Nov. 27.
The displays started in the 1950s with Shillito’s Department Store.
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