Wednesdays are for pasta and music at Over-the-Rhine bar Lost & Found’s Spaghetti Nights. Designed to feed both your body and soul, Spaghetti Nights feature plenty of wine and pasta set to a soundtrack spun by local DJs. While it originally started as a way just to bring in more guests on a typically slow night, Lost & Found’s owners Steven Clement and Camilo Otalora said it quickly became much more, with a focus on community and a festive ambiance that kept people coming back. As for the food, the spaghetti is made from scratch and paired with a house-made red sauce or bolognese. There are also vegetarian and gluten-free options, and you can choose spaghetti squash instead of pasta. lostandfoundotr.com.
The May Festival celebrated its 150th anniversary with “25 For 25,” a brilliant tribute to the Festival’s history of commissioning new works that saw 25 commissions written by young female, non-binary or gender non-conforming composers, all alumni of Luna Composition Lab. Each piece was written for a specific choral group and the conductors worked closely with their respective composers. The March concert showcased the composers’ remarkable skills in setting texts and creating challenging, exciting choral sounds. The energy was palpable and gave another reason to celebrate a city that sings. mayfestival.com.
Creative House of Art and Design (or CHAD, named after the owner) is an art store in Mainstrasse that sells a lot of gay-themed art, like stickers and Pride flags, but in the back they have a small bar and patio. During the summer, they offer very strong boozy slushies. Sip on one while shopping for penis coasters. creativehousead.com.
One of the most beloved breweries and most beloved bakeries in town working together on a special brew? Yes, please. Covington’s Braxton Brewing Co.’s Opera Cream Stout was inspired by The BonBonerie’s iconic Opera Cream Torte. The beer features chocolate and caramel malts and is finished with The BonBonerie’s opera cream coffee, roasted by Seven Hills Coffee Roasters. With flavors of milk chocolate, sweet cream and vanilla, this indulgent milk stout is almost more dessert than beverage. What a sweet way to celebrate Cincinnati. braxtonbrewing.com & bonbonerie.com.