Second Sunday on Main returns June 14 to celebrate festival's 10th year

Since its inception 10 years ago, Second Sunday on Main has grown from a small event featuring condo tours to a blocks-long festival with food trucks, live music, vendors and artists. The free event is held on the second Sunday of each month June through October along Main Street between 12th and Liberty streets, with the first 2015 event on June 14.
 
“Second Sunday is unique because it changes and grows with the neighborhood,” says Caitlin Behle, the current organizer of SSOM. “When the festival launched in 2005 as a weekly event, Main Street looked very different. At a time when people were reluctant to visit OTR, the Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce started Second Sunday as an opportunity to bring people to the street on Sunday afternoons and showcase the area as a diverse, safe and welcoming place.”
 
This year, SSOM is partnering with the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati to add an area for kids. The YMCA Kids Square will offer free hands-on activities and crafts for kids programmed by the YMCA. Other community organizations will be present as well, including the Peaslee Neighborhood Center and the Art Academy of Cincinnati’s Community Education division.
 
Findlay Market will host the Celebrity Chef series, which will feature a free chef demo at Mr. Pitiful’s. Traditionally, the series has invited visitors to a drink pairing and chef demo by one of more local chefs, where guests are given the recipe for the dishes and drinks.
 
“By collaborating with Findlay Market, we’re able to celebrate what is unique and best about the market’s community, local crops, ethnic traditions and creative chefs,” Behle says.
 
To celebrate its 10th year, SSOM is going back to its roots to revisit monthly themes from the past decade. June’s theme is Dog Days and will feature a contest for Best Trick, Best Costume, Cutest Dog and Best Owner/Dog Look-a-Like as well as a parade and Dog Photo Booth hosted by Save the Animals.
 
The June event also includes a performance by Us, Today at 2 p.m. at the MOTR Stage and a cooking demo by Bryn Mooth, author of the Findlay Market Cookbook, and Katie Zaidan of Mediterranean Imports at 2:30 p.m.
 
There will also be beer ambassadors pouring at the Cincinnati Sports League’s Beer Garden on behalf of different nonprofits or community groups each month. June’s ambassadors are the Cincinnati Young Black Professionals. Food trucks Bistro de Mohr, Dojo Gelato, Empanadas Aqui, Fireside Pizza and Hungry Brothers will be at SSOM areas to supplement the 30 participating bars, restaurants, shops and galleries and 80 artists and vendors.

The remaining 2015 SSOMs are “Pride” July 12, “EcoMAINia” Aug. 9, “Dance on Main” Sept. 13 and “Foodie Finale” Oct. 11.
 
“As OTR continues to grow, Second Sunday will continue to define itself as a community-driven festival,” Behle says. “I love that Second Sunday was, and continues to be, built by the neighborhood. It’s largely volunteer-run by residents and business owners and changes and adapts in response to the community’s needs.”