Tender Mercies will host its third annual
Taste of OTR event Aug. 29 in Washington Park, with a lot more in store for foodies this year. The event showcases craft beer, local restaurants and food trucks as well as the art, music and shopping in Over-the-Rhine.
Tender Mercies created the Taste of OTR in 2013 as a way to contribute to OTR’s culture and its future. The nonprofit serves homeless adults with mental illness, and each year more than 200 men and women benefit from Tender Mercies’ programming and support.
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“Taste of OTR has quickly become popular and is now a must-attend summer event,” says Jackie Baumgartner, development director at Tender Mercies. “The event is a celbration of Over-the-Rhine’s growth, vibrancy and cultural engagement. It’s a popular celebration of the continued revitalization of the neighborhood that we’re proud to be a part of.”
About 25 local and OTR restaurants will be featured at Taste of OTR, and drinks will be provided by
Rhinegeist, Angry Orchard and Sam Adams. There will also be live music, with
Sphynx as the headliner. Food truck alley will be set up on 14th Street with a number of Cincinnati favorites represented.
Taste of OTR is scheduled for 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Aug. 29 with free admission, and tastings ranging from $1 to $6. New this year are separate VIP tickets, limited to only 200 guests. The VIP experience will allow guests to enjoy Taste in a more private setting with special tastings throughout the day.
Also new this year is a “Best of Taste” contest, with the featured restaurants competing to be named a crowd favorite. Winners in each category will be recognized at the event and awarded a plaque to display in their restaurant.
“Our hope is that with continued growth Taste will bring unity and an increased cultural understanding and awareness of how many homeless are in need in Cincinnati,” Baumgartner says. “Taste shows the city that Over-the-Rhine is welcoming, engaging and a vibrant place to live, play and work that also helps those with nowhere else to turn.”
VIP tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door; drink tickets are included in the ticket price. To purchase VIP tickets and for restaurant information, visit the
Taste of OTR website.
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