1. Skip to navigation
  2. Skip to content

Clifton :: Arts & Play

Clifton Arts Esquire 200Gaslight Clifton houses one of the most important cultural landmarks in Cincinnati – the art house movie theater, The Esquire. Closed for many years, the Esquire reopened in 1990. It now boasts six theaters and is packed most weekends with people of all ages and backgrounds enjoying a return to the community movie house.

Another cultural asset in Clifton is the new Clifton Cultural Arts Center, a multi-venue, regional arts center with over 57,000 square feet of space, housed in what used to be Clifton Public School. The edifice, which was built in 1906, is now being refurbished to allow for multi-media exhibits and workshops. Planned programming includes classes in music, dance, sculpture, literary arts, glass works, pottery, photography, painting and textile arts, as well as film screenings, art exhibits and theatre productions.

If in the mood for music, Arlin’s and Sitwells both feature live music on occasion, and St. John’s Unitarian Church also hosts periodic concerts. Just up the hill in University Heights, the College-Conservatory of Music offers a wide array of Classical and Jazz concerts, as well as dance, theatre and musical theatre productions.

Mt Storm ParkClifton is a great neighborhood in which to have outdoor fun. There are two major parks within walking distance. Burnet Woods boasts a music pavilion that bears the title of oldest structure in any of Cincinnati’s public parks and a lovely small lake. Mt. Storm, known for its Temple of Love pergola pictured here,  offers barbeque grills, a children’s play area, great sunset-watching views and awesome sledding hills for the one big snow storm Cincinnati gets every year.

Not far away and fun for the whole family is the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens, which officially opened its doors in 1875, making it the second oldest zoo in the United States. In addition to the wonderful collection of animals, don't miss their spectacular plant exhibits, like the spring display of over 80,000 tulips and flowering bulbs.

Include Your Story

Local businesses and organizations are key to the quality of life in every community. We'd like to include your story and link it in relevant pages throughout the web site.

Example of a local business Market Page

Contact us for details about
your own Market Page.