Fountain Square

J. Stephen
J. Stephen
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
4
Reviews
10
Photos
Editor Pick

Lucky enough to stay during Fountain Day 09!

  • April 6, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by jmariep from lebanon, Indiana
Lucky enough to stay during Fountain Day 09!

I grew up about an hour from downtown Cincinnati. We rarely came into the city as a family. I could probably count how many times we came downtown on one of my hands. In my head, I grew up envisioning it to be dirty, nasty, and scary.

From the time I got married until my husband was transferred, we went to Cincinnati on occasion, but it was typically for a Reds game. We never really made it to the Fountain.

So when my husband decided we should go to Cincinnati for his birthday I smiled, said okay, but at the same time was wondering why in the world he would want to stay in downtown Cincinnati as opposed to staying across the river in Covington. As much as it pains me to say this, my husband was right.

We were lucky enough to stay across the street from Fountain Square, which was great fun for me to people watch. On Saturday afternoon we went over to the area to hang out, look around and take pictures. The square was set up for Fountain Day so there were 2 tents and also umbrellas set up with some of the tables.

I saw the banner that announced the Saturday being Fountain Day and shared this with my friends. We all looked at each other and shrugged, but later found out that Fountain Day is when they turn the fountain on, so that the Lady of the Fountain has water that sprays from her hands. There was also a concert as part of the celebration.

There are several other events that go on throughout the year. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have gone to the website www.myfountainsquare.com when we started planning this trip to have more info.

Along with the Fountain, there are a lot of tables set up where people can sit and talk with friends. A few of the tables have checkerboard painted on them. I didn't see checkers, but found out from the website that you can check out checkers or chess pieces from the parking garage . There are also public restrooms.

There is also a water wall memorial-esque tribute with a poem of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. At night, there are lights below the flowing water, which was very pretty. During warm months, there are water spouts for children to play in. (Note, this is fresh water, no chlorine, so no harm if they drink the water.)

When we were there there was a police officer with his horse named Alex, a beautiful, huge dark brown horse, who the officer told us is the biggest police horse that they have. The officer was taking children on horse rides, which was a lot of fun to watch.

Across the street from the Square is a huge LED tv display, which gave the area a big city feel.

In winter months there is an ice rink to skate on. $2.50 for admission and $2.50 for skate rental. The website is updated with rink status.

I posted a picture of the rules, but must advise that I don't think people follow the rule of not feeding the pigeons. The pigeons here are the fattest, largest pigeons I have ever seen. They are almost as big as small chickens.

There is also a parking garage that I found to be pretty reasonable -- $1 for the first hour, then $2 additional dollars for each additional hour. After 7 hours, the price is capped at $15. Evenings and weekends (up to 8 hours on the weekend) are $4. Take your ticket with you because there are pay stations that you pay the parking before you get back to your car. This didn't bother us, but a banker rolled his eyes when describing it to us. Maybe fun for a day or two, but not so fun each day.

If you live in Cincinnati, I highly recommend you utilize Fountain Square. Go online, find events and enjoy the cheap, if not free entertainment. If you are planning on visiting Cincinnati, definitely make this a stop on your to do list.

From journal A Birthday Getaway to Cincinnati, Ohio

Editor Pick

Fountain Square

  • October 25, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by cr008k from San Francisco, California
Fountain Square

Fountain Square is very conveniently located in Downtown Cincinnati. It is crowded, especially on weekends, but they have ample parking (which does cost money) and you can also walk here if you are staying in a local downtown hotel. Once you get there, first stop and take a quick look at the Tyler Davidson Fountain- it's quite pretty and is right outside in the center of the square so you can throw some coins in and make a wish on your way to the shops. The square itself is quite a nice place to be outside when its warm out- its well landscaped and has nice gardens and sort of feels like a nice square where people come to gather.

There are plenty of things to do here besides admire the gardens and the fountains. If you are there in the winter you can go to the ice rink- this is a fairly large size (not huge but very nice) outdoor ice skating rink where you can skate around for hours (or until you get tired). You can rent skates for a reasonable fee and they have a good selection of sizes. It's not the prettiest ice skating rink I've ever seen but it does have some nice trees and you can see the square from the rink which is fun (although this also means people can see you falling down).

You can do a little shopping at Probasco market as well. This is not like chain shops or anything like that- it has cute little boutiques and cafes and has a vaguely European kind of feeling as you stroll down the street.
There is also the water wall- which is exactly what it sounds like- basically a wall of water. This is fun for kids, but gets boring after about 10 minutes; and probably isn't too exciting for adults at all.

There are also stages here that have various plays and things going on, so check the calendar before you come and see if there is anything going on that you want to see. These are often geared towards children as well. The best thing about Fountain Square though is the restaurants. There are many different restaurants along this area- ranging from inexpensive to mid-priced cafes to expensive fancy restaurants with fine dining. There is for sure something here to satisfy everyone, and you can have a nice view of the square and the fountain while you eat from a lot of these places. Its a great place to people-watch and enjoy a nice meal.

From journal College Trip

Concourse Fountain

  • July 26, 2005
  • Rated 3 of 5 by J. Stephen from Cincinnati, Ohio
Concourse Fountain

This large, shallow wading pool is a unique place to cool off on a warm summer day. Parents watch their children from rows of concrete stairs that line the overflowing basin, only 6 inches deep. On one side are three large spurting jets of water (pictured), and on the other side (out of the picture), a high waterfall cascades down a concrete wall. This is a favorite splashing place, especially for families with young children.

Concourse fountain is open in summer and has no admission charge. Just jump in and enjoy.

From journal Cincinnati, Ohio: My Home Town

Editor Pick

Fountain Square

  • July 10, 2004
  • Rated 5 of 5 by J. Stephen from Cincinnati, Ohio
Fountain Square

This is the signature spot in Cincinnati, a gathering place and focal point in the heart of the city. The "Tyler Davidson Fountain" rises 43 feet in the center of the square. It is the oldest sculpture in the Queen City, and is her best known and most loved symbol.

Water streams from the outstretched arms of a 9-foot-tall female figure representing the "Genius of Water." Below, four adult figures dramatize the life-sustaining uses of water and four relief panels depict the industrial uses of water. These are fitting symbols in a river city. Four drinking spouts on the lower tier once held communal cups for pedestrians to use.

The fountain was a gift to the city of Cincinnati in 1871, from local businessman Henry Probasco, in memory of his deceased brother-in-law and business partner. It is the creation of sculptor August von Kreling of Munich, Germany.

The first time I saw the fountain was on a trip from Tennessee to Cincinnati with my Dad and three of my brothers in 1954. I was at Fountain Square again the last week in June, 2004. The downtown area around the fountain has changed dramatically during the interim, but the fountain itself has endured - just as I always remembered it.

From journal Cincinnati, Ohio: My Home Town

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