August Arts Off 75: Concerts, Festivals, Block Parties and More

Well, here we are — August! That sneaky month that crept up like a sunburn on a cloudy day. And while the formal arts calendar may be catching its breath with July exhibitions winding down, theaters and dance companies pausing to regroup, there’s still plenty of joy to be found.

This is the month of funnel cakes and Ferris wheels, backyard barbecues, outdoor movie nights and the unmistakable energy of the State fair. Across Southwest Ohio, the energy shifts from gallery hush to festival buzz. And nowhere is that vibe more alive than at our region’s outdoor stages and spaces, where concerts and festivals transform the city into an open-air celebration of music, culture and community. It’s not just entertainment, it’s soul food with a beat. Grab a lawn chair, bring a friend and let the music wash over you.

August invites us to experience creativity not in a quiet museum, but out in the wild, beneath the stars and surrounded by neighbors. The rhythm of live music, the choreography of food trucks lined up under city lights, the patchwork of picnic blankets — all of it becomes a kind of performance in itself. The arts may be on a summer siesta indoors, but outside? Culture is throwing a block party.

While many performers are wisely taking a break to recharge, I’ve been conjuring, cutting, collaging and experimenting while tucked away in the studio. Because sometimes, the quiet of the season is exactly when new ideas sneak in and surprise you. I say it often: rest is art too. But so is revelry. And August gives us a bit of both.

So here’s my plan for the waning days of summer: I’m diving headfirst into the flavors, festivals, and open-air magic of the season. I’m closing out my first year as the station’s newest producer (and marking ten years as host!) with a toast to creativity, community and festivals with great summer fare and good friends. To art that lives onstage and art that lives on the sidewalk. To live music under Southwest Ohio skies.

Get outside. Explore. Savor. The formal season will be back before you know it — but right now, August is throwing one unforgettable party. Check out this month’s list of art celebrations near you:

Rodney Veal
CET/Think^TV Producer and Community Arts Liaison