Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Announces 2025 Brady Block Parties, Free Outdoor Concerts Across Greater Cincinnati

Contact: Felecia Tchen Kanney: 440-465-5551
fkanney@cincinnatisymphony.org
National Media Contact: Andrew Ousley: 646-580-2741
andrew@unison.media

For Immediate Release
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Announces
2025 Brady Block Parties

Five Free Outdoor Brady Block Parties Anchored by Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Concerts
to take place in The Banks, West End, Price Hill, North Avondale, Woodlawn/Lincoln Heights

CINCINNATI, OH (April 10, 2025)— The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has announced its 2025 Brady Block Parties line up. The Brady Block Parties, anchored by CSO concerts and named in honor of Andrew J. Brady, longtime Cincinnati orchestra and band director at Western Hills High School, will take place outdoors at five locations across Greater Cincinnati, June 5 through August 1. Each Brady Block
Party is free and open to the public and will include games, arts and crafts for all ages, and culminate with an outdoor concert by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

The Brady Block Parties will take place at The Banks at the ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park, adjacent to
The Andrew J. Brady Music Center® (June 5); West End at Ezzard Charles Park (June 22); Price Hill at the
Dunham Recreation Center (July 11), North Avondale at the North Avondale Recreation Center fields
(July 18), and Woodlawn/Lincoln Heights at the Woodlawn Community Center (August 1). Community
partners include the MUSE Cincinnati Women’s Choir, Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses, Cincinnati
Recreation Commission, BLOC Ministries, North Avondale Neighborhood Association, Avondale
Community Council, Woodlawn Community Council, Lincoln Heights Community Council and Visit
Cincy.

A full listing of activities, vendors, and complete event details can be found at cincinnatisymphony.org/BlockParties.

The Brady Block Parties are made possible by an anonymous donor in honor of Andrew J. Brady and are
part of the CSO's Fifth Third Foundation IDEA Series. The Fifth Third Foundation IDEA Series comprises
the Brady Block Parties, MAC Music Innovator and Classical Roots. Together, these CSO programs
provide opportunities for the entire community to come together in celebration of the diverse artistry
that makes symphonic music relevant to people from all walks of life.

 

CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

With a legacy dating back 130 years, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is considered one of
America’s finest and most versatile ensembles. In the 2025–26 season, Cristian Măcelaru joins the
Orchestra as its 14th Music Director, after serving as Music Director Designate in the 2024–25 season.
The Orchestra also performs as the Cincinnati Pops, founded by Erich Kunzel in 1977 and currently led
by John Morris Russell with Damon Gupton serving as Principal Guest Conductor. The CSO further
elevates the city’s vibrant arts scene by serving as the official orchestra for the Cincinnati May Festival,Cincinnati Opera and Cincinnati Ballet.

Since its inception in 1895, the CSO has dedicated itself to seeking and sharing inspiration with theGreater Cincinnati community through the transformative power of music. With a vibrant and dedicatedhistory, the CSO has commissioned more than 200 new works and presented more than 300 world or U.S. premieres, solidifying its role as a cornerstone of musical innovation. The CSO’s commissioning legacy includes two Fanfare Projects, the first during World War II and the second during the Covid-19 pandemic, that sought to inspire, uplift and provide meaning during pivotal moments in our nation’s shared history through the universal language of music. In addition to its commissioning efforts, the CSO and Pops can be heard around the world through more than 300 commercial recordings, including those on the Orchestra’s own label, Fanfare Cincinnati.

The CSO is committed to its vision to be the most relevant orchestra in America, realized through a focus on serving the entire community and continually innovating ways in which the Orchestra presents music. Recent examples include One City/One Symphony, fostering city-wide discussions through music; Lumenocity®, blending music and visual art with Music Hall’s illuminated façade; Look Around, uniting Cincinnati’s arts community at Washington Park; and CSO Proof, the Orchestra’s flagship program for innovative concert experiences and formats.

The CSO is also dedicated to enriching and expanding access to music education through the power of culturally inclusive music to nurture and inspire lifelong learning. Focusing on Learning, Playing and Developing, the Orchestra brings music education to the Greater Cincinnati community through youth orchestras, Musicians in Schools and one of the United States’ longest-running Young People’s Concerts series, launched over 100 years ago.

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra 2025 Brady Block Parties  

Thursday, June 5, 2025, 6:30 PM (concert at 7:45 PM)
PRIDE BRADY BLOCK PARTY
Location: The ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park at The Andrew J. Brady Music Center®Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Community Partner: MUSE Cincinnati Women’s Choir and Visit Cincy

Sunday, June 22, 2025, 6:30 PM (concert at 7:45 PM)
WEST END BRADY BLOCK PARTY
Location: Ezzard Charles Park
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Community Partner: Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses

Friday, July 11, 2025, 6:30 PM (concert at 7:45 PM)
PRICE HILL BRADY BLOCK PARTY
Location: Dunham Recreation Center
Community Partner: Cincinnati Recreation Commission and BLOC Ministries


Friday, July 18, 2025, 6:30 PM (concert at 7:45 PM)
NORTH AVONDALE BRADY BLOCK PARTY
Location: North Avondale Recreation Center Fields
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Community Partners: North Avondale Neighborhood Association and Avondale Community Council

Friday, August 1, 2025, 6:30 PM (concert at 7:45 PM)
WOODLAWN/LINCOLN HEIGHTS BRADY BLOCK PARTY
Location: Woodlawn Community Center
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Community Partner: Woodlawn Community Council and Lincoln Heights Community Council

All programs, artists, dates and locations are subject to change.