Originally called the Ohio Valley Jazz Festival when it was first held in 1962, the Cincinnati Music Festival has grown and evolved into a spectacular three-day event on Cincinnati's riverfront. Starting out as an all-jazz concert, over the years it has grown into a three-day festival featuring great music from the hottest stars in R&B, jazz, soul, and hip-hop, as well as up and coming artists. Past performers include Aretha Franklin, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Luther Vandross, Gerald Levert, Patti Labelle, New Edition, Earth Wind and Fire, Lakeside, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Janet Jackson and many others.

 

By the year 2000, the festival was the largest of its kind in the United States, drawing more than 50,000 people annually from all across the country. The festival has been held at various sites through its nearly 60 year history, including French Lick Indiana, the Carthage Fairgrounds, and the Hamilton County Fairgrounds before landing at its current home in Paycor Stadium on Cincinnati's river front. Accompanied by a street festival dubbed Festival 513, the Cincinnati Music Festival Presented by P&G has an estimated annual economic output of $107 million, according to the Greater Cincinnati Center for Economic Education at the University of Cincinnati. 2015 marked the first of many years in partnership with Cincinnati based global company P&G. 

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The Cincinnati Music Festival Presented by P&G is co-promoted by The Santangelo Group and Ohio Valley Entertainment.  2023 represents The Festival's 59th year of bringing top R&B talent to Cincinnati.  

 

About The Santangelo Group:

The Santangelo Group, led by Owner Joe Santangelo, has promoted or co-promoted the Cincinnati Music Festival at Paul Brown Stadium since 2005.  Prior to that, they promoted the Festival as the Coors Light Music Festival, the Kool Jazz Festival and the Ohio Valley Music Festival stretching back to 1962.  In addition to the Cincinnati Festival in Cincinnati, The Santangelo Group promotes the Hampton Jazz Festival in Hampton, VA.

 

About Ohio Valley Entertainment (OVE):

OVE is an entertainment company created to co-promote the Macy's Festival in 2006.  In addition to its involvement in the Cincinnati Festival, OVE has promoted other events at Paul Brown Stadium including the 2012 Kenny Chesney/Tim McGraw "Brothers of the Sun" tour.