Taft Theatre
Taft Theatre is an indoor theatre at 317 East 5th Street in downtown Cincinnati, with a balcony above the main floor and a separate Ballroom below it. There is no elevator, so every balcony seat means stairs, and there is no re-entry once you are in. Parking is in pay lots and garages within walking distance, the Cincinnati Bell Connector streetcar stops nearby, and a clear bag policy with metal detectors applies at the door.
Before you go
- Capacity
- 2300
- Indoor or outdoor
- Indoor: main theatre with balcony, plus the Ballroom on the lower level
- Official site
- tafttheatre.org
- Next festival here
- MidPoint Music Festival, Dates to be announced
Worth knowing before you go
- There is no elevator: the balcony is stairs only, and the Ballroom and Main Bar sit below the lobby via stairs.
- Once you are in, you are in. There is no re-entry at any event, and no coat check or public WiFi.
- Bags must be clear and no bigger than 12 by 12 by 6 inches, or a small clutch up to 6 by 9 inches, and everyone goes through a metal detector.
- Bring up to two sealed plastic bottles of non-alcoholic drink, or an empty soft bottle to fill at the lobby fountain; canned water and glass are turned away.
- Some shows lock phones in Yondr pouches at the artist's request, so check the event page before you go.
Festivals here
Venue basics: Pay garages nearby, no venue parking · Streetcar within walking distance · ADA seating but no elevator.
Is it for you
Choose it if
- You want a seated downtown theatre show with a smaller Ballroom stage under the same roof.
- You are coming by streetcar or on foot from downtown Cincinnati.
- You are bringing children: shows are all ages unless the event says otherwise.
Think twice if
- You cannot manage stairs and your seats are in the balcony: there is no elevator.
- You like to step out during a show: there is no re-entry.
- You planned to bring a backpack, a camera with a detachable lens or a hard-sided cooler; none get in.
- You are planning to camp on site: we don't yet have confirmed information about camping here.
Getting there and parking
The main entrance is under the marquee on East 5th Street, and the Ballroom entrance is the glass-paned door directly to its left. You can line up outside the main entrance up to one hour before door time, and rideshare pick-up is on 5th Street or Sycamore Street.
The theatre has no car park of its own. Several pay lots and garages are within walking distance, including the Central Riverfront Garage, and the Cincinnati Bell Connector streetcar also stops nearby.
The box office is inside the far-left doors of the main entrance. It opens Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11am to 3pm, from noon on weekday show days and one hour before doors on weekend show days. Cash purchases carry no service fee, card purchases at the window cost $2 a ticket.
Accessibility
Entrances and seating are ADA accessible. ADA seats are sold in odd-numbered pairs, one accessible space and one companion seat, on a best-available basis, and you must ask for ADA, hearing-impaired or visually-impaired seating when you buy, online at Ticketmaster or at the box office. Sign language interpretation is available on request with at least three weeks' notice, service animals are welcome, and a gender-neutral, ADA-accessible bathroom is to the right of the theatre doors in the main lobby.
There is no elevator in the building, and all balcony seats require climbing stairs. First aid is on the ground level to the left of the Ballroom entrance.
Confirm your specific needs with the venue before you travel (tafttheatre.org).
Camping
We don't yet have confirmed information about camping at the Taft. The venue's own pages are the place to check: tafttheatre.org.
Food, water and what you can bring
Dewey's Pizza slices, chips, nuts and candy are sold at the Main Bar across from the Ballroom, reached by the stairs below the lobby, and at the Balcony stand. Beer, wine, mixed drinks and soft drinks are served; anyone drinking needs a valid, unexpired government photo ID under Ohio law, and outside alcohol is prohibited.
You may bring up to two unfrozen, commercially sealed non-alcoholic drinks in plastic bottles of up to 33.8 fl oz, or an empty soft squeezable plastic bottle to fill at the lobby water fountain near the gender-neutral restroom. Canned water, glass, metal and hard-plastic containers and hard-sided coolers are prohibited.
Bags must be clear and no larger than 12 by 12 by 6 inches, or a non-clear clutch no larger than 6 by 9 inches; medically necessary bags and diaper bags are allowed but searched. Everyone passes through a metal detector. Small cameras that fit in a shirt pocket, strollers and poster tubes are fine; professional or detachable-lens cameras, GoPros, laptops, laser pointers, glow items, aerosols, pointed-tip umbrellas, signs larger than 8.5 by 11 inches and weapons are not.
Sound and sensory
Some performances run a no phone or video policy at the artist's request. At some of these, phones and recording devices go into a Yondr pouch at the door, with a supervised area if you need your phone in an emergency. Recording without approval from the artist's management is not permitted.
Recently at the Taft
Latest videos from the Taft
Quick answers
Is there parking at Taft Theatre?
No. The theatre has no car park, but several pay lots and garages are within walking distance, including the Central Riverfront Garage.
Can I get to Taft Theatre by streetcar?
Yes. The Cincinnati Bell Connector stops within walking distance of the theatre.
Is Taft Theatre wheelchair accessible?
Partly. Entrances and seating are ADA accessible and ADA seats are sold as an accessible space plus a companion seat, but there is no elevator and every balcony seat requires stairs. Ask for ADA seating when you buy your tickets.
What is the bag policy at Taft Theatre?
Clear bags up to 12 by 12 by 6 inches, or a small non-clear clutch up to 6 by 9 inches. Medically necessary bags and diaper bags are allowed but searched, and everyone passes through a metal detector.
Can I bring water into Taft Theatre?
Yes. You may bring up to two sealed, unfrozen non-alcoholic drinks in plastic bottles of up to 33.8 fl oz, or an empty soft plastic bottle to fill at the lobby water fountain. Canned water and glass are prohibited.
Is there re-entry at Taft Theatre?
No. There is no re-entry for any event, and there is no coat check either.
Are Taft Theatre shows all ages?
Yes, unless the event page says otherwise. Children aged two or younger get in free on a paying adult's lap, and strollers are allowed.
Does Taft Theatre serve alcohol?
Yes. Beer, wine, mixed drinks and non-alcoholic drinks are sold. Under Ohio law anyone drinking must show a valid, unexpired government photo ID.
A little history
For its final edition on September 23 and 24, 2017, MidPoint Music Festival moved onto four stages within a single downtown block: the Taft Theatre, the Ballroom at the Taft, and the Cathedral and Ballroom at the Cincinnati Masonic Center. The Taft box office doubled as the festival box office, gates opened at 2pm and the festival closed around midnight each night.