Washington Park
Washington Park is an 8-acre public park at 1230 Elm Street in Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati, across from Music Hall, with a performance stage, civic lawn, event plaza and a restored historic bandstand. A 450-space underground garage beneath the park is staffed around the clock, with an $8 flat rate on weekday evenings and weekends and special event rates on busy nights. The park is open 6am to 11pm, the Porch sells beer and soft drinks, and glass, your own alcohol, grills and smoking are all banned.
Before you go
- Capacity
- 8 acres
- Indoor or outdoor
- Outdoor: performance stage, civic lawn, event plaza and bandstand
- Official site
- washingtonpark.org
- Next festival here
- Casper Karma Yoga Fest, Expected August
Worth knowing before you go
- Special event rates apply in the garage on busy nights; paying on arrival gets you out faster.
- Pay at the pay-on-foot machines in the elevator lobbies before you walk back to the car.
- Restrooms at Race Street open 9am to 11pm; the Elm Street ones open only during events.
- The playground restrooms are for children and parents using the playground only.
- Smoking and tobacco are banned everywhere in the park, and so are glass containers.
Festivals here
Venue basics: 450-space garage under the park, 24/7 · $8 flat rate evenings and weekends · Open 6am to 11pm.
Is it for you
Choose it if
- You want an outdoor stage and lawn in the middle of Over-the-Rhine with a garage right underneath.
- You are bringing children: there is a playground, a water park and free play equipment.
- You want a bar on site: the Porch serves local beer and soft drinks.
Think twice if
- You want to bring your own drinks or a picnic grill: alcohol, glass and open flames are banned.
- You plan to stay late: the park closes at 11pm.
- You are planning to camp: tents are prohibited without a permit.
Getting there and parking
Washington Park is at 1230 Elm Street in Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati, across Elm Street from Music Hall and next to the School for Creative and Performing Arts.
A 450-space, two-level underground garage beneath the park is open and staffed 24 hours a day, with entrances on Race Street at 13th Street and on Elm Street opposite Music Hall. Rates run from $4 for the first hour to $15 for over 6 hours, with an $8 flat rate on weekday evenings after 4pm and at weekends (up to 8 hours), and special event rates on busy nights. Pay at the pay-on-foot machines in any of the three elevator lobbies before you return to the car, then feed the paid ticket into the exit machine.
Free bike parking is on the east side of the first garage level, and three bike racks stand at the 13th Street entrance; riding bikes in the park is not allowed. The park is open 6am to 11pm and closed overnight except to reach the garage or under a permit.
Accessibility
The garage has three broad stairwells and glass elevator shafts at the northeast corner, the northwest corner and opposite the Music Hall entrance. During events, staff can open electrical outlets for charging medically necessary devices: ask at the Washington Park Porch, or find a 3CDC operations staff member when the Porch is closed.
Confirm your specific needs with the venue before you travel (washingtonpark.org).
Camping
We don't yet have confirmed information about camping at Washington Park. The venue's own pages are the place to check: washingtonpark.org.
Food, water and what you can bring
The Porch is the park's bar and concessions spot, a large shaded deck with tables, life-sized games and cornhole, serving Coca-Cola products and beer from Rhinegeist, Christian Moerlein, Bud Light and Fifty West. Bars and restaurants fill the streets around the park.
Without a permit the park bans alcohol, glass containers, grills and open flames, tents and other structures, amplified sound, vehicles, bikes, skateboards and scooters, and smoking and tobacco are prohibited throughout. Recycling bins for glass, plastic and paper sit beside every trash can.
Public restrooms are at Race Street (9am to 11pm daily), Elm Street (during events) and the Children's Playground (9am to 10pm, playground users only), with attendants inside during larger events.
Sound and sensory
Security cameras cover the garage and park and are monitored from the garage office and the Cincinnati Police Emergency Operations Center. The interactive water feature runs with lights and sound, there is free Smart Cincy Wi-Fi across the park, and movable patio umbrellas offer shade when the sun is overhead.
Families get a children's playground with free play equipment to check out from a Play Worker, an interactive water park and a dog park; dogs must be leashed outside the dog park.
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Quick answers
Where do I park for Washington Park?
In the 450-space underground garage beneath the park, open and staffed 24 hours a day, with entrances on Race Street at 13th and on Elm Street opposite Music Hall.
How much is parking at Washington Park?
$4 for the first hour up to $15 for over 6 hours, with an $8 flat rate on weekday evenings after 4pm and at weekends for up to 8 hours. Special event rates can apply on busy nights.
What are Washington Park's opening hours?
6am to 11pm. The park is closed overnight except to reach the garage or under a permit.
Can I bring alcohol into Washington Park?
No. Alcohol and glass containers are banned without a permit; the Porch sells beer and soft drinks.
Is Washington Park accessible?
Partly. Glass elevators serve the garage at three points, and during events staff can open outlets at the Porch for charging medically necessary devices. We don't yet have confirmed information about accessible routes and seating at Washington Park. The venue's own pages at washingtonpark.org are the place to check.
Can I camp at Washington Park?
No. Tents and other structures are prohibited without a permit, and the park is closed from 11pm to 6am.
Is Washington Park good for children?
Yes. There is a children's playground with free play equipment from a Play Worker, an interactive water park, playground restrooms open 9am to 10pm and free Wi-Fi.
A little history
The City of Cincinnati acquired the land in 1855 and built the park in the 1860s with bandstands, benches, fountains, a pond and swimming pools. After decades of decline through Prohibition, the Depression and the rest of the twentieth century, a $48 million renovation by the City, the Cincinnati Park Board and 3CDC, begun in 2011, expanded it to 8 acres, added the underground garage, stage and civic lawn, and reopened it in July 2012.
The park now hosts more than 400 events a year, from live music to public markets and fitness classes.