A love letter to Cincinnati: inside CityBeat’s 2026 Annual Manual

A longstanding CityBeat tradition returns with this year’s Annual Manual — a guide celebrating the people, places, experiences and rituals that make Cincinnati uniquely Cincinnati. In previous years we’ve taken you on a guided tour of the city’s diverse neighborhoods and a bucket list of Queen City adventures. This year, we re back with a deep dive into the quintessential experiences that make this region matchless, written by Cincinnatians, for Cincinnatians. It’s a celebration of who we truly are: our museums, musicians, bars, restaurants, parks, people and weird quirks deserve to shine. Whether you want to show your Queen City pride, find your tribe, go on an adventure or lie low for a bit, there’s a spot for you here in the Paris of America. From a guide to Cincy’s live music scene to an only-in-Cincinnati food tour to a mini road trip, our CityBeat staff and members of the community have crafted a love letter of sorts to our humble Porkopolis. This is by no means in