World Choir Games

[tntnb]

I'm planning on taking the kids downtown at lunchtime today to soak up some of the Games atmosphere. I presume Fountain Square would be a good starting point...those of you who are more in the know, are there other places where you've seen our visitors hanging out? Or should we just walk around and see what we see?

[flashes1]

Originally Posted by tntnb

I'm planning on taking the kids downtown at lunchtime today to soak up some of the Games atmosphere. I presume Fountain Square would be a good starting point...those of you who are more in the know, are there other places where you've seen our visitors hanging out? Or should we just walk around and see what we see?

Yea, start at Fountain Square and walk up 5th Street to the Covention Center-----talk to other attendees along the way about where some of the hotspots are today-----many are wearing badges around the necks in the form of a "necklace". Have you looked online where the big events are today? That would be my other suggestion. Lots of "Downtown Ambassadors" wearing bright orange shirts would be another good source of information.

[progmac]

Originally Posted by tntnb

I'm planning on taking the kids downtown at lunchtime today to soak up some of the Games atmosphere. I presume Fountain Square would be a good starting point...those of you who are more in the know, are there other places where you've seen our visitors hanging out? Or should we just walk around and see what we see?

fyi, there is a concert at the presbyterian church on 8th & elm today at noon.

[Crew Chief]

I'm sorry that the probability of us making it down to the WCG is pretty slim. I truly am glad Cincinnati is the host this year. I WOULD like to attend some of the performances (even more than any athletic contest in those two stadiums on the river...) And ANY event is a gamble for vendors and others who hope to capitalize on it. Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose. That's life.

[jjakucyk]

Here's some photos of yesterday's Celebration of Nations Parade. It started off a bit slow, but the crowd was great and the excitement really picked up as the various nations showed off their stuff.

http://www.jjakucyk.com/wcg/

[motorman]

^ A wonderful collection of photos documenting this once-in-a-lifetime Cincinnati event, jjakucyk--thanks for posting!

[abr7rmj]

Previous estimates that the World Choir Games would generate a $73.5 million economic impact are being revised, because that number is too low.

Frankly, this event is a game-changer for Cincinnati. Not only the dollars being pumped into the city/region, but the overwhelmingly positive impressions that visitors are taking back with them to points across the country and around the globe. Case in point: I was in Washington Park yesterday afternoon and a couple from Peru were smiling, laughing and playing with the water fountains before relaxing under the giants trees. They lingered in the park so long that I had a chance to ask them where they were from and welcome them to Cincinnati. They couldn't have been having a better time if they tried.

I also walked through Macy's after noticing dozens of people walking around downtown carrying the red and white Macy's bags. Inside - I only walked through the first floor - people were buying items left and right: perfume, jewelry, one large group was practically emptying out the shoe department on their own. I couldn't tell where they were from but you could easily see their WCG lanyards and shirts.

Outside, a woman was smiling in front of the Tiffany & Co. corner door at Fifth and Vine while a man was snapping multiple pictures of her in multiple poses. The Tiffany door is something we see regularly downtown and don't pay much attention to it, but for a visitor who's only heard the famed name in movies, I can understand why that door was so special.

And those scenes are repeating themselves all over the city.

World Choir Games makes big economic impact | Money - WLWT Home

[kjbrill]

The WCG is ending up being one of the best things to ever happen to Cincinnati. In addition to the large number of choirs and thousands of foreign visitors to Cincinnati, many of which may be their only visit to the US in their lifetime, we also saw quite a number of domestic US choirs likely making their first visit to the Queen City.

So Cincy is a winner in more than one avenue. The foreign visitors will return home with a definite impression of the US which only a city like Cincinnati can make. The domestic participants will take back home an impression of a happening City on the banks of the Ohio. Cincinnati wins in all sequiturs.

I read some 5,000 volunteers helped to make this event a success. Thanks to all of you and thanks to Cincinnati for being a worthy host city.