By FOX19 Digital Staff
Published: May. 5, 2023 at 6:56 AM EDT|Updated: May. 5, 2023 at 7:48 AM EDT
CINCINNATI (WXIX) - The 25th annual Flying Pig Marathon kicks off this weekend with 10 races, an annual expo, a family fun festival and Victory Party.
It all kicks off at noon Friday with the Fitness Expo at Duke Energy Convention Center.
The first race of the weekend, 50 West Mile, starts at 7 p.m. at the Riverfront Transit Tunnel.
The Flying Pig festivities kick off today at the P&G Health Expo at the Duke Energy Convention Center! We’re LIVE on @FOX19 with a sneak peak! pic.twitter.com/2vY24olKvV
— Jordan Vilines (@JordanVilinesTV) May 5, 2023
Here’s everything you need to know, from the lineup of events and places to watch to parking and road closures.
WEATHER
Lots of sunshine with highs in the 70s on both Friday and Saturday.
Overnight lows will be in the upper 50s.
Showers and thunderstorms are possible Sunday, according to the FOX19 NOW Weather Team.
It will be mostly cloudy otherwise with highs in the upper 70s.
FOX19 NOW Weekend Forecast
— Ethan Emery FOX19 (@EthanEmeryWX) May 5, 2023The @RunFlyingPig will have cooperative weather for most of the races and events in downtown Cincinnati! Saturday will be dry & warm!
Rain chances arrive later Sunday morning - details on the @FOX19 #FirstAlert Weather app! #Cincinnati #cincywx #FlyingPigMarathon #Cincy pic.twitter.com/aSdeCSOEei
PARKING
Here are the parking guides for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, along with driving directions
ROAD CLOSURES
Road closures will begin at 9 a.m. Friday and last through most of Sunday.
See the complete list of road closures here.
Mehring Way will be closed most of the weekend.
So will Elm Street and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge.
Other roads will shut down for portions of Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
FRIDAY
The Fifty West One Mile Sprint begins at 7 p.m.
These streets will close at 6:30 p.m. and reopen around 10 p.m.
- E Pete Rose Way closed between Broadway and Johnny Bench Way
- Mehring Way closed between E Pete Rose Way and Elm Street
- Ramp LL closed (Second Street east ramp to E Peter Rose Way)
- Joe Nuxhall Way closed south of Second Street
- Johnny Bench Way closed
- Roebling Suspension Bridge closed
SATURDAY
The 10K run, 5K, Kids 1K, Pig Abilities and Flying Fur will all be held.
These streets will close starting at 6:30 a.m. through 3 p.m.:
- Mehring Way between Freeman Avenue and E Pete Rose Way
- Linn Street between Fifth Street and Gest Street
- Gest Street between Third Street and Mehring Way
- Third Street between Gest Street and Broadway
- Third Street ramp from SB I-71
- Third Street ramp from WB Columbia Pkwy
- Clay Wade Bailey Bridge
- Roebling Suspension Bridge
- W Pete Rose Way between Gest Street and Central Avenue
- Central Avenue south of Third Street
- Broadway Street south of Fourth Street
- Fourth Street between Broadway and Pike streets (single lane maintained for resident access)
- Pike Street between Third and Fourth streets (local access maintained)
- Third Street between Eggleston Avenue and Pike Street (local resident access maintained)
- Culvert Street between Third and Reedy streets
- Reedy Street between Broadway Street and Eggleston Avenue
- Seventh Street between Broadway and Culvert streets
- New Street between Broadway and Culvert streets
- Sentinel Street between Fifth Street and Eggleston Avenue
- SB Eggleston Avenue between Reedy Street and E. Pete Rose Way
- Taylor Southgate Bridge (reopens at 11 a.m.)
- Elm Street south of Second Street (11 a.m.-1 p.m.)
- Race Street south of Second Street (11 a.m.-1 p.m.)
- Rosa Parks Street south of Second Street (11 a.m.-1 p.m.)
- Marian Spencer Way south of Second Street (11 a.m.-1 p.m.)
- Joe Nuxhall Way south of Second Street (11 a.m.-1 p.m.)
SUNDAY
These roads will all close, some as early as 1 a.m.:
- Mehring Way between Central Avenue and Joe Nuxhall Way
- Elm Street south of Second Street
- Freedom Way between Elm and Race streets
- Second Street
- Joe Nuxhall Way between Mehring Way and Third Street
- Broadway Street south of Third Street
- Taylor Southgate Bridge
- Roebling Suspension Bridge
- Clay Wade Bailey Bridge
- Third Street between Gest Street and Central Avenue
- NB Gest Street between Mehring Way and Linn Street
- Seventh Street between Central and Gilbert avenues (vehicles from the garage at Seventh and Broadway will be permitted to exit at Seventh Street and continue across Broadway to E Seventh St)
- Seventh Street exit from SB I-75
- Central Avenue between Seventh and Sixth streets
- Plum Street between Eighth and Seventh streets
- Elm Street between Sixth and Seventh streets
- Race Street between Garfield Place and Seventh Street
- Vine Street between Sixth and Seventh streets
- Walnut Street between Eighth and Seventh streets
- Main Street between Sixth and Seventh streets
- Sycamore Street between Eighth and Seventh streets
- Broadway Street between Sixth and Seventh streets
- NB Gilbert Avenue between Seventh Street and Martin Luther King Drive
- Gilbert Avenue between Elsinore Place and Eden Park Drive
- Eden Park Drive between Gilbert Avenue and Victory Parkway
- Fulton Avenue between Nassau Street and Eden Park Drive
- Art Museum Drive between Ida Street and Eden Park Drive
- Lake Drive
- NB Victory Parkway between Eden Park Drive and McMillan Avenue
- McMillan Avenue between Victory Parkway and Woodburn Avenue
- Woodburn Avenue between McMillan Avenue and Madison Road
- EB Madison Road between Woodburn and Erie avenues
- EB Erie Avenue between Madison Road and Bramble Avenue
- NB Paxton Avenue between Observatory and Erie avenues
- EB Murray Avenue between Erie and LaCrosse avenues
- EB Bramble Avenue between Erie and Settle avenues
The race will go into Mariemont and Fairfax before returning on WB U.S. 50/Columbia Parkway.
CLOSED:
- US-50/Columbia Parkway WB curb lane between the city of Cincinnati line and Eastern Avenue off-ramp (WB US-50 ramp to Eastern Avenue)
- Red Bank Road ramp to WB Columbia Parkway
- WB Eastern Avenue between Columbia Parkway and Stanley Avenue
- SB Stanley Avenue between Eastern Avenue and Kellogg Avenue
- WB Kellogg Avenue between Stanley Avenue and Worth Street
- EB Riverside Drive between E Pete Rose Way and Worth Street
- EB East Pete Rose Way between Johnny Bench Way and Riverside Drive
- Mehring Way between Central Avenue and E Pete Rose Way
The Half Marathon will follow the same course out but will turn back at Woodburn Avenue and Madison Road.
CLOSED
- EB Madison Road between Victory Parkway and Woodburn Avenue
- EB Martin Luther King Drive between Gilbert Avenue and Victory Parkway
- NB Gilbert Avenue between Eden Park Drive and ML King
- Sinton Avenue between Gilbert Avenue and Nassau Street
- Nassau Street between Sinton Avenue and Gilbert Avenue
- Morris Street between Deerfield Place and Gilbert Avenue
- Deerfield Place to through traffic between Gilbert Avenue and Morris Street
- Elsinore Place between Reading Road and Gilbert Avenue
- Reading Road northbound between Central Parkway and Elsinore Place
- Central Parkway between Eggleston Avenue and Vine Street
- Eggleston Avenue southbound between Central Parkway and E Pete Rose Way
- Eggleston Avenue- northbound between Third Street and Broadway
Both races will finish on Mehring Way beneath and just west of the Suspension Bridge
WHERE TO WATCH
Viewing parties will be held Sunday at:
- Moerlein Lager House - Opens at 6 a.m. with breakfast buffet. Brunch service is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call or go online to make a reservation.
- Bean and Barley - Opens at 7 a.m. with live entertainment, sign-making stations and giveaways. There also will be drink specials and specialty co*cktails made with BIG ICE’s limited edition “Piggy Ice.”
- Fulton Yards Coffeehouse & Spirits - Opens at 8 a.m. with live music
- Woodburn Brewing - Opens at 6 a.m. with bacon fat washed “Irish” coffees, “Breakfast Sandwich Bloodies,” mimosa flights and “A-pig-erol Spritzes!”
Spectator Party Zones:
- Seventh and Elm Streets Marathon/Half Marathon Mile 4.5
- Springer School in O’Bryonville - Marathon Mile 9.2
- East End on Delta Avenue - Marathon Mile 21
- Central Parkway Area - Half Marathon Mile 11
- Hyde Park Square - Marathon Mile 11
Viewing the Start, Finish, and Downtown Course Locations:
The start is on Elm Street between Second Street and Mehring Way. After the start, go north (toward downtown) on Elm Street to 7th Street and watch the runners at mile 5. To watch runners in the half marathon, follow the runners east on 7th Street to Walnut Street toward the river and the Roebling Suspension Bridge. The finish line is on Mehring Way near the Roebling Suspension Bridge. To get to the post-race area, use the suspension bridge’s steps down to Smale Riverfront Park (address is 100 Ted Berry Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202.
For more information on viewing parties and party zones, click here.
Check out the Full Marathon Party Zone Pace Chart here.
VICTORY PARTY!
The party will feature live music all day Sunday at Smale Park on the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati.
It gets started early, at 8 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m.
This is a great place to reunite with your family and friends and celebrate all the accomplishments of the day.
Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
All Sunday race participants will receive a complimentary beer, thanks to Michelob Ultra. A
Don’t forget to stop by the Flying Pig merchandise tent where you can find official Flying Pig swag to commemorate your finish!
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