Two great destinations have joined together–Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky–to better serve event planners and celebrate the offerings of this exceptional region. We met with the teams from Visit Cincy and meetNKY to learn more about this partnership and how they are uniquely suited to serve faith-based groups like yours!

What makes the Cincy Region a great place for faith-based meetings?

The Cincy Region is comprised of the communities of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky along the Ohio River. Bringing this region together as one destination gives planners options that span our unique cultures. We’re located where North meets South, and our engaged faith-based community loves to welcome guests. Both CVBs, Visit Cincy and meetNKY work together through a collaborative approach to provide ease and support to planners.

Attendees love to bring their entire families to religious meetings in the Cincy Region because of the wide variety of attractions and facilities that are fun for all ages.

What are some of the Cincy Region’s unique and major meeting spaces?

Our major meeting spaces include the Duke Energy Convention Center (DECC), the Northern Kentucky Convention Center, and the Sharonville Convention Center. Area arenas include Trust Arena at Northern Kentucky University, the Heritage Bank Arena in downtown Cincinnati, the Cintas Center at Xavier University, and Fifth Third Arena at the University of Cincinnati.

There are also many unique meeting spaces in our religious centers, cultural institutions, and attractions. One example is The Answers Center, a 2,500 seat state-of-the-art auditorium located at the Ark Encounter. This venue is ideal for faith-based groups to host meetings and special events of all kinds.

What are some nearby cultural and recreational experiences that faith-based groups would enjoy?

As a home for many religious events, the Cincy Region has some unique attractions that will have visitors singing our praises. Groups and leisure travelers come from all over the world to experience the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum in Northern Kentucky. In fact, based on research conducted by Answers in Genesis, over 92% of Ark and museum guests come from outside the region. Just a 40-mile interstate drive from downtown Cincinnati, these faith-based experiences are a day’s drive for almost 2/3 of Americans (190 million people) and millions of Canadians (the Canadian border is five hours away).

The Ark Encounter is a one-of-a-kind historical-themed attraction, with a life-size Noah’s Ark as the centerpiece–the largest timber-frame building in the world! The Ark stands over 80 feet high and is 510 feet long! Inside of the Ark, guests are entertained and immersed in biblical-themed interactive exhibits, complete with life-like animals and lots of family-friendly fun. The Ark Encounter grounds also have a zoo and one of America’s largest restaurant, the 1,500-seat Emzara’s Kitchen.

The Creation Museum is a state-of-the-art, 75,000 square-foot facility that aims to bring the pages of the Bible to life. The museum has many exhibits and attractions including: a Walk-Through History, the Special Effects Theater, botanical gardens, a petting zoo, Stargazer’s Planetarium, and the exhilarating Screaming Raptor Zip Lines!

Visitors are also encouraged not to miss St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption located in Covington, KY. This historic structure was elevated to the rank of a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1953 and is an architectural marvel to behold.

What are some new or upcoming enhancements to the Cincy Region that event planners should know about?

There’s so much happening in the Cincy Region! Here are a few noteworthy enhancements:

In Cincinnati, a local non-profit development organization has been tapped to re-image, design and develop a Cincinnati Convention District. Plans are progressing, and include enhancements to the DECC, and the construction of a long-awaited headquarter convention hotel.

On the Northern Kentucky side of the Cincy Region, the Ark Encounter is encouraging visitors to stay longer in the area with a Bouncer Pass. Over a seven-day period, guests can visit the Ark and museum three times, leaving additional time for them to enjoy other attractions in the region. Forthcoming additions to the Ark include a Tower of Babel attraction that, in part, will address the issue of racism. In addition, the Ararat Ridge Zoo behind the Ark continues to grow with the addition of new animals, and soon a new children’s zoo.

At the Creation Museum, a new 1,000-seat auditorium opened on April 24 and construction will begin soon on a large Conservatory as part of the beautiful botanic gardens.

The world’s largest Christian music festival is coming to the Ark Encounter for 40 Days and 40 Nights, August 2 through September 10, 2022. Abraham Productions will be presenting dozens of gospel music artists live from the 2,500-seat Answers Center at the Ark Encounter, south of Cincinnati.