7-28-2025 12:19am

Spirit of America Gala to Launch America’s River Roots Festival

Beth Callahan Editor

Story courtesy of Game Day Communications

Three of Cincinnati’s most celebrated arts institutions will share the stage to celebrate our local and national musical roots and kick off America’s River Roots Festival. The Spirit of America Gala, Tuesday, Oct. 7 at Music Hall, is the star-studded start of the America’s River Roots Festival, a five-day, three-city celebration of the region’s cultural, culinary and musical heritage.

This one-night-only performance brings together three of Cincinnati’s iconic arts organizations – the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Cincinnati Ballet, and Cincinnati Opera – for a genre-spanning showcase that honors the rhythms, stories and voices that have shaped America.

“Cincinnati is a music city,” said John Morris Russell, conductor of the Cincinnati Pops. “The riverboats that helped build our city brought with them musical traditions that settled in the Ohio River Valley and morphed into the styles that define America: bluegrass, gospel, blues, jazz, rockabilly, R&B, soul and funk. The Spirit of America Gala celebrates that legacy with a program as diverse and fun-loving as this place we call home.”

From Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man to Mamie Smith’s Crazy Blues to the Isley Brothers’ Shout!, the performance will move through classical, blues, jazz, country and R&B, showcasing musical artists and traditions unique to Cincinnati.

The event will feature:

Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, conducted by John Morris Russell
Cincinnati Opera vocalists Michael Preacely and Noël Walton
Dancers from Cincinnati Ballet performing George Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes Pas de Deux
Tributes to music recorded at the Herzog Studio and King Records by Hank Williams, Hank Ballard and James Brown

The “Spirit of America Gala” launches America’s River Roots Festival on Tuesday, Oct. 7 from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. in Music Hall’s Springer Auditorium. Tickets start at $51.25 and are available at CincinnatiArts.org.

America’s River Roots, Oct. 8-12, is a signature event to kick off America’s 250th celebration. This free, five-day festival takes place in Cincinnati, Covington and Newport. More than one million people are expected to attend, soaking in sips, sounds and flavors through music, cuisine, culture and cruises that celebrate our nation's river cities and the Cincy Region.

The Title Sponsor of America's River Roots Festival is First Financial Bank. The Event Presenters are OneNKY Alliance, altafiber, Cintas, Kroger, P&G, TQL, and Western & Southern. The Official Travel Partners are AAA and Provident Travel. New Riff Distilling is the Official Bourbon of America's River Roots. The Official Automotive Partner is Toyota. The Festival is produced in collaboration with the Cities of Cincinnati, Covington and Newport, Hamilton County, Cincinnati Parks, Cincinnati Museum Center and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.