This June, Bunbury Music Festival will be taking over Cincinnati, OH! For seven years, Bunbury has recruited some of the biggest names to play the beautiful Cincinnati riverfront. Although a lot has changed in those seven years, the magic of Bunbury always remains. To make your weekend easier, I have gathered all the important information to make your festival weekend that much better. Here’s your guide to Bunbury 2018!
WHAT
Bunbury Festival is a three-day music festival in Cincinnati, OH. This year, more than 40 bands are slated to perform across three stages. The name is inspired by Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Ernest”, where a “Bunbury” is an excuse to get out of something you don’t want to do. In other words, drop everything, and go to Bunbury instead.
WHERE
Cincinnati, OH! More specifically, Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove, right on the beautiful Ohio River.
WHEN
Bunbury Music Festival will take place June 1, 2, and 3, 2018.
Festival gates open at noon on Friday and Saturday and at 1pm on Sunday.
WHO
The lineup this year is incredible! Jack White, Fitz and the Tantrums, and Young the Giant – just to name a few. Check out my post on the 28 Songs I Hope to Hear at Bunbury 2018! And check out the full lineup here!
WHAT TO EXPECT
Good music. Good beer. Good times. Need I say more? …Ok I’ll say a little more. Along with the good music and good beer, Bunbury also has dozens of delicious food vendors: BBQ, Indian food, lemonade stands, ice cream, everything you could want. They also have a number of booths for apparel brands, jewelry, posters, and more!
HOW TO GET TICKETS
Buying tickets is easy! Just head over to the Bunbury website or go straight to Ticketmaster!
Single-day passes are also available for purchase during the festival weekend in the Sawyer Point parking lot (705 E. Pete Rose Way). The festival box office is open:
Friday, June 1: 11am-10pm
Saturday, June 2: 11am-10pm
Sunday, June 3: 12pm-10pm
WHAT IT COSTS
• Single-Day Pass – $79
• Three-Day General Admission pass – $179
• Three-Day VIP Tickets: $450
• Three-Day ULTIMATE VIP Tickets: $1,399
WHAT DOES VIP GET YOU?
• Separate VIP festival entrance (less time in line means more time at the beer garden!)
• Exclusive stage-front viewing area at each main stage (make eye contact with your favorite artists)
• Lockers with charging stations – first come, first serve (charging stations = more battery life for selfies)
• Complimentary food/water (snacks on snacks on snacks)
• Private bar with discounted drink prices (we like cheap drinks and short lines!)
• Private, upgraded restroom facilities (the FANCY port-o-johns)
• Air-conditioned hospitality tent featuring DJ Etrayn spinning between main stage sets to keep the party going! (Air conditioning?! Enough said.)
• Complimentary VIP WiFi and other amenities (better wifi to post your pictures!)
Ultimate VIP includes all of the above PLUS:
• Side stage viewing access at each main stage (pending artist approval)
• 4 drink tickets per day
• Daily complimentary festival parking
WHAT TO BRING
Let’s start with the most important thing – HYDRATION! Bunbury offers free water stations, so you can bring an empty plastic bottle and camel backs to fill once you are there. You are also allowed one sealed 20-oz. bottle of water.
Check out my other posts to help with your packing!
WHERE TO STAY
There is no camping at Bunbury, so hotels and Airbnb’s are your best bet. Airbnb’s are always a great option, but I personally prefer staying in hotels for music festivals. After a long day of sweating and being in the sun, it’s so nice to come back to a room with fresh towels, and clean sheets every night.
• FEATURED HOTEL: Radisson Hotel Riverfront Cincinnati – 2.2 miles away
I will be staying right across the river, at the lovely Radisson Hotel Riverfront! I love this place because every room has a balcony, and there’s nothing I love more than waking up and having a cup of coffee on the balcony. Not to mention their stunning view of the Cincinnati skyline.
• Residence Inn by Mariott – 0.4 miles away
• ALoft (Newport KY) – 0.7 miles away
• AC Hotel by Mariott – 0.7 miles away
• Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown – 0.8 miles away
• 21C – 0.9 miles away
• The Westin Cincinnati – 0.9 miles away
• Hilton Cincinnati – 0.9 miles away
• Hampton Inn and Suites – 1.0 miles away
• Homewood Suites by Hilton – 1.0 miles away
• The Cincinnatian Hotel – 1.0 miles away
• Hyatt Regency – 1.1 miles away
• Millenium Hotel – 1.1 miles away
• Comfort Suites (Newport, KY) – 1.3 miles away
• Embassy Suites by Hilton – 1.5 miles away
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This post is sponsored by Bunbury Music Festival. All opinions are my own.
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I have never been to this festival, sounds awesome though, great lineup! Thanks for the information.
You’re very welcome! Hope you can make it!
Bunbury has such an interesting lineup! That makes it good though, so you don’t feel like you’re listening to the same music all day. Jack White is excellent live!
I totally agree! And I can’t wait to see Jack White! I’ve never seen him live! <3
Never been to a festival but this one looks amazing, my brother in law would love it he’s always going to festivals here in the UK
It’s a great starter festival if you’ve never been to one!
Whoa! I’ve never been to a big music festival like this before but sounds like a fun lineup.
You should definitely try to make it! I love Bunbury so much because it’s a fun lineup, but the festival itself isn’t TOO big! It’s the Goldilocks of festivals lol
Ooooo! This makes me want to head to Cincinnati for Banbury this year! Thanks for getting all the info and details in one place!! The line up looks awesome!
Make the trip! You won’t regret it, I promise! <3
Some big names on this festival, wow 🙂 I live far away from there but would like to partecipate too. Thanks for all your useful tips.
It will be worth the trip, I promise!
Hoolllly this looks like a friggin time and a half!! Fitz & The Tantrums? Third Eye Blind?? I wish I either lived closer or had a million bucks haha. Thanks for the info, this will be on my radar for when my business starts to pick up and I can spend a little 🙂 Although to be fair, this is one of the most reasonably priced festivals I’ve ever come across, so kudos to that!
Right?! And yes, it’s definitely an affordable festival, which is a huuuge plus! Hope you can make it someday!
Incubus AND Blink 182, that’s a great line up! I live in the UK but hopefully the festival will still be running if I get the chance to visit Cincinnati someday 🙂
I have a feeling Bunbury will be around for yeeeaaars to come! Hope to see you there someday!
Wow, how fun to be a part of! I have been to hundreds of live music events but never to a festival.. this makes me think that maybe I should! Thanks for lighting some inspiration in me <3
Oh definitely. Bunbury is a great “starter festival” too if you’ve never been to one! It’s not too big, not too small, it’s juuust right! lol
Wow what a great post! With great information about how to get to the event. 🙂 Looks like it’ll be a blast!
Thank you!
I love Cincinnati but I’ve never heard of this festival. I stayed at the Symphony Hotel when I was there and I adored it. I am also a big Oscar Wilde fan, so I like how the festival got its name. I hope to go some day.
Cincinnati and Oscar Wilde <3
I’ve not attended this festival. Your description makes it look amazing. If I were in the area I would totally add it to my schedule. I’ll share it with my friends in the area. Have fun.
Thank you!
Sounds like a fun festival! Good food, good beer, good music – like you said, that’s all you need! Love that they have lots of yummy food vendors. I always get hungry when I’m on my constantly on my feet at a festival!
YES! I never PLAN on eating a lot at festivals, but some of the vendors are just sooo good. And how can you say no to a giant lemonade on a hot summer day?! lol
The music line up looks goo and the food sounds awesome. It’s going to be an amazing festival. It’s like sunburn which happens in Goa, India. I have never visited one and would love to someday.
I can’t wait – it’s going to be incredible <3
Oooh! This looks exciting.. 😍 beer and music is just perfect combination.. the lineup looks fancy too.. I do hope you enjoy the awesome festival.. do share your experience 💕
Absolutely! I will be posting daily recaps as well as a full weekend recap!
Sounds cool, with an awesome line up!
I know! Can’t wait!
This looks like a fantastic music festival. words, I love the name …drop everything, and go to Bunbury instead. Great music line up and when combined with good food, you are set for a fun time. Looking forward to the updates.
This looks like a fantastic music festival. words, I love the name …drop everything, and go to Bunbury instead. Great music line up and when combined with good food, you are set for a fun time. Looking forward to the updates.
That sounds like so much fun! I wish I lived closer so I could attend. Your post is filled with the best information for someone who is planning to go!
Well I will be posting daily recaps, so you can feel like you’re there! <3
Well Jack White, Incubus, Royal Blood….. i love them!
I just booked a couple of festivals here in Europe trying to find the time for a 3rd one!
Festivals are an amazing experience!
I’m going to three so far this year! I can’t get enough <3
Thanks for the post! Putting it on my want-to-visit list for the future!
Definitely!
Sounds like a great event! Would be the saturday for me as I’m a bit of an incubus fan! Thanks for sharing all this great info! 😊
Yasss! I am most excited for Saturday too.
That is a great lineup of artists! Another thing to add to my summer wishlist 🙂
YAS!
I also enjoy music festivals! This is a good info on Bunbury!
Music festivals are one of my favorite summer activities <3
I’ve never had a chance to go to this festival, but it sounds like an awesome time and line-up! I love the Oscar Wilde reference. Hope you have a great time!
I read The Importance of Being Earnest not too long ago and was like “I wonder if that’s where they got it from?” Turns out, it was!
I’ve never heard of Bunbury before! I go to Lolla every year and was just bummed that I can’t go this year because I’ll be out of town, so maybe I’ll try to make it out to Ohio for Bunbury. So glad I came across your post – thank you!!
Lolla is a little big for my taste. I love Bunbury because it’s not too big but not too small. You should definitely check it out! The midwest has some amazing festivals!
Awesome festival and great line-up. Looking forward for the music festivals to start also here (in Romania). Each year they get better and better 😀
I would LOVE to go to an international festival one day – see how they’re done differently! And you should come to Bunbury to see how WE do them lol
That is such helpul information for the people who would be attending this festival! The music line-up is exciting too.. I so wish I could hear chainsmokers live!!!
It’s been years since I was in such a huge festival. Lately, I prefer more intimate settings but these are great bands! Thanks for the list of hotels – super helpful!
I love Bunbury because it’s not too big or too small! I get overwhelmed at big festivals.
In all honesty, I’ve never been to a festival before. Recently, I’ve been thinking I’d like to though and this one seem’s great. Will definitely keep this in mind for the future.
Definitely! It’s a great “starter festival”.
I’ve never heard of this festival before! Looks like a great experience! I will look into attending.
For sure! It will be worth it!
I loveeee festivals but have never heard of this one – that lineup is amazing!
http://www.pearlsandparis.com
Look into it for sure! Ohio has some AWESOME festivals.
The midwest has the best summer festivals. Looks so fun.
It really does!
Wow this is such a great line-up, really old-school. Really wish I could go to this. I love Blink 182 and Incubus!
It really is! I love all the old school bands playing! I tend to like older music rather than newer music anyway! lol
I’m so surprised that I’ve never heard of this festival – especially with such a cool, diverse lineup.
I am obsessed with festivals and am even heading to Cincinnati this summer! Why oh why can’t I have been there this weekend instead?! Maybe I’ll have to start planning another trip.
Just start planning for next year 🙂
I love where the origin of the name “Bunbury” comes from. That alone would convince me to go! I’ve never been to Cinci (only driven through) but am from Detroit so this music festival isn’t too far from me. Actually, I have family in Kentucky, so this would be a fun meetup event for us to do! Maybe next year when we can plan ahead better. 🙂
Definitely! Cincy is totally on the way from Detroit to KY!
I’m based in EU and have never heard of this festival, but the line up looks decent! I’d totally visit if I was closer.
I’ve never actually been to a festival before. I’d like to one day though. Currently I’m based in London so this one isn’t an option for me, but it sounds great!
This is an amazing guide! Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it this year but who knows, maybe the next one 😊
Wow looks like a great musical festival. How i wish to be a part of it. Probably someday !thanks for sharing info
I always love hearing about new festivals! I live in the UK and there seem to be more every year which is great. I guess the same thing is happening in the US? I went to one this bank holiday weekend actually – just a one-day one in London – it was so much fun!
I had never heard about this festival before, but it seems like a lot of fun. Festivals are always great summer activities 🙂