Midpoint Music Festival:

Everyone knows that Cincinnati is no rival to New York

or Chicago when it comes to entertainment. Sometimes you have to look closely to find artistic jewels in the Queen city. But every year in September, downtown comes alive during the Midpoint Music Festival. From Sept. 22-24, exotic acts from England, Australia and Canada as well as local favorites are performed across 18 stages downtown.

A $49 wristband granted access to all shows of the festival, which is a pretty good deal if you know how to plan. With shows starting at 7:30 p.m. and lasting until after midnight, it's easy to make it to four or five shows in a night. In addition to great music, the fest abounds with swag. Busken Bakery was there every night handing out free downloads and donuts, and the Hanke Building was stocked with free Vitamin Water for everyone. Best of all, the festival is more than just a regular concert, it's like a party and a concert combined. Visitors get the chance to mingle

with performers and enjoy the night-time commute between

venues. It's a great chance to acquaint yourself with downtown and the local music scene. And though

the festival is finished for this year, many of the performers visit Cincinnati regularly. You can catch local seasoned

veterans like Banderas, The Lions Rampant, the keetones, The Harlequins and many more any weekend of the year. Check CityBeat next year for info on Midpoint 2012.