NEWPORT — Lobsters and crabs will take the place of spaghetti and ravioli this weekend as the Great Inland Seafood Festival takes up its new home on the Newport riverfront, the same location as this year's Newport Italian Festival.

        The seafood festival, which features about a dozen restaurants serving a variety of seafood, has been held for the past 14 years along the Cincinnati riverfront.

IF YOU GO

• What: Great Inland Seafood Festival.    • When: 5-11 p.m. today, noon-11 p.m. Saturday and noon-10 p.m. Sunday.     • Where: Newport's Riverboat Row, between the Taylor-Southgate and L&N bridges.    • Information: 684-4722.

        “This is another sign of how Newport is constantly moving ahead in efforts to revive its riverfront heritage and provide entertainment for the entire Greater Cincinnati area,” said Newport Mayor Tom Guidugli.

        The festival kicks off at 5 p.m. today with a parade celebrating the arrival of some 2,000 live lobsters from Maine. Mayor Guidugli, Covington Vice Mayor Jerry Bamberger and Bellevue Mayor Jack Meyer will lead the parade along Riverboat Row from the L&N Bridge to the floating entertainment stage.

        The area used for the festival stretches from the Taylor Southgate Bridge to the L&N Bridge, along the floodwall just below the Newport Aquarium.

        For the first time in about a dozen years, the Newport Italian Festival moved from the Newport Shopping Center to the riverfront in June, as did the Newport Arts and Music Festival in July.

        The Great Inland Seafood Festival regularly attracts 175,000 people over three days. Performers include:

        • The Little River Band, 8:30 p.m. tonight.

        • Dave Mason, 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

        • Otis Day and the Nights (from Animal House) 7:30 p.m. Sunday.        

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