TALL STACKS GUIDE

Planning your visit General information:  • Getting there  • Rules  • Tickets  • Weather forecast Schedules:  • Daily events  • Concerts & theater  • Sawyertown (Kids)  • On the Kentucky side Cincinnati.Com's Tall Stacks section

Park and Ride

Bus Shuttles

• General Electric in Evendale (operated by Metro): 5:30 a.m. to midnight daily.

From I-75 North: take Exit 13, (follow Neumann Way to General Electric Gate #10).

From I-75 South: take Exit 14, (follow Neumann Way, turn right at General Electric Sign to Gate #27).

$5 round trip; $3 round trip per child

• Turfway Park in Erlanger (operated by TANK): 5 a.m. to midnight daily.

From I-75, take Exit 182, follow the signs to Turfway Park Race Track.

$5 round trip; $3 round trip per child

Drop off: All Park and Ride buses will drop off at the Transit Center under Second Street between Elm and Main streets, downtown. It is a 2-5 block walk from the Transit Center to Tall Stacks, depending on your drop-off point in the Transit Center.

• Other shuttles

Southbank Shuttle: TANK will extend hours and expand service for the Southbank Shuttle, which circles through Newport, Cincinnati and Covington. Check the TANK Web site for more information and a detailed route map, www.tankbus.org

$1 per trip

Metro Downtown Shuttle: Metro will offer a shuttle between Tall Stacks and downtown parking lots. For a list of downtown parking, go to www.gototown.com and click on "Getting There."

50 cents per trip

Parking

• Downtown Cincinnati:

There are approximately 30,000 parking spaces in downtown Cincinnati. Parking will be tight today because of downtown workers. For a list, go to www.gototown.com and click on "Getting There."

• Parking in Newport:

Parking is available at Newport on the Levee and lots throughout downtown Newport. For a map, go towww.come2newport.com. In Newport, visit the Tall Stacks site at Taylor Park and below the Levee.

To get to Cincinnati from Newport, take the River Taxi located below the Levee or walk across the Purple People Bridge. River taxi: $5 round trip.

• Parking in Covington:

The Kenton County Parking Garage, the RiverCenter Garage and the Marriott Garage are close to Tall Stacks. For a map of the Covington Riverfront, go to www.nkycc.com/images/boothmap_full.jpg.

To get to Newport, take the Licking River Taxi to Taylor Park. It leaves below Riverside Drive and costs $5 round trip. You may also take TANK's Southbank Shuttle from Covington to Newport and/or Cincinnati. $1 per trip.

Accommodations for the mobility-impaired

Many, but not all, Park and Ride buses are accessible.

Tall Stacks will provide transportation from the Second Street Transit Center entrance at the top of Second Street to the site for patrons with mobility impairments. Space is limited, therefore each patron may be limited to one companion during peak hours of operation.

TANK's RAMP service and METRO's Access service are also available. For more information, go to www.tankbus.org or www.sorta.com/RidingMetro/accessibility.html

A limited number of handicap parking spaces will be available at parking lots surrounding the event site and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Drop-off locations for those with disabilities:

Patrons with disabilities can be dropped off at the Butler Street "turn around" off Pete Rose Way (next to the Montgomery Inn Conference Center).

Daily schedule

Today

5:30 a.m.-midnight - Metro Park and Ride facility at General Electric in Evendale.

6 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. - TANK operates the Tall Stacks Park and Ride facility at Turfway Park racetrack.

6-9 a.m. - Morning in-dock riverboat tours (Tour Ticket required to board the riverboats)

9 a.m. - Festival gates open

9 a.m. - Sawyertown activities begin

10 a.m.-8 p.m. - River Industry Exhibits open. Located on the Newport side of Tall Stacks.

10 a.m. to 10 p.m. - River Taxi operates, ferrying passengers between Cincinnati and Newport. $5 per person round trip.

10 a.m.-8 p.m. - Newport Barracks and Encampment, Taylor Park in Newport.

10 a.m. - Beginning of the Ohio Bicentennial Bell Casting, Cincinnatus Statue area.

4 p.m. - Ohio Bicentennial Bell Casting Ceremony, Cincinnatus Statue.

7:45 p.m. - Fireworks.

Stage schedule

9:30 a.m. - Children's Theatre performs Tom Sawyer, Great American Insurance Stage at Yeatman's Cove.

10 a.m. - Christopher Janney performs "Winter's Breath," National Steamboat Monument (monument's sculptor plays an original composition on the "whistle-grove")

11 a.m. - Tom Sawyer, Great American Insurance Stage at Yeatman's Cove.

Noon - "Winter's Breath," National Steamboat Monument.

12:30 p.m. - Tom Sawyer, Great American Insurance Stage at Yeatman's Cove.

5:50 p.m. - Goshorn Brothers, Great American Insurance Stage at Yeatman's Cove.

6:10 p.m. - The Jayhawks, American Financial Stage at P&G Pavilion.

6:15 p.m. - Blue Birds, Public Landing Stage.

6:50 p.m. - Latin X-posure, Great American Insurance Stage at Yeatman's Cove.

7 p.m. - "Winter's Breath," National Steamboat Monument.

7:50 p.m. - Lucinda Williams, American Financial Stage at P&G Pavilion.

7:55 p.m. - Phil DeGreg, Public Landing Stage.

7:55 p.m. - Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Great American Insurance Stage at Yeatman's Cove.

9 p.m. - Len's Lounge, Public Landing Stage.

9:15 p.m. - C.J. Chenier and The Red Hot Louisiana Band, Great American Insurance Stage at Yeatman's Cove.

9:30 p.m. - Creedence Clearwater Revisited, American Financial Stage at P&G Pavilion.

10:05 p.m. - Stonewater, Public Landing Stage.

Events in Kentucky

Here's the schedule of Tall Stacks events on the Newport riverfront. Covington is not participating.

Today

4 p.m.- Whistle blow

5:30 p.m.- Saloon show

6:30 p.m.- Dixielanders Pop Jazz Band

7:45 p.m.- Forget Me Not Dancers

8:30 p.m.- Saloon show

9:15 p.m.- Hey Hoss - A Tribute to Patsy Cline

The rules

The Tall Stacks festival takes place rain or shine. There will be no refunds, rain checks or exchanges.

No coolers, beverages or food. No pets (except for trained service animals), large bags/backpacks, lawn chairs, umbrellas with pointed ends, recreational sporting goods.

No tripods.

No weapons, foul/abusive language, obscene gestures, indecent clothing.

Guests must be 21 or over to purchase alcoholic beverages on shore and on riverboats. Proper ID required.

Recording or photography is prohibited at any stage performance unless pre-approved by the band. Check www.tallstacks.com for more information.

How to get in

Tour Ticket allows you to tour as many riverboats as you like (not including the Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen), from 6-9 a.m. all five days of the festival. It includes a Tall Stacks Admission Pin, which gives you access to all on-shore activities during the festival. $18 per person at www.tall stacks.com, (866) 497-8255 (TALL) and the Tall Stacks Store in Tower Place, Fourth and Race streets, downtown.

Admission Pin allows five-day admission into the festival. It does not include tickets for boarding any of the riverboats. The Admission Pin is on sale at Greater Cincinnati Kroger stores and the Cincinnati Visitor Center on Fountain Square for $12 for

adults. Children 12 and under are free for general admission. The Tall Stacks Admission Pin is included with all Riverboat Cruise Tickets and Tour Ticket purchases. The Admission Pin will be sold for $15 at the gate. Single day admission is not available.

Riverboat Cruise Tickets: Cruise Tickets can be purchased at www.tallstacks.com, (866) 497-8255 (TALL) and the Tall Stacks Store at Tower Place, downtown. The Tall Stacks General Admission Pin is included with the purchase of a cruise ticket. Prices range from $18-$75 per person.

Survival tips

Wear comfortable shoes. It's tough to walk on the cobblestones along the Public Landing.

Dress for unpredictable fall weather.

Bring small umbrella (no golf umbrellas).

Tell young children ahead of time about the whistles on the steamboats. They are loud and will be blown often and might frighten young children.

Take small bills; it will make it easier to pay for food and souvenirs.

Be sure to walk across the bridges; the views will be great.

Watch the boats from Covington. That city is not officially involved in Tall Stacks this year, so there are no booths, no admission pins required.