Friday
The National (performing High Violet in full)
8:30 PM - 11:00 PM
Patti Smith & Her Band
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM
The Walkmen
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM
Arooj Aftab
4:15 PM - 5:00 PM
Bartees Strange
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
Carriers
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Allen Lanz
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR HOMECOMING FESTIVAL
- Patrons are allowed 4 unfrozen, factory-sealed bottles of water (up to 33.8 fl oz each). Alternatively, patrons can bring in empty plastic water bottles. Bottles can be filled up at water fountains located outside the venue.
- There is 1 main point of entry for the festival: the Carousel Entrance by Rosa Parks Street. Re-entry is permitted during the festival, and all patrons re-entering are subject to a security screening. For a venue map, CLICK HERE.
- Please note Chairs, Blankets, Pointed-Tip Umbrellas, Food, and Beverages (excluding 4 factory sealed bottles of water) are not permitted. To view additional prohibited items, CLICK HERE.
- The ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park is accessible via the Central Riverfront Garage and is within walking distance to several parking lots and the Cincinnati Bell Connector. For Directions and Parking, CLICK HERE.
- Please note, streets in Downtown Cincinnati will be closed due to Oktoberfest. To view a map of street closures, CLICK HERE.
- If you have Mobile ticket(s), make sure to download your ticket(s) prior to arriving at the venue. To download your mobile ticket(s) to your phone, go to "My Events" in the Ticketmaster App and select "Add To Wallet" (on iPhone) or "Save To Phone" (on Android). With your ticket open on your phone, tap your phone to the event staff's scanner during entry. For more info, CLICK HERE.
- Please allow extra time for metal-detector screening, visual inspection, and bag inspection conducted by The Andrew J Brady Music Center security personnel. Any bag/purse larger than 12"x12" will not be permitted. The purpose of the inspection is to detect prohibited items and is for the safety of our guests and our staff
Cincinnati’s favorite sons, The National, are poised to return to their hometown with the Homecoming Festival the weekend of September 15-16. This year’s multi-band, multi-day event will be held at The ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park and features performances from a host of acclaimed acts, including Patti Smith & Her Band, Pavement, Weyes Blood, The Walkmen, and MORE!
The National, headlining both Friday and Saturday, have announced today that they’ll be performing two critically acclaimed albums from start to finish for the first time, beginning with High Violet on September 15, followed by Trouble Will Find Me on September 16. Along with these two beloved works, the band will treat fans to a wide breadth of music from across their catalog.
In recognition of its then tenth anniversary, High Violet was meant to be the centerpiece of the band’s Homecoming 2020 performance before the festival was canceled due to the COVID pandemic. This year, Trouble Will Find Me also turns ten, allowing Homecoming 2023 to serve as both a belated and timely anniversary celebration of the two.
Band member Aaron Dessner had a more recent return to Cincinnati, taking the stage with Taylor Swift during her July 1st Eras tour stop in the city. Dessner co-produced Swift’s folklore and evermore albums and remains her frequent collaborator. Earlier this year, Swift returned the favor by appearing as a featured artist on The National’s song “The Alcott” from their critically acclaimed new album First Two Pages of Frankenstein.
Along with this being The National’s only area appearance in 2023, the Homecoming festival will be the only chance for those in Greater Cincinnati to catch some of their other favorite bands in the lineup, including Pavement, Patti Smith & Her Band, as well as The Walkmen, with Homecoming being the only Cincy stop on the latter’s hotly anticipated reunion tour, marking their first together since 2013.
Homecoming 2023 is the long-awaited return of an event described by Billboard in 2018 as a “ritual of renewal, discovery and surprises in the place that's still home in their hearts.” Located at The ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park, adjacent to the site of the original Homecoming, the festival will also showcase local delights of Cincinnati, including food by some of the city’s culinary heroes, local artists, and much, much more.
“When we launched Homecoming in 2018, we were overwhelmed by the response from the community and by our renewed sense of connection to our hometown. It was such an exciting, memorable weekend and we’ve long hoped to bring it back. We’re honored to return to Cincinnati five years later and be joined by so many of our favorite musicians and friends.” - The National
Weekend Passes, Single Day Tickets, and VIP Packages are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and BradyMusicCenter.com. A preferred viewing and concessions area, as well as special Homecoming fanzine produced by longtime National collaborator Graham MacIndoe, are included with the VIP option. Members of The National’s Cherry Tree fan club will receive early entry to the venue as well as the fanzine. Limited Friday VIP tickets remain!
The National’s new album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein, was released on April 28 and debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Alternative and Top Rock charts.
For more information on Homecoming, visit:
