2026 Poster Reveal + The Cincy Hat
Get ready for summer, with the new Summerfair poster, a partnership with The Cincy Hat, and a seasonal lager from HighGrain Brewing.
The commemorative poster for this year's Summerfair Cincinnati will be unveiled during a special celebration on Thursday, April 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. at HighGrain Brewing, Brentwood, 9176 Winton Road. Poster artist Rich Blandford will be signing posters, which will be for sale at $10 ($20 value).
“Rich is a first time winner of our prestigious poster competition,” says Jayne Utter, managing director of Summerfair Cincinnati. “We are excited to present his bright and beautiful design. It's so different from anything we’ve ever had!”
A graphic designer and art director for 18 years, Blandford is a graduate of Jefferson Community College, in Louisville Ky. Now retired, Blandford continues to work as an artist.
“I’m honored my artwork has been chosen to promote Cincinnati’s top fine arts and crafts show,” says Blandford. “I tried to capture the excitement of heading into Coney Island for the Summerfair experience not only as a patron, but also as a participating artist, coming through the entrance with same joy and anticipation that all the visitors feel when arriving to see all the creative works on the other side of the gate.”
Along with the poster, Summerfair is also debuting a new collaboration with The Cincy Hat, the charity hat brand created by Ted Karras, the Bengals’ 2025 Club Winner for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
The Cincy Hat Summerfair collection includes two limited-edition hats that will help support artists and arts organizations in the region. Each hat pairs the iconic Cincy Hat logo with Summerfair’s signature bright and vibrant colors.The collaborative hats will be available for the first time at the poster unveiling.
This joint fundraiser will support Summerfair’s mission to support artists and arts organizations in the region and Cincy’s Hat’s mission to provide housing and educational opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities.
HighGrain Brewing is creating a light lager for this year's Summerfair, with cans featuring the poster artwork created by Blanford. The beer will be available for the first time at the poster reveal event.
For nearly 60 years, Summerfair has been dedicated to supporting visual and performing arts in Greater Cincinnati. During the annual fine arts fair, enough funds are raised to support awards, scholarships and exhibitions. This year’s fair, May 29-31, takes place at Coney Island, which is Summerfair’s home.
Summerfair will be held at Coney Island from Friday, May 29 through Sunday, May 31. Advance tickets are on sale now at summerfair.org, with one-day ($10) or multi-day tickets ($15) tickets available. Children 12 and under admitted free.