On Point Music Festival 2025
- Mike Heffron
- Aug 4
- 2 min read
On Point Music Festival made its return to Sawyer Point for a second year of free live music featuring a diverse line up of Cincinnati talent and national headliners. The two day event included three stages, a roller rink with live DJs, vendors, volleyball, pickleball, and interactive games.
The festival is produced by Cincinnati Parks and the Cincinnati Parks Foundation along with Inhailer Radio and sponsored by MadTree Brewing. This allows the event to be completely free of charge, offering festival-goers an amazing opportunity to engage with local music outside of the traditional ticketed-show environment. Friday night was headlined by Ashes & Arrows out of Asheville, NC and local heroes Sylmar. Supported by Noah Smith, Tooth Lures A Fang, Lost Henry, and Jet Jurgensmeyer.
Saturday night was headlined by Motherfolk, hot off the release of their new album “Eternal Joy,” and The Tillers. Both legendary Cincinnati acts that have proven themselves far outside of our local scene. Directly supporting Motherfolk was Multimagic, showcasing their latest single “Heart” for the first time since the release show at MOTR pub in June.
Touchdown Jesus electrified Saturday’s crowd. The buzz continued long after their set, further cementing the reputation of the rising local phenoms. Self-proclaimed as "catastrophe music” their unique brand of prog-rock-meets-post-punk is refreshingly challenging energy Cincinnati’s rock scene hasn’t felt since Lemon Sky’s breakout.
Maria Carrelli also made waves with her set. The Ludlow local’s rootsy Americana sound has continued to drive new fans her way with the rise in popularity of the genre over the last few years. If you missed her you can catch her again this week at Washington Park.
Perfect Summer weather with views of the river made for a serene backdrop for the festival. The walk between stages along a vendor row was comfortable and easy, keeping festival-goers bouncing back and forth to explore the event.
The Sawyer Point roller skating rink (a consistently hidden treasure in this writer’s opinion) was brought to life with a tent, lights, and music. It made for both a spectacle and invitation for visitors to participate beyond just a listening experience.
Events like On Point are exactly what Cincinnati music needs to thrive. If you missed out on this year’s On Point, mark your calendars for next year. Word is that this year was a taste of a new direction for the festival and next year’s event is slated to be even bigger.
Comments