Your guide to Cincinnati Reds Opening Day 2025

CINCINNATI (WXIX) – Hundreds of thousands of Cincinnati Reds fans will flood the streets in downtown and Over-the-Rhine Thursday for the official start of baseball season: Opening Day.

Before the big game, the Queen City has a few festivities to offer residents and visitors to really get into the Opening Day spirit.

Here’s your go-to guide on all things Opening Day 2025.

Findlay Market Opening Day Parade

Three-time All-Star and former Reds great Chris Sabo will be the grand marshal for the 106th Findlay Market Opening Day Parade, an annual tradition in Cincinnati. Two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip will stand alongside Sabo as the honorary grand marshal this year.

More than 130,000 participated in the 1.4 mile-long parade in 2024.

This year’s parade route will be the same length starting at Findlay Market, going down Race Street, turning left on Fifth Street past Fountain Square and ending just past Government Square.

The parade will begin at noon.

Opening Day game

The Reds will play the San Francisco Giants on Opening Day at Great American Ball Park at 4:10 p.m.

Cincinnati Reds superstar Elly De La Cruz says he has high expectations for the team this year.

“I just want to do my job and help the team and win – I just want to win,” De La Cruz said during Spring Training.

FOX19 NOW’s Joe Danneman asked the shortstop if he felt that this team was in a good position to make the playoffs.

“Yeah, we have a good feeling for this year. A lot of change and l like it. We have a good feeling,” De La Cruz responded.

Some of those changes made include the coaching staff.

In October 2024, the Reds hired Terry Francona as their new team manager.

Francona came out of retirement and signed a three-year contract with the Cincinnati team.

“I do feel a big responsibility – I’m here to help, and I take that very seriously,” Francona told FOX19 NOW. “Saying that, you never lose sight of who’s playing the game. Our guys are playing the game, and you know, I’ll try to put them in the best position I can and I’ll try to do everything in my power to make sure they do everything in their power to play the game right. It’ll never change.”

As of now, the Reds have not released their starting line up for Opening Day.

Home of the Cincinnati Reds – Great American Ball Park.(Mary LeBus/FOX19 NOW)

How to watch the game

Not only will FOX19 NOW air the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade at noon but we will also be airing the Opening Day game.

FOX19 NOW will air the big game starting at 4 p.m.

Here’s what our Opening Day line-up looks like:

FOX19 NOW is where you can watch the Cincinnati Reds play the San Francisco Giants on Opening Day.(WXIX)

Reds Community Fund Charity Block Party

Starting at 11 a.m., the Reds Community Fund Block Party kicks off on Joe Nuxhall Way, Freedom Ways and Marian Spencer Way right before the parade and throughout the game.

The charity block party is free to enter. Food and beverages can be purchased at the event, which is cash only. All proceeds benefit the Reds Community Impact Fund.

While there is no age restriction, organizers strongly discourage bringing teens or small children to the event.

Dogs and bicycles are not permitted.

Places to watch the Reds game

The Banks has prepped for Opening Day for days now, and is ready to host hundreds in the business strip as this is the busiest day of the year for the bars and restaurants.

Here’s where you could watch the game at the Banks:

The Park
BetMGM Sportsbook and Nation Kitchen
Killer Queen
Red Leprechaun
The Filson
E+O Kitchen
Fishbowl
Holy Grail
Condado Tacos
The Stretch
Taste of Belgium
Moerlein Lager House
Tin Roof
Yard House
Jefferson Social

If you are looking to stay away from Great American Ball Park and the Banks, but still want to partake in Opening Day and the game:

Cobblestone OTR
1132 Race St., Cincinnati, Ohio
Opens at 10 a.m.
Bay Horse Cafe
625 Main St., Cincinnati, Ohio
Opens at 10 a.m.
Arnold’s Bar & Grill
210 E 8th St., Cincinnati, Ohio
Taking reservations for an 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. breakfast
In Between Tavern
307 Sycamore St., Cincinnati, Ohio
Opens at 9 a.m.
Rhinegeist Brewery
1910 Elm St., Cincinnati, Ohio
Opens at 9 a.m.
The Lackman
1237 Vine St., Cincinnati, Ohio
Triple Play Throwdown
Opens at 10 a.m.
Rosedale
208 E 12th St., Cincinnati, Ohio
Barks & Baseball: A dog-friendly Opening Day
Opens at noon
Newport on the Levee
1 Levee Way, Newport, Kentucky
Reds Opening Day on the Levee begins at 2 p.m.
O’Malley’s
25 W Ogden Pl., Cincinnati, Ohio
Opening at 10 a.m.
The Fountain District
520 Vine St., Cincinnati, Ohio
Festivities begin at 10 a.m.
Brewdog Cincy
316 Reading Rd., Cincinnati, Ohio
Opens at 11 a.m.
Madtree Brewing
3301 Madison Rd., Cincinnati, Ohio
Opens at 10 a.m.
Alcove by Madtree
1410 Vine St., Cincinnati, Ohio
Opens at 10 a.m.

Street closures

With mass amounts of people in the streets before and after the Opening Day Parade and game, dozens of streets will be closed Thursday.

Findlay Market street closures

The following streets in the Findlay Market area will be closed at 8 a.m.

Race Street Closed between Liberty Street and McMicken Street
Elm Street Closed between Liberty Street and McMicken Street
Findlay Street Closed between Central Parkway and Vine Street
Elder Street Closed between Central Parkway and Vine Street
Green Street Closed between Vine Street and Logan Street
Henry Street Closed between Race Street and Dunlap Street
Dunlap Street Closed between Findlay Street and McMicken Street
Logan Street Closed between Liberty Street and Findlay Street

Parade street closures

Starting at 11:15 a.m., the parade route and cross streets will be closed.

Liberty Street Closed between Vine Street and Central Parkway
Central Parkway Closed between Vine Street and Elm Street
Race Street Closed between Liberty Street and Fourth Street
Fifth Street Closed between Central Avenue and Sentinel Street
15th Street Closed between Republic Street and Elm Street
14th Street Closed between Elm Street and Republic Street
13th Street Closed between Race Street and Vine Street
12th Street Closed between Elm Street and Vine Street
Court Street Closed between Elm Street and Vine Street
Ninth Street Closed between Elm Street and Vine Street
Eighth Street Closed between Elm Street and Vine Street
Seventh Street Closed between Elm Street and Vine Street
Sixth Street Closed between Elm Street and Vine Street
Vine Street Closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street
Walnut Street Closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street
Main Street Closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street
Sycamore Street Closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street
Broadway Street Closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street

Annual Reds Community Fund Block Party street closures

The following roads will close at 6 p.m. for the annual Reds Community Fund Block Party:

Freedom Way Closed between Rosa Parks Street and Joe Nuxhall Way
Marian Spencer Way Closed between Second Street and Ted Berry Way
Joe Nuxhall Way Closed south of Second Street

Transportation

With many roads shut down for the parade and the big game, driving downtown and in Over-the-Rhine is not ideal.

To make traveling easier for residents and visitors, Metro is offering fare-free rides on Opening Day.

Metro also has an updated detour map showing road closures and re-openings.

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