By Audrey Elwood, Staff Writer

Cincinnati’s monthly flea market Art on Vine — a tradition that has been in place since 2012 — was hosted by Rhinegeist Brewery for the first time last weekend.

This monthly tradition began when James Jenkins, who created Art on Vine, pitched his idea to Proctor and Gamble and Western Southern, among other companies. The first Art on Vine in 2012 hosted eight small local businesses. Now, over 80 vendors participate each month. Art on Vine occurs in Fountain Square or Washington Park in the warmer months and Rhinegeist Brewery in the winter.

With large vats of beer brewing right behind the dining tables, bars were placed throughout with Rhinegeist on tap and cans of different IPA’s to sample.

Despite the large size of the brewery, it was bustling with people selling a wide variety of products. Some of the most commonly-sold products at Art on Vine were personal care items, with around 20% of vendors selling everything from chapstick to scrubs to soap.

Artists focusing on Cincinnati sports were also heavily represented at the market, with paintings of Joe Burrow and Joey Votto in tow. In addition to the art, there were also heavy amounts of sports memorabilia and clothing. 

Andrew Schmidt, a first year mathematics and economics major, showed an appreciation for the vintage sports clothing available. 

“There was a lot of older local stuff, stuff that I wouldn’t normally see in my hometown,” he said. “I found a Liverpool jersey and Manchester United jersey. It’s hard to find that in stores and online, so it was cool to see it out in Cincinnati,” he said.

One of the more interesting items that was sold was permanent jewelry. There were multiple booths offering the service, which includes welding, or “sparking,” a piece of jewelry onto someone. 

Other forms of jewelry were also sold, from beadwork to spoon rings.

The food options mainly consisted of deserts. The sole pizza line always had a line, never seeming to satisfy the large amount of hungry shoppers.

Other stands sold smaller snacks and other food products like farm-fresh honey and freshly-roasted nuts. 

Emily Boggs, a first-year biomedical sciences major, found appreciation for how Art on Vine helps build community in Over the Rhine. 

“The overall experience changed my view of the area. It’s really nice to see that whole community bustling,” she said.