The Backstage Event Center

Amazing experience from the Backstage Event Center. Elenya accommodated us like we were her family and she wanted it to be perfect. We were from out of town and they helped us in every way possible. Beginning with the food selection, cocktails, music, flowers, floor plan. Everything was on time, the food was delicious and presented beautifully. Cleanup was a breeze. They even helped us with our personal belongings after the event. The dessert literally flew off of the dessert table. It was incredible. I wished we lived closer to enjoy it all the time.

Everyone at Backstage Event Center was amazing from planning our event to the conclusion of our rehearsal dinner. Food and staff are wonderful!

Elenya was fantastic to work with! They made the whole process so easy and fun. The room was set up beautifully and everyone loved the food!

We loved The Backstage Event Center! Everyone was very nice and accommodating! We worked with Elenya the most and she answered all our questions quickly and made sure everything went smoothly. The place is beautiful-rustic/industrial. The appetizers were great and the flaming donuts were amazing! We went with the Cincinnati experience with Larosa’s pizza and Skyline Cheese Coney’s stations. The pizza was a little disappointing but I know its hard to feed a lot of people all at once. Excellent experience and would highly recommend!

The Backstage Event Center went above and beyond for our wedding day. Elenya and Shannen were incredible to work with and made us feel so supported when it came to the planning process and actual day of celebration. The venue itself was absolutely gorgeous for our afternoon reception and the food was fantastic. All of our guests were gushing about the food! The wedding day went super smooth and we could not recommend the staff and venue enough.

Elenya Stephani was an absolute dream to work with for our son's rehearsal dinner! The Backstage was beautifully decorated for Christmas and provided a gorgeous, intimate setting for family and friends! The food was next level from the appetizers to dessert! The bartender and staff were attentive and extremely nice! Overall I would rate our experience a 100! My only issue now is trying to come up with another reason to throw a party for 33 people at this venue!

The staff was absolutely wonderful to work with from initial visit, booking, finalizing and the night of the event. They helped with with all my questions. I give this place 5 stars.

We had an incredible experience with Elenya at Backstage Event Center for our wedding reception. She was our event contact and day of coordinator. All of our questions were readily answered, and the whole process was simple and streamlined. The online portal made it very easy to contact Elenya, look at our documents, and make changes to our banquet order. The venue is spacious, romantic, and filled with gorgeous wooden flooring and decor. After our initial tour, we returned closer to our event for our food tasting and to finalize day of details. The BEC team both set-up and tore down our decor. They made my vision come to life. The day of the reception, we had an incredible kitchen and serving staff ensuring our group was fed and hydrated. The walk-up bar never had a long line, and we felt very catered to the entire night. Elenya organized our other vendors such as florist and DJ which was so helpful. We had a nice night, so the balcony was opened up for our guests to enjoy the city lights. The BEC team went above and beyond for us, and we couldn't have had a better night. Thank you all so much <3.

The Backstage Event Center went above and beyond to make our wedding day special and run smoothly. It was one of the more affordable options we looked at, which sometimes means compromising in other categories. But not here. The staff was welcoming, helpful and kind every step of the way. The food was fantastic (you could re-visit Nicholsons on your anniversary/eat similar dishes). The location is neat. You're downtown and get great views with the two balconies. Their space is also very accommodating if you plan to do both a ceremony and reception. I could go on for hours. Our guests still rave about this venue and we do too. Couldn't be happier with our choice!

We had our welcome drinks and rehearsal dinner at BEC and couldn't recommend it more! Amazing, attentive staff, great food and drinks, and a smooth + wonderful experience.

The Backstage was an absolutely incredible vendor to work with!! I can’t say enough good things about the space and the team. They were extremely responsive, accommodating and fun to work with! I had a some last minute changes and questions and they were on top of it all. The reception went so smoothly, if there were any issues we didn’t know about it! We had multiple people come up to us during and after the reception say that it was the best reception they’ve been to! People raved about how beautiful the space was, and how good the food was. I highly recommend The Backstage and their team to host your next event!

Excellent food and service night of the event! Communication was poor at times but may have been due to changing staff. In the end, the event was exactly what we wanted it to be, the team was able to accommodate all of our requests, and the venue was a great place to kick off our wedding weekend!

We used The Backstage Event Center for my son's rehearsal dinner. It was a smooth process from start to finish. The staff was very accommodating when it came to scheduling those first appointments when we were deciding on the venue. Once booked, the great service continued. Shannen and Natalie were wonderful-they were patient, personable, answered all our questions, and made suggestions when we needed them. They were even able to get us a special bottle of bourbon that we requested. The night of the event was wonderful! The room as so pretty, the kid zone was a hit with the kids, and the weather was perfect, so we were able to take advantage of the outdoor patio. The meal was delicious and the flaming donut station was a hit! Service from the servers and bartender were top notch. I would highly recommend this venue!

I could not recommend the Backstage Event Center enough! The venue is beautiful, with large windows and balconies, and the staff was exceptional! They went above and beyond communicating with me throughout the planning process and on the day of the rehearsal and wedding. The food was fantastic! A month later people are still commenting on the food and venue. Thanks to Backstage!!

We worked with Cara and her staff to plan a rehearsal dinner at Backstage from out of town. They could not have made the process easier and the final result was perfect. They were super attentive to detail and the food was delicious!!

The Backstage Event Center was such a terrific venue. From the tour, my fiancé (now husband) and I loved that we could have both the ceremony and reception in the same location. After the tour, we canceled all our other venue tours as we already knew BEC was the venue for us. Kudos to Cara and her team as they did an outstanding job! On the day of the rehearsal, Cara was so accommodating and helped make sure our rehearsal went smoothly. She even let us start setting up some of the décors early. On our wedding day, Cara and her team were ready for us; the rest of the décor looked amazing and she really captured my vision. The food was delicious; highly recommend the crab cakes as an appetizer and the caramelized brussels sprouts as a side dish. We got a lot of compliments on our choice of venue and everyone was super happy with the wait staff and bartenders’ exceptional work. BEC and Cara exceeded our expectations and I highly recommend this venue!

I am honestly still in awe of how great of an experience we had at our wedding. The entire night was perfect from the ceremony all the way through the last dance. Our guests loved the set up and flow of the evening, the food, and the ambiance. All of that was because of this venue. I am a very inexperienced party planner, but Cara was so amazing in helping us plan our wedding. She did a great job of following up and checking in, which really helped ease my worries. No questions were too small. She made everything so easy, and for that, I am super grateful. On the day of the wedding, I truly felt like I didn’t need to worry about anything, and I had such a fun time. Th staff during the event were also amazing. They were very attentive and made sure to check to see if I or my husband needed anything (special shout-out to Ethan! He was so great). They were very polite, and the service was excellent. I seriously feel like my wedding was perfect, and this venue and the staff were a big part of that.

Cara was easily one of the best vendors and most communication forward one that I worked with all planning. One thing we had planned and talked about and changed was the layout of the room. I based my tables off the seating arrangements we had agreed upon but when I arrived to the venue there was no seating chart. (they told us they would provide/only provide place cards for those with dietary restrictions which we did but no one else knew where to go) However when we arrived the tables were not arranged in the way we agreed upon however in the way we initially were looking at but as far as I knew we had changed it. if I would have known the tables were going to be the old way I would have sent the original table layout. Other than that however the location, especially during blink, was absolutely 1/1 other than the parking. the pictures we got down in the alley will truly be one of a kind. the food from the appetizers (highly recommend the chicken and waffles) we're absolutely incredible. The coney bar was actually Skyline and that was a huge bonus. The bartenders and staff made sure my wife and I never had an empty hand. our guests raved about the venue and food and you could not ask for better lighting. The balcony's, dance floor and kings and queens chairs made for incredible photo ops that we will cherish forever. Giving Cara and her team a 5 star rating because despite the few mishaps they truly delivered on an unforgettable night. Everyone was well fed, well taken care of and happy. My Grandma got a front seat to the dance floor and that was the most important thing.

Cara and her staff at the BEC truly were exceptional. I was coordinating a rehearsal dinner (for the first time) from out of town and I couldn't have been more pleased with Cara's patience with my questions (I was very green), her promptness, attention detail, and flexibility. That evening that staff was exceptional with their service and little details that arose. They went beyond my expectations adding beautiful candlelight and other touches to enhance the decor which made it even more special. All of our guests commented on how good the food was. I am happy to give them our highest recommendation!!

I cannot recommend this venue enough! My husband and I had our reception here last week after our Florida wedding earlier in the year. Cara, the event planner was amazing and attentive. The week of the event, she called vendors for me which took a ton of stress off. The day of the wedding, she set up all the decor and made sure everything was ready to go. It looked amazing and she captured my vision perfectly. It was a dream come true! The bartenders were also amazing. We have received so many compliments on their service and everyone thought they were hilarious! Anytime they saw my husband in line for the bar they served him first, and we also had another bar tender assigned directly to us who had a new drink in our hands before we finished the last ones. The food was also to die for, especially the chicken & waffles and goetta balls from the late night bites station. When we left, the bar tenders had a to go bag for us with cake, left over food, utensils and water bottles. It was much needed. We picked up all our decorations and left over cake on the Monday after the reception, and they had everything together for us and put away nicely. Cara came down the elevator with a cart and helped me load everything into my car. I didn’t even have to go inside. I am reliving this day over and over in my head because it was so perfect and it was all because of the backstage staff!! You will not regret booking this venue for your big day!

The Backstage Event Center was absolutely wonderful! We had our rehearsal dinner from 6-8pm and then opened up the venue for a welcome party from 8-10pm - it was the perfect amount of space and setting for both! The venue is so beautiful in and of itself that we only needed a few decorations/flowers to make it absolutely perfect for us. Cara was amazing to coordinate with! So professional, knowledgeable and helpful. We highly recommend book the Backstage Event Center for any event you have!

A big thank you to you and your wonderful team for a lovely rehearsal dinner. Kudos to the chef and the kitchen crew. I heard so many comments that the food was absolutely delicious and I personal loved the chicken and waffle bites. The bartenders were so friendly and very efficient. The logistics of the event were seamless and everything came off right on schedule. We can’t thank you enough for a beautiful venue and an evening that exceeded our expectations.

I recently got married at the Backstage Event Center and couldn't have picked a better venue! My husband proposed in April 2021 and we both knew BEC was the place for us as soon as we ended the tour! We had both our ceremony and reception here which made it very convenient for our guests. Cara was absolutley amazing! She answered all of our questions and was so very helpful for recommendations. I don't know how Cara does it, but she remembers every little detail! We opted for food stations and did a taco bar, bbq slider bar, and mac & cheese bar. For the cocktail hour, we did a cheese plate, goetta balls, bacon wrapped bangers and chicken & waffle bites. For the drinks, you get so much options! 4-5 craft beers, great liqour options and they were more than happy to provide Guinness cans (my favorite beer). Our guests cannot stop talking about how good the food was! There are debates which appetizers or station was better with the aunts and uncles, lol! When I was doing my research, other reviews mention great food but it's 100% true! Our guests also cannot get over how pretty it was inside and because we had great weather, the outdoor patios where fully used! But for the most important review, our guests and us cannot stress enough how great the staff was during the whole event. They really run a tight ship and were just on top of everything! We seriously cannot be happier with BEC and would do it all again if we could! If you are thinking about booking (which you should!), try to stick around 150 for ceremony but reception can hold much more. Cara is so flexible and can help manage the crowd! Ugh, can I just relive our wedding? Such a perfect day and BEC helped make it happen!

I highly recommend The Backstage Event Center! We had a rehearsal dinner for about 150 guests (wedding party, immediate family and out of town guests) and it could not have been better!! Cara Shipp and her team at The Backstage Event Center went "above and beyond" and didn't miss a detail. They are willing to do anything and everything it takes to make an event special and memorable... they had great recommendations and were such a pleasure to work with!! Cara & team wanted our event to be as perfect as we wanted it to be... and it was PERFECT!!! Delicious food, outstanding service, beautiful room set-up... it was even better than I expected!!!!

I have had several events at the Backstage Event Center and every event Cara and Katie have gone above and beyond my expectations! Their attentiveness to detail and ensuring the evening goes as planned does not go unnoticed!

We had our son’s rehearsal dinner at The Backstage. Katie was very helpful and responsive to all our needs. She made it very easy to work with her and also to stay within our budget. She was also very accommodating when we made last minute changes to the time of the event. Katie and Adam were there to assist us in any way when we arrived to set up for the event. It was overall a very pleasant and enjoyable night. My only suggestion would be to have either weekend or later hours during the week to tour the event center. Thanks for everything! Mike and Eileen

If you are looking for urban elegance with some rustic charm, this is your venue! Directly across the street from the Aronoff Theatre, it has a distinct Cincinnati flavor. Katie, the event planner, is an absolute joy to work with. My daughter had to postpone her 2020 wedding, and Katie and the staff made sure her wedding in 2021 was absolutely perfect. Not only is the venue beautiful, but the food is TO DIE FOR!!! Everything is prepared on site. We served salmon and filet mignon and our guests raved about the food. The chicken & waffle appetizers, along with their bacon-wrapped bangers and the bruschetta were a huge hit. And the service during dinner was AMAZING! I cannot say enough about Backstage - it definitely flies under the radar. Our guests were blown away and everyone was so complimentary. We are SO grateful to Katie and the entire staff at Backstage for making our celebration most memorable and absolutely PERFECT in every way.

We booked The Backstage Event center for our son’s rehearsal dinner. The staff was very kind and professional. They were very prompt when responding to questions prior to the event. The food was delicious. The room was beautiful and the team working the event could not have been more helpful. The entire evening was a huge success thanks to the staff and chef. I would definitely recommend this venue for any wedding or other special event.

Completely incredible from start to finish! We had our wedding and post-wedding brunch at Backstage/Nicholson's and everything was phenomenal. We continue to receive messages from guests days after saying it was the best food, service, atmosphere, and overall wedding they've ever been to which makes us so happy! Cara and Katie made all of the planning and coordinating so easy. I'm a control freak and tried to do so much myself...I should have let them do all of it because everything they handled was executed beautifully. The team at Backstage is the most hard-working crew and exceptional group of people I've ever encountered. I can't recommend this venue enough!

Katie Swantko made planning this large wedding rehearsal seamless, enjoyable and even made a few menu recommendations which I VERY much appreciated! She didn't stop there...she worked past the time she was suppose to leave to assist us with set up, gifts, the cake and even the music genre! ALL of the guests RAVED about the food, the vibe, the balcony and so on! Katie was an absolute pleasure to work with and went above and beyond to make my son and daughter in law's rehearsal perfect!

I just had my wedding here (ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception) and must warn the reader: long post of adoration ahead. Starting with the venue itself: perfect for literally any wedding aesthetic and so much to offer. Beautifully rustic but modern interior with 2 large balconies looking over busy parts of the city. Capable of hosting small and large groups. My wedding was incredibly romantic with minimal additions needed to the interior decor. The team that put everything together did a fantastic job and deserve more accolades than I can offer in this single post. My event coordinator, Katie Swantko, did an impeccable job. So accommodating and I feel like she cared as much as I did (if not more) about everything being as perfect as I imagined from the second I chose the venue. She was there to make sure I was happy even until the second I walked down the isle and the rest of the night that followed after. This place is booked heavily during wedding season (and it’s obvious why) and she was still always checking in with me about details, updates, changes, etc., even when I know she didn’t have time. I was honestly never worried about a single detail of the day, simply because of how effectively she works as a coordinator. Bravo, Katie. The food was unbelievably impressive. For cocktail hour, we had shrimp cocktail, a large charcuterie spread, chicken and waffles, and heirloom tomato + mozzarella bites. For dinner, we did a duet plate of chicken piccata and flat iron steak with bordelaise, mashed potatoes and green beans with shaved Parmesan. Every single steak and the chicken were cooked to perfection. The vegetarian meals (pasta with a garlic wine sauce and seasonal vegetables) were so delicious, as well. The portions and the plating were impressive and EVERY guest has mentioned how great the food was. Even the kids macaroni and cheese dishes were perfect! I can not recommend this venue enough. If you choose this space and the team that comes with it for your wedding or any event, I’m so excited for what you’re about to experience!!!

Very helpful and professional staff. Location is amazing. I hosted a 40th birthday party but it's a perfect location for a wedding or an engagement party. Spacious, nice indoor area, great outdoor views, exceptional staff and amazing food - they have it all!!

We could not be more pleased with our Rehearsal Dinner event held at Nicholson's. The venue was perfect, the food excellent, and service outstanding! We would recommend without hesitation!

As the mother of the groom, I choose this amazing space for our rehearsal dinner for 60 close friends and family. It’s rustic setting is cozy and the balcony over Walnut St. downtown Cincinnati adds another space for your guests to enjoy. The BEC exceeded my expectations. The organizational efforts by my event coordinator, Katie, made for a seamless experience for me and my guests. The food was exceptional. I chose a family style serving style for a more relaxed and social setting. The staff and their timing was amazing! From the appetizers, dinner, and then dessert…each was more delicious than the next! The BEC takes great pride in the presentation of their food. Everything was delicious and beautiful. The staff was well coordinated and worked hard to see that my guests were comfortable. Katie was accommodating to all of my needs, including drop of decor before the event and the needs of my guests. She was accessible to me for any questions I needed answered during my planning process. The bar was managed very well, pours were generous, and my guests felt so welcomed. The space has a great flow and a cool vibe. Be sure to add the lights to your package to compete the look of the space. I loved the food so much at BEC, that I’ll be calling on the chef for future catering needs. Enjoy this perfect, memorable space!

This venue was perfect! We had our reception on a Friday and everything went so smooth. The staff was great and helped make the evening and planning stress free! All of our guests complimented the venue and the food. I would highly recommend, especially for the price!

The Backstage Event Center was absolutely fantastic for our Rehearsal dinner. With so much stress involved in planning a wedding it was nice to be able to work with a group of people that were so kind and professional. Everyone loved the evening.

We had our rehearsal dinner at The Backstage Event Center and it was the perfect venue. Not only did our guests love the venue but they also had great things to say about the food and service. Katie helped plan our rehearsal dinner and was an absolute pleasure to work with. We would definitely recommend The Backstage Event Center to others!

We recently used The Backstage Event Center to host our son's rehearsal dinner followed by a welcome party for our out-of-town guests. Not only was the space perfect for the evening but Cara and her team were outstanding. All the guests found the location easy to access from the downtown hotel. The food for the dinner and appetizer for the party were delicious and there were so many menu options available. The staff that we worked with were extremely professional and helped make the evening a perfect start to the wedding weekend. I would highly recommend this venue to anyone looking to host an event!

We could have not imagined a more perfect day for our wedding ceremony and reception at backstage event center. Cara was amazing to work with and so helpful. We had so many compliments from our guests about the venue and the food. I highly recommend this venue. Cara, thank you for everything!

The Backstage did a fantastic job with hosting my daughter’s wedding. Cara was there from the beginning when we contacted the venue over a year ago and was there for the wedding. She met all of our needs and was so easy to work with during the whole covid crisis! She made us all feel at ease and helped us work out all the arrangements. The facility was clean and has a wood/iron industrial but bar like atmosphere. I would recommend to stay under 150 people so there is room to dance. This is a great venue in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio!

We had our rehearsal dinner at the Backstage Event Center and had the best time! Everyone loved being on the patio with the heaters (since it was mid-April). Planning was easy thanks to Cara. The entire staff made sure we had anything we could ever need and everyone really enjoyed the food.

Cara and Katie at backstage event center do an amazing job! They are responsive, organized, and so easy to work with. I planned a wedding in two months with their help. They go out of their way to make sure each bride is stress free and each couple get the wedding of their dreams. Food at backstage was a hit! Particularly the goetta balls. Staff was polite and professional. I would 1000% host another event here or recommend them to anyone!

Thank you Katie ! Fabulous food and loved the event center for our rehearsal dinner! Great location, great service, beautiful. Pamela M

I was extremely impressed with the entire event! The space was beautiful, the staff was outstanding and the food was amazing! We had close to 100 out-of-town guests attended (including us) the dinner and EVERYONE commented on how wonderful the entire event was. I would highly recommend The Backstage Event Center for your next engagement. I would also like to thank Cara Shipp for all her assistance --she is the BEST!

We got married this past October at the Backstage Event Center and we could not have been happier! The staff was very helpful and they thought of everything. Getting married during a pandemic was not ideal but the wonderful staff especially Katie, made the day perfect! They worked with us through every up and down of COVID rules and mandates. We truly had the best day ever and we definitely recommend this beautiful venue!

Cara and the entire team at the Backstage Event Center provided a flawless experience for us. We hosted our rehearsal dinner here for about 35 people. The bartender, wait staff, and crew were attentive and accommodating. The food was exceptional. Cara was always readily available for any questions we had prior to the event. If our wedding guest list had been smaller, we absolutely would have hosted a reception at this romantic venue.

I am the father of the bride and we used Backstage for the rehearsal dinner. It went off without a hitch and we had to plan it with Katie from 10 hours away !!! Changes were being made up until the week of the dinner and every request we made was honored and executed flawlessly. Food was excellent and the service was impeccable. The staff took care of every need that evening professionally and timely. Everything was done according to the agreed upon time table. The staff even helped with cleanup of the decorations we brought with us. If you need a venue that will work to give you an evening that fills your every desire, contact Katie at Backstage. You will not regret it.

Had my son’s rehearsal dinner here. Excellent experience. Food was great and the service was outstanding. Fantastic venue and great staff. Every detail was perfect. I would highly recommend to anyone.

We had our rehearsal dinner at The Backstage Event Center. We had initially planned to have the dinner at Nicholson's, but realized we needed a bigger space to allow for social distancing. This was a wonderful decision. There is a separate entrance and bathrooms - making social distancing easy. The food was fantastic, the space is beautiful, the service was wonderful. You have access to a rooftop patio so we got pictures with the lights of the city behind us. I can't say enough great things about how easy it was to work with Katie Swantko - the Events Manager. We didn't do any special decorating. They put some votive candles on the tables and it was all the space needed. It was romantic and fun. I didn't know this space existed. Planning a Covid wedding hasn't been an easy task, but The Backstage Event Center was one of our silver linings.

Cara and the entire Backstage Event team were amazing to work with. They were accommodating, professional, and provided top notch service. The food was above my expectations and all of my guests commented on how good it was. Great space and loved the patio area.

Katie was very helpful in planning our son and fiancee's rehearsal dinner. She was professional, understanding and very accommodating to changes that were occurring during COVID. The food and the atmosphere were just perfect!

I’m a DJ in the area and just finished up an AMAZING event at The Backstage Event Center. I go to 40+ weddings a year and was blown away by the level of service the team at Backstage provides. Usually at the weddings I work I’m the one keeping the flow of events going, but tonight Katie, the event coordinator tonight, was always one step ahead of me. In my job I eat a lot of wedding food - Dinner tonight was one of the best I’ve had in a long time. Don’t sleep on the shrimp, mozzarella, and pasta dish - it was amazing! Thanks again For all the help tonight Backstage. I can’t wait to be back!

The Backstage Event Center is, in my humble opinion, one of the best new venues in the Cincinnati area. The venue itself is a beautiful space right across from the Arnoff and offers inside and outside gathering areas, which given our August wedding, was nice for our guests. The space has a nice rustic charm to it and is welcoming and warm. Cara, our event coordinator, was extremely professional, easy to work with, and was an asset in helping us navigate the COVID restrictions. The wait staff were incredible during our event and made sure everyone was comfortable and accommodated. The food was also prepared fantastically and we received many compliments on the taste and presentation. I have held my wedding at Backstage and attended a wedding here as a guest prior and, what was most amazing to me, was the experience, food, and service was the same in both events. This shows me that Backstage holds all their events to the highest standard and is dedicated to making the experience for the planner and the guest as memorable as possible. Thank you Cara and the Backstage team for making our event so special for my bride and I.