The Cincinnati Music Hall Blood Drive celebrates Hoxworth blood donors with free live performances & donor gifts

Hoxworth Blood Center, University of Cincinnati, partners with local arts organizations to host one of the largest community blood drives at Cincinnati’s Music Hall February 27th. Enjoy live performances throughout the day while donating lifesaving blood. Event supporters will also be recognizing and celebrating recent changes to FDA regulations in blood donation.

The Cincinnati Arts Association, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Opera, May Festival, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and Friends of Music Hall are coming together once again to save lives at Music Hall on Thursday, February 27 from 10am – 4pm.

All donors will receive a FREE FC Cincinnati scarf and gifts from Music Hall partners as a thank you for donating and supporting our community. Donors will also get to enjoy live performances throughout the day. 

“We’re excited to be back at Cincinnati’s Music Hall for one of our most popular blood drives of the year,” says Jackie Marschall, Hoxworth spokesperson. “This year is even more exciting because of the new Individual Donor Assessment that removes questions based on sexual orientation, something Music Hall donors and partners have been advocating for since 2020 when the blood drive began. The Music Hall blood drive experience is very unique and we can’t thank our donors and partners enough for being part of our lifesaving mission.” 

Hoxworth Blood Center implemented updated FDA guidelines that changes the blood donation screening process to be more equitable while continuing to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infection. Instead of using questions focused on gender and sexual orientation, the new questionnaire is based on gender-inclusive, individual risk-based questions to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infection. Hoxworth implemented the new Individual Donor Assessment questionnaire as of December 4, 2023.  

Music Hall and its partners have been advocating for updated guidelines since the inaugural Music Hall Blood Drive in 2020 by having post cards available for donors to sign that were then sent to the FDA. Hundreds of post cards were sent to the FDA through this initiative and the FDA announced the changes in May 2023. 

Hoxworth Blood Center is proud to partner with Music Hall and Cincinnati’s local arts community to bring awareness to the need for blood donors and is excited to welcome new donors who may not have been able to donate prior to the FDA’s change in guidance.

Appointments for blood donation are highly encouraged due to the popularity of the event. For more information on parking and to schedule an appointment, click the link below or call (513) 451-0910.