Movie-night program at Covington's Linden Grove Cemetery goes on despite some criticism

Greater Cincinnati has a long history of excellence in maintaining local cemeteries, with celebrated examples that include Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum, Vine Street Hill and Linden Grove in Covington. Another longstanding tradition in Cincinnati is offering cemeteries for public and community use for a variety of activities. Cemeteries double as green space for walkers and runners as well as arboretums and sanctuaries for nature enthusiasts. Spring Grove is perhaps one of the region’s most prolific sources for alternative cemetery programming, hosting regular walking tours, after-dark photography sessions, yoga classes, music and more. But not everyone is on board with the idea of using cemeteries for purposes other than respectful observance. Covington’s Center for Great Neighborhoods, a nonprofit group that has worked to improve the city since the mid-1970s, experienced some blowback when it announced a series of summer movie nights at historic Linden Grove Cemetery. The ongoing Cinema in the Cemetery series -- which kicked off on Aug. 4 with a showing of "The LEGO Movie" -- is sponsored by the Neighborhood of Peaselburg, the Center for Great Neighborhoods, Historic Linden Grove Cemetery & Arboretum and the city of Covington’s Parks & Recreation Department.