🔥 Artist Spotlight: The Spirit Behind the 20th Anniversary Fire Horse
Every festival has a visual identity, an energy you can feel before you step onto the grounds (and put all over the merch booth). For the last four years, Em Sites‑Karns has been the artist helping shape the identity of the Northside Rock N’ Roll Carnival.
If you’ve admired a carnival poster over the past few seasons, you’ve already seen her work. Em’s signature linework and vintage‑inspired imagery fits the vibe of the carnival like it was born in the days of the sideshow. It’s a style that honors the Northside’s history while keeping its edge sharp.
2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse
In the East Asian zodiac cycle, a fire horse year comes around only once every 60 years. The fire horse is a creature of motion, rebellion, and raw energy, (which sounds exactly the like the unstoppable spirit that has kept the carnival alive for two decades). In folklore, the fire horse represents:
- Unstoppable momentum
- Creative power that refuses to be contained
- A spark that spreads—igniting community, passion, and celebration
For a festival built on volunteer grit, neighborhood pride, and a whole lot of rock n’ roll attitude, the fire horse is a tribute to people who keep showing up, year after year, to make something wild and joyful.
Em Sites‑Karns is a professional creative through and through. Northsiders may know her best as a tattoo artist and owner at Lonesome Town Tattoo on Hamilton Avenue, but she brings color and character to the city wherever she goes and has been featured as a Cincinnati ArtWorks muralist. Whether she’s working on skin, walls, or festival posters, her unmistakable style makes her a key part of carnival preparations.
Celebrating 20 Years of Carnival Magic
A big thank you to Em for being a part of the Northside Rock N’ Roll Carnival yet again, and for contributing to the creativity and inspiration of the event!
As we hit this milestone year, the fire horse gallops at the front of the celebration as a symbol of how fiercely this community continues to burn. Make sure to get your 2026 fire horse merch during this years’ carnival.
