Events & Entertainment

January

Winter Show

Held through early January

Location: Cleveland Botanical Garden

216- 721-1600

A trip to the Garden has been a Cleveland holiday tradition for years. The halls are once again decked with magical decorations and twinkling lights, plus shopping in the Garden Store and activities for the whole family.

Trains, Trees and Holiday Traditions

Held in early January

Location: Western Reserve Historical Society

216-721-5722

Throughout the museum, visitors will find decorations reliving holidays from the past. Step into the Crawford and climb aboard a child-size train display plus view many more model trains dressed up for the holidays. Learn about holiday traditions and ornaments dating back to the Civil War while taking a guided tour through the decked out Hay-McKinney Mansion. Enjoy trees, lights and greenery throughout the Museum.

MLK Day Celebration  

Held in mid January

Location:  University Circle A variety of locations throughout the city celebrate Martin Luther King Day with special events and activities. 

Fortune's Wheel Presents

Held in late January

Location:  Harkness Chapel

216-368-2402

Join this Boston-based ensemble for a Musical Tour through the Burgundian courts, featuring works by Binchois, Du Fay, Baude Cordier, and others.

Standing Rock Short Film & Video Festival

Held in late January

Location: The Kent Stage

330-673-497

Standing Rock Cultural Arts announces a call for short films and/or videos for filmmakers and videographers to submit short films, DVD’s and/or videos.

May

TOPS Great American Rib Cook-Off

Held in late May

Location: Tower City Amphitheater

216-241-5555

The annual TOPS Great American Rib Cook-Off and Music Festival is one of Cleveland's largest and most exciting outdoor cook-outs. Ribs, with all the fixings are the main attraction. Local and national "ribbers" compete for prize money and title of "The Greatest Ribs in America" along with "The Greatest Sauce in America" and the "Cingular Wireless People's Choice Award". TOPS Great American Rib Cook-Off is an event for the entire family, which continues to provide a tremendous value including national entertainment, games, activities and fun!

Flower Show

Held in late May

Location: Cleveland Botanical Garden

216-721-1600 One of the largest outdoor flower shows in North America features 10 lush acres of spectacular gardens. The Show hosts expert lecturers and demonstrations and a world-class horticulture and flower arranging competition. The dazzling centerpiece is the expansive and intricately-designed gardens with enchanting, provocative themes conceived by internationally-known landscape architects. In all, the show features more than 30 gardens to enjoy.

Lake Farmpark’s Horsefest

Held in mid May

Location: Lake Farmpark

800-366-FARM

HorseFest rounds up an exciting show of equestrian activities for horse lovers and horse enthusiasts of all ages. Activities introduce visitors to different breeds of horses and their uses. Festivities begin each day with the opening ceremonies. Activities include fox hunting, the mounted unit competition, and vaulting on Saturday. Both days feature HorseFest rounds up an exciting show of equestrian activities for horse lovers and horse enthusiasts of all ages. The horses and riders are dressed in bright and colorful costumes throughout the day. Don't forget your camera, unique photo opportunities.

June

Annual Beachwood Art Festival

Held in early June

Location: Beachwood Place

954-472-3755 Bustling with over 200 artists displaying artwork from across the nation, Beachwood Place proudly hosts this outdoor juried art festival. Over $15 million in artwork is on display for all Northeast Ohio to enjoy. Witness the spectacular creations of pottery, sculptures, ceramics, paintings, jewelry, photography and more. The two-day celebration includes live musical entertainment and great food.

Lake Farmpark’s FiberFest

Held in late June

Location: Lake Farmpark

800-366-FARM

This festival features many fiber-producing animals, such as sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, yaks, and angora rabbits. Spinners, weavers, and felters demonstrate their skills and compete in a variety of fiber arts contests. Merchants abound selling an amazing array of new animal fiber, hand-spun yarn, spinning, weaving and other fiber processing equipment.

Art by the Falls

Held in mid June

Location: Riverside Park

440-247-7507

The Valley Art Center is proud to present "The Annual Art by the Falls" outdoor fine art and fine craft festival. The event draws thousands of patrons to the banks of the Chagrin River, located in the middle of Victorian Chagrin Falls. An ideal setting for an outdoor festival, the quaint village's Main Street overlooks two waterfalls and hosts a wealth of fine shops, galleries and restaurants. Patrons visit the work of 140 painters, potters, jewelers, wood workers, fiber artists and other craftspeople at "Art by the Falls".

July

Cain Park Arts Festival

Held in early July

Location: Cain Park

216-371-3000

Meet over 150 artists who will personally show you their latest work at the 3 day, award-winning Cain Park Arts Festival. Rated in the top 23 nationally, this annual festival also offers live entertainment daily and gourmet food vendors.

TOPS Kidfest

Held in mid July

Location: Tower City Amphitheater

216-241-5555

One of Cleveland's only interactive festivals created just for kids is back to celebrate a year of exciting summer family entertainment. Kids and parents experience the thrill of learning as they are introduced to many topics including safety, health, sports, arts, dance, music, crafts, and much more. KidsFest is the ultimate outdoor playground featuring more than 40 pavilions reserved just for fun!

Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival

Held in late July

Location: Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds

330-321-6174

A weekend packed with great Irish bands, 9 stages, children and adult Irish dancers, award winning plays, food, over 60 Irish vendors, literature, extensive children's activities, and over 200 historical exhibits and displays.

August

Enshrinement Ceremony - Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival  

Held in early August

Location:  Pro Football Hall of Fame 330-456-8207 Football's Greatest Weekend centers on the Enshrinement Ceremony. Enjoy a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the class of  Hall of Fame Enshrinees formally inducted into the hallowed halls of this national shrine during an official ceremony held in Fawcett Stadium.

Pro Football Hall of Fame: AFC-NFC Hall of Fame Game

Held in early August

Location: Fawcett Stadium

330-456-8207

Are you ready for some football? ABC-TV's Monday Night Football officially kicks off the NFL pre-season with the AFC-NFC Hall of Fame Game, featuring two of the favorite NFL teams. Plus, fans will enjoy a half time show to remember! The annual Hall of Fame Game is played at Fawcett Stadium located next to the Hall of Fame. Game time is 8:00 p.m. Pregame festivities will take place Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Vintage Ohio

Held in early August

Location: Lake Farmpark

800-227-6972

The annual Ohio Wine Tasting Festival. Sample wines from over 20 different wineries and food from Cleveland's finest restaurants. All located on the picturesque grounds of Lake Farmpark. Music and activities for all ages, wine seminars, cooking demonstrations, and Friday night fireworks.

September

Taste of Cleveland

Held in early September

Location: Tower City Amphitheater

216-241-5555

An exciting culinary event featuring cuisine from around the globe and around the corner. The annual Taste of Cleveland is a celebration of one of life's simple pleasures---the joy of eating! From French to Italian, Greek to Chinese, micro-brews to wines, desserts to appetizers and everything in-between, there is something to please even the most discriminating palates. Learn the chefs' secrets at the Culinary Showcase as local chefs demonstrate how to prepare their signature dishes.

Lake Farmpark’s Village Peddler Festival

Held in mid September

Location: Lake Farmpark

440-256-2122

The Village Peddler Festival is an outdoor old-fashioned festival of crafts, folk music and food. Over 150 craftsmen and women are chosen for the quality and uniqueness of their products. Food vendors provide a wide variety of eating opportunities. Horse-drawn wagon rides and Farmpark's many activities provide an enjoyable experience for the whole family.

Penitentiary Glen Reservation’s Bug Day

Held in mid September

Location: Penitentiary Glen Reservation

800-882-2099

Bring the family for a "creepy" day of bug games, crafts, activities, live bug exhibits, ant maze and so much more! Kids even have a chance to earn their degree in Bugology.

Centerfest

Held in mid September

Location: Playhouse Square Center

216-771-4444

More than 50 community artists and cultural organizations participate in Centerfest, which celebrates the rich diversity of Cleveland's artistic and cultural resources. Centerfest is a free open house arts event, during which Greater Cleveland community members are invited to see all of Playhouse Square's theaters, lobbies, and rehearsal halls come to life with music, dance, and song as well as immerse themselves in a wide range of hands-on arts activities that will inspire the entire family.

Midwest Oktoberfest

Held in mid September

Location: Tower City Amphitheater

216-241-5555

The annual Midwest Oktoberfest brings the Old World Folk atmosphere back to Cleveland as it celebrates ethnic pride in NE Ohio. The festivities are accompanied by a program of events, including specialty brews, ethnic food varieties and folk music spanning the globe.

Lake Farmpark’s Fall Harvest Festival and Antique Tractor Show

Held in late September

Location: Lake Farmpark

800-366-FARM

A festival celebrating the beauty of the fall season. Taste fresh harvest soup, sample a variety of apples, watch apple butter being made, and help us press some apple cider. Enjoy browsing through the crafters and see the parade of antique tractors that helped revolutionize farming. Bushel loads of activities for all ages.

Entertainment

Ohio Ballet 354 East Market Street Akron, OH  44325 330-972-7900

Call for performance schedule

With programs ranging from classical to contemporary, Ohio Ballet is Northeast Ohio's oldest professional ballet company.

Ohio Dance Theatre

39 S. Main St. Oberlin, OH  44074 440-774-6077

Call for performance schedule

A professional ballet based contemporary dance company committed to bringing the finest in classic and contemporary dance to audiences in the region.

Professional Flair/ Dancing Wheels The Masonic Temple Cleve. Masonic Ctr. for Performance Art Cleveland, OH  44115-2527 216-432-0306

Call for performance schedule Arts and disability organization providing accessible programs, classes and performances.

Clear Channel Entertainment

Tower City Amphitheater

1887 W. 3rd St. Cleveland, OH  44113 440-247-2722

Call for complete list of events and festivals

See industry's top artists and Cleveland's largest festivals. Riverside, Cleveland’s outdoor theater, holds up to 7500 guests.

House of Blues Concerts

2249 Elm Street Cuyahoga Falls, OH  44113 216-861-3229

Call for complete schedule of performances

Exclusive concert promoter at Scene Pavilion in the Flats and Blossom Music Center. Rock, country and classical concerts are held May thru September.

The Singing Angels

3615 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH  44115 216-432-5555

Call for concert schedule

The non-profit Singing Angels are Cleveland's world ambassadors. More than 350 children 8-18 providing show-stopping music while learning life skills.

Cleveland Orchestra Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH  44106 216-231-7300

Call for performance schedule

Long considered one of America's great orchestras, The Cleveland Orchestra performs in Severance Hall, located in University Circle on the campus of Case Western Reserve University.

Cleveland Pops Orchestra 24000 Mercantile Rd. Cleveland, OH  44122 216-765-7677

Call for performance schedule A must-see for visitors looking for the best in symphonic pops, jazz, swing and music from Broadway and the movies.

Lyric Opera Cleveland

The Cleveland Play House

8500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH  44101 216-685-5976

Performances held June – August, call for additional information Innovative opera and music theater in English. Enjoy picnics at intermission.

The Beck Center for the Arts 17801 Detroit Ave. Lakewood, OH  44107 216-521-2540

Call for performance schedule Performing arts organization in Northeast Ohio. Two professional theaters entertain 25,000 each season. Beck Center's Art Gallery is home to The Cleveland Artists Foundation.

Cain Park 40 Severance Circle Cleveland Heights, OH  44118 216-291-5792

Call for performance schedule Affordable variety of nationally known entertainment featuring music, dance and theatre and performed in 2 covered amphitheaters during the summer months.

Canton Palace Theatre Association 605 Market Avenue North N. Canton, OH  44702 330-454-8172 Built in 1926 as a vaudeville house, this fully restored, beautifully lavish theatre hosts concerts, musicals, plays, Hollywood hit movies and art and foreign films. Tours are available.

Cassidy Theatre 6200 Pearl Rd. Parma Heights, OH  44130 440-842-4600

Call for performance schedule Broadway hits. The Classics, Musicals, comedies, dramas, special musical events, youth theatre. Free parking. Handicapped accessible. Entertainment for the family at a great low price.

Cleveland Opera 1422 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH  44115 216-575-0903

Call for performance schedule  

The Cleveland Play House 8500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH  44106-0189 216-795-7000

Call for performance schedule One of America's first permanently established professional theatre companies presenting important new works as well as classics.

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