Cleveland LGBTQ+ Insider Guide

WELCOME TO CLEVELAND.

In case you’re keeping score, the jokes are over. The story has changed. And the only thing burning here is passion and desire. And if we’re still surprising you, you’re not paying attention.

Pressure doesn’t just make diamonds, it creates artists, innovators and visionaries who thrive in the face of it. We make things that matter. And we’ve never wanted to be anyone else but us.

Unafraid. Unapologetic. Unstoppable.

The fabric of The Land is woven tight. We may win some. We may lose some. But we’ll never be defeated. Because when you’re used to risking everything, anything is possible.

And for that, you’re welcome.

EVENTS Spotlight

Northeast Ohio’s performance entertainment pedigree serves up everything from breakaway indie-rock bands to Broadway-caliber musicals (everything from fist pumps to finger claps).

January

Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Concert. The Cleveland Orchestra, Severance Music Center. clevelandorchestra.com

February

Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week. Downtown Cleveland. downtowncleveland.com/events Brite Winter. The Flats West Bank. britewinter.com

March

St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Downtown Cleveland. stpatricksdaycleveland.com

Cleveland International Film Festival. Tower City Cinemas. clevelandfilm.org

April

Cleveland Guardians Baseball Season Begins. Progressive Field. guardians.com

CLAW. Downtown Cleveland. clawinfo.org

May

Cleveland Asian Festival. AsiaTown neighborhood. clevelandasianfestival.org

Cleveland Marathon, ½ Marathon and 10K. Downtown Cleveland. clevelandmarathon.com

June

Pride in the CLE. Downtown Cleveland, Public Square. lgbtcleveland.org/pride-in-the-cle.html

Daisy Gala. margieshope.org/daisy-gala

Parade The Circle. University Circle. clevelandart.org

Juneteenth FreedomFest. Mall C, Downtown Cleveland. juneteenthcle.com

MX Juneteenth. mxjuneteenth.org

Larchmere PorchFest. Larchmere neighborhood. larchmereporchfest.org

Summer Solstice Party. Cleveland Museum of Art. clevelandart.org

Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland. Playhouse Square. tri-cjazzfest.com

Cleveland NeighborFest. Cudell/Edgewater neighborhoods. cudelledgewater.com/enf

July

The Cleveland Orchestra Blossom Festival Season Begins. Blossom Music Center. clevelandorchestra.com

Cain Park Arts Festival. Cain Park, Cleveland Hts. cainpark.com

Taste of Tremont. Tremont neighborhood. tasteoftremont.com

BorderLight Festival. Playhouse Square. borderlightcle.com

August

Vintage Ohio Wine Festival. Lake Metroparks Farmpark. visitvintageohio.com

Feast of the Assumption. Little Italy. littleitalycle.com

Ohio Burlesque Festival. Beachland Ballroom. ohioburlesque.com

One World Day. Cleveland Cultural Gardens. clevelandculturalgardens.org

Cleveland Garlic Festival. Shaker Square. clevelandgarlicfestival.org

September

Cleveland Browns Football Season Begins. Cleveland Browns Stadium. clevelandbrowns.com

Labor Day Oktoberfest. Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds. bereaoktoberfest.com

Cleveland National Air Show. Burke Lakefront Airport. clevelandairshow.com

Waterloo Arts Festival. Collinwood neighborhood. waterlooarts.org/fest

Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival. Shaker Square. gcuff.org

Tremont Arts & Cultural Festival. Tremont neighborhood. experiencetremont.com

The Cleveland Orchestra Severance Music Center Season Begins. Severance Music Center. clevelandorchestra.com

IngenuityFest of Art +Technology. Hamilton Collaborative. ingenuitycleveland.com

October

Cleveland Beer Week. Various locations. clevelandbeerweek.org

Cleveland LGBTQ+ Heritage Day. Citywide events. lgbtcleveland.org

Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball Season Begins. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. cavs.com

November

Deck The Halls. Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens. stanhywet.org

FROST.

Cleveland Botanical Garden. cbgarden.org

December

Winterland Downtown. Public Square to Playhouse Square. winterlandcle.com

Queer The Halls. LGBT Community Center. lgbtcleveland.org

Ongoing

North Coast Men’s Chorus. Various venues. ncmchorus.org

Key Bank Broadway Series. Playhouse Square. playhousesquare.org

Mix at CMA.

Cleveland Museum of Art. clevelandart.org

Walkabout Tremont. Tremont neighborhood. walkabouttremont.com

Third Fridays Art Walk. 78th Street Studios, Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. 78thstreetstudios.com

GlamGore Drag Show. Grog Shop. grogshop.gs

Terrace Concert Series. LGBT Community Center. lgbtcleveland.org

OUT ON THE TOWN

Eight neighborhoods worth visiting

You might ask: Where’s the gayborhood in Cleveland? Well, there isn’t one — and nobody’s complaining. There’s Downtown, Tremont, Coventry, Ohio City — wherever the most interesting local entrepreneurs, restaurateurs and mixologists have gathered, that’s where you’ll find our community. So shop, dine and drink in these fabulous hotspots.

DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND

East 4th Street

In the shadows of Progressive Field, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and the JACK Casino, East 4th Street is a bustling, yet charming cobblestone-covered street lined with establishments that can serve as a perfect pregame to evening plans or act as a postgame celebration spot. Especially popular with a new generation of 20- and 30-somethings who have moved Downtown, East 4th Street offers everything from bowling to comedy to concerts. Plus, Cleveland’s very own celebrity chef, Michael Symon, helms Mabel’s BBQ which calls East 4th home.

Warehouse District

In the heart of Downtown, in plain view of Cleveland Browns Stadium, you’ll find this densely concentrated neighborhood of restaurants and bars perfect for brogazing. Especially lively on weekend nights and pre- and post-game, the Warehouse District delivers a solid dining and nightlife experience. A destination if you’re staying Downtown, need to entertain colleagues or are looking for a raucous crowd to share a drink.

The Flats

The Flats are back, thanks to a massive redevelopment of the entire district on the east bank of the Cuyahoga River. New restaurants, bars and the Aloft Hotel make this a must-visit residential and commercial neighborhood. The west bank is rounded out with lively venues such as the Music Box Supper Club where you’ll find Drag Bingo and Drag Brunch events.

OHIO CITY

As you cross the mighty Cuyahoga River from Downtown to the west side, you’ll find yourself in a mix of young professionals, hipsters and artists.

Food and drink are the best reasons to include Ohio City on your itinerary. Restaurateurs in the neighborhood are especially focused on local foods, and multiple breweries with national reputations make their homes here. Master mixologists, innovative breakfast joints, independent stores and art galleries complete a scene that’s white hot and growing at a scorching pace.

It’s Hingetown district was the early home to Cleveland’s first LGBTQ+ movement and today is home to a handful of gay-owned businesses, trendy restaurants and local shops.

TREMONT

Located in the shadow of Cleveland’s legacy steel mills, Tremont is the intellectual cousin of its artsy neighbor Ohio City. Food, drink and art are the three key words that define its powerful draw.

Behind one door you’ll discover fine dining, and behind another lies ironic karaoke or a DJ spinning an obscure house song. Much to the delight of locals, Cleveland’s first cat cafe, affoGATO Cat Café, has been scratching its way through Tremont since 2019.

The second Friday of each month brings the Walkabout Tremont, which might include a high-fashion drag show spilling into the streets or an opening by one of Cleveland’s resident artists.

DETROIT SHOREWAY

Sure, we said there wasn’t one, but the closest thing to an LGBTQ+ neighborhood in Cleveland that you’ll get is Detroit Shoreway. The area, stretching from West 45th to West 85th streets, is the home of the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland and plenty of friendly businesses and organizations.

At the heart of Detroit Shoreway is the Gordon Square Arts District, at the corner of West 65th Street and Detroit Avenue. Packed on Third Fridays is artist co-op 78th Street Studios, but you’ll find lively foot traffic all the time: Three theater companies, an indie and blockbuster movie house, restaurants, bars, shops and more call this ZIP code home. Keep an eye out for cultural mash-ups such as Dyngus Day with DJ Kishka and Classical Revolution Cleveland, which provide unlikely entertainment to patrons noshing on dogs and fries at neighborhood mainstay Happy Dog.

LAKEWOOD

Often considered the most popular west-side suburb for LGBTQ+ people, Lakewood — especially its downtown — has become a go-to destination for restaurateurs. Since 2016, Lakewood has been the home to Salt+, a lesbianowned small plates dining experience and the brainchild of three-time James Beard nominee chef Jill Vedaa. Locals also love Mahall’s, a 90-yearold bowling alley that’s a retro blast from the past and has recently added a jam-packed concert schedule. And

the edition of the expansive Studio West 117 with its 5,000-square foot fieldhouse and three restaurants really has Lakewood vying for the Cleveland gayborhood crown.

COVENTRY VILLAGE/ CEDAR LEE

Embracing its hippie vibe is Coventry Village in Cleveland Heights, near the arts and cultural attractions of University Circle. The community prides itself on supporting independent retailers, the arts, the environment and other progressive

causes — for east-side dwelling LGBTQ+ folks, home is often nearby.

A collection of restaurants and shops along Coventry Road, the district stretches between Mayfield Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard. Vegans, lovers of local music and those seeking fair-trade or sustainable goods will all feel at home here.

You’ll find more local restaurants, galleries and indie film mecca Cedar Lee Theatre just a short drive away in the Cedar Lee neighborhood.

COLLINWOOD

One look at the vibrant Zoetic Walls murals that adorn the streets of the Waterloo Arts District, and it’s clear that you’ve entered one hella creative community. The neighborhood offers ample opportunity to tap into your own inner artist — from weaving and fabric arts at Praxis Fiber Workshop to thought-provoking contemporary art at Waterloo Arts Gallery. It’s tough to miss the vibrantly painted Pop Life headquarters (featuring the stylings of world-famous muralist Camille Walala).

High-vibe design rules here with yoga and wellness classes, a juice bar and retail. Prefer to appreciate rather than create? See a show at indie music mecca Beachland Ballroom and Tavern, or take a leisurely stroll through the area’s many art galleries.

ASIATOWN

On Cleveland’s east side, you’ll find more than 20 authentic Asian restaurants, as well as Asia Plaza and Asia Town Center. Start your exploration at perennial dim sum favorite Li Wah,

followed by a bubble waffle, one of Hong Kong’s tastiest street foods, at Ball Ball Waffle. From retailers to supermarkets, you can shop for art, herbs or all the ingredients you need for your date-night dinner.

LGBTQ+ Nightlife

Twist Social Club (11633 Clifton Blvd.) An upscale lounge at the Cleveland/Lakewood border, Twist is not just a place to dance the night away; you can also enjoy trivia, karaoke and board game nights. During summer months, giant windows are opened and dancing queens spill out onto the patio. twistsocialclub.com

The Hawk (11217 Detroit Ave.) A down-to-earth, cozy neighborhood bar serving the LGBTQ+ community in Cleveland’s west side Cudell neighborhood. A no frills local fave. facebook.com/TheHawkBar

Cocktails Cleveland (9208 Detroit Ave.) The basement bar opens in the evenings, Wednesday through Sunday and hosts a variety of events from comedy nights to karaoke. facebook.com/CocktailsCleveland

Vibe Bar + Patio (11633 Lorain Ave.) This west side hot spot features a large outdoor patio, a weekly karaoke night and drag shows. Open to everyone – gay, lesbian, transgender or straight – come as you are. vibecleveland.com

Leather Stallion (2205 St. Clair Ave.) Break out your leather chaps and come out of hibernation at one of Ohio’s longest operating gay bars. Its patio becomes a huge draw on summer Sunday evenings, when even those who don’t have an interest in leather can’t resist. leatherstallion.com

Shade Nightclub (4693 State Rd.) Situated in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood, this casual bar is designed for the entire LGBTQ+ community and their allies. Events include drag performances raising funds for local trans-centered non-profits. facebook.com/shadecleveland

Studio West 117 (1384 Hird Ave., Lakewood) The LGBTQ+ community finds a home at this 300,000-square-foot complex in Lakewood. From drag bingo to rooftop techno parties, there’s something here for every kind of queer. studiowest117.com

Drag Shows Horror and glamor unite as everyone from drag monsters and beauty queens share the stage during GlamGore at the Grog Shop (2785 Euclid Heights Blvd). The punk-rock drag showcase, BLACK MASS, takes over The 5 O’Clock Lounge (11904 Detroit Ave.) combining burlesque, art and music. Leggy local legend Veranda L’Ni hosts Drag Brunch and Drag Bingo at Music Box Supper Club (1148 Main Avenue.) facebook.com/GlamGoreCLE, facebook.com/blackmasscle, and musicboxcle.com

FOOD Station

Your Cleveland gay agenda could literally be:

1. Eat. 2. Eat again. 3. Eat some more. Cleveland’s a foodie town. And unlike bigger cities, here you can enjoy an astounding meal — and get a reservation. LGBTQ+ folks regularly include one of these fabulous destinations as part of a big night out. In fact, you’ll often find yourself finishing up your appetizer, looking around, and asking your dinner companions, “When did this place become a gay bar?”

Try these choices if you’re planning a specific meal:

BREAKFAST/BRUNCH/COFFEE

Brewella’s (16806 Madison Ave., Lakewood) Start your day at this LGBTQ+-owned creperie where coffee, crepes and collectibles all meet. At Brewella’s, themed menu items and decor change with the seasons. brewellas.com

Sophie La Gourmande (2277 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights) Fancy French pâtisserie finds a home alongside classic croissants at this cafe. Eat like royalty by ordering the award-winning chai-spiced Kouign (pronounced ‘Queen’) Sophie. sophielagourmande.com

Michael’s Bakeshop (4145 Erie St., Willoughby) Love buns? Don’t miss the signature cinnamon rolls at this gay-owned sweet shop. michaelsbakeshop.com

Dinerbar on Clifton (11801 Clifton Blvd., Lakewood) After spending the night out dancing at nearby Twist Social Club, recharge with a hearty breakfast at this retrostyle diner. dinerbaronclifton.com

LUNCH

Heinen’s (900 Euclid Ave., Downtown) Look up and marvel. Offering salads, wraps, sushi, a full-service espresso bar, plus wine and beer, in the century-old Cleveland Trust Rotunda building. heinens.com

Astoria Café & Market (5417 Detroit Ave., Detroit Shoreway) What started as an expansive market for specialty goods has become an award-winning Greek-inspired eatery utilizing the high-end ingredients their market is known for. astoriacafemarket.com

L’Albatros Brasserie (11401 Bellflower Rd., University Circle) If you’re spending the day in University Circle, stop by this excellent French bistro to recharge before moving on to the next museum. albatrosbrasserie.com

Larder (1455 W. 29th St., Hingetown) Savor koji-cured pastrami piled high on freshbaked bread, marvel at the vinegar made from Manischewitz wine, or stock up on seasonal pickles in the grab-and-go section. larderdb.com

DINNER

Cordelia (2058 E 4th St., Downtown)

This award-winning newcomer combines classic Midwestern hospitality with worldly ingredients to serve up savvy culinary dishes in an environment populated with secondhand decor. cordeliacle.com

Opal on Pearl (4250 Pearl Rd., Old Brooklyn) Pass it on: their delectable cheese-and-charcuterie boards, savory flatbreads and toasty baked brie are perfect for sharing. opalonpearl.com

Luxe Kitchen & Lounge (6605 Detroit Ave., Detroit Shoreway) A local favorite for its refined, relaxed, cool and artistic vibe. Serving hand-crafted cocktails and Mediterranean-Italian cuisine. luxecleveland.com

Amba (1430 W 28th St., Hingetown) Hailed as one of Cleveland’s best chefs, Douglas Katz serves up a menu of Indian shareable plates at this LGBTQ+owned restaurant. ambacle.com

Zhug (12413 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights) Another one of Katz’s can’t miss restaurants, Zhug takes Middle Eastern inspired small plates to a whole new level. zhugcle.com

Poppy, a Salt+ Restaurant (12502 Larchmere Blvd., Larchmere) With seasonal offerings, innovation is always on the menu at this LGBTQ+- owned California-style eatery, thanks to perennial James Beard nominee Jill Vedaa. poppycleveland.com

LATE NIGHT

Jukebox (1404 W. 29th St., Hingetown) The rotating playlist is curated just as carefully as its list of craft beers and bar bites. Where else can you find dishes like “Sweet Potato O’ Mine” and “Beast of Burger?” jukeboxcle.com

Prosperity Social Club (1109 Starkweather Ave., Tremont) Serving up fare that takes its cues from what’s been described as Cleveland comfort food, this hipster joint attracts a young crowd of urban professionals. prosperitysocialclub.com

Happy Dog (5801 Detroit Ave., Detroit Shoreway) Enjoy live entertainment while dining on the extensive menu of build-your-own gourmet hot dogs (vegan is an option). Beloved by locals. happydogcleveland.com

Lago East Bank (1091 W 10th St., The Flats) Indulge in decadent Sicilian dishes at this award-winning Italian spot before retiring to the ALOFT Hotel above. lagoeastbank.com

WINERIES

Move over California. Ohio wine exists — and it’s good. Among the region’s specialties is ice wine, a dessert wine that takes advantage of our disadvantageous winters freezing grapes on the vine. To the east, you’ll find Ferrante Winery (ferrantewinery.com) which boosts icewine infused dishes and an outdoor patio. Debonné Vineyards (debonne.com), also in Grand River Valley, offers an ice wine flight experience providing that Ohio wine chill. And head west to Sandusky, where you’ll find one of the oldest wineries in Ohio, Firelands (firelandswinery.com). To the south sits Gervasi Vineyards (gervasivineyard.com) in Canton. While the

gorgeous grounds are a fave for nuptials (LGBTQ+ included), the estate-grown wines should not be missed.

WINE BARS

Worldly wine selections find a home at Cleveland’s local wine bars. Situated in the historic Cedar Lee Neighborhood, CLE Urban Winery (cleurbanwinery.com) applies a craft-brew approach to wine. Across town in Gordon Square, raise a glass at Toast (toastcleveland.com) with wines hailing from Austria to Argentina. Newly reopened in Tremont, La Cave Du Vin (lacavebar.com) serves up fine wines in an unpretentious locale.

BREWS

If you like our wines, wait till you taste our beers. From east (Mentor) to west (Amherst) to south (Strongsville), the Cleveland Brewery Passport covers a lot of ground with CLE’s growing craft beer scene—spanning 43 breweries all within a 30-mile radius of Downtown. Checkin to breweries using the mobile passport and rack up points and rewards along the way. Bon beer voyage! (thisiscleveland.com/things-to-do/experiences-tours/passports)

COCKTAILS

Mix things up with Cleveland’s curated cocktail bars. Tremont’s Cloak & Dagger (cloakanddaggercle.com) is a literary-lover’s dream with seasonal cocktails themed to a book or author. Over in Ohio City, Velvet Tango Room (velvettangoroom.com) is a Cleveland cocktail institution featured on Food Network’s ‘Best Thing I Ever Drank.’ Down the street, Porco Lounge & Tiki Bar (porcolounge.com) sets cocktails aflame with their smokin’ good group libations. The Fairmount (thefairmount.net) brings classic cocktails to Cleveland Heights including their own hot-pepper infused house shot.

SOBER-CURIOUS

LGBTQ+ culture has long been consumed by alcoholdriven spaces but sobriety is sexy, too. Verbena (verbenafreespirited.com), Cleveland’s first completely nonalcoholic dry bar, pours spirit-free spins on classics. LBM (lbmbar.com) takes Lakewood back to the Viking reign with their molecular gastronomy-driven offerings sans alcohol. With a selection of non-alcoholic IPAs, the West Bank’s BrewDog (brewdog.com/uk/cleveland) is far from falling flat. It’s hard to be bored at Ohio City’s TableTop Board Game Café (tabletopcleve.com). Strategize your gameplay while sipping on a smoothie or a house-made iced tea.

STUDIO West 117

While many of the country’s famed close-knit gayborhoods developed out of necessity and safety, Cleveland’s queer community has long-been scattered. Two local developers set out to bring the community together undertaking a $100 million project at the Cleveland/Lakewood border that would serve and centralize the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. And Studio West 117 (studiowest117.com) was born.

The opening of The Fieldhouse marked the first phase of Studio West 117’s grand plan. With a rock-climbing wall outside, inside you’ll find an expansive gym with a mezzanine-level walking track perfect for observers to cheer or throw shade on the game play below. Stop by for a game of pickleball or a lesson on how to dance in heels. Our community isn’t one to shy away from color and neither do the walls of the gymnasium covered in murals painted by local LGBTQ+ artists.

Work up an appetite? The Fieldhouse offers three different dining options situated inside the same 30,000 square foot complex. Weekends are a drag at Muze GastroPub with queens hosting bingo and brunch. Make them eat it at Eat Me Pizza’s walk up pizza window. Come up for air at Trellis Rooftop Bar

A mural in the Fieldhouse courtyard features the words “Together We Rise” and certainly that’s what the team at Studio West 117 hopes to do in the coming years. Future plans include a health clinic, apartments and additional entertainment venues.

CULTURAL Mecca

Our fanaticism for all things sports gets the headlines. And, for as overhyped as that fandom may be, if we’re being real, it’s for real. But not everyone in town wants to paint themselves head-to-toe in orange and brown and freeze in the Muni Lot with brats and brews. Enough of us are drawn to things with a more artistic flair that we have one of the greatest collections of cultural institutions and activities in the country.

LIVE FROM CLEVELAND

The flashy lights and enormous outdoor chandelier are just the sizzle to get you to see the wide-ranging offerings inside Playhouse Square’s (playhousesquare.org) spectacular historic theaters. You might start your evening with the whimsical small bites and cocktails of Bin 216, then check out one of seven big-budget Broadway Series shows arriving direct from the Great White Way. Also in the district is Great Lakes Theater (greatlakestheater.org) and Cleveland Play House (clevelandplayhouse.org).

INDIE THEATER

Cleveland Public Theatre (cptonline.org) is the beloved anchor of the west side Gordan Square Arts District and often mounts works with a progressive bent. And on the east side, in Cleveland Heights, Dobama Theatre (dobama.org) presents challenging recent works. In Tremont, Convergence Theatre (convergence-continuum.org) presents cutting-edge works in an intimate and immersive performance space. These companies regularly produce shows with LGBTQ+ themes and performers.

NORTH COAST MEN’S CHORUS

Check your cynicism at the door for the North Coast Men’s Chorus (ncmchorus.org), which brings infectious joy, humor and camp to its concerts. The largest LGBTQ+ arts organization in the area puts on seven sold-out concerts per year. So, get tickets quickly, or spend the season without your fix of gay musical theater. (The choice seems obvious.)

URBAN ARTS DISTRICT

In an area that is the size of a square mile, University Circle (universitycircle.org) packs more internationally recognized institutions than many entire states can claim. But a rapid expansion of other neighborhood amenities — hotels, restaurants, pubs, coffee shops — means you could spend an entire visit to Cleveland just within its boundaries.

Expect more than just typical galleries at the Cleveland Museum of Art (clevelandart.org) Start in ARTLENS, the country’s largest multi-touch display that gives you access to 4,500 works of art. Next stroll through the stunning new atrium for a literal jaw-dropper.

The Cleveland Botanical Garden (cbgardens.org) offers lush landscapes and flowers year-round. In spring and summer you can stroll through the rolling outdoor gardens — but the spectacular Glasshouse is a great venue during the cold winter months.

Severance Music Center is the home of The Cleveland Orchestra (clevelandorchestra.com), considered one of the top orchestras in the world. The hall itself is a visually and acoustically magnificent landmark.

New to the neighborhood is the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (mocacleveland.org), whose new building is a work of art in itself. With no permanent collection, MOCA ensures each visit provides something new to behold.

MUSIC Revolution

From girl-on-guitar in the diviest of dive bars to diva superstars on the most massive of arena tours, the Cleveland music scene is as diverse as your iTunes playlist. Pick a night, any night of the week, and be sure to find more music choices than your schedule can handle.

Don’t believe us? Man, there’s even a song written about it. Cleveland rocks. The lyrics don’t lie.

LONG LIVE ROCK

Rock ‘n’ roll? Yeah, we invented it. Or at least coined the term for it, thanks to local DJ Alan Freed. So it makes sense that that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (rockhall.com), the stunning shrine to rock music, rises along our north shore at Lake Erie.

Queen, George Michael, Dusty Springfield, Elton John, Ma Rainey — there are enough LGBTQ+ Rock Hall inductees to fill their own wing. Allies, too: Madonna, plus activist and gay icon Linda Ronstadt.

Permanent and temporary exhibits explore topics from the Beatles to music festivals, and special events and concerts on the plaza mean this museum is no stagnant shrine to yesteryear.

THE SCENE

Music aficionados often name the Grog Shop, a Cleveland Heights club that books local and national acts, as their favorite concert venue. The Beachland Ballroom, in the about-to-break-open Collinwood neighborhood, has a devoted following attracted to its eclectic schedule that spans blues to electronic dance music.

Check out acclaimed jazz venue Nighttown in Cleveland Heights, or The Agora in MidTown for major national tours. Music Box Supper Club on the West Bank of The Flats is a two-level, two-venue space booking artists and bands more appropriate for a smaller, intimate, sit-down environment.

Brite Winter invites you to bundle up in The Flats with a packed music lineup that will leave you shivering.

CELEBRATE The World

Want to experience another culture? Curious to explore your own background? Name it, there’s a good chance we’ve got it — and there’s probably a festival, restaurant, organization or district that celebrates it. We wouldn’t dare list all of the diverse groups who call Northeast Ohio home because the list would go on forever, but from Eastern Europe to East Asia, an astounding number of nationalities are well-represented.

Among the many local destinations that celebrate our diversity:

Latino Theater

Cleveland has the second-largest Hispanic population in Ohio, and their stories take center stage thanks to companies such as Teatro Publico de Cleveland and LatinUs Theater Company. For those looking to stretch their own performance wings, Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center offers year-round classes (including flamenco, guitar and Latin social dance) taught by local artists. thisiscleveland.com/things-to-do/culture/hispanic-culture

Cultural Gardens

Wind your way north of University Circle on Martin Luther King. Jr. Boulevard and find yourself in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, 30 urban landscapes celebrating nationalities and ethnicities with strong ties to Northeast Ohio. culturalgardens.org

Festivals

During summer, barely a week can pass without a festival with an ethnic flair, from Polish to Puerto Rican. Keep an eye out for the Cleveland Asian Festival (typically in May), Tremont Greek Fest (Memorial Day weekend), Juneteenth Freedom Fest (June), and the Puerto Rican Parade (August), among many, many others. thisiscleveland.com/events

Karamu House

Attracting artists of all ages, the oldest AfricanAmerican theater in the United States is known for its semi-professional theatrical productions and activities for young people. karamuhouse.org

Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage

One of Cleveland’s newer destinations, the Maltz Museum’s two permanent exhibits chronicle world, American and Cleveland Jewish history and culture. Regular special exhibits address diversity issues and have included LGBTQ+ content. maltzmuseum.org

West Side Market

Whether you’re looking for meats, cheeses, veggies and fruits, or you want a complete dish or meal to impress your friends, this 100-year-old institution will satisfy and surprise. Middle Eastern, Cambodian, Mediterranean, Italian — and Cleveland, in the form of home-grown pierogies, are among the diverse vendors. westsidemarket.org

RETAIL Therapy

Need a unique souvenir to accompany the incredible memories you’ll be taking home? If you’re doing retail right, your adventure might take you to a flea market/ craft show in a former automobile factory or through art galleries in some of the most historic neighborhoods in town. A selection of destinations:

SHOP LOCAL

Cleveland doesn’t just handcraft brews; local artisans also make keepsake souvenirs. Try the Gordon Square Arts District (Detroit Avenue near West 65th Street), where shops are boosted by the monthly Third Friday art event at the 78th Street Studios (1300 W. 78th St. – 78thstreetstudios.com), home to more than 60 galleries. From printmakers and beekeepers to woodworkers and soap makers, City Goods (1442 W. 28th St. – citygoodscle.com) houses a collective of Hingetown’s small businesses in seven hangar spaces. If you’re in the thriving East 4th Street district, stop by CLE Clothing (342 Euclid Ave. – cleclothingco.com), where the apparel has a distinctly Ohio flavor. And for popup events featuring local indie artisans, Cleveland Bazaar (clevelandbazaar.org) is the move.

SHOP NAME BRANDS

For traditional retailers intermixed with higher-end national boutiques, several lifestyle centers will handle your needs. On the east side, Beachwood Place (26300 Cedar Rd., Beachwood – beachwoodplace.com) and Legacy Village (25001 Cedar Rd., Lyndhurst –legacy-village.com) are located just a stone’s throw from each other and have most every national retailer you can name. Try ETON (28601 Chagrin Blvd., Woodmere – etonchagrinblvd.com) for Sur La Table, the Apple Store, Brooks Brothers and a selection of women’s fashion stores. On the west side, Crocker Park (25 Main St., Westlake – crockerpark.com) serves up Trader Joe’s, Urban Outfitters and a Regal cinema.

SHOP QUEER

Invest those pink dollars back into Cleveland’s LGBTQ+ owned businesses. Stock up on gear and rainbow accessories at Hingetown’s Dean Rufus House of Fun (1422 W. 29th St – instagram.com/deanrufus/) Vintage-lovers, All Things for You (3136 W. 14th St. – allthingsforu.com) in Tremont has something for you. Pamper yourself with goods from STEM Handmade Soap (stemsoaps.com) located in Shaker Heights and Lakewood. Get into all things occult at Lakewood’s Coven (1384 Bonnieview Ave. – covencle.com). Urban Orchid’s (theurbanorchid.com) three Cleveland locations pair upscale florals with local artisanmade gifts while Edgewater’s Pet-Tique (10906 Clifton Blvd. – petique.com) keeps your pets looking pawsitively radiant.

SPORTS Pride

PRO TEAMS

You don’t mess with our teams. The Guardians (guardians.com), the Browns (clevelandbrowns.com), the Cavs (cavs.com)—sometimes they don’t, well, live up to our dreams. Or even our bare minimum expectations. But they’re like our token straight friend — only we get to make fun of them. Come rainbow-clad to cheer on the Guards and Cavs at their respective Pride Nights. Experience the range of emotions that comes with being a Cleveland football fan alongside your LGBTQ+ family at Browns Backers with a Twist (facebook.com/ BrownsBackerswithaTwist). So check your hometown affiliations at the county line — ‘cause in Cleveland, you’re not just required to root for our teams, you’ll have a helluva time if you do.

THAT’S FUN

There’s even more fun to be had if you look beyond our Big Three. The Burning River Roller Derby (burningriverderby.com) are Ohio’s first all-female flat-track roller derby league. Their outlandish and LGBTQ+-friendly season spans February through July. And if you like your action bruising and on ice, the Cleveland Monsters (clevelandmonsters.com) are our American Hockey League team.

LGBTQ+ LEAGUES

Put me in, Coach! Live your “League of Their Own” fantasy with North Coast Softball or serve looks at Lake Erie Volleyball Association. Other local LGBTQ+ leagues include Cleveland Aquatic Team, North Coast Bowling Association, and Cleveland Out and About for outdoorsy queers. Cleveland’s Stonewall Sports (leagues.teamlinkt.com/stonewallsportsclevelandchapter) offers kickball, sand volleyball (yes, we have a beach!), dodgeball, bocce and even yoga depending on the time of year.

ALL NATURAL

If you want less structure, explore our extensive and awe-inspiring Cleveland Metroparks (clevelandmetroparks.com), a chain of 18 reservations with hiking, biking and horse-riding trails; beaches; and picnic areas. A short drive south takes you to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (nps.gov/cuva), the highlight of which may be the Towpath Trail, a 20-mile journey for runners, walkers and bicyclists along the former route of the Ohio and Erie Canal. Just west of Downtown, tip back with a cold cocktail at the beach house and watch the sailboats cruise Lake Erie at Edgewater Park. End your shore day with hot pink sunsets painting the sky over Lake Erie nearly nightly–see them from Lakewood’s Solstice Steps

FRIENDLY Accommodations

There are a number of LGBTQ+-friendly hotels in Cleveland. The Kimpton Schofield Hotel pays tribute to the gay nightclub that once called its Downtown block home. Nearby, marvel at the Gilded Age architecture at the Hyatt Regency at The Arcade or take in the views at the Metropolitan at The 9. Feel at home at ROOST, Cleveland’s apartment hotel. Plus, there are plenty of other accommodations where LGBTQ+ folks have made their base for events such as CLAW, Pride and the Cleveland International Film Festival: Westin Cleveland Downtown and The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland, to name a couple.

Several bed and breakfasts in the heart of Ohio City put you steps from gorging yourself on fine dining or a legendary bar crawl of Cleveland’s best craft brewers. Gayowned bed and breakfast, Clifford House (cliffordhouse.com) offers a full menu featuring ingredients sourced from nearby West Side Market. And down the street is the J. Palen House (jpalenhouse.com), a 19th-century Victoria home done up with contemporary and traditional furnishings. Both are within a short walk of the West Side Market and fantastic restaurants.

Nearby is The Victor (thevictorcle.com), offering private and shared rooms at incredible rates. And if you’d rather stay amid the cultural icons of University Circle, you’ll no doubt love Glidden House (gliddenhouse.com), a 1910 mansion converted into a luxury boutique hotel.

For more LGBTQ+-friendly accommodations, visit iglta.org/iglta-accredited.

LGBTQ+ Resources

In the LGBTQ community, many times our family isn’t the one we’re born into, but the one we choose.

Thankfully, Cleveland has plenty of organizations to help with that –from dozens of open and affirming churches to a community center that’s been in operation for more than 40 years; from gay-friendly university groups to clinics that specialize in LGBTQ health needs.

Whether you’re here for a weekend or moving here for a lifetime, there are plenty of resources to assist you in finding a community that makes you feel like you’re home.

Cleveland Visitors Center

334 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44114 | 800.321.1001 | 216.875.6600

Visit thisiscleveland.com to confirm hours open.

LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland 6600 Detroit Ave. Cleveland, OH 44102 | 216.651.5428 | lgbtcleveland.org

Community AIDS Network/Akron Pride Initiative 759 W. Market St., 1st Floor, Akron, OH 44303 | 330.252.1559 | canapi.org

PFLAG Cleveland 216.556.1701 | pflagcleveland.org

TransFamily of Cleveland 216.691.HELP | transfamily.org

Human Rights Campaign Cleveland hrc.org/local-issues/community/cleveland

Equality Ohio

118 E. Main St., Columbus, OH 43215 | 614.224.0400 | equalityohio.org

Plexus – Chamber of Commerce for the LGBT Community and Allies 888.PLEXUS9 | thinkplexus.org

University Hospitals Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity Services 216.286.LGBT | uhhospitals.org

MetroHealth Pride Clinic

Thomas F. McCafferty Health Center 4242 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, OH 44113 216.957.4905 | metrohealth.org/pride-clinic

Cleveland Clinic LGBT Health Facilities my.clevelandclinic.org/about/community/lgbt-health

Lakewood Family Health Center 14601 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, OH 44107 | 216.521.4400

Aids Taskforce of Greater Cleveland 2829 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115 | 216.621.0766 | aidstaskforce.org

216 Teens

216tees.org/lgbtq

Colors+ Youth Center colorsplus.org

B. Riley House

2121 W. 117th St., Cleveland, OH 44111 | 216.417.4831 | brileysoberhome.org

Out Fitness Collective 7405 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH 44102 | 216.250.2098 | out.fitness

LGBTQ Plus Homes

lgbtqplushomes.com

West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church 20401 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River, OH 44116 | 440.333.2255 | wsuuc.org

Trinity Cathedral 2230 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115 | 216.771.3630 | trinitycleveland.org

Plymouth Church UCC 2860 Coventry Rd., Shaker Hts., OH 44120 | 216.921.3510 | plymouthchurchucc.org

Tours of Cleveland

216.318.3865 | toursofcleveland.com

LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER

Since 2019, Cleveland’s nearly 50-year-old LGBT Community Center (lgbtcleveland.org) has called the Gordon Square Arts District home. The Center serves as a community hub with initiatives spanning the spectrum: from trans families and LGBTQ+ seniors to queer Pagans and PFALG parents. Though support groups keep the Center buzzing year-round, events are also worth a visit. In warmer months, rock out during the Terrace Concert series. Every October, The Center honors local changemakers at the LGBTQ+ Heritage Awards. Come December, ‘tis the season to shop local LGBTQ+ made goods at the Queer The Halls artisan market. And in June when nearly 20,000 in the community gathers Downtown, it’s the LGBT Community Center at the helm for a Pride that both honors progress and fights for the future.