The Cleveland Orchestra’s 2026 Blossom Music Festival

This summer, bring the whole family to one of the finest outdoor music venues in the country, Blossom Music Center, for the 2026 Cleveland Orchestra's Blossom Music Festival.

Widely considered one of the best orchestras in the world, the Cleveland Orchestra plays sell-out concerts throughout Europe, Asia and the United States, not to mention at home at Severance Music Center. But every summer, they return to Blossom.

There is no better way to spend a balmy summer evening than with your picnic basket full of your favorite foods and beverages, spread out on a blanket under the stars and listening to world-class music.

For the Adventurer

Trade dragons and quests for sweeping symphonies and cinematic storytelling at Blossom Music Festival this summer. On July 18, violinist Karen Gomyo brings intensity and edge to Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 before Brahms’s dramatic Fourth Symphony takes audiences on a powerful emotional ride. Then on July 25, conductor Kevin John Edusei makes his Cleveland Orchestra debut with Rachmaninoff’s electrifying Symphonic Dances, paired with Kodály’s spirited Dances of Galánta and Martinů’s bold Cello Concerto No. 1 featuring Cleveland Orchestra Principal Cello Mark Kosower.

Adventure takes a romantic turn on August 15 with Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet, one of classical music’s most vivid and passionate tales, brought to life through soaring melodies and cinematic drama. And on August 22, audiences can experience the sparkling elegance of Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G alongside performances by The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. The season closes in grand style on August 29 with Summer in Vienna, led by Franz Welser-Möst in his final Blossom season as Music Director, featuring music by Mozart and the Strauss family inspired by the charm and glamour of old-world Europe.

For the Romantic

Trade dragons and quests for sweeping symphonies and cinematic storytelling at Blossom Music Festival this summer. On July 18, violinist Karen Gomyo brings intensity and edge to Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 before Brahms’s dramatic Fourth Symphony takes audiences on a powerful emotional ride. Then on July 25, conductor Kevin John Edusei makes his Cleveland Orchestra debut with Rachmaninoff’s electrifying Symphonic Dances, paired with Kodály’s spirited Dances of Galánta and Martinů’s bold Cello Concerto No. 1 featuring Cleveland Orchestra Principal Cello Mark Kosower.

Adventure takes a romantic turn on August 15 with Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet, one of classical music’s most vivid and passionate tales, brought to life through soaring melodies and cinematic drama. And on August 22, audiences can experience the sparkling elegance of Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G alongside performances by The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. The season closes in grand style on August 29 with Summer in Vienna, led by Franz Welser-Möst in his final Blossom season as Music Director, featuring music by Mozart and the Strauss family inspired by the charm and glamour of old-world Europe.

For the Family

Kick off summer with one of Northeast Ohio’s favorite traditions during America at 250 on July 3 and Salute to America on July 4. Patriotic favorites, Broadway classics, military tributes and spectacular fireworks make these concerts a can’t-miss family outing.

The Cleveland Orchestra also brings movie magic to the big stage this season. On July 11-12, relive Harry Potter’s second year at Hogwarts during Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™ in Concert, with the film shown on the giant screen while the orchestra performs John Williams’s iconic score live. Then Labor Day weekend, September 4-6, families can celebrate some of the most beloved movie music of all time during The Music of John Williams, featuring unforgettable themes from cinematic favorites that audiences of every generation will recognize instantly.

Pack Your Picnic Basket

Blossom Music Center offers more than just great music. The spacious Lawn is perfect for picnics, whether you’re enjoying casual snacks or gourmet charcuterie. No meal? No problem. Grab food, desserts, or drinks from various stands, or dine at Blossom Grille, which also offers pre-ordered picnic baskets.

The state-of-the-art sound system ensures fantastic acoustics wherever you sit, or opt for comfortable seating in the covered Pavilion for a closer view. Blossom is also budget-friendly — buy one regular-priced ticket and get two free youth tickets.

With weeks of programming offering something for every musical taste and audience, there’s no reason to sit out the Blossom Music Festival this summer. So, grab your picnic basket, find your fluffiest blanket and get ready for your own orchestral summer outing.