area map calendar
Chat With Us Industry Resources Meetings Group Tour Media Blog Newsletters

Things To Do

Things to DoMajor AttractionsArts & EntertainmentCultureExperiences & ToursHolidayKidsMusicNightlifeParks & OutdoorShoppingSportsSearch Things to Do

Featured

When the snow comes down, CLE turns up

The Land of Your Winter Playground

Much like everything in Cleveland, pressure creates diamonds. So when the snow starts to fall in The Land, that’s when the real party gets started.

Events

EventsEvents This WeekendEvent CalendarAnnual EventsMonthly Events PDFSubmit an Event

Eat + Drink

Eat + DrinkDowntown RestaurantsBakeries & SweetsBars & BreweriesCoffee, Brunch, & BreakfastSearch Places to Eat + Drink

Featured

2023

Brewery Passport

Few towns can boast a craft beer pedigree like Cleveland. We’ve brought together many of our finest breweries to create the Cleveland Brewery Passport: a unified way for you to explore everything this city has to offer without going thirsty.

Where To Stay

Where to StayDowntown Cleveland HotelsCleveland Airport HotelsSearch all HotelsSearch Meeting Venues

Planning Tools

Planning ToolsKnow Before You GoChat With UsCleveland Visitors CenterDeals & Special OffersGetting to ClevelandHealth & SafetyMapsSubscribe to e-NewslettersRequest a Visitor Insider GuideTransportation in ClevelandTravel Inspiration

Neighborhoods

Downtown ClevelandCleveland NeighborhoodsCleveland SuburbsCleveland Region
« Back to Annual Events

WinterLand

Inaugurating the Holidays

Held the first Saturday after Thanksgiving, Downtown Cleveland's annual WinterLand (formerly Winterfest) is everything you want out of a holiday season kickoff: twinkling lights, festive holiday trees, hot cocoa and caroling. Since this is Cleveland, we also throw in some live music and a massive fireworks display.

What To Do There:

  • WinterLand marks the official beginning of the holiday season in Cleveland, so, as you might expect, the event culminates in the lighting of the city's own Christmas tree. But there's plenty to do before that happens, just after sundown. Recently moved from Playhouse Square to the more central (and renovated) Public Square, it's a scene out of a traditional European Christmas market: ice skating, a Christmas village, activities for kids and live music. After dark, once the tree is lit, stay for the fireworks show and a visit from Santa Claus himself.
  • What's a market without food and drinks, right? Food trucks are always on hand to give visitors a taste of the best that Cleveland has to offer.

What Else To Do:

  • Downtown Cleveland Alliance, which puts on WinterLand, also partners with other entities who roll out the holiday carpet, as well. Tower City Center will usually open a pop-up holiday retail shop, in addition to hosting holiday-themed performances typically aimed at children. Meanwhile, Playhouse Square gets in on the act by opening the Allen Theatre for the annual Festival of Trees. The Cleveland Bazaar, an indie craft favorite, opens a holiday-themed pop-up shop at a designated location at the 5th Street Arcades and Tower City.
  • Don't forget the after-party! Whether it's enjoying cookies and hot chocolate after the tree is lit, or heading to the nearby Warehouse District for some adult beverages, Cleveland makes sure there's a whole sleighful of chances to unwind after the cold and eventful day.

Where to Stay:

The minute you set foot in The Land, there’s so much to do it might be hard to figure out where to start. Whether you’re making a pilgrimage to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, enjoying a culinary revelation from one of our world-class dining establishments, catching a Browns Game at FirstEnergy stadium or starting the holiday season off right with lights and all sorts of wintry shenanigans, it’s all accessible from Downtown Cleveland.

Check out all of the first-class accommodations available to you in the heart of all Cleveland has to offer.
Things To Do Events Eat & Drink Where To Stay Planning Tools Neighborhoods
Meetings Group Tour Media Partners Partner Extranet About Jobs Contact
Copyright © 2023 Destination Cleveland
Privacy Terms of Use Legal Sitemap