Shake Off The Winter Blues in CLE Style

Cleveland (Feb. 11, 2019) - Winter weather might make Clevelanders feel like staying at home to hibernate, but there are plenty of activities and special events that will warm up the chilliest of days. Whether it’s noshing on comfort food, rocking out to live music or skedaddling to summery spots, Destination Cleveland recommends that residents remedy their winter blues by exploring Northeast Ohio.
 

Food, Festivals and Fun

Mac ‘n’ Cheese Throwdown
Cold weather is the perfect excuse for comfort food, and Clevelanders can warm up their winter by tasting mac and cheese specials from 30 restaurants at the Mac N Cheese Throwdown. Locals, along with three celebrity judges, will decide which mac recipe is the most delectable in one of the tastiest Cleveland food fights.

• Cleveland Public Auditorium, 500 Lakeside Ave., Cleveland
• Saturday, Feb. 23, noon - 3:30 p.m.; tickets must be purchased in advance

Cleveland Kurentovanje
Cleveland Kurentovanje, also known as the Slovenian Mardi Gras festival, is one way to say goodbye to winter and hello to spring. As the home of the highest concentration of Slovenians outside of Slovenia, there is no better place than Cleveland to experience this annual event (besides Slovenia, of course). Attendees can participate in six days of festivities, including a multi-course dinner of traditional Slovenian foods at the Slovenian National Home, the opening of an interactive exhibit at the Slovenian Museum and Archives and the “Kurent Jump” at Hofbräuhaus Cleveland. The activities culminate with the Kurentovanje parade and festival, which features authentic food, drink, music and dancing.

• 6417 Saint Clair Ave., Cleveland
• Monday, Feb. 25 - Saturday, March 2; for full schedule, visit www.clevelandkurentovanje.com

Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week
Whether craving a meal at one of their favorite restaurants or interested in trying a new location, locals have a full plate of dining experiences during Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week. Featuring the finest line-up of all-star chefs and eateries that downtown has to offer, Clevelanders can choose from more than 30 restaurants offering pre-fixed menus with special prices. Residents can also attend the kick-off event, which includes tastings, live cooking demonstrations, a DJ and giveaways.

• Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week Kick-Off Event, Thursday, Feb. 28, 5 - 7 p.m.
• Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week, Friday, March 1 - Sunday March 10; for complete list of participating restaurants, visit www.downtowncleveland.com

Live It Up with Live Music

Brite Winter
To be part of one of the hotly anticipated events of the year, residents can brave the winter weather, heck even embrace it, and go to the 10^th annual Brite Winter. This free, outdoor music and arts festival will feature 30 bands, including indie-pop group Smallpools as the headliner. Ice carving, s’mores, fire pits, immersive environments created by local artists, food trucks and craft beer round out the fun. Held on the West Bank of the Flats, it’s easy for attendees to score big social media points with picturesque photo backdrops like the city’s skyline and magnificent bridges. 

• Flats West Bank
• Saturday, Feb. 23, 3 p.m. - 1 a.m.

Stella’s Music Club
For a night out that is sure to hit the right note, locals can check out Downtown Cleveland’s newest live music venue, Stella’s Music Club. Residents can rock out with performances by different groups, or they can take center stage at live band karaoke or open mic night.

• 2217 E. 9^th St., Cleveland
• For more information on performance schedule, visit www.stellasmusic.com

The Agora Theater & Ballroom
From Bruce Springsteen to Bob Marley to U2, The Agora has hosted some of the biggest names in music during its 50+-year history. The legendary CLE venue underwent a major renovation recently, and it continues to host a variety of concerts year-round – even in the coldest of temperatures. A must-experience event to attend this month is “The Bowie Celebration: The David Bowie Alumni Tour,” which honors key alumni musicians of David Bowie's bands from across the decades. Fun fact: David Bowie played the Agora with Iggy Pop back in 1977.

• 5000 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
• “The Bowie Celebration: The David Bowie Alumni Tour,” Sunday, Feb. 24, 7:30 p.m.
• For more information on other performances, visit www.agoracleveland.com

A Warm Escape

Cleveland Botanical Garden
Snow might be covering the ground outside, but flowers are in full bloom at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Residents can ooh and ahh at the 3,000 colorful orchids on display in the Orchid Mania exhibit or travel through the Costa Rican Rainforest and Madagascar Spiny Desert in the garden’s glasshouse. Every day at 2 p.m., locals can watch as newly hatched butterflies take flight for the first time.  

• 11030 East Blvd., Cleveland
• Orchid Mania, now - Sunday, March 10
• Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.;
  Sunday, noon - 5 p.m.

The RainForest at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Residents can step into the jungle on the coldest winter days at The RainForest at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, where the indoor temperature is always a balmy 80 degrees. Clevelanders can enjoy postcard-worthy sights, including a 25-foot waterfall, as they hang out with orangutans, crocodiles and multiple bird species flying overhead. Plus, the thunder and lightning effects of the tropical rainstorm exhibit are sure to shake away any winter doldrums.

• 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland
• Monday - Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Porco Lounge & Tiki Room
For a tropical getaway, without the expensive airplane ticket, Clevelanders can visit Porco Lounge & Tiki Room. Surrounded by bamboo, greenery and tiki figures, locals can escape the wintry weather and sip on handcrafted Polynesian cocktails like Mai Tais and Hurricanes.

• 2527 W. 25^th St., Cleveland
• Monday - Thursday, 5 p.m. - midnight; Friday - Saturday, 4 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.

Indoor and Active

Forest City Shuffleboard Arena & Bar
Instead of staying cooped up at home in the winter season, residents can shuffle over to Forest City Shuffleboard in the Ohio City neighborhood. With five indoor courts and regulation shuffleboard tables, locals can vie for the title of superior shuffleboard-er as they compete with family and friends. And to keep energy up between games, guests can order from the Forest City Kitchen, which is featuring food from Cocky’s Bagels until March 13.  

• 4506 Lorain Ave., Cleveland
• Monday - Thursday, 4 - 11 p.m.; Friday, 4 p.m. - 1 a.m.; Saturday, noon - 1 a.m.;
  Sunday, noon - 10 p.m.; reservations are highly recommended

Scene 75 Entertainment Center
Residents can ride away from their winter blues by putting the pedal to the metal at Scene 75. Racers can start their engines and zoom around the entertainment center’s indoor go-kart course, “Thunder Volt Speedway,” where friendly competition is highly encouraged. If go-kart racing isn’t their speed, Clevelanders can challenge friends to a game of laser tag, take a ride in the 4-D motion theater or grab a bite to eat at The Food Truck Alley.

• 3688 Center Road, Brunswick
• Wednesday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. - 1 a.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. - 1 a.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Punch Bowl Social
For a one-stop-shop of fun, food and games (and avoiding any chance of contact with chilly temperatures), locals can head over to Punch Bowl Social in the Flats East Bank. From competing in Giant Jenga or foosball to singing their hearts out in a private karaoke room to scoring a hole-in-one at the new putt-putt course, residents have a variety of activities at their disposal. And if food is top-of-mind, brunch, platters to share and delicious drinks are just a few items on the massive menu.

• 1086 W. 11^th St., Cleveland
• Monday - Thursday, 3 p.m. - midnight; Friday, 3 p.m. - 2 a.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. - 2 a.m.;
  Sunday, 9 a.m. - midnight

For more ways to beat the winter blues or to learn more about new attractions and activities, please visit thisiscleveland.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Pinterest.
 
DON’T FORGET: Destination Cleveland’s Concierge Team is also available to help residents and their visiting family and friends explore the region. Contact our team through email at cleconcierge@destinationcle.org, live chat at thisiscleveland.com or stop in the Cleveland Visitors Center (334 Euclid Ave., Cleveland) Mon. – Sat., 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. to plan your adventure.
  ABOUT DESTINATION CLEVELAND: Destination Cleveland is Cleveland’s destination marketing and management organization. This private, non-profit organization’s mission is to drive economic impact and stimulate community vitality for Greater Cleveland through leisure and business travel. Cleveland welcomes 18.5 million visitors annually. For more information, visit www.thisiscleveland.com.