Cleveland (May 1, 2019)
– The countdown to summer is on, and it’s the perfect time for Clevelanders to invite family and friends to visit The Land. With a wide array of one-of-a-kind events on tap, Destination Cleveland recommends that residents mark their calendars and get out to explore Northeast Ohio’s summer events and festivals as well as its attractions, parks and waterfront.
Flats East Bank Taste of Summer
Residents can kick off their summer festivities over Memorial Day Weekend at the Flats East Bank's
Taste of Summer along the Cuyahoga River boardwalk. Attendees can enjoy food and drinks from local vendors or stop by Flats favorites like
Alley Cat Oyster Bar,
Thirsty Dog East Bank and the newly opened
Lindey’s Lake House; test their Connect Four, Operation, corn hole, volleyball and shuffleboard skills; or sit back, relax and listen to local performers who will be playing tunes along the boardwalk.
- Friday, May 24, 4 - 10 p.m.; Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26, noon - 10 p.m.
Pride in the CLE
To celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, residents can participate in
Pride in the CLE activities.
Pre-Pride on the East Side at the Grog Shop and
Flat Out PRIDE in the Flats East Bank begin the celebrations. The next day, locals can come together to show off the community’s strength, unity and commitment to resistance with a march in Downtown Cleveland. The event culminates with a festival and celebration in Public Square featuring a variety of entertainment and vendors.
- Pre-Pride on the East Side, Thursday, May 30, doors open at 7:30 p.m.
- Flat Out PRIDE, Friday, May 31, 7 p.m. - midnight
- March and festival, Saturday, June 1. For more details, please visit lgbtcleveland.org.
Hessler Street Fair
What started as a block party 50 years ago is now a two-day celebration in the University Circle neighborhood. A free event,
Hessler Street Fair brings together residents from all walks of like to enjoy arts, crafts, food and music. Held on what is the only remaining street in Cleveland with Nicolson pavement (wood block), Clevelanders can enjoy performances from groups like Cats on Holiday, The Swing Time Big Band, and Jah Messengers, listen to poets as they share their submissions to the Fair’s poetry contest or take the kids to Harmony Park for games and other activities.
- Saturday, June 1 – Sunday, June 2. For more details on festival times, please visit hesslerstreetfair.org.
Larchmere PorchFest
For a day of "rocking out,” residents can head to
Larchmere PorchFest in Cleveland's Shaker Square neighborhood. The free music festival showcases 30 bands from a variety of music genres on 30 porches along Larchmere Boulevard. A food court, beer garden and after parties round out the event. While in the Larchmere District, residents can peruse local shops like
Loganberry Books or Eclectic Eccentric or stop in for a bite to eat at restaurants like
Batuqui,
Felice Urban Café and
Barroco Arepa Bar.
- Saturday, June 15, 1 - 10 p.m.
Cuyahoga50
To honor the 50
th anniversary of the final fire on the Cuyahoga River and the beginning of a restoration and re-naturalization process that continues today, locals can participate in
Cuyahoga50’s week of events. The celebration boasts the largest series of public clean water events in the country and includes festivities like
Burning River Fest at the historic Coast Guard station;
Blazing Paddles, a stand-up paddleboard race, canoe and kayak celebration; the
Cuyahoga 50 Lighted Boat Parade; and activities at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Great Lakes Science Center.
- Wednesday, June 19 – Sunday, June 23. For more details on the week’s events, visit www.cuyahoga50.org.
Visit Me in CLE
Residents have learned about The Land through “Be a Tourist in Your Hometown” activities, and now it’s time to show off their love for the city by inviting family and friends to visit this summer for
Visit Me in CLE weekend. Locals and their guests can welcome the first days of summer in style by attending events like the
CONCACAF Gold Cup,
Night Market in AsiaTown or a Cleveland Indians game. Other activities, discounts and experiences will be announced in the weeks prior to Visit Me in CLE.
- Friday, June 21 – Sunday, June 23
40th Annual Tri-C JazzFest
For bebop, brass instruments, musical mastery and all that jazz, residents can make their way to the
40th Annual Tri-C JazzFest. From ticketed performances in the restored theaters of Playhouse Square to dancing the night away to live performances under the bright lights of the world’s largest outdoor chandelier, residents can celebrate Cleveland’s contributions to jazz over the decades. And as part of the free outdoor festival, locals have the opportunity to speak with some of the world’s top jazz artists in the “Talk Tent.”
- Thursday, June 27 – Saturday, June 29; For more information on the performance schedule, visit www.tri-c.edu/jazzfest
MLB All-Star Game
An event that is sure to be a grand slam with Clevelanders is the return of the
MLB All-Star Game® presented by Mastercard. Residents and their visitors can take part in the festivities at MLB’s PLAY BALL PARK. Located at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, there will be a free outdoor component on the Malls with concerts, baseball and softball games, and drills with rising stars and former All-Stars. Locals can also buy tickets for special activities inside the convention center that include photos with today’s All-Stars and a Home-Run Derby Virtual Reality experience. And a fun fact for Cleveland trivia games – the Indians have hosted the Midsummer Classic more than any other team in the league.
Tall Ships Festival
The 2019
Tall Ships Festival sails into CLE this July, bringing a fleet of ten traditionally rigged sailing vessels to the Port of Cleveland and North Coast Harbor. Residents can welcome the ships during the Parade of Sails and then experience the rich maritime heritage that they represent at a lakefront festival with on-board tours, meet-and-greets with the crew and live music and entertainment. Looking to sail along the Cleveland waterfront? For an additional cost, guests can climb aboard one of the ships for a 90-minute excursion on Lake Erie.
- Thursday, July 11, 4 - 7 p.m.; Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 14, 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.
BorderLight Theatre Festival
Performers from across the region and abroad will converge in Cleveland for
BorderLight Theatre Festival, a four-day, citywide festival of contemporary international theatre. Featuring world premiere collaborations between Cleveland-based and international theatre artists, BorderLight will activate performance and public spaces from Playhouse Square to Public Square, giving residents and their visitors a chance to see firsthand Cleveland’s world-class arts and culture scene.
- Wednesday, July 24 – Saturday, July 27
Cleveland Garlic Festival
For a fragrant food festival with unique eats, residents can mark their calendars for the annual
Cleveland Garlic Festival in the Shaker Square neighborhood. Locals can try tasty treats like garlic fries or Mitchell’s Garlic Ice Cream, watch top chefs face off in the Garlic Grill-Off, meander through Garlic Gourmet Alley or see who gets crowned Miss Garlic 2019. The kids’ area will also feature special activities ranging from learning how garlic grows to participating in cooking classes to navigating through the pedal tractor maze.
- Saturday, Aug. 24, noon - 8 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 25, noon - 6 p.m.
One World Day
Residents can say farewell to summer with a trip around the world (minus the expensive plane ticket) at
One World Day. Located at the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, this free event begins with a Parade of Flags, and, at the end of the parade, residents can observe a naturalization ceremony to welcome new citizens to the region. Other festivities include tours of the gardens aboard Lolly the Trolley, ethnic food and drinks, and cultural performances in different gardens throughout the day. Residents can also grab a “Passport to Peace” to learn about the diverse heritages represented within the gardens.
- Saturday, Aug. 25, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. For more information on the schedule of events, please visit clevelandoneworldday.org.
For more summer events 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 the team through email at
cleconcierge@destinationcle.org, or 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.
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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.