Celebrate the Winter Season in The Land of Holiday Cheer

CLEVELAND (Nov. 21, 2022) – It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Cleveland is ready to bring the holiday cheer. Whether they’re taking in the festive lights, singing along at the Cleveland Orchestra’s holiday concerts or simply throwing on a bedazzled sweater and cracking open a Christmas Ale, #TheLand offers something to keep residents and their visiting family and friends feeling festive all season long.

THE LAND OF MERRY AND BRIGHT
Sparkling lights and festive events mark the start of the holiday season in Cleveland, offering plenty of options to get residents and visitors alike into the merriest of spirits.

WinterLand
The official holiday kick-off in Downtown Cleveland has a new name this year, and the holiday fun is more plentiful than ever before. WinterLand’s kick-off event features a day full of fun in Public Square on Nov. 26, including live music, ice skating, carriage rides, fire pits for roasting marshmallows, pop-up shopping experiences and plenty of tasty food and drink. It all culminates with the lighting of the Public Square Christmas tree and fireworks. This year, the merriment continues throughout the winter season, with special events and activities planned around Downtown through February.

• Saturday, Nov. 26, 4-7 p.m.
• Cleveland Public Square
• Full calendar of winter events & activities available online

Wild Winter Lights
Wild Winter Lights will once again transform Cleveland Metroparks Zoo into a winter wonderland. More than 1.5 million lights will bring hundreds of displays to life in different holiday-themed areas such as Candyland, Enchanted Forest, Starry Skies and Santa’s Workshop. Attendees can also enjoy carousel rides, ice carvers, live music, model train displays and a dynamic light show featuring a 50-foot tree. A drive-through option on certain days allows residents to stay cozy in the car as they view the light displays.

• Walk-through dates: November 17-20, 23, 25-27, December 1-4, 8-11, 15-23, 26-30
  Drive-through dates: November 15-16, 22, 29-30, December 6-7, 12-14
• Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland
• Advance tickets required (Daytime zoo admission does not include access); purchase here

Twinkle in the 216
The Cleveland Botanical Garden’s winter show, Twinkle in the 216, pays festive homage to Cleveland’s historic neighborhoods and the communities within them. The indoor and outdoor gardens feature vignettes of iconic local buildings and sights, along with plenty of twinkling lights, handmade gingerbread houses, festive horticulture displays and decorated trees. Families can also enjoy Breakfast with Santa at the Botanical Garden on Dec. 11 or 18.

• Saturday, Nov. 19-Saturday, Dec. 31 (closed Mondays except Dec. 19 & 26, Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day); full hours available online
• Admission: $20 per adult, $14 per child, free for ages 2 and under
• 11030 East Blvd., Cleveland

Light Up Lakewood
It will be a winter wonderland on the west side as Light Up Lakewood returns for the 16^th year. The outdoor community festival will take place in Downtown Lakewood on Dec. 3, bringing the holiday cheer with a parade, tree lighting ceremony, winter fireworks, a holiday market, live ice carving and entertainment for all ages. It will also include plenty of local food and drink, along with a Beer Garden for the 21+ revelers.

• Saturday, Dec. 3, 4 - 8 p.m.
• Detroit Ave. in Downtown Lakewood

Holiday CircleFest
University Circle’s Wade Oval will become a can’t-miss holiday stop during Holiday CircleFest on Dec. 4. The Wade Oval skating rink will open for the season with free admission the day of CircleFest. Attendees can also enjoy live ice carvers and horse-drawn carriage rides and get a start on their shopping list at the outdoor holiday market. Of course, it’s not a celebration without some holiday icons, so Mr. Jingeling, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand to greet families before the excitement wraps up with fire displays and winter lanterns after dark.

• Saturday, Dec. 4, noon - 7 p.m.
• Wade Oval: 10820 East Blvd., Cleveland

Holiday Happiness: A Multicultural Celebration
Families are invited to explore different faiths, backgrounds and cultures at Maltz Museum’s Holiday Happiness: A Multicultural Celebration. Different cultural organizations will be on hand to share what they do to commemorate the winter holidays. Children will learn more about different cultural celebrations and enjoy a Hanukkah story performance, Christmas music, readings of peace, multicultural stories and more.

• Sunday, Dec. 11, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
• Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage: 2929 Richmond Rd., Beachwood
• Free admission; advance registration required

THE LAND OF DECKING THE (PERFORMANCE) HALLS
Cleveland’s theaters, performance halls and concert venues will be decked out and brimming with holiday cheer this winter.

The Black Nativity
“Black Nativity,” Langston Hughes’ soulful retelling of the Christmas story, will be presented by Karamu House again this holiday season. This year’s performances will take place at Playhouse Square’s Allen Theatre, in partnership with Cleveland Play House. Legendary playwright and poet Langston Hughes spent many years in Cleveland and was a familiar face at Karamu House, which is the oldest, producing African American theater in the United States. The show tells the story of the birth of Jesus through poetry, scripture, dance and plenty of music. Hughes was commissioned by Karamu to write the gospel drama in 1961.

• Dec. 9-18; full schedule of performances available online
• Playhouse Square’s Allen Theatre: 1407 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
• Tickets ($40-$50) available online

Hip Hop Nutcracker
Giving a contemporary twist to Tchaikovsky’s timeless music, “Hip Hop Nutcracker” will fill the stage at Playhouse Square for one night only this holiday season. The performance features a supercharged cast of a dozen dancers, a live DJ, hip hop performances and digital graffiti to tell the classic holiday story in a new and innovative way.

• Friday, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.
• Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theatre: 1519 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
• Tickets ($25-$65) available online

Cleveland Ballet performs The Nutcracker
For those looking for a more traditional take on the holiday favorite, the Cleveland Ballet will enchant and inspire with their performance of “The Nutcracker.” The family-friendly production is unique to Cleveland, featuring choreography from Cleveland Ballet’s artistic director.

• Thursday, Dec. 15-Sunday, Dec. 18; full schedule of performances available online
• Playhouse Square’s Connor Palace: 1615 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
• Tickets (starting at $28) available online

Cleveland Orchestra Holiday Concerts
A Cleveland holiday tradition, The Cleveland Orchestra’s Holiday Concerts feature sing-along music performed by the internationally recognized orchestra accompanied by guest choirs. Concertgoers will feel the holiday spirit as they’re surrounded in the festive splendor of Mandel Concert Hall at Severance and will even be treated to a special visit from a jolly man in a red suit.

• Thursday, Dec. 8-Sunday, Dec. 18; full schedule of performances available online
• Mandel Concert Hall at Severance: 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
• Tickets (starting at $49) available online

Christmas a lo LatinUS
Ohio’s first all-Latino theater company will host a holiday show featuring two short Christmas-themed works during Christmas a lo LatinUS. “La Apuesta” and “Santa Clo va a la Cuchilla” are comedic takes on the classic Christmas story. Both works are presented in Spanish with English supertitles.

• December 2-4 & 9-11; Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
• LatinUS Theater: 2937 W. 25^th St., Cleveland
• Tickets ($18) available online

Pop stars celebrating in Cleveland
Several big names will make stops in Cleveland as part of their holiday season celebrations:

• Crooner Harry Connick Jr. will kick off the holiday festivities with An Evening with Harry Connick Jr.: A Holiday Celebration at Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theater on Dec. 1.
• The following week, Brett Eldredge will bring his annual Glow LIVE Tour to KeyBank State Theater, performing Christmas classics from his 2016 album of the same name.
• Jazz fans can join Dave Koz and Friends for a special holiday show on Dec. 11 at Connor Palace.
• Locals and their visiting friends and family can wrap up the holiday season at Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Ghosts of Christmas Eve performances on Dec. 30 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

THE LAND OF YOUR WINTER PLAYGROUND
There’s SNOW place like Cleveland in the winter, and, even as the temperatures drop and the lake effect snowflakes fly, there’s plenty of chances for Clevelanders to make #TheLand their own personal winter playground.

Seasonal Brews
Nothing says holiday cheer in Cleveland quite like a festive ale, and there’s certainly no shortage of options thanks to local breweries. The season isn’t complete without a fresh brewpub pour of Great Lakes Brewing Co.’s Christmas Ale – which celebrates 30 years this holiday season – complete with a ginger, cinnamon and honey rim. Other local breweries have followed suit and added their twist to the suds of the season, creating a lineup to keep Clevelanders’ thirst quenched all season long. (Local beer lovers should also be sure to take this chance to finish up their check-ins on the 2022 Cleveland Brewery Passport!)

Fun in the Flakes
Clevelanders know a little snow can’t stop the fun. In fact, the snow is often necessary for the fun to begin. Winter lovers can make the most of the season by strapping up the skis, sleds or snowshoes for some outdoor entertainment. Boston Mills/Brandywine and Alpine Valley ski resorts are each just a short drive from Cleveland and offer equipment rental and lessons. Those who prefer to stay low to the ground can check out Polar Blast Snow Tubing at Boston Mills/Brandywine or visit the Cleveland Metroparks, where snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are allowed on many of the trails – as well as on some of the golf courses – when there is at least four inches of snow on the ground. The Metroparks even have snowshoes and skis available for rent.

BYOB Holiday Lights Trolley
Locals can take in an urban winter wonderland when they climb on board the BYOB Holiday Lights Trolley. The trolley ride kicks off in the Hingetown area of Ohio City and will take passengers to some of the top holiday stops including Public Square, JACK Casino, Playhouse Square, Nela Park and, of course, A Christmas Story House in Tremont. Attendees can enjoy their festive beverage of choice as they take in the seasonal sparkles across the area.

• Variety of dates in November and December; see full schedule & purchase tickets online

Snow Day in Detroit Shoreway
Clevelanders can bundle up and enjoy plenty of winter fun at Snow Day in Detroit Shoreway. The arts-infused celebration on Dec. 10 includes a variety of live performances on outdoor stages as well as inside at stops like Capitol Theatre, Near West Theatre and Cleveland Public Theatre. Attendees can also enjoy fire pits with s’mores kits, local shopping, free trolley rides, holiday photos and children’s activities like free crafts. Many local businesses in the area will also offer specials to help Snow Day revelers check off some of their holiday shopping.

• Saturday, Dec. 10, 2-6 p.m.
• Detroit Shoreway’s Gordon Square, surrounding W. 65^th St. & Detroit Ave.
  

Merry Cocktails
Spirits will be bright at pop-up holiday bars in The CLE this season. Themed cocktails, specialty shots, burgers and pizza are on the menu at XMAS Bar in the Flats East Bank. Over at JACK Casino, the casino’s third floor will transform into a winter wonderland for the return of the casino’s SLEIGH holiday bar, which features plenty of festive food and drink, a giant sleigh for the perfect holiday photo op and a large gingerbread house. And, right down the street, Society Lounge will become Miracle on East 4^th Street for the holiday season, promising to get even the grouchiest Grinch in the holiday spirit thanks to their kitschy holiday décor and craft cocktails served in themed glassware and mugs.

• XMAS Bar: 1052 Old River Road, Cleveland; open 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. every day through Christmas
• SLEIGH at JACK Casino: 100 Public Square, Cleveland; open Friday & Saturday nights, Nov. 25-Dec. 17 from 6 p.m. - 2 a.m.
• Miracle on East 4^th St.: 2063 East 4^th St., Cleveland; open Tuesday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-midnight and Friday-Saturday, 5 p.m. - 1 a.m.

Winter Bucket List Passport
The fun doesn’t stop when the flakes start flying, and Destination Cleveland’s new Winter Bucket List Passport offers locals and visitors alike the chance to celebrate all the things that make Cleveland cool in the winter months. The passport includes five locations offering outdoor adventures, as well as four indoor hotspots where users can warm up. Anyone who checks in to six or more stops will be eligible for a Cleveland Script winter hat to keep them warm as they continue to explore #TheLand.

PLEASE NOTE: The Cleveland Visitors Center will operate under special hours the week of Thanksgiving:

• Tuesday, Nov. 22: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 23: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 24 & Friday, Nov. 25: Closed; Saturday, Nov. 26: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

DON’T FORGET: Destination Cleveland’s concierge team is available to help residents and their visiting family and friends explore the region. Contact the team via email ([email protected]), live chat at thisiscleveland.com, or stop at the Cleveland Visitors Center (334 Euclid Ave., Cleveland) Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. for planning assistance.

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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. In 2021, visitation to Cuyahoga County rebounded to 16.1 million visits, a 17% increase after the COVID-19 global pandemic reduced visitation by 30 percent in 2020. Destination Cleveland continues its work to rebuild the travel and tourism industry, with the goal of exceeding pre-pandemic success as quickly as possible. For more information, visit www.thisiscleveland.com.