CLEVELAND (Nov. 21, 2024) – ‘Tis the season of colder weather, jingle bells, bright lights and cheer all around. As locals and their holiday visitors crack open a Christmas Ale and don their very merry best, they can make the most of the season with classic performances, tree lightings and holiday-centric activities sure to bring smiles, warmth and a jolly good time.
MERRY AND BRIGHT STAGE LIGHTS
Cue the music, draw the curtains and get ready for a new season of festive performances and the return of seasonal favorites.
The Black Nativity
Langston Hughes’s adaptation of a holiday staple is back this season as Karamu House presents “The Black Nativity” at Playhouse Square’s Allen Theatre. The show tells the story of the birth of Jesus through the creative lens of gospel, dance, poetry and biblical narrative. Performed for the first time in 1961, the production has since been an annual celebration of culture and storytelling. Langston Hughes spent many years in Cleveland and was a familiar face at Karamu House, the oldest producing African American theater in the United States.
- Nov. 30 – Dec. 15; full schedule & tickets online
- Playhouse Square’s Allen Theatre: 1407 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
A Christmas Story
A swarm of pink bunny suits won’t be an unusual sight at Cleveland Playhouse’s annual run of “A Christmas Story.” The holiday tradition at the Allen Theatre triple-dog dares theater-goers to take their best photo under the marquee lights and wash away worries with a bar of soap. Locals and visitors can also bask in the glow of a leg lamp when they visit the House from “A Christmas Story”, located in the Tremont neighborhood. Across the street, fans can find movie memorabilia at the museum and grab a gift for a loved one at the gift shop. Guests can even book a stay overnight in the house and in the neighboring Bumpus House.
- Nov. 30 – Dec. 22; full schedule & tickets online
- Playhouse Square’s Allen Theatre: 1407 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
- House from A Christmas Story: 3159 W. 11 St., Cleveland; hours and tickets online
The Hip Hop Nutcracker
A transformative production of the holiday favorite, “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” swaps ballet shoes for sneakers. Sure to get locals’ heads bopping, the production utilizes original “Nutcracker” melodies in mashups featuring a DJ, a violinist and a talented cast of dancers. A one-night-only experience, the show in the Connor Palace uses innovative sights and sounds to transform 19th Century Germany into contemporary New York.
- Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.; details & tickets online
- Playhouse Square’s Connor Palace: 1615 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
The Cleveland Orchestra Holiday Concerts
Spirits will be bright at Severance Hall for another season of holiday musical classics with The Cleveland Orchestra. Mandel Concert Hall will be fully decked out as the world-renowned orchestra is joined by the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus for the seasonal shows. Pictures with Santa, cookies & cocoa and a letter writing station create a warm and jolly experience to enjoy with family and friends.
- Dec. 11-22; schedule & tickets online
- Severance Music Center: 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
THE LAND OF ILLUMINATION
Cleveland never misses a chance to celebrate, and with the holidays arriving, there’s no time to rest. Residents can visit, view and bask in the glow of millions of lights across The Land this season.
WinterLand Tree Lighting Ceremony
The holiday season kicks off in a bright way at the annual WinterLand Tree Lighting Ceremony in Public Square. Locals can gather for an evening full of jolly good offerings such as live entertainment, activities, food, ice skating and more. It all wraps up with a flip of the switch to light the Public Square tree, followed by a dazzling fireworks finale. A walk through the light display and a visit to the Cleveland Foundation Ice-Skating Rink keeps the cheerful vibes going all season long.
- Nov. 30: 4-6:30 p.m., pre-show activations begin at 3 p.m.; details & schedule online
- Ice Skating Rink: Nov. 29 – Jan. 20; hours & info online
- Public Square, Cleveland
FROST
Freeze in time at “FROST” – an indoor and outdoor immersive experience at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens. Guests can look forward to brand new displays, new forest creatures and an expanded outdoor light trail that leads into more areas, including the newly renovated Hershey Children’s Garden.
- Nov. 23 – Jan. 5; schedule & tickets online
- Cleveland Botanical Garden: 11030 E. Blvd., Cleveland
Wild Winter Lights
Locals and other “filthy animals” can get lost in over 1.5 million lights at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s Wild Winter Lights. Attendees can explore a handful of themed areas like Candy Lane and Polar Pathway and visit Santa’s North Pole Lodge to meet the big man himself (and check in on his reindeer) for those special holiday wish list items. Interactive experiences such as a musical light show featuring a 50-foot tree and a ride around Waterfowl Lake on the railroad are sure to spread joy.
- Nov. 12 – Dec. 13; schedule & tickets online
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland
Deck the Hall
The holiday spirit will surround visitors at “Deck the Hall” at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens indoors and outdoors decorative estate tour. With 1.4 million holiday lights outdoors and festive décor adorning 20 rooms inside the Manor House, it’s sure to make even the biggest Grinch’s heart grow a size or two. Guests can also get a start on their holiday shopping at the gift shop or grab a warm gingerbread cookie and hot cocoa at Molly’s Courtyard Café.
- Nov. 29 – Dec 30; schedule & tickets online
- Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens: 714 N. Portage Path, Akron
More must-see lighting ceremonies
Nobody does holiday grand gestures like The Land, and there’s plenty of festive fun to go around. On Nov. 23, west siders can enjoy Crocker Park’s Annual Tree Lighting and block party while east siders gather at Wade Oval for Illuminate the Circle – a tree lighting and light show. Residents can keep the joy alive on Dec. 7 for Light Up Lakewood’s 18th annual celebration featuring a parade, winter fireworks, tree lighting ceremony, festive eats and brews and much more holiday cheer.
THE WHOLE (HOLIDAY) PACKAGE
Experience winter holidays in The Land with family-friendly activities, meet-and-greets with the Christmas MVP and more.
Kringle’s Inventionasium Experience
Kids can see what it takes to become one of Santa Claus’s elves at Kringle’s Inventionasium Experience. In this fully interactive experience, merry-makers are accompanied through Mr. Kringle’s Toy Lab by his helpers as they present ideas, search for clues, assist in experiments and review and of course, discuss their inventions and holiday wishes with Mr. Kringle himself.
- Nov. 23 – Dec. 24; schedule & tickets online
- Tower City Center: 230 W. Huron Road, Suite 7286, Cleveland
Scuba Claus Merry Meet & Greets
Dive into a unique aquatic experience this holiday season at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium as Cleveland’s own SCUBA Claus takes the plunge in the 230,000-gallon shark habitat. Meet and greets with the jolly red man and his dive buddy elves include full aquarium access, a winter-themed activity sheet, a candy cane and a commemorative digital photo of the memorable experience.
- Dec. 14-22 (Saturdays and Sundays); schedule & tickets online
- Greater Cleveland Aquarium: 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland
Family Holiday Celebration
It’s a Taylor Swift-mas celebration at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for music lovers and Swifties. The day will offer entertainment for the whole family including friendship bracelet trading, Taylor Swift artifacts, trivia and more. The festivities conclude with The Ohio City Singers Holiday Party, featuring a high-energy concert of holiday melodies.
Winter Bucket List Passport
Snow or shine, locals and visitors can explore all the cold and cozy offerings that keep The Land cool thanks to Destination Cleveland’s Winter Bucket List Passport. The passport offers 15 different stops to keep the festive feeling flowing all season long, from holiday specialties like the Little Italy Holiday Art Walk to seasonal favorites including tobogganing at the Cleveland Metroparks Chalet. Each check-in earns users points that can be traded in for prizes to celebrate their love of #TheLand year-round.
PLEASE NOTE: The Cleveland Visitors Center will operate under special hours the week of Thanksgiving:
- Tuesday, Nov. 26: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 27: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 28 & Friday, Nov. 29: Closed; Saturday, Nov. 30: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
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ABOUT DESTINATION CLEVELAND: Destination Cleveland is Cleveland’s destination marketing and management organization. The private, non-profit organization’s mission is to stimulate economic growth by attracting people and connecting them to experiences that illustrate Cleveland’s diversity, creativity and contagious passion. In 2023, visitation increased for the third straight year to 18.34 million visits. For more information, visit www.thisiscleveland.com.