CLEVELAND (June 26, 2025) – As the temperatures climb, Cleveland’s keeping things cool with a stacked line-up of pop culture experiences. Whether it’s watching Superman fight evil on the big screen with Downtown Cleveland as the backdrop, posing with the iconic blooms of Takashi Murakami’s artwork or stepping on stage in Studio 8H to celebrate 50 years of SNL, there’s plenty to keep locals and visitors on the cutting edge and in the know this summer.
Takashi Murakami: “Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow”: Step into the Instagrammable world of famous Japanese artist Takashi Murakami at a new ticketed exhibit at the
Cleveland Museum of Art, running through Sept. 7. Murakami’s distinctive pop-art style, which is made up of his well-known flower petal design and iconic character Mr. Dob, takes center stage in the exhibit, “
Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow.” The exhibit begins in a re-creation of the Yumedono, a Japanese temple, and continues with various paintings and sculptures, including a vibrant 82-foot-long painting inspired by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
“SNL: Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of Music”: Clevelanders and visitors can relive a half century of memorable musical performances and fan-favorite sketches as the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebrates
50 Years of Saturday Night Live with a new exhibit. The exhibition mirrors the show’s format with a cold opening, musician guest announcements and the traditional emotional “Goodnights” finale. Fans will be transported to Rockefeller Center thanks to a re-creation of the famed studio 8H, props and costumes from performances, an SNL-style photo booth and an exclusive 20-minute cut of the documentary, “Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music.”
Look Up, Cleveland: From created in CLE to filmed in CLE, the newest installment in the Superman universe will fly onto screens July 11.
Two Glenville neighborhood high schoolers, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, created the superhero in 1933. This summer, director James Gunn pays homage to Superman’s roots with his latest movie, “Superman (2025),” filmed in Cleveland last year. Movie-goers won’t have to look too hard to spot The Land’s iconic landmarks including Progressive Field, Public Square, the Arcade and The Leader Building, which transformed into The Daily Planet for the film.
The Land of Concerts: The Land’s rock ‘n’ roll roots run deep, and the city’s entertainment calendar is packed with great music across a variety of genres and venues this summer. At
Huntington Bank Field, popular country music artist Morgan Wallen will take the stage for two nights on Aug. 15 and 16. Rising pop superstar Benson Boone will bring his backflips and upbeat tunes to
Rocket Arena on Aug. 28. At
Blossom Music Center, award-winning British singer and actor Cynthia Erivo – best known for her role as Elphaba in the movie “Wicked” – will perform with the Cleveland Orchestra on July 27. And along the Cuyahoga Riverfront,
Jacobs Pavilion will host an exciting and diverse lineup of artists ranging from T-Pain to Vance Joy.
Playhouse Square: The summer lineup at Cleveland’s historic
Playhouse Square will also pop. For musical lovers, “Hamilton” and “Beetlejuice” return to Cleveland. On Aug. 19, the red carpet will be rolled out at “RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq the World.” And romcom lovers everywhere will want their tissues ready as “The Notebook” – the musical based on the popular movie – prepares to launch its U.S. tour right in Cleveland.
For more ways to experience pop culture in Cleveland, visit ThisisCleveland.com/PopCulture
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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.