CLEVELAND - Whether it’s rooting for the Guardians at opening day, enjoying an evening of live music outdoors or snapping pics of the 100,000+ flowers in full bloom on
Daffodil Hill, the arrival of spring in Cleveland is filled with celebrated traditions. Visitors this season can also choose from a variety of headline-making experiences, from getting out on the water at the
best urban kayaking spot in the country to dining at one of The Land’s most recent
James Beard Award-nominated restaurants.
April 2023 also marks the one-year-out countdown for the
2024 Solar Eclipse, during which Cleveland will be located in the path of totality. Viewers will experience nearly four minutes of darkness, one of the longest blackouts in the country. With unobstructed views over Lake Erie and special programming from local science institutions – including NASA’s Glenn Research Center and Great Lakes Science Center – Cleveland is an ideal location to witness the celestial event.
Jump to: Events, Exhibits, Food & Beverage, Sports and Rec, Hotel Developments and Looking Ahead
Music Festivals Attract Fans and Musicians from across the World
Live music is an essential experience for visitors to The Land of rock ‘n’ roll. As the warmer months approach, music lovers of many different genres can make plans to catch a seasonal performance.
- Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival (April 5-16)
Cleveland will once again be home to the
Thyagaraja Festival, the largest Indian classical music festival outside of India. First celebrated in 1978, the event now spans 12 days of performances on Cleveland State University’s campus and attracts nearly 10,000 attendees.
- Tri-C JazzFest (June 22-24)
JazzFest returns to The Land for the 44
th year, as musicians and jazz enthusiasts fill Playhouse Square’s eight theaters and outdoor public spaces. This year’s
Tri-C JazzFest lineup features acclaimed musicians from around the world, including Herbie Hancock, 2023 Grammy-winning Best New Artist Samara Joy, five-time Grammy winner Angelque Kidjo and Cameroon-born bassist Richard Bona.
Photos available here.
- Cleveland Orchestra’s 2023 Blossom Concert Series (July 1-Sept. 9)
The renowned Cleveland Orchestra returns to their summer home at Blossom Music Center inside Cuyahoga Valley National Park this July. The
2023 Blossom Concert Series features a diverse array of musical performances and special guests, including Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, music from Final Fantasy, Jurassic Park and Lord of the Rings, as well as Sibelius’ First Symphony and an evening with six-time Tony award-winning artist Audra McDonald.
Photos available here.
Headliners Khalid, Nelly, Walker Hayes and Flo Rida bring the heat to this summer’s
WonderStruck, one of the Midwest’s largest contemporary music festivals. The annual fest at Lakeland Community College attracts thousands of music lovers to the 400-acre site for concerts on multiple stages by more than 25 performers.
Honoring Cleveland’s Heritage and Diversity
In a city built by immigrants, each season is filled with celebrations of cultural diversity. Upcoming events shine a spotlight on the region’s history and the communities that shape the city today, including:
- Cleveland Asian Festival (May 20-21)
At the annual
Cleveland Asian Festival in the AsiaTown neighborhood, visitors can enjoy traditional musical and dance performances (including an Asia Pop Cover Dance Competition), shopping at a World Marketplace of vendors and tasting their way through Asian cuisines from area restaurants and culinary entrepreneurs.
Photos available here.
- Pride in the CLE (June 3)
The annual
Pride in the CLE® is back in full swing for 2023, beginning with a march through Downtown and culminating in a high-energy festival in the heart of the city on Malls B & C. The festival celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and advocates for the equitable and just treatment for all with performances, live entertainment, food trucks, local vendors and a Speak Out Stage for community activists, organizers, poets and artists.
Photos available here.
- Cleveland Juneteenth Freedom Fest (June 16-17)
The third annual
Cleveland Juneteenth Freedom Fest will spotlight the history and spirit of the city’s African American community. Festivities will include performances from
Karamu House, interactive art demonstrations, a pop-up roller skating rink and a Vendor Village and Soul Food Row that spotlight Black businesses and entrepreneurs.
Photos available here.
- Mx. Juneteenth: A Black & Queer Liberation Celebration (June 17)
Mx. Juneteenth celebrates freedom and community with an event featuring live music, drag performances, local vendors and educational workshops. The event honors the spirit of the Juneteenth holiday by providing a liberatory space and environment of respect.
Photos available here.
- Cleveland Civil Rights Trail
The new
Cleveland Civil Rights Trail is the first of its kind in a northern state and provides visitors with place-based insights into Cleveland’s role in the Civil Rights movement. The trail’s initial seven sites share the history of and commemorate the fight for equality during the 1950s-1970s, including the local election of Carl Stokes as the first Black mayor of a major U.S. city. An eighth site and plans for the creation of historical markers will be announced later this year.
Cultural Institutions Feature Engaging New Exhibits and Programs
Cleveland’s world-class museums continue to innovate by incorporating new technologies and presenting art and culture through new angles to create impactful learning moments for visitors.
- Great Lakes Science Center 2024 Solar Eclipse Countdown Kickoff (April 7-8)
As travelers consider plans for the event,
Great Lakes Science Center and
NASA’s Glenn Research Center are hosting an
Eclipse Countdown Kickoff event April 7-8 to preview what viewers can experience during totality. The event will feature hands-on activities, including demonstrations of how an eclipse happens, a giant pinhole camera to walk-through and an exploration of shadow imagery.
- Cleveland Museum of Natural History
While the museum’s
extensive transformation will be complete in 2024, the first phase of updates brings visitors new and reimagined spaces to explore, including a
virtual reality flight simulator experience, an immersive planetarium journey through space and time and an updated Discovery Center that encourages hands‐on learning for young children.
- Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA)
- Egyptomania: Fashion’s Conflicted Obsession (April 1‐Jan. 2024)
This exhibition brings together nearly 50 objects that explore the influence of Egyptomania in fashion by juxtaposing contemporary fashion and jewelry with fine and decorative artworks from CMA’s collection.
- Raja Deen Dayal: The King of Indian Photographers (April 23-Aug. 13)
This exhibition marks the Cleveland debut of a series of rare photographs capturing intimate portraits of both the maharajahs of princely India and the British Colonial elite in 1886 and 1887. The photographs are exhibited alongside historical Indian paintings, textiles, clothing and jewelry to provide critical context for the images.
Black Moses: The Art of Reverend Albert Wagner (through September)
This exhibit recognizes the “visionary” and “outsider” art of Reverend Albert Wagner, who on his 50
th birthday experienced a divine revelation that guided him to become a prolific and celebrated artist, breaking racial and class barriers in the world of visual art.
- Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (moCa)
moCa’s 2023 exhibitions and artist residencies will focus on identity, nature, memory and collaboration with debut exhibitions by inspiring modern artists.
- Spring 2023 (through June 11)
Nina Chanel Abney’s “Big Butch Synergy” explores and celebrates expressions of Black masculine women. “We Are Dust and Shadow” features Sam Falls’ work collaborating with nature to create paintings and sculptures. And Amber N. Ford’s “Someone, Somewhere, Something” uses the medium of sound to share stories of grief.
- Summer/Fall 2023 (July 7‐Dec. 31)
“A soft place to land” will highlight textiles’ ability to embody collective and individual memories. “Don’t Mind If I Do,” a group exhibition co‐curated by Shannon Finnegan, will feature works by artists from the disability arts ecosystem and all things can be picked up and touched, bringing the art to the visitor. “Exist, Flourish, Evolve” is created by artist Andrea Bowers to build awareness of the dangers facing Lake Erie. Completing the season is a work by Artist‐in‐Residence Erykah Townsend designed to unpack the relationship between innocence and absurdity.
Chefs and Culinary Entrepreneurs Expand Boundaries with New Slate of Restaurant Openings
After years of pandemic-driven cuts to the culinary industry, Cleveland restaurateurs and award-winning chefs are expanding their footprints this spring, bringing new concepts and additional locations to hungry visitors across the city.
This
new cafe is reminiscent of the timeless Parisian café experience, with an elegant, inviting interior and a menu of warm salads, baguette sandwiches and fresh-baked patisserie items.
- Goldie’s Donuts & Bakery (February)
The downtown-adjacent Ohio City neighborhood welcomed a new location of this
family-owned bakery that makes its donuts, fillings, frostings and glazes from scratch daily. The bakery’s signature old-fashioned classics like sour cream donuts, maple-glazed cake donuts, honey-glazed crullers, apple fritters and croissants are served in a sleek space accented with gold and marble.
- Wolf Pack Chorus (February)
Chef Chris Wolf and partner Katie Wolf opened their
modern brasserie concept in a historic carriage house property in the Little Italy neighborhood, delighting guests with an upscale modern American menu and redesigned interiors.
- Cha Spirits & Pizzeria (February)
This cozy
Mediterranean-style bistro opened in a newly restored century-old home, bringing stone-oven thin crust pizza, seasonal small plates, fine wines and a neighborly vibe.
Homemade, upscale versions of nostalgic ice cream truck treats (creamsicles, fudgesicles and nutty buddies, among others) are now tempting sweet tooths at this charming new
neighborhood ice cream shop.
Cleveland’s Eastern European immigrant roots shine with the reopening of this
popular Hungarian restaurant in a new and larger location in the eastern suburb of Bainbridge. Guests can enjoy traditional Hungarian classics, like paprikash and stuffed cabbage.
James Beard‐nominated chef Jill Vedaa and business partner Jessica Parkison of
Salt+ fame have added
Poppy to their growing restaurant group. Guests can enjoy lunch and dinner while dining in a turn-of-the-century Craftsman-style home or on the expansive garden patio.
The gourmet sausages and Quebec-style poutine creations by the acclaimed
Banter Cleveland will return to their original neighborhood with the opening of a new location in Cleveland’s Detroit Shoreway.
- Doinks Burger Joint and Seltzer Bar (Spring)
When the pandemic paused their work in restaurants, two local chefs began selling burgers from their garage. The operation was so wildly successful that they are bringing the concept to a new brick and mortar restaurant,
Doinks Burgers. The menu will feature classic and customer-favorite burgers, veggie options and a selection of alcoholic seltzers.
Chef Rocco Whalen’s signature fine dining restaurant
Fahrenheit is relocating to a prominent location on Downtown Cleveland’s Public Square with a two-story space with rooftop seating.
- Artis Restaurant (Summer)
Chef Andrew Mansour will bring a
modern steakhouse concept to a former bar space, now being reimagined with bright colors and a 1980’s Miami Art Deco Revival style.
The owner of popular spots like the cocktail haven Spotted Owl and retro tavern Prosperity Social Club will open a classic dive bar concept,
Old 86, in a historic building in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood.
Spring Sports & Recreation Activities for All Interests
Visitors can catch the excitement of a game and enjoy spring’s natural beauty with new attractions and events in The Land, including:
- Cleveland Guardians Home Opener (April 7)
The
Cleveland Guardians take on the Seattle Mariners at Progressive Field for their
home Opening Day game, an unofficial holiday and harbinger of spring in The Land. Visitors can catch a game and enjoy local fare and craft brews at Progressive Field throughout the season.
- Daffodil Hill at Lake View Cemetery
Taking in the stunning display of more than 100,000 blooming daffodils on Lake View Cemetery’s iconic “
Daffodil Hill” is a beloved celebration of spring for locals and visitors. The expansive cemetery serves as the final resting place some of Cleveland’s most famous residents, including John D. Rockefeller, inventor Garrett Morgan and President James Garfield.
Photos available here.
- Cedar Point Amusement Park
As the second‐oldest amusement park in America, Cedar Point celebrates its history with the opening of the nostalgic
Boardwalk, bringing new dining, rides and entertainment experiences to the park’s Lake Erie shoreline.
Wild Mouse Roller CoasterThe theme park’s 18
th and newest roller coaster,
Wild Mouse, will be a twisting and free-form spinning “mouse and cheese chase” family thrill ride.
Cedar Point esports Center (May 2023)
Cedar Point Sports Center, the indoor athletic venue located a few miles east of the amusement park, will add
1,000 square feet of gaming space with stations for 32 players and video displays to connect with outside gaming events.
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Bear Hollow Habitat (Summer)
A $7.7‐million project will create
four new habitats for the tropical Andean and sloth bears, tripling the area for the vulnerable species and giving visitors a 360‐degree view of the exhibit.
- Blazing Paddles Paddlefest (July 22)
The annual
kayak, paddleboard and canoeing celebration of the Cuyahoga River commemorates the river’s transformation from an industrial pollution zone to the
top urban kayaking spot in the country. The courses include an iconic turnaround point, the site of the infamous June 22, 1969, fire that fueled the birth of the EPA, the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act.
Cleveland Accommodations Offerings Continue to Expand with New Hotel Projects
The latest updates to Cleveland’s
AAA award-winning hotel landscape add restored historic buildings and renovated skyscrapers to an already wide array of visitor accommodations.
- Franklin Castle (2023)
Thrill seeking visitors can now spend the night in Ohio’s most haunted house as the historic Tiedemann house, or “Franklin Castle,” has opened select rooms for overnight guests to experience the paranormal activity firsthand. The property also offers a ballroom and other spaces for private events.
- Hotel Cleveland (2024)
After extensive renovations, the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel will be rebranded as Hotel Cleveland, returning the city's oldest hotel to its original name. The 491‐room hotel will be part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, a group of hotels crafted to leave a lasting imprint on guests.
- W Hotel (2024)
A 1960s modernist skyscraper in Downtown Cleveland will host a new W Hotel and the first location for W Apartments. Plans for the 210-room hotel include a 15,000-square-foot ballroom and event center, a full-service spa and gym and a restaurant and bar on the 38th floor with panoramic city views.
- Fidelity Hotel (2024)
A once‐vacant office building and downtown landmark will be transformed into a 97‐room boutique hotel. The independent property will be named Fidelity Hotel in a nod to the building’s original name and will include dining, meeting rooms and a speakeasy‐style bar.
Looking Ahead
Over the next few years, Cleveland will welcome visitors for several notable events. Here’s a look at what’s ahead.
- 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four
After hosting this Championship in 2007, Cleveland will again welcome the
NCAA DI Women’s Basketball Tournament Final Four in 2024 at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The top teams in collegiate women’s basketball will face off for the championship trophy.
It will be a blackout on April 8, 2024, as the city is in the direct path of the
Total Solar Eclipse. The moon will completely block out the sun for nearly four minutes in Cleveland, one of the longest durations for major cities in the path. With unobstructed views over Lake Erie and in the acres of greenspace throughout the area, as well as special programming by local science institutions—including NASA’s Glenn Research Center and Great Lakes Science Center—The Land is an ideal location to witness the celestial event.
- 2024 Pan-American Masters Games (PAMG)
Held every four years in the Americas,
PAMG is an Olympic-like sports festival for athletes over 30 years old. It features nearly 20 medal-contending sports including track and field, tennis, basketball, pickleball and cycling. The event is expected to be the largest international gathering in Northeast Ohio’s history, bringing over 7,500 athletes from more than 50 countries.
To keep up to date on new developments and activities, please visit www.thisiscleveland.com or follow us on
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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.