2018 is shaping up to be an exciting summer in The Land: The Indians are doing well, Hamilton is coming to town, and good lord are there a lot of concerts to go to. Whether you’re a beer connoisseur, an aspiring triathlete, or just a lover of free music on a beach, there are plenty of activities to keep you busy this summer, and we have your must-do events picked out below. No need to thank us: just get us a Hyper Retro from Platform next time you see us out and about.
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Thursday - Sunday
Jun 14-Jul 15
Various locations
Granted, Cleveland's not the biggest soccer town in the country, but the World Cup only comes around once every four years, and it’s hard not to get swept up in the rest of the world’s footie mania. So what if team USA isn’t competing this time? Pick another country, and start rooting for ‘em at one of the city’s best bars showing the World Cup -- Hansa Brewery, Becky's and The Jolly Scholar are all solid options.
Cost: However much a beer costs
Cost: However much a beer costs
Wednesday - Wednesday
Jun 27-Aug 22
University Circle
Live music and food trucks abound in the middle of one of the city’s most picturesque districts every Wednesday through August. Expect lots of families and dance music you could take your nieces, parents, or even SO to.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Wednesday - Monday
Jun 27-Sep 26
Chester Commons (Downtown)
Tired of tracking down your favorite food trucks? Visit Walnut Wednesdays in Downtown’s Perk Plaza, where the food trucks come to you. The event runs through September.
Cost: Free, until you buy food
Cost: Free, until you buy food
Thursday
Jun 28
Edgewater Park
Free concerts, beer, and the beach -- must be Edgewater Live! The free concert series runs through August 2, and you can expect twenty- and thirty-somethings to fully pack Edgewater Park and its lots; our advice is park or Lyft to Gordon Square and walk over.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Thursday - Saturday
Jun 28-30
Playhouse Square
For 39 years, Cleveland’s Jazz Fest has brought together acts both regional and national. This one features free performances outdoors, paid performances indoors, and… rap icon Common? Word.
Cost: Festival passes start at $250, individual tickets available
Cost: Festival passes start at $250, individual tickets available
Friday
Jun 29
Euclid Beach Park
The younger, East Side cousin to Edgewater Live, Euclid Beach offers a roster of neo-soul, jazz, and R&B vibes every Friday through August 3. Watch for the opening of the new pier: apparently, it'll rival the well-loved Edgewater Beach House.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Saturday
Jun 30
Various locations
Now entering its 10th year, Heritage Tourism offers tour of a different Cleveland district nearly every day in summer. Covering history, architecture, and Cleveland lore, the tours are both informative and fun, and you’ll almost certainly run into a “Cleveland celebrity” or two on the way.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Saturday
Jun 30
Waterloo
The stretch of North Collinwood known as Waterloo is perhaps Cleveland’s funkiest, out-there neighborhood for public art and artists. With its live music, street performances, and of course pierogies, Waterloo Arts Fest is a great introduction to the neighborhood.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Wednesday
Jul 4
Various locations
Cleveland’s fireworks get shot out over the lake -- take that, Columbus! -- which means there are free viewing spaces aplenty in The Flats, Edgewater Park, and the North Coast Harbor. Grab a blanket, head to the viewing spot closest to you, and watch the show when it begins at dusk.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Friday
Jul 6
Mall B (Downtown)
The Cleveland Orchestra recently turned 100 years old, so this year’s Star Spangled Spectacular will be a celebration of that milestone. The Orchestra is a national treasure, and this event offers Clevelanders a chance to see them play for free, rain or shine.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Sunday
Jul 8
Blossom
How much does Cleveland rock? Our orchestra is playing with Daltrey and other members of The Who, to perform legendary rock album Tommy in its entirety -- does that answer your question?
Cost: Tickets start at $35
Cost: Tickets start at $35
Sunday
Jul 8
Market Garden
Cleveland’s best reading series for fiction and poetry turns six this summer. Nationally acclaimed and locally based novelists Paula McLain and Thrity Umrigar will read from their work. Pro tip: Buying a book gets you a free beer!
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Wednesday
Jul 11
Blossom
Weezer’s nerd rock and the Pixies’ out-there edginess might seem to make for strange bedfellows, but this is a pairing we’re pretty excited about. English alt-rock act The Wombats open.
Cost: Tickets start at $20
Cost: Tickets start at $20
Saturday - Saturday
Jul 14-Aug 18
Clark Fulton
Called “the heart of Cleveland’s Latino community,” the Clark Fulton neighborhood plays host to La Placita: a monthly summer celebration of food, music, and culture.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Saturday - Sunday
Jul 14-Sep 30
Various locations
This ambitious art exhibition is centered in Northeast Ohio, with an eye toward the region's place in the current global political climate. Consisting of eleven “cultural exercises,” venues are as far flung as Akron and Oberlin, and as wide-ranging as Glenville’s Art Campus and the William G. Mather Steamship.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Sunday
Jul 15
Tremont
A food festival with live music? There are more and more popping up every year, but Taste of Tremont has been going for 16 years, and it highlights food from what might be the city’s greatest dining and drinking neighborhood.
Cost: Free admission, pay as you go.
Cost: Free admission, pay as you go.
Tuesday - Sunday
Jul 17-Aug 26
Playhouse Square
There are a million things you haven’t done -- but starting July 17, seeing Hamilton at Playhouse Square won’t have to be one of them! Provided you're willing to pay a hefty sum, that is.
Cost: $125-475, but tickets are nearly sold out; scalped ones online will likely run you at least $200, though you should obviously be careful with that.
Cost: $125-475, but tickets are nearly sold out; scalped ones online will likely run you at least $200, though you should obviously be careful with that.
Tuesday
Jul 17
FirstEnergy Stadium
One of the world’s biggest pop stars takes the stage for her Reputation tour. Head to the Browns' stadium to see Ms. Swift steal moves from Beyoncé in person.
Cost: Tickets start at $45
Cost: Tickets start at $45
Sunday
Jul 22
Blossom
Wiz Khalifa and Rae Sremmurd will bring party hip-hop vibes to Blossom on their well-named Dazed & Blazed Tour -- Lil Skies and O.T. Genasis will open.
Cost: Tickets start at $26
Cost: Tickets start at $26
Wednesday
Jul 25
Blossom
Nice-guy frontman Dave Grohl keeps it rocking well into middle age on the Fighters’ Concrete and Gold tour; English rock band The Struts open.
Cost: Tickets start at $45.
Cost: Tickets start at $45.
Wednesday
Jul 25
FirstEnergy Stadium
The Carters may have hit a rough patch, but their marriage, as well as their reign over pop music, has thrived. They'll bring their immense musical talents to FirstEnergy Stadium for their On the Run II tour.
Cost: Tickets start at $49.50
Cost: Tickets start at $49.50
Friday - Friday
Jul 27-Sep 28
Asiatown
Normally a quiet stretch of blocks in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood, Asiatown explodes to life with the Night Market, a celebration of Asian culture, music, and food on the last Friday of every month.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Saturday - Sunday
Jul 28-29
Slavic Village
Yes, Cleveland has a lot of abandoned, blighted homes, but a group of artists in Slavic Village hada pretty dope idea: turn those homes into immersive art exhibits, for one weekend only, before their demolition.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Saturday
Jul 28
Tremont
Beerfests are delicious, but pretty self explanatory: expect lots of sun (we hope), the green space of Lincoln Park, and over 75 beer selections from local and national vendors. Standard admission get you all-day access and 15 drink tickets, but the VIP package includes perks like a VIP swag bag and a commemorative beer glass. Plus, dogs are allowed!
Cost: GA tickets are $40 in advance, $50 at the gate; VIP tickets are $65 in advance, &40 at the gate
Cost: GA tickets are $40 in advance, $50 at the gate; VIP tickets are $65 in advance, &40 at the gate
Saturday
Jul 28
Velvet Dog
Whether you’re the guy on the dance floor in parachute pants or the guy in the corner crying about how the '90s weren’t really like this at all, there will be something for everyone at this themed dance party.
Cost: $20-40
Cost: $20-40
Sunday
Jul 29
The Agora
When he’s not creating the world’s greatest double entendres as Tobias Funke, David Cross takes his exasperated comic stylings across America; catch him at The Agora for his "Oh Come On" tour.
Cost: Tickets start at $39.50
Cost: Tickets start at $39.50
Wednesday
Aug 8
Playhouse Square
For sixteen years, the Sparx City Hop has brought participants straight to the art galleries of various Cleveland neighborhoods by way of free trolley tours. This is a great event for visitors, or locals who simply wish to accrue more CLE trivia.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Saturday
Aug 11
East Fourth
Since every beloved childhood franchise will eventually be commodified and paired with alcohol, let’s bust out our deathly hallows tattoos, grab our striped scarves, and head to the East Fourth corridor for the Wizards & Wands Bar Crawl.
Cost: $15-25
Cost: $15-25
Saturday
Aug 11
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Buying a ticket to the Rock Hall on this day will entitle you to a Social Distortion concert inside the museum, as well as some promotional events from sound equipment manufacturers Klipsch. Not exactly Cleveland’s Lollapalooza, but we’ll take it!
Cost: General admission is typically $23
Cost: General admission is typically $23
Saturday - Sunday
Aug 11-12
Edgewater Park
For two days, hundreds of insanely fit people in unitards will descend on the rock 'n' roll city for a swim, bike ride, and sprint in and along Lake Erie.
Cost: $185 to register -- good luck! Viewing cost is TBD
Cost: $185 to register -- good luck! Viewing cost is TBD
Friday - Saturday
Aug 17-18
Whiskey Island
Celebrate the river, the lake, and our region’s other freshwater resources at the Great Lakes Burning River Fest, where proceeds benefit the Burning River Foundation. Low Cut Connie headlines, and Dortmunder Gold will flow aplenty.
Cost: $15 for entry
Cost: $15 for entry
Friday
Aug 17
Agora Theater
This veteran Oklahoma City band puts on a psychedelic spectacular at their shows, and the world-famous Agora should be a great venue for them.
Cost: Tickets start at $45
Cost: Tickets start at $45
Thursday
Aug 23
Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
Formed at Ohio State, O.A.R.’s occasionally reggae-influenced nice-guy-rock has become a summer staple for Cleveland concerts. Matt Nathanson opens.
Cost: Tickets start at $30
Cost: Tickets start at $30
Saturday
Aug 25
Hard Rock Live Northfield Park
Can we take a moment to appreciate a Toto pun that didn’t reference “Africa"? No? Fine. Come see the aging rockers perform where aging rockers go in Cleveland: The Hard Rock Rocksino.
Cost: Tickets start at $47.50
Cost: Tickets start at $47.50
Sunday
Aug 26
Blossom
The name of this '90s pop-rock stalwart’s tour, 25 Years and Counting, lets you know just how long it’s been since you first mournfully sang along to “A Long December.” Plus, the special guest will be Live -- performing live!
Cost: Tickets start at $22.
Cost: Tickets start at $22.
Saturday - Sunday
Aug 25-26
The Malls in downtown Cleveland
Northeast Ohio’s LaureLive is an up-and-coming music festival with a dynamic lineup... in Novelty, Ohio. The InCuya Music Festival will, for its first outing, bring artists like SZA, the Avett Brothers, and Cake right into the heart of Downtown. Will this be our Lollapalooza? Stay tuned.
Cost: $115 (or more if you wait)
Cost: $115 (or more if you wait)
Wednesday
Aug 29
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
This grown-up, after-hours scavenger hunt is built around zoo exploration, wildlife trivia questions, and selfies with animals. There will be prizes for the winning teams and, as the name suggests, beer for all.
Cost: $70 for a team of two, $70 more for each two added
Cost: $70 for a team of two, $70 more for each two added
Friday
Aug 31
Blossom
That’s no moon -- that’s the Cleveland Orchestra playing the score of Star Wars: A New Hope in its entirety as the movie plays on a giant screen! You'll be hard-pressed to find a better way to close out the summer.
Cost: Tickets start at $26
Cost: Tickets start at $26
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