Events

FutureHeights invites Clevelanders to experience the rhythm and heart of Cleveland Heights at its annual Music Hop, a three-day celebration of live music, local businesses, and community connection, scheduled to take place the weekend of Sept. 19th-21st, 2025. Launched in 2013 and now celebrating its 13th year, the festival has evolved into a premier celebration of the community’s diversity and authenticity. This year’s Hop spans four of the city’s most iconic commercial districts. It will begin Friday afternoon and evening with performances in the Cedar-Fairmount neighborhood. On Saturday, the music will kick off in the morning at the Noble Road Library, travel through the Cedar Lee District, and end on Sunday in Coventry Village. This year’s event promises something to enjoy for all ages with family friendly and community activities. The full schedule will be posted at www.futureheights.org/musichop.   Friday, 9/19 | 5 pm – 10 pm | Cedar-Fairmount, with a special kick-off performance at Luna Bakery & Cafe from 1:00-3:00 pm! Saturday 9/20 | 10 am – Noon | Noble Gardeners’ Market at Noble Road Branch of Heights Libraries Saturday 9/20 | 5pm  – 10 pm | Cedar-Lee Sunday 9/21 |  Noon – 5 pm | Coventry

Saturday’s AWBA events start at the Martin L. King, Jr. Branch of the Cleveland Public Library with an opening keynote and complimentary refreshments, followed by a series of rich conversations and readings featuring past AWBA winners and jurors—leading writers who have fundamentally shaped how we think about race relations and cultural diversity.

The Chalk Festival features sidewalk artistry by professional chalk artists and local community groups, families, and individuals, all using the CMA’s south plaza and walkways that wind through the Fine Arts Garden and down to Wade Lagoon as a colorful canvas. The Chalk Festival is a modern expression of a Renaissance tradition from 16th-century Italy in which artists copied paintings of the Madonna by Raphael and his contemporaries using chalk on the plazas outside cathedrals. Everyone can participate at the Chalk Festival! To chalk your own square, purchase a square of pavement (chalk pastels included) at the registration tent: $15 small square (includes a 12-count set of chalk pastels), $20 large square (includes a 24-count set of chalk pastels). The CMA reserves the right to cover any work that contains a political message, hate speech, or other content that may be inappropriate for a family-friendly program. Major support is provided by Akron Children’s.