Events

Tickets and passes are on sale now.  CIFF50 Streams – online access to the Festival’s biggest and best AFTER the initial run – begins April 19 and continues through April 26.   Festival Dates: April 9-18, 2026 Festival Locations:  Playhouse Square | 1511 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115 CSU School of Film & Media Arts | 1375 Euclid Ave 6th floor, Cleveland, OH 44115 Cedar Lee Theatre | 2163 Lee Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 CIFF50 Film Guide: Available online noon, March 2 at www.clevelandfilm.org

Roots of American Music (ROOTS) continues its Masters of American Music series with a tribute to Ray Charles on Wednesday, April 22 at 8:30 p.m. at Visible Voice Books. This live music series blends performance with storytelling, bringing the legacy of influential artists to life in an intimate setting. More than a concert, Masters of American Music offers a window into ROOTS’ mission in action—connecting communities through music while exploring the people and stories that shape America’s musical traditions. Modeled on the organization’s work in classrooms and community spaces, each performance reflects the same approach ROOTS brings to its educational programming: engaging audiences through history, culture, and sound. Supporters can see firsthand how ROOTS uses music as a tool for connection, learning, and inspiration. ROOTS’ impact extends far beyond the stage. Programs like Blues is the Backbone—which reached 775 students across 16 schools this past year—bring this work directly into Northeast Ohio classrooms, ensuring young people have access to America’s musical heritage. While distinct from the performance series, these programs share the same purpose: using music to educate, inspire, and build community. Masters of American Music debuted in March with a tribute to Memphis Minnie featuring ROOTS Founder Kevin T. […]

The U.S. Navy will join Northeast Ohio leaders, students, and veterans for a day of STEM engagement and outdoor community connection on Sunday, April 26, including a visit to the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio STEM Center of Excellence and a group hike at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The visit brings Navy leadership into the region as part of National Parks Navy Week, a nationwide initiative celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary and strengthening connections between Sailors and the communities they serve. STEM Center Visit and Student Engagement WHEN: 9:00 AM – 11:45 AM (ET) WHERE: Girl Scouts of North East Ohio STEM Center of Excellence at Camp Ledgewood 6751 Akron Peninsula Rd, Peninsula, OH WHO: Rear Adm. Tracy Hines, U.S. Navy Jane Christyson, CEO, Girl Scouts of North East Ohio Local students, board members, and community partners DETAILS: Rear Adm. Hines will tour the STEM Center of Excellence and receive a briefing on its programs before working directly with students on coding and robotics activities. Sailor participation will support students as they work toward earning STEM badges.   Towpath Trail Community Hike WHEN: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (ET) WHERE: Boston Mills Visitor Center 6947 Riverview Road, Peninsula, OH WHO: Rear Adm. Tracy Hines Dr. Saira […]

Enjoy a unique tasting experience with award-winning author Aimee Nezhukumatathil. As you sample flavors, Aimee will guide you in a writing prompt to spark creativity and reflection. Together, we’ll explore how food and language can inspire new ways of seeing and storytelling.

Join us at the City Club for The Power of Food, Memory, and the Joy of Being Present: A Conversation with Author & Poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil. The forum will be available in person and via livestream, and will be recorded and shared on the City Club website.

On Friday, May 1, the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra will perform a jazz-infused version of the seminal music festival: Woodstock. For its final concert of the season, the CJO will lead Clevelanders on a magical, mystery tour of Woodstock classics. Jazz greatly influenced many of the musicians synonymous with the music festival that set the bar for decades to come. The evening at the Maltz Performing Arts Center features the full CJO brass band reinterpreting Santana, Sly Stone, Jimi Hendrix, and Credence Clear Water Revival. Arrangements by Artistic Director Paul Ferguson will feature solos by trumpeters Jack Schantz and Scott McKee; trombonist Chris Anderson; saxophonists Brad Wagner and Chris Burge. Local luminaries Jackie Warren, Aidan Plank, Dan Bruce, and Dustin May will round out the percussion section. Joining the CJO is Clevelander and Tony Award® Nominee Mary Bridget Davies. Davies received  rave reviews and a Tony nomination for her tribute to Janis Joplin, “A Night with Janis Joplin”.  The CJO is proud to accompany her on such songs as, “Piece of My Heart” and “Try a Little  Harder”. Ferguson will also arrange the jazz accompaniments for the Joplin selections. “Mary  Bridget Davies sang with the CJO about 8 years ago at […]

The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio (DCNEO) invites you, your family, and your neighbors to join us at  the DCNEO Community Festival & Walk on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Formerly known as Walk, Rock, Roll &  Run, this year’s event returns to the Great Lakes Science Center with a renewed focus on what matters  most: connection, community, and the simple belief that everyone deserves to belong.  In addition to the Walk, there will be family-friendly interactive activities on the plaza as well as free  admission to the Great Lakes Science Center (day of the event only) and discounted admission to the  Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Event Details  When: Saturday, May 9, 2026  Where: Great Lakes Science Center (601 Erieside Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44114) • Time: 8:30 a.m. (Walk begins)  Cost: FREE and open to the public  While the event is free, those looking to deepen their impact can start a walking team to fundraise.  Whether it’s a group of coworkers, a faith community, or just a band of friends, your contributions ensure  DCNEO’s programs remain accessible to youth and organizations throughout our region. These  programs:  Equip students and educators with leadership skills.  Strengthen workplaces through inclusive dialogue.  Foster […]

The annual Ingenuity Bal is a whimsical gala unlike anything else in town, supporting Ingenuity’s year-round programming. Once known as the Bal Ingenieux, the event pays homage to Cleveland’s exclusive arts club that dominated modernist arts in the city from the 1910s until the 1940s. The Kokoon Club’s annual “Bal Masque” challenged artistic norms with the most unconventional parties around. On May 9, Ingenuity Bal 2026: Daydreamery will kick off Ingenuity's festival season with performances, art, participatory experiences and more to celebrate hope, progress and the shared dreams of our creative community, while celebrating the vast tapestry of ideas and perspectives that make us special. Enjoy delightful snacks and cocktails while mingling and dancing with IngenuityLabs members, Ingeneers, Ingenuity Board Members, and the rest of the eclectic Ingenuity family and friends. Dress up, dress down, wear a mask or a costume inspired by the theme…let your daydreams run wild!

Readers, writers, and lovers of contemporary poetry are invited to an intimate evening of storytelling, reflection, and artistic expression as four poets celebrate the release of Embrace: Poetry That Undresses the Silence. The event will take place Friday, May 15 from 6:00–8:00 PM at The Vault at Metropolitan 9, located at 2017 East 9th Street in downtown Cleveland. Embrace, a collaborative collection by authors Lori Bellman, Chrissy Costa, Renée Kogler, and Erika Roman Saint-Pierre, explores themes of identity, womanhood, sensuality, healing, and self-expression. Written from diverse cultural, racial, and personal perspectives, the collection offers contemporary poetry that moves between vulnerability and strength, intimacy and independence, inviting readers to reflect on shared emotional and cultural experiences. Guests will step into a warm and inviting atmosphere designed to celebrate creativity and connection. Set against the swanky backdrop of The Vault, the evening will immerse attendees in poetic storytelling, vivid imagery, and artistic conversation that honors the complexity and power of women’s voices. The evening begins at 6:00 PM with a signature welcome cocktail and time to mingle with fellow creatives and poetry enthusiasts. Guests will then experience a curated program including: Intimate readings of selected poetry by the authors of Embrace A […]