Events

Feel the rhythm! Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a free community concert featuring Latin jazz icon Sammy DeLeon y su Orquesta. The evening kicks off with a special performance by musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra and dancer Alice Blumenfeld, showcasing the sounds of Latin chamber music from around the world. Then, get ready to dance the night away at Severance Music Center as Sammy and his orquesta take the stage. This is a night of music and fun for the whole family! Come early for pre-concert dancing and mingling in the Grand Foyer, set to music by DJ IamYulissa.

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.

This year’s celebration will feature the highly anticipated reveal of For Those Who Call Here Home—a new outdoor community space designed to celebrate identity, creativity, and belonging. As part of this unveiling, Transformative Art Fund awardee Jordan Wong (WONGFACE) will debut five public art installations that will shape AsiaTown’s landscape for years to come. The festival will also include cultural performances, lantern activities, and food vendors offering traditional mooncakes and local favorites. The event is free and open to the public. Event Details: Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025 Time: 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Location: AsiaTown Pop-up Park, 3236 Payne Ave, Cleveland, OH Admission: Free and open to the public

We kick off our season welcoming the terrific trumpet talent, Terell Stafford. Called “one of the great players of our time” by McCoy Tyner, Stafford is an incredibly gifted and versatile player and equally inventive writer. In addition to his own projects, he has appeared with Tyner, Diana Krall, the Clayton/Hamilton Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Alumni Band, Matt Wilson, Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson and many others. For tickets and more information, please go to: https://clevelandjazz.org

Join Cleveland City Councilman Brian Kazy and members of Cleveland City Council to honor legendary hip-hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony with the third annual Music Keynote to the City on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Union Home Mortgage Plaza. The free event will take place on Sunday, September 28, 2025, at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Union Home Mortgage Plaza beginning at 3 pm. A special performance by the group will follow the recognition ceremony. Tickets to the event are required and are free with RSVP. Get tickets here. PARKING: Paid meters and parking lots are available around the museum on East 9th St., Erieside Ave., Alfred Lerner Way (in front of FirstEnergy Stadium) and at the Great Lakes Science Center. You can also use these links to park in other downtown lots, reserve your parking spot in advance or to take public transportation. All sales final, tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded after purchase unless the performance is canceled.

Connie Chung, pioneer journalist and author, will be in conversation with Margaret W. Wong, Esq., prominent immigration rights attorney. Their conversation will focus on Chung’s life, career, and the New York Times bestseller, Connie: A Memoir. The event will be followed by a book signing by Connie Chung (her memoir will be available to purchase at the event, courtesy of Mac’s Backs – Books on Coventry). Registration is required at https://bit.ly/4nc2Ccs. This is a free event.