They’re all around us. CoolCleveland’s own Mansfield Frazier is my personal hero, rising from a life of crime to creating the Vineyards & BioCellar of Chateau Hough, producing an offender reentry engine alongside an urban farming experiment and an award-winning vintage. And he’s become our region’s finest social commentator. He’s a dynamite speaker, too. Read his column below and hear him at CWRU this week.
Whether it’s Station Hope telling the story of Cleveland’s role in the Underground Railroad, or artist Joseph Minek talking about his work at 2731, or the Ohio Legends of Rock at the Akron Civic, or Dinofest at CMNH, or sportswear retailer Geiger’s opening their 3rd location next door to Heinen’s downtown, our own local heroes continue to improve our community. We have 2 of the 4 best libraries in the nation, and a massive new hotel going up featuring CLE artists.
Some, like Apollo’s Fire, collect accolades from around the world before returning to blow us away again. Others, like Fred Ward, provide assistance in relative obscurity. Homegrown Blues Night will evoke emotion at The Kent Stage, while Ringworm and State of Conviction bring the heavy to the Agora, and the Akron Symphony swings at EJ Thomas.
Be a star and get your holiday shopping started with a little help from CoolCleveland’s ShopLOCAL listings. We’ll feature a different cool category each week. Stop by MOCA for their Artscape event, or the humongous Hollywood poster auction, or the Beachland’s vast vinyl Record Riot. Capture local stars at their best by becoming a CoolCleveland writer. Volunteer with Morgan Conservatory, peruse 3 Ohio printmakers at Akron’s Stanton Harris, giggle with Cleveland’s funniest rabbis for charity at the Maltz, or join the stitch & bitch at Gypsy Beans for women’s rights. It’s your town. And the brightest superstar is you. — Thomas Mulready