Sat 2/22 @ 3PM-Midnight
Brite Winter began on a wing, a prayer and a whim in 2010, just a small hardy band of local music lovers huddled on Settler’s Landing to listen to some music and do some art projects in the cold. It did an encore there in 2011 before moving uphill to Ohio City where, during its four years there, it exploded in size, with both indoor and outdoor venues, turning into something of a drunkie fest in the process.
It turned another corner in 2016 when it moved back down to the Flats, this time the area behind Nautica. Now in its fifth year there, it’s well established and it’s grown again, with numerous outdoor stages, the popular bonfires, ice carving, and numerous artsy activities (including interactive activities) inside different buildings, where a partnership with Ingenuity Labs has lent it a little of the creative/technology vibe of the fall Ingenuity Festival.
More that 40 music acts will perform, mostly local — and with the large pool of talent in the area, you can count on outstanding quality. Syracuse’s Ra Ra Riot and New York’s Wave Magnetik headline two of the stages, but you’ll also want to catch northeast Ohio acts such as keyboard-dominated progressive trio Lux Terminus, Youngstown’s hard-hitting bluesy rockers the Vindys, electro/hip-hop duo Smoke Screen and young Lorain county singer/songwriter Emily Keener who, at 21, has been performing professionally or nearly seven years.
Brite Winter is almost like two separate events. Come in the afternoon/early evening and you’ll find a low-key family event. By mid-evening, the young party crowd pours in and the energy level intensifies. There’s an official afterparty at Mulberry’s for those who want to make a long night of it.
Admission is a suggested $10 donation, although the festival is technically free. VIP tickets for $45 give you access to private viewing areas near the stages, a heated tent and private restroom trailer, snacks and an unlimited flow of coffee and cocoa.
Cleveland, OH 44113