04.25-05.02.2018 Get Active

04.25-05.02.18
Get Active

According to most recent studies, our region scores well in access to health care and health insurance. However, we are one of only two developed countries without paid family leave, and our population could stand to be a little more active, as could many other communities. Maybe CoolCleveland can help.

The Louder Than Words art collective is getting around town with their WOMEN ON THE MOVE mobile billboard to ignite civic dialogue around sexual harassment, violence against women, human trafficking, women’s reproductive health, women’s immigration and homophobia. Artist Dave Witzke aka “The Sign Guy” is finally making his art available, after 10 years. National Junior Ranger Day at the CVNP helps kids stay active. Forest City Brewery hosts “Taste of the West Side Market” with market vendors, music by Brent Kirby, and, of course, locally brewed beer.

On May 8, or before with early voting, you’ll have the opportunity to vote YES on Issue 1 to help create fairer, more balanced congressional district lines, and to vote YES on Issue 9 to help support health and human services in our region. Read our complete endorsements below. Then get out and get active at the polls. –Thomas Mulready

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Vote Yes on Issue 1

On May 8 (or earlier, if you’re early voting), you will find Issue 1 on your ballot, to create a new, fairer and more balanced way to draw congressional district lines. Please vote YES. If you have heard people tell you to hold out for something more perfect, ignore them. We need to improve things now.

Ever wonder why it seems like Congress isn’t listening to people? Why, for instance, when the vast majority of Americans favor enhanced background checks for buying guns, they want to make gun buying easier? A large part of the reason is gerrymandering, districts made so safe for one party or the other that politicians are in little danger of getting voted out. Issue 1 would start the process of making district lines more responsive to voters and less about protecting politicians’ jobs. Tue 5/8.

Vote Yes on Issue 9

The Health and Human Services levy funds preschools, senior services, mental health care and treatment for opioid addiction, among other things. It also funds MetroHealth Medical Center. Tue 5/8.

It’s easy to point to failures in the system and say they don’t deserve the money, but starving HHS of resources would only make things worse. This levy is only a renewal, not an increase so no one will be paying more than they are now. We truly need to take care of “the least of these.”

An Explosion of Visuals

Kalman and Pabst Photo Group in Midtown is one of the busiest photo/video/GCI operations in town. And one of the reasons it consistently produces fine work is that most of its staff are first and foremost artists.

They have the chance to showcase (and sell) their personal work at the biennial K&P Fine Art show taking place Fri 4/27 & Sat 4/28. It’s a party too – with food, drink and music, as well as a benefit for Flashes of Hope, a charity for sick kids, which gets 20% of the profits.

VIDEO: Spring Blooms! At Cleveland Botanical Garden

Thousands of tulip, hyacinth and narcissus bulbs, and more! Come celebrate spring flowers and the end of winter at Cleveland Botanical Garden’s Spring Blooms. Spring Blooms features indoor and outdoor spring garden displays, seasonal programming and activities for the whole family, and gardening tips for those who want a greener thumb.

CoolCleveland’s Stephan Haluska met with Cleveland Botanical Garden horticulturist Deyampert Giles in the Rose Garden to share all sorts of springtime gardening tips. Giles showed him how to prepare roses for the season, explained the importance of ground covers for erosion, and how cutting back these plants allows new growth.

Silent No More

Women are refusing to be silent anymore about the ways in which they’ve been kept down and held back. The Louder Than Words art collective aims to get their message out in public and in people’s faces with their WOMEN ON THE MOVE mobile billboard which will be at locations around Cleveland Thu 4/26-Sat 4/28.

The project was founded by Cleveland native S.A. Bachman and Neda Moridpour. Says Bachman, “Not only do I refuse to be silenced, but WOMEN ON THE MOVE’s strategy is to make monumental the experiences of women that are still all too often minimized.”

Artify-ing the Town

Artist Dave Witzke aka “The Sign Guy,” has become a local icon since his cartoon-like drawings of birds, flowers and butterflies on pieces of wood started cropping up on poles, fences and garbage cans around Tremont, where he lives, more than ten years ago.

But he’s looking to build on what he’s created, with possible merchandising opportunities and selling his work at festivals such as the Hessler Street Fair. And you can see (and buy) his work at Tremont’s Doubting Thomas Gallery, opening Fri 5/11. Nicole Hennessy hangs out with him to learn more.

Active Kids

The Junior Rangers program at the National Parks gives kids the chance to get outdoors, move around, and learn about nature and the environment. On National Junior Ranger Day, kids can meet rangers, compete for prizes and learn more about the program’s offerings including summer camps that will get them away from their screens. Sat 4/28.

Click here for more CoolCleveland Kids events

If you haven’t been down to the West Side Market lately, head over to nearby Forest City Brewery for “Taste of the West Side Market,” with market vendors providing the eats. You’ll want to go back soon! Sun 4/29.

* North Union Farmers Market hosts Beast ‘n’ Brews ChiliFest at Legacy Village with both meat and vegetarian/vegan varieties vying for “Best of Fest.” Sun 4/29.

* Chef Michael Symon talks about his new BBQ cookbook at the Parma-Snow library. Sat 4/28.

Read more of CoolCleveland’s picks for Eats and Drinks.

Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is one of the most beloved works in the opera repertoire. Cleveland Opera Theater stages it twice at CWRU’s Maltz Center with soprano Dina Kuznetsova in the title role. Fri 4/27 & Sun 4/29.

* Garage punk duo Archie & the Bunkers rolls out new album at Mahall’s. Sat 4/28.

* Inaugural Kent American Roots Music festival features free music in 22 venues. Fri 4/27.

* Sax player Ernie Krivda brings his Fat Tuesday big band to Nighttown. Tue 5/1.

* No Exit New Music features premieres and other new pieces in three concerts. Fri 4/27, Mon 4/30 & Sun 5/5.

Read more of CoolCleveland’s picks for Cool Events.

WED 4/25
Lit Cleveland’s Spring Mixer is a chance for writers and readers to mingle, socialize and listen to readings by local writers such as Mary Grimm (pictured) and open mic volunteers.

* The House of Blues hosts the return of Cincinnati dark soul band the Afghan Whigs.

* Jazz guitarists Stanley Jordan & Diego Figueiredo join forces at Nighttown. Also tomorrow.

* Noted French organist Vincent Warnier performs at Oberlin’s Finney Chapel.

* Big Fun owner Steve Presser talks about Coventry’s counterculture past at the Music Box.

Click here for more events on Wed 4/25

THU 4/26
Shamefully, the U.S. is one of only two countries worldwide without paid family leave. The film Zero Weeks explains what this means. A special screening at the Cedar Lee Theatre will be followed by a discussion.

* Terrestrial Brewing debuts a new brew to save NE Ohio’s spotted turtles.

* Meet local designers at Art Bar at Warehouse District’s Worthington Yards.

* The Canton Film Festival features three days of local and national indie films at he Palace Theatre. Through Sat 4/28.

* The Geauga County Maple Festival offers plenty of pancakes to top with syrup, plus contests, music and TWO parades! Through Sun 4/29.

Click here for more events on Thu 4/26

FRI 4/27
The top two floors of a Lakewood industrial building, dubbed the Screw Factory, are filled with artists. They’re inviting visitors in this weekend for a two-day spring open house, this evening and tomorrow.

* Teen Institute student photographers display their work at the Cleveland Print Room. Through Fri 5/4.

* Quire Cleveland and Les Delices join forces for French baroque program through Sun 4/29.

* Ensemble Theatre wraps season with part 2 of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America. Through Sun 5/20.

* Learn how Geauga County Rescue Village helps horses at an adult seminar tonight and a family meet-the-horses event Sunday.

* Cleveland Orchestra, Chorus and guests offer evening of sacred music in “Divine Ecstasy.”

* Two photographers explore identity in new Transformer Station show.

* Artist Hector Castellanos Lara talks about his work at Art House.

* Author Sarah Rickman talks about female flyers at Women’s Air & Space Museum dinner.

* Hear the dead walking at the Kent Stage’s Paranormal Weekend, through Sun 4/29.

* Cleveland Photographic Society hosts an evening with John Rivera-Resto.

Click here for more events on Fri 4/27

SAT 4/28
Le Femme Mystique burlesque’s next show at the Beachland evokes the glamor of the Jazz Art and 1930s art deco, featuring elegant headliner, Minneapolis’ Musette the Mistress of Mischief.

* Discover the paper arts at Morgan Conservatory open house.

* Nine locally owned stores participate in Independent Bookstore Day.

* Burning River Roller Derby is back for bout two of its season.

* Americana couple Amy Lavere and Will Sexton return to Oberlin’s Riverdog Gallery.

* Show off your shoes at Sneaker Con at the downtown Cleveland Convention Center. Also tomorrow.

* The Dealership in Shaker Heights presents Shaker Makers to give entrepreneurs and creators a boost.

* No one’s a wallflower at Get Hep Swing’s Swing Prom at the Slovenian Workmen’s Home.

* Believeland Beer Fest at Cleveland Convention Center features 150 brews from 60 breweries.

Click here for more events on Sat 4/28

SUN 4/29
Slavic Village’s Fleet Avenue will explode with colorful costumes, banners and flags in celebration of Polish Constitution Day. Before and after the parade, there’s food, drink & dancing at the Polish-American Cultural Center

* Maltz Museum announces Stop the Hate contest winners at Cleveland Museum of Art.

* Windsong feminist chorus tells its stories in two concerts, tonight in Cleveland Heights and Sun 5/6 in Lakewood.

* Vocalist Joan Ellison does Judy Garland at Chagrin Falls Performing Arts Center.

* Jazz Heritage Orchestra swings into Akron’s Blu Jazz +.

Click here for more events on Sun 4/29

MON 4/30
It’s a sign of spring when the weekly Slow Roll Cleveland bicycle rides begin their leisurely tours of Cleveland neighborhoods. The first one rolls out from Market Square Park. All ages are welcome!

Click here for more events on Mon 4/30

TUE 5/1
Voices from the Rust Belt publisher Anne Trubek and writer Ben Gwin join plant ecologist Katie Gwinn and photographer/editor/designer/writer G.M Donley as presenters at this month’s Brews + Prose at Market Garden Brewery.

* Become a burlesque queen in classes at Berea’s Expressions Fitness.

Click here for more events on Tue 5/1

WED 5/2
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Reel Science series screens 1997’s Starship Troopers at the Cedar Lee, followed by a discussion of its plausibility and scientific accuracy.

Click here for more events on Wed 5/2

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Mozart in Motion

Verb Ballet dancer Jill Marlow Krutzkamp danced with the Cincinnati Ballet’s original version of Adam Hougland’s K281, set to Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 3, K281, more than a decade ago. Now she’s redoing it for Verb, which will roll it out at Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall this weekend.

Our dance writers Elsa Johnson and Victor Lucas talked with Krutzkamp about the background of the piece, the rehearsal process and what audiences should be looking for when they see it. Fri 4/27.

Amsterdam Exposed

Amsterdam Exposed: An American’s Journey Into the Red Light District by David Wienir, grabbed my attention in the first few pages and refused to let me go. I read it from cover-to-cover on a recent Saturday afternoon and relished every page of it….

Read other stories from Mansfield Frazier here