Thu 8/7-Sat 8/9 @ 8PM
Once again, Cleveland’s most entertaining and sparkliest event returns to the stage of the Beachland Ballroom when the Ohio Burlesque Fest moves in for three days.
Founded in 2011 as a one-night event featuring mostly regional performers, OBF has grown into a behemoth, with performers converging from across the country for shows packed with more than 70 performers over the three evenings of the 13th annual festival (it skipped 2020 and 2021 for reasons we all know.)
For those who’ve never been to a show hosted by Cleveland Burlesque, which produces OBF—and why haven’t you?—the colorful shows feature a huge array of artists, with acts that exude glamor and others that make you laugh, aerial and acrobatic acts, balletic acts, scary acts with dark themes, playful acts that evoke childhood. Drag acts are mixed in with burlesque artists, live singers with lipsynchers. Sometimes you’ll even see a duo or group act. Local performers mingle with stars from areas like New York and Las Vegas, and the quality of the local talent is very very high right now. And Bella Sin, who founded the festival and has rightfully been dubbed Cleveland’s Burlesque Queen has a strong commitment to performer diversity—of race, gender, ethnicity, body type. DEI, baby— it’s happening here.
The Thursday night’s Rock & Roll opener is ideal for burlesque beginners, with a more digestible number of performers. Brooklyn, NY’s Queerly Femmetastic headlines, with one of Cleveland’s most creative performers, Heather and Lace, as the feature act. Friday Night All-Stars is headlined by two acts from Chicago, showgirl Shimmy La Roux and Android Allure, as well as Bella Sin herself—a chance to see Cleveland’s most dazzling burlesque star.
Finally on Saturday, always the most jam-packed evening, the Saturday Night Gala presents Iowa’s Danielle Colby, star of American Pickers, at the top of the bill, with Florida’s Nami Flare as the feature act. Go here for links to ticket information.