05.09-05.16.2018 Hot Fun

05.09-05.16.18
Hot Fun

Metaphorically speaking, and in reality, our region is emerging from a long, cold winter. Soak up the sunshine. And let’s hope we can enjoy a little bit of spring before summer moves in.

Arguably, festival season starts this week with the Hooley at Kamm’s Corners, and we’ve updated our perennially popular Festivals Guide to include all the latest fun outdoor events in store this season. We’ve got features on Diana Chittester’s new EP, Annie singing her heart out at the Beck, the Sign Guy Dave Steckle going legit at Doubting Thomas, and volunteers scoring a T-shirt for helping RiverSweep the Cuyahoga.

And don’t forget, your mom gets in free at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on Mother’s Day. How much fun is that? –Thomas Mulready

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Photo by Anastasia Pantsios
CoolCleveland is dedicated to George Nemeth

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Hot Fun in the Summertime

When we finished last week’s issue, it was still winter coat weather. This week we’re in sandals and shorts. That’s how the weather rolls in NE Ohio. Now it’s time to start filling your calendar with the summer festivals you want to catch.

They’re in full swing, starting with the Hooley at Kamm’s Corners (pictured) this week. Next week is the Cleveland Asian Festival and then – holy shit! – it’s Memorial Day already? You definitely need to bookmark our 2018 Summer Festivals guide and plan to make this your best, most fun summer ever. Be sure to try one you’ve never been to before!

SPONSORED: Museum Under The Stars Spend your Wednesday evenings exploring the wonders of the night sky with your favorite companions at Museum Under the Stars – every non-Think & Drink Wednesday from 5-10PM through May 30. Join us this Wed 5/9 at 5PM which includes beer, wine and dinner selections available for purchase in Exploration: A Zack Bruell Restaurant. Cleveland Museum of Natural History members are always free. Tickets.

Growing Her Voice

Fiery guitarist/singer/songwriter Diana Chittester is one of Cleveland’s hardest-working musicians, always stretching herself and pushing her boundaries as she grows her career as an independent musician.

This week she’s releasing a new EP Paradox with a show at the Beachland Tavern. “It was definitely time for new music,” Chittester told CoolCleveland’s John Benson. “It had been about three years since I put out Find My Way Home. I had to sort of discover what new voice to bring to a record.” Fri 5/11.

Writing and the Creative Process

Want to unlock your full potential as a writer, both creatively and commercially. Claudia Taller, who regularly offers CoolCleveland readers her takes on intriguing places to eat, drink and visit, is hosting a weekend workshop in Lakeside, Ohio Fri 6/1-Sun 6/3.

She’ll be leading a workshop, Hearing Your Words, in how to look at your writing through different sensory angles. Kelly Boyer Sagert, a much-published author with five plays performed, and young adult/kids author Regina M. Geither, who has a strong interest in the paranormal, will also lead workshops. Go here to register.

Raise Your Hand If You Love The Hooley!

The Hooley on Kamm’s Corners^TM returns for its ninth year as “West Park’s Homecoming Celebration!” 100 vendors and two stages bring live music, great food, art and good old-fashioned family fun to Lorain Avenue at Rocky River Drive. The Hooley^TM happens Sat 5/12 from Noon to 8pm .

30,000 people visited The Hooley last year to enjoy Pipes and Drums, festival food, Irish dancers and more. Bands include the Colin Dussault Blues Project, Loch Erie, Mary’s Lane and the Yosemite Slim Band. The presenting sponsor of The Hooley^TM is Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital. Visit KammsCorners.com.

Sun Coming Up at the Beck Center

The youth thespians at the Beck Center are taking on the Broadway hit musical Annie, which is now – hard to believe – 41 years old. Countless kids have sung that showstopper “Tomorrow.” Take your family to hear the latest wave of kids to play Annie and her fellow orphans. Fri 5/11-Sun 5/20.

* Young Akron-area aspiring actors, ages 12-22, can try out for a pair of boundary-breaking productions to be staged this summer by Wandering Aesthetics and Dynamos Theatre. Mon 5/14 & Tue 5/15.

Click here for more CoolCleveland Kids events

SPONSORED: Understanding Dinosaurs in the 21st Century Dr. Mark Norell, Macaulay Curator of Paleontology, Chairman Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, will unearth how technological innovation, the advancement of paleobiology and an adventurous spirit to excavate in new locations around the globe have led to an explosion of new dinosaur knowledge in this century. Enjoy complimentary light appetizers, a cash bar and live music on Fri 5/11 at 7PM. Secure your tickets now for this Explorer Lecture Series event at Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

VIDEO: Melt Bar and Grilled Lakewood Re-Grand Opening Sneak Peek

Originally opened in 2006 at the front end of Lakewood’s culinary renaissance, Melt Bar and Grilled’s original location just went through its first major renovation and spiffing up.

Owner Matt Fish walks CoolCleveland’s Thomas Mulready through the new rear entrance, new kitchen, new signage, new floors, new bar, new Jake Kelly mural and the original massive Detroit Theatre sign.

What hasn’t changed is the outrageous menu, the same amazing kitchen staff and the same awesome attitude. Welcome back!.

In the fall, you can go out to Erie County’s Quarry Hill Orchards and pick you own apples and pumpkins. At its springtime event, Spring Bloom, you can buy your own apple tree (as well as herbs, vegetable starters and flowers) and take a workshop in how to tend it. Stop at the Quarry Hill Winery for a glass of refreshment as well. Sat 5/12.

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

VIDEO: Next Generation’s Leaders at Stop the Hate Ceremony

What does hate mean to you? Have you ever experienced hate? We all have been affected by hate in one way or another. It is often hard to talk about but that is exactly what these bright young kids have done at the 10th Annual Stop the Hate Awards Ceremony presented by Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage.

At the Stop the Hate Awards Ceremony, CoolCleveland’s Stephan Haluska met with this group of young, passionate Stop the Hate essay finalists, each with their own experiences and stories of hate. Today, Maltz Museum celebrates them and this next generation of leaders as they move towards eradicating hate in this world.

Local drummer Robert O’Lexa celebrates his 44th birthday playing with all four of his bands at the Happy Dog. Sat 5/12.

* How much Beethoven can you take? In the next two weeks, the Cleveland Orchestra will play all nine of his symphonies as part of their Prometheus Project. Wed 5/9-Sun 5/13, Thu 5/17-Sat 5/19

* Rock sextet the Teddy Boys debut their new release at the Beachland Ballroom. Fri 5/11.

* Indie pop rockers the Village Bicycle release their latest vinyl at the Euclid Tavern. Sat 5/12.

* Massillon’s Patrick Sweany debuts his 8th album at the Music Box Thu 5/10 and Akron’s Musica Sat 5/12.

* Cleveland rock trio the Mason District bring their new EP to a show at the Grog Shop. Sat 5/12.

* ANOTHER local release show? Yup – hip-hop ensemble Muamin Collective join the parade at Now That’s Class. Fri 5/11.

Read more of CoolCleveland’s picks for Cool Events.

WED 5/9
New Ghosts and the BOP STOP present avant-garde saxophone player/artist JayVe Montgomery, along with Cleveland experimental musicians Bbob Drake on electronics and Matthew Frerck on bass.

* Crawford Auto and Aviation Museum curator Larry Davis will talk about the collection of vehicles at the Music Box.

Click here for more events on Wed 5/9

THU 5/10
The 2006 musical Passing Strange tells the story of a middle-class African-American musician’s personal, cultural and musical journey to discover the influences that shaped him. It opens tonight at Karamu’s Arena Theatre and runs through Sun 6/3.

* Indie rock legend Lou Barlow performs solo acoustic show at Blue Arrow Records.

* Satirical leftie folksinger Roy Zimmerman plays to lift Trump-laden spirits at Cleveland Hts’ Unitarian Universalist Society.

Click here for more events on Thu 5/10

FRI 5/11
The Sign Guy aka Dave Steckle has been nailing his little wooden plaques with cartoon-like drawings to Cleveland fences, poles and trash cans for more than a decade. Tonight he’ll be showing them in a real gallery, Tremont’s Doubting Thomas.

* Guitarist Dan Wilson joins the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra for an evening of Caribbean music at Blu Jazz + tonight and Playhouse Square tomorrow.

* The U.S. Air Guitar Competition hits the Winchester in Lakewood.

* Playwrights Local debuts The Panther Dance by rising playwright Logan Cutler Smith. Through Sat 5/26.

* Walkabout Tremont heads back outside as the weather warms up.

* Pop-up show at Artists Archives of the Western Reserve honors the late Marvin Smith.

* New Ground Theatre Festival returns to the Cleveland Play House with new works. Through Sun 5/19.

* The Cleveland Ballet debuts new work Alice, based on Lewis Carroll classic, at Playhouse Square. Also tomorrow.

Click here for more events on Fri 5/11

SAT 5/12
How do you know summer is officially here? Cleveland lakeside resort town Geneva-on-the-Lake holds its annual Mother’s Day weekend season kickoff party and parade. Come make Mother’s Day cards, play games and of course indulge in all that food that’s not good for you.

* The Hooley is an Irish party for everyone at Kamm’s Corners.

* Quirky Nighttown favorite Nellie McKay is back in town with a brand-new album.

* Come to a catty purr-jama party at Geauga County Humane Society’s Rescue Village.

* The Movement Project dances among the photos at the Transformer Station.

* Michigan folk trio the Accidentals is back in Northeast Ohio at the Kent Stage.

* Gina Forsyth brings her Louisiana-inspired music to a Folknet concert in Lyndhurst.

* The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes holds its 36th annual plant sale.

* Art House Inc showcases the work of the young artists in its Urban Bright program.

* Browse the music and sports collectibles at the North Coast Vinyl and Memorabilia Fest in Parma.

* Forest City Brewery hosts the Brewery Collectibles Club.

* Explore the neighborhood at “Evening in Ohio City.”

* Burlesco returns to the Alex Theater at the 9 for its monthly night of glamor.

* Firestorm of volunteers RiverSweep the Cuyahoga.

* Filmmaker Johnny Wu turns the tables on bullies in Innermost, screening at the lakeshore Atlas Cinemas.

Click here for more events on Sat 5/12

SUN 5/13
Does your mom love animals? A fun thing for the whole family to do on Mother’s Day is to go to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo where you can observe animals mothers and babies, and your mother gets in free. You can also make a reservation for their Mother’s Day brunch.

* Take your mom to a special morning screening of Auntie Mame at the Capitol Theatre. She gets free popcorn and maybe she’ll share.

* Dulcimer player Alex Lubet blends Asian and Jewish music in concert at Kent’s Standing Rock Cultural Arts.

* Family-friendly Music for Miles concert at Waterloo Arts features flower pot percussion.

Click here for more events on Sun 5/13

MON 5/14
Check out some potential jazz stars of the future when the student musicians of the University School Jazz ensembles perform an evening of classic jazz compositions at Nighttown, joined by guitarist/composer Daniel Bruce.

Click here for more events on Mon 5/14

TUE 5/15
Literary Cleveland’s online literary magazine The Gordon Square Review is on to its second issue. It will mark its release with a party at Terrestrial Brewing Company in (appropriately) Gordon Square where some of the contributors will read their work.

* Art on Madison’s Poetry Plus features a reading by Lakeland faculty member Mitch James.

Click here for more events on Tue 5/15

WED 5/16
This month, Think & Drink with the Extinct, the grown-up party at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, focuses on such nature-friendly pursuits as urban beekeeping and chicken raising and using rain barrels, such as those designed by artist Linda Zolten Wood of the Painted Rain Barrel Project who will be doing demonstrations.

* Learn about the guy who discovered Metallica in a documentary film at the Rock Hall.

* Chcago blues/rock/punkabilly band the Claudettes return to smoke the Happy Dog.

Click here for more events on Wed 5/16

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

No Short, Easy Answers

Over the last three days many acquaintances have called me to ask what the hell is going on in Hough with all the shootouts, where numerous innocent bystanders have been shot and one 10-year-old boy is in critical condition…

* Metaphorically Killing Off the Monsters We’ve Created And then there’s Kanye West. What can you say about a motherfucker that’s as ignorant as he is? Even his wife says that she is “troubled…”

Read other stories from Mansfield Frazier here