Of course, the sparkliest thing this week is the Ohio Burlesque Fest, begun as a one-day event 13 years ago, and now featuring 70 artists over three days. And in five years, muralist Dayzwhun’s little corner throwdown has evolved into a full-blown arts street fest.Catch a spark, like mushroom hunting at South Chagrin Reservation, kickboxing classes on Public Square, a River Rally on the Cuyahoga, or a photo show on urban abandonment.
Be there: Arts in August has a different theme each weekend, Akron hosts a Punk Rock Flea Market, the Twist Drill Building throws an Open House, Walkabout Tremont presents a women’s portrait show, and Great Lakes Brewing, creators of the Burning River Fest, invent a new Beer & Music Festival.
You can join the festivities on Cedar Fairmount, at Euclid Library, at the Rock Hall or at the County Fair, but don’t forget to register for the upcoming primary election so you can really set off some sparks.
The St. Clair Arts Fest started five years ago when street artist/muralist Dayzwhun held a block party on the corner of St. Clair and East 40th where his tattoo shop, Red Lion, is located. This year for the first time, it’s exploded into a daylong street festival with St. Clair closed from East 41st to East 44th for music, artmaking, games, kids’ activities, and poetry—more than 50 vendors, community groups and performers. The nearby Brownhoist, a building that’s recently become an arts hub, is part of it for the first time, and another neighbor, the Ingenuity Fest, will also be taking part.
“It’s a celebration of the arts,” says Dayzwhun. “I noticed that not all people were being represented in the arts, and I thought this would be a contribution to a scene as well as to a community. Hip hop has made a strong contribution to my life, and I felt the need to do an event that would honor not only hip hop [music] but the artistic side of hip hop — graffiti art, dancing. We want to show the next generation the role the arts play.” Read more.
Photo Cleveland is a new organization in town, a nonprofit founded a few months ago by Cleveland Photo Fest co-founder Jim Szudy and Cara Gaetano to provide networking, educational and exhibition opportunities for photographers. Their first show, called Ghost Cities, will take place at the Brownhoist in September, and feature images of urban decay. They’ve just extended the deadline to August 13, so get out those photos of abandoned buildings and send them in! Read more
Texas native Terrence Spivey arrived in Cleveland in 2003 to take over Karamu’s legendary theater, then moribund, and during his 2003-2016 tenure, revived its reputation and earned himself a reputation that’s made him an in-demand director. This month he’ll be joiningthe Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company for its annual slate to Pittsburgh’s legendary playwright August Wilson. He’ll be directing Wilson’s Fences for the second time in his career. Read more.
FRI 8/8 Looking at Each Other
It’s the last month for the outdoor version of Walkabout Tremont with vendors and performers along Professor Avenue. But a highlight this month is Doubting Thomas’ photo show in which women over 50 shoot women under 50 and vice versa.* Rock Hall showcases its summer 2025 artists in residence.
SUN 8/10 Cute Overload
Summit Metro Parks’ Otter Open House will offer displays, games and crafts to teach about the lives of otters, and naturalists will lead short hikes to see if any live ones can be spotted.* Go mushroom hunting at the South Chagrin Reservation.
MON 8/11 Kick ’Em Hard
Get your blood pumping to start the week: come down to Public Square for a free kickboxing class. All ages and experience levels welcome!
TUE 8/12 Last Call for Voters
Today is the last day to register if you want to vote in the September 9 primaries in Ohio. Here in Northeast Ohio, many cities have mayoral and council elections, and those can have a bigger impact on your life than high-profile national elections. VOTE!
In 1964, when Attorney James R. Willis, just 12 years out of law school, approached the podium in the chambers of the United States Supreme Court, it was an historic event. His winning argument in the case of Beck v. Ohio would be the first of four times that he would approach that august body. In a fifth case that went to the Supreme Court, Bourjaily vs. United States, he was the trial and appellate counsel, and prepared the briefs and pleading to have the case reviewed before the Supreme Court.
This past weekend, Cleveland’s legal community came together to honor this 99-year-old legal icon and his legacy for the benefit of James R. Willis Endowment Fund of Case Western Reserve University Law School of which he is a 1952 graduate.There is no listing of lawyers by age in Ohio. But at 99 years, Willis is, if not the oldest, one of the oldest practicing lawyers in the State of Ohio. Although he is now on a walker and is selective in the cases he accepts, he continues to carry out his dream of defending those accused of crimes. Come January of 2026, when he turns 100, I’m sure he’ll still be at his desk continuing to fight for the rights of a criminal defendant. Read more.
