Our weekly picks of the best things to do in Cleveland this weekend. Also check out our full Cleveland event calendar.
THU 01/15
Cleveland Boat Show
Summer is still months away, but you can get ready for water sports at this weekend’s annual Cleveland Boat Show that takes place from today through Sunday at the I-X center. There will be live music and fishing demonstrations. Check the website for hours and admission.
1 I-X Center Dr., 216-676-6000, ixcenter.com.
Cleveland Piano Summit: Dr. Dave Thomas, George Foley, Jackie Warren & Joe Hunter
Four terrific local jazz pianists will converge upon Edwin’s Leadership & Restaurant Institute in Cleveland Heights for this special show. The musicians have decades of experience between them. The concert begins at 7 p.m.
12383 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-921-333, edwinsrestaurant.org.
Disney on Ice: Jump In!
Disney on Ice makes its annual visit to Rocket Arena this week. Tonight’s performance takes place at 7 p.m.; shows continue through Sunday.
One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketarena.com.
Fashioning the Stage: An Evening with Harold “Ragz” Crawford
The Hollywood stage caster talks about dressing the cast for films such as Swordfish and Men of Honor. He’ll also talk about his latest project, the forthcoming The Last Shop on Walnut starring Peter Lawson Jones and Kym Whitley. The event begins at 6 p.m. at the Cleveland History Center.
10825 East Blvd., 216-721-5722, wrhs.org.
Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits!
This series at Music Box Supper Club will highlight the best of Shakespeare’s work as presented by the Cleveland Shakespeare. Founded in 1977, the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival has been dedicated to bringing Shakespeare to life for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Doors open at 6 p.m.
1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com/.
Stereophonic
Will Butler of the hipster band Arcade Fire wrote the music for this musical about a band trying to make it big in the 1970s. Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30 at Connor Palace, where performances continue through Jan. 25.
1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Verdi’s Requiem
Soprano Asmik Grigorian joins the Cleveland Orchestra for this concert featuring Verdi’s Requiem, a piece that features dramatic choral work. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at Mandel Concert Hall, where performances also take place on Saturday and Sunday.
11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.
Greg Warren
In his 2008 Comedy Central special, Greg Warren jokes that he “looks married” even though he’s not. “Women tell me that all the time,” he says. “I don’t think it’s a compliment.” Warren’s dry sense of humor makes him the kind of guy to whom everyone can relate. He performs tonight at 7 at Hilarities and has shows scheduled through Sunday.
2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.
FRI 01/16
American Idiot
Young Americans struggle to find meaning in a post-9/11 world in this musical that features the music of the punk band Green Day. The Millennial Theatre Project presents the play today at 7:30 at Akron Civic Theatre’s Knight Stage, where performances continue through Jan. 25.
182 S. Main St., Akron, 330-253-2488, akroncivic.com.
Arnez J
This comedian’s humor tends to be all over the place as he talks about the violations of colonoscopies, women who need to cover the glue of their weaves and the way his Uncle Charlie dances. His Rodney King skit is hilarious and his observations of the world are pretty spot-on. He performs tonight at 7 and 9:30 at the Funny Bone, and performances run through Sunday.
1148 Main Ave., 216-696-4677, cleveland.funnybone.com.
Deconstructing the Dark Side of the Moon with Scott Freiman
Composer, musician and software guru Scott Freiman takes a deep dive into the history of the Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon with this two-hour presentation. The event begins at 8 p.m. at the Hanna Theatre.
2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Tim Elek’s CIA Artist Talk
Cleveland Institute of Art alum Tim Elek, who as senior art director at Epic Games worked on highly acclaimed video games such as Fortnite Save the World and Fortnite Battle Royale, will give a free talk today at 12:15 p.m. in the Peter B. Lewis Theater as part of the Reinberger Gallery’s Lunch on Fridays series.
11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7000, cia.edu.
Flanagan’s Wake
Part improv, part scripted, this interactive Irish wake is back again at Kennedy’s Theatre at Playhouse Square. Performances are set for 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Pop Punk Benefit for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank
Local bands Youth Pallet, Molly O’Malley, Plum Shed and Homedays perform as part of this special benefit concert that sends proceeds to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, a worthy cause given the number of people living in poverty these days. The show begins at 8 p.m. at the Grog Shop. Local businesses will host a raffle too.
2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs.
Pre-St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
There will be Irish-inspired food specials and live music at this party hosted by Great Lakes Brewing Company. The event also celebrates the release of Conway’s Irish Ale, Conway’s Irish Stout and Irish Lager. It begins at 7 p.m. at the Great Lakes brewpub.
2516 Market Ave., 216-771-4404, greatlakesbrewing.com.
Tarta Relena and Meara O’Reilly’s “Hockets for Two Voices”
The Catalan folk duo performs at 7:30 tonight at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The tour supports the group’s latest album, És Pregunta. Openers Mingjia Chen and Linnea Sablosky will perform Meara O’Reilly’s experimental piece “Hockets for Two Voices.”
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
Sail On, My Friend — A Celebration of Todd Snider
This concert featuring the Shithouse All-Stars honors the late Todd Snider, an alt-country icon known for his narrative songwriting and storytelling skills. Snider passed away last year. The concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Beachland Ballroom.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
Third Friday
From 5 to 9 p.m., many of the 78th Street Studios resident artist studios and galleries will be open as part of this monthly event. There will be live music, and Local West, a Gordon Square sandwich shop, will serve food. BARneo will have a selection of adult beverages as well. Admission is free.
1300 West 78th St., 78thstreetstudios.com.
SAT 01/17
Artist in the Atrium
Every third Saturday of each month, stop by the Ames Family Atrium between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to get a firsthand look at the art-making process. Each session provides the opportunity to engage and interact with a different Northeast Ohio maker during pop-up demonstrations and activities.
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
Dashiel and Av
The two independent musicians perform tonight at 7:30 at Wild Oscar’s, which is located under the Akron Civic Theatre. A multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer, Av plays a mix of jazz and ambient music. Dashiel, who started playing drums when he was only 2, is also a multi-instrumentalist. During the show, they will trade instruments and dabble in jazz, rap and electronic music.
182 South Main St., Akron, 330-253-2488, akroncivic.com.
Difference-Makers Days
The Greater Cleveland Aquarium celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day with this special weekend-long event. signage and activities will highlight African American innovators in biology, research, zoology and scuba diving, and the aquarium will donate $1 from every admission to donate $1 for every general admission guest ticket to United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland’s only Black Federated human service organization. The event runs through Monday.
2000 Sycamore St., 216-862-8803, greaterclevelandaquarium.com.
G. Love & Special Sauce
The singer-songwriter and rapper out of Philadelphia brings his Lemonade 20th Anniversary Tour to the Kent Stage. Released in 2006, Lemonade featured guest spots by the likes of Blackalicious, Ben Harper, Marc Broussard, Tristan Prettyman and Jack Johnson. It furthers the blues-meets-hip-hop sound that Love debuted on 2004’s The Hustle. The show begins at 7:30 p.m.
175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005, kentstage.org.
Pinkertones: Weezer Tribute
In the ’90s, Weezer certainly churned out the hits. Songs such as “Buddy Holly” and “Undone” turned the group from indie underdogs to alternative radio/MTV superstars. Tonight at 7 at Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood, the Pinkertones pay tribute to that era. Flicker/Fade opens the show.
13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-3280, mahalls20lanes.com.
Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble
Pan Detroit Ensemble, a jazz band featuring musicians from bassist and producer Don Was’s Detroit hometown, represents a dream come true for the veteran musician famous for his 1980s band Was (Not Was). The gritty jazz and funk band reflects Detroit’s history as a blue-collar town. Was brings to the Beachland Ballroom for the first time. The concert begins at 8 p.m.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
SUN 01/18
Original Americana: Featuring GS Harper, Kristine Jackson, and Bridgetown Junction
Not sure when the term Americana came into fashion, but its best practitioners (acts such as Wilco and Jason Isbell) blend folk, classic country and rock. Tonight at 7 at the Bop Stop, Cleveland’s G.S. Harper, Kristine Jackson and Bridgetown Junction will play a special showcase dubbed Original Americana.
2920 Detroit Ave., 216-771-6551, themusicsettlement.org.
Tri-C presents the 49th Annual Celebration of the Life and Work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This annual celebration of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. takes place at 2:30 p.m. at the State Theatre. The Clark Sisters will perform, and Tri-C will honor its scholarship winners. Tri-C Creative Arts Academy Students will also perform. In-person tickets for this event are sold out, but you can watch the livestream at tri-c.edu/MLK2026.
1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
MON 01/19
Cavs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
In what we hope could be a preview of this year’s NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the best team in the NBA, visit Rocket Arena to take on the Cavs. Tipoff is at 2:30 p.m. since the game is part of a special Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.
One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketarena.com.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration at Cleveland Museum of Art
Normally closed on Mondays, the Cleveland Museum of Art opens up today to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Local artists and art organizations will be on hand for art making demonstrations, and there will be performances in the Atrium. It all starts at 10 a.m., and it’s free.
11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.
Free MLK Day Admission at Great Lakes Science Center
In honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, Great Lakes Science Center will offer free general admission to all guests from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. , and the museum will also have special programming throughout the day.
601 Erieside Ave., 216-694-2000, greatscience.com.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Free Admission at Western Reserve Historical Society
The Western Reserve Historical Society will offer free admission in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In addition, there will be $3 rides on the Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel, and all exhibits will be open. Weber’s Premium Custard will be on site to sell Euclid Beach Vanilla and Higbee’s Frosted Malt. And the library will feature special material related to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and African American history.
10825 East Blvd., 216-721-5722, wrhs.org.
MLK Open House and Day of Music at Severance Hall
This day-long celebration at Severance Hall features performances and interactive activities in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. Admission is free, and the event begins at 1 p.m.
11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.
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