15+ Things to Do in Cleveland This Weekend (July 18-21)

Our weekly picks of the best things to do in Cleveland this weekend. Also check out our full Cleveland event calendar .

THU 07/18
The Claudettes
Led by singer Rachel Williams, who has been with the band for a year and a half now, the Claudettes come to town for their first Cleveland show in several years. Williams, a six-foot Texan with a mohawk, comes off as an Annie Lennox statuesque soul singer but punkier. The group, which also includes pianist Johnny Iguana, the co-composer of the theme song for the FX/Hulu series The Bear , performs tonight at 7:30 at Music Box Supper Club.
1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com .

Fin Fest
The month-long celebration of sharks and rays at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium features multiple activity pages, scuba diver talks, aquarist shark feedings, daily public stingray feeds, videos, trivia, photo opportunities with the landshark mascot Finn, as well as crafts and experiments with a rotating array of community partners. Attendees who visit the aquarium dressed in shark gear (shirt, shorts, socks, tie, cap or costume) will be entered for a chance to win a shark-and-ray-themed $125 prize pack from the gift shop. The aquarium is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fin Fest continues through Aug. 6.
2000 Sycamore Street, 216-862-8803, greaterclevelandaquarium.com .

The Glass Key Trio
The Glass Key Trio's repertoire features what the band describes as "a unique fusion of Americana, Balkan and Arabic music, rock, contemporary classical, jazz and film noir landscapes." Jeremy Bleich, the bassist from the Cleveland jazz group birth, plays bass in the group. It performs tonight at 7 at the Treelawn.
15335 Waterloo Rd, 216-677-8733, thetreelawn.com .

MJ
A talented if controversial performer, the late pop star Michael Jackson was a singular talent. This Tony-winning musical celebrates his musical legacy. Tonight's performance takes place at 7:30 at the State Theatre, where performances continue through Aug. 11.
1519 Euclid Avenue, 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org .

Moe.
The jam band that formed more than three decades ago has just recently returned to touring. At 7:30 tonight, it comes to Cain Park in Cleveland Heights. The group will donate $1 from each ticket sold to Backline and Sweet Relief’s Music’s Mental Health Fund, a vital program offering grants subsidizing mental health and wellness services for touring musicians, crew members and their families.
14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com .

Third Thursdays
Third Thursdays, this new local music series at Cleveland Museum of Art's Transformer Station, features a mix of live local music and interviews with the artists. Curated and hosted by Ideastream Public Media radio personalities, each event pairs a different show host with a band. The events, which take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m., are free, but a ticket is required.
1460 West 29th St., 216-938-5429, transformerstation.org .

FRI 07/19
Burning Witches
Rock Hall Live, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s summer concert series powered by PNC, continues this week with the first national touring act of the summer, Burning Witches. The hard rock group performs at 8 p.m. at the Rock Hall, and Pittsburgh's Lady Beast opens.
1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com .

Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival
Musicians and bands direct from the Emerald Isle along with Irish dance groups and bands of pipers will be on hand for this annual event that comes to the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in Berea this weekend. Today's hours are 5 to 11 p.m., and the event takes place from 1 to 11 p.m. tomorrow and from 1 to 10 p.m. on Sunday.
19201 East Bagley Rd., Middleburg Heights, 440-243-0090, clevelandirish.org .

Guardians vs. San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres make their one-and-only visit to Progressive Field this weekend to take on the Guardians in the first game in a three-game series. Fans who attend the game will receive a free shirt as part of a Free Shirt Friday promotion, and there is a Bo Naylor jersey giveaway tomorrow. Tonight's game begins at 7:10.
2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, mlb.com/guardians .

Sam Hunt
Country singer-songwriter Sam Hunt sounds particularly soulful on his latest album, the EP Locked Up , which he released earlier this year. It follows two enormously popular Grammy-nominated LPs. Hunt performs tonight at 7 at Blossom.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com .

Alexandra Kay
An up-and-coming country singer who made her Grand Ole Opry debut in 2022 and has a starring role in the Netflix series Westside , Alexandra Kay comes to House of Blues tonight as part of a tour in support of her debut album. The show begins at 7. Haley Mae Campbell opens.
308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com .

Inkcarceration
Inkcarceration, the annual music and tattoo festival that takes place at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, returns this weekend. The event, which takes place today through Sunday, will feature a slew of hard rock bands and more than 115 tattoo artists and haunted attractions. Headliners Shinedown, Godsmack and Breaking Benjamin will perform. The festival will also mark Chimaira’s first U.S. festival appearance in 14 years. The Cleveland hard rock act just recently reunited.
100 Reformatory Rd., Mansfield, inkcarceration.com .

Zainab Johnson
Having grown up in Harlem as one of 13 siblings in a Muslim family, comedian Zainab Johnson has plenty of material at her disposal. Originally, she worked as a teacher, but after appearances on HBO's All Def Comedy and BET's Comic View , her career in comedy began to take off. She performed in the Montreal "Just For Laughs Festival" as one of the 2014 New Faces of Comedy, as well as one of the breakout new comedians on NBC's Last Comic Standing Season 8 . She performs tonight at 7 and 9:30 and tomorrow night at 6:30 and 9 at the Cleveland Funny Bone.
1148 Main Ave., 216-696-4677, cleveland.funnybone.com .

Legally Blonde
Based on the hit movie and the novel by Amanda Brown, this musical follows Elle Woods as she "shows us the true power of determination and believing in yourself." Near West Theatre presents its version of the play tonight at 7:30. It runs through Aug. 4.
6702 Detroit Rd., 216-961-6391, nearwesttheatre.org .

Louis Prima Jr. & the Witnesses
The son of swing sensation Louis Prima, Louis Prima Jr. blends big band jazz, swing and rock 'n' roll. The band will draw from its two releases for this show. The concert begins at 8 tonight at the Music Box Supper Club.
1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.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 07/20
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 .

Artist Talk & Dance Party
A Cleveland native, hip-hop producer Big Duke will present a creator talk and demo that'll take through his creative process when it comes to producing live beats. DJs J KNYCE, DJ Walk and DJ Rich will then man the turntables for a dance party. The special event gets rolling at 9 tonight at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
11400 Euclid Ave, 2164218671, mocacleveland.org .

Beethoven's Seventh
Antonello Manacorda conducts the Cleveland Orchestra as it takes on Beethoven's famous symphony at Blossom The orchestra will also play Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture and Berlioz’s song cycle Les nuits d’été (Summer Nights). The concert begins at 7.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com .

The Big Bounce America 2024 Tour
The Big Bounce America Tour that comes to Victory Park in North Ridgeville today and tomorrow purports to be the biggest touring inflatable event in the world and includes seven massive inflatable attractions, including the newly expanded 24,000 square foot bounce house and a brand-new deep sea foam party inflatable.
7777 Victory Ln, North Ridgeville, thebigbounceamerica.com .

Black Arts Showcase | Muestra de Artes Afroamericanos
The third annual Black Arts Showcase comes to the Community Arts Center and Future Ink Graphics. The event opens in the CAC gallery with a guided meditation at noon. Then, the Community Arts Center will host live painting by Isaiah Williams, a screening of Wayne Smith’s Where We Overlap and Vivica Satterwhite’s photo station with Pottymouf Studios. Sparrows Fortune will offer an afternoon writing workshop, and there will be an acting workshop led by Karamu House’s Associate Artistic Director Nina Domingue.
2937 W. 25th St., 216-417-2523, clevelandart.org .

Francis Ford Coppola: Adolescence Now
The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque screens Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 film, Rumble Fish, as part of its Francis Ford Coppola: Adolescence Now series. The movie shows at 6:50 tonight at 8:40 tomorrow night.
Cleveland Cinematheque, 11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu .

Guided by Voices
The indie rock act out of Dayton, OH returns to the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights. Tonight's show begins at 9. The group's led by singer Bob Pollard, a guy with affinity for classic British rock acts such as the Who, and the band includes former Clevelander Doug Gillard on guitar.
2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs .

Lakewood Summer Meltdown
This annual block party takes place on Detroit Avenue between Marlowe and Arthur Avenues. The festival features a 5K race and 1-mile family fun run and walk. It also features games, food vendors, a beer garden and live music. It takes place from 4 to 10 p.m.
lakewoodalive.org .

Old Brooklyn Art Hop
Businesses along the Broadview/Spring corridor in Old, Brooklyn are participating in this monthly Art Hop event that highlights a growing creative sector in Old Brooklyn that, includes three new art galleries which opened within the last 15 months. Multiple other area businesses also feature creative events and/or products. The event, which runs from noon to 9 p.m., is free.
pinwheelgallery.com/community .

Stephen Pearcy: The Voice of RATT and Quiet Riot
Singer Stephen Pearcy, formerly of the hard rock acts RATT and Quiet Riot, performs tonight at 8 at MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage. Expect to hear tracks from both acts as Pearcy revisits his past as one of hard rock's distinctive singers.
10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com/en.html .

The 2024 US Air Guitar National Finals
See which air guitarist will head to Finland to compete in the World Championships as the national finals of this novelty event comes to the Beachland Ballroom tonight at 8.
15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com .

The Greeting Committee
On tour in support of their forthcoming album, E veryone’s Gone and I Know I’m the Cause , this indie pop band performs tonight at 7 at Mahall's 20 Lanes in Lakewood.
13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-3280, mahalls20lanes.com .

Walk. Run. Mosey
Greater Cleveland Habitat’s biggest fundraising event of the year aims to address the affordable homeownership crisis in Cleveland and to raise money to fund the construction and rehabilitation of homes in the city. The revenue generated from this event will play a role in advancing Habitat’s 400-Home Initiative for 2024. Check-in for the event begins at 8 a.m.
Edgewater Park, 6500 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway NW, fundraise.clehabitatwalk.org/ .

Wish You Were Here
This locally based Pink Floyd tribute act began covering Floyd full time in the mid-'90s, and its live show has evolved to include lights and props. With Pink Floyd on permanent hiatus, this might be the closest you'll get to seeing the real thing. The band performs tonight at 6:30 at Jacobs Pavilion.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com .

SUN 07/21
An Evening with Leslie Odom, Jr.
The Tony and Grammy award–winning singer, songwriter, author, and actor best known for his role as the original Aaron Burr in the smash hit Broadway musical Hamilton makes his debut with the Cleveland Orchestra. Tonight's concert takes place at 7 at Blossom.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com .

Marcus Smith
The local rapper who's a former member of Black & Broke and SANKURO brings his solo project to the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights. Tonight's performance takes place at 7:30. Madstarr, Nova, Bedrooms and Duality open.
2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs .

Sunday Summer Jams: Tobyrabs with Frida and The Mann
Once a month , Market Garden Brewery hosts this local music showcase. The concert begins at 6 p.m., and every ticket purchase comes with a complimentary Market Garden Beer.
1947 West 25th St., 216-621-4000, marketgardenbrewery.com .

Taste of Tremont
One of Cleveland’s longest standing neighborhood festivals returns today as Tremont welcomes more than welcome more than 10,000 people to Professor Avenue for the annual Taste of Tremont. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from more than 30 vendors. There will be live music throughout the festival, which takes place from noon to 8 p.m.
Professor Ave., experiencetremont.com .

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