Kent State Fashion Week
Kent State University’s 2024 Fashion Week begins April 21, offering a week of fashion-related events. With guest designers in town, shows featuring student designers and lectures at the Kent State School of Fashion through April 27, you’ll get a better sense of where the fashion world is headed. kent.edu/fashion
‘Korean Couture’ exhibition
The Cleveland Museum of Art’s new exhibition “Korean Couture: Generations of Revolution” shares the story of the history of Korean couture and its transformative legacy. The first Korean fashion exhibit presented at CMA in Cleveland’s University Circle neighborhood, it includes about 30 works and accompanying ephemera, ranging from 17th-century garments to contemporary Korean couture by leading and emerging Korean fashion designers. The international loan exhibition – on view from April 28 to Oct. 12 – serves as a model for future shows celebrating global fashion at the museum. clevelandart.org
Yom Hashoah commemoration
Join the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and Kol Israel Foundation to commemorate the Holocaust and heroism on Yom Hashoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, at 4:30 p.m. May 5 at B’nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike. This year’s theme is the l’dor v’dor – from generation to generation. jewishcleveland.org
Sarge is back
The Cleveland Jewish News presents the return of Sarge – a night of comedy, song and more at 7:30 p.m. May 8 at The Temple-Tifereth Israel in Beachwood. Sarge, aka “The Black Jew with the Chai IQ,” fills his show with hilarious stories directly from his life. His adoption at birth, his biracial background, his crazy family and his addictions, which at one point rendered Sarge homeless, all give him phenomenal launch points for his comedic celebration of life. cjn.org/sarge
Marc Maron comedy show
Comedian and podcaster Marc Maron will bring his “All In” stand-up show to Playhouse Square’s Mimi Ohio Theatre in downtown Cleveland on May 10. The Jewish comic has released five stand-up comedy specials, and his most recent, “From Bleak to Dark” on HBO Max was named the best comedy special of 2023 by Vulture magazine. His interview-style podcast has more than 100 million listeners every year and has more than 1,500 episodes (and counting). playhousesquare.org
‘In The Heights’ performance
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In The Heights” will be performed by Cleveland Play House at Allen Theatre in downtown Cleveland from May 11 to June 9. The 2008 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, “In The Heights” tells the story of a vibrant community that must rally together to preserve their culture and way of life. The play is described as Miranda’s “music-filled love letter to the community of his youth,” according to Cleveland Play House. clevelandplayhouse.com
Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut
Israel’s Memorial Day (Yom Hazikaron) and its Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzmaut) will be observed in Cleveland – holding unique meaning this year in light of Oct. 7, 2023 and amid the war with Hamas. Join the Jewish Federation of Cleveland for the solemn Yom Hazikaron program at 7 p.m. May 12 at Green Road Synagogue in Beachwood. Then, on May 14, join the Federation for the Independence Day event, with the location and details to be announced. jewishcleveland.org
Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival
The Cleveland Orchestra will host several programs for its second annual Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival, running from May 15-26 at Severance Music Center in Cleveland’s University Circle neighborhood. With a theme of “power,” the series of concerts, exhibitions and conversations are created for the greater Cleveland community and headlined by four fully staged performances of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” led by Music Director Franz Welser-Möst. clevelandorchestra.com/festival
Cleveland Marathon
Runners will converge on Cleveland from May 18-19 for the annual Cleveland Marathon. Lace up your shoes, get your playlist ready and hope for good weather as you pace yourself in either the full marathon, half, 10K or 5K. Not a runner? Head downtown to cheer on our city’s strongest runners, and treat yourself to a nice brunch afterward. clevelandmarathon.com
Park Synagogue Mitzvah Day
Park Synagogue will hold its annual Mitzvah Day on May 19. The day of community service features a Mitzvah Day Fair from 10 a.m. to noon at the Pepper Pike synagogue. There, volunteers of all ages can drop in to help with eight different projects, and can donate blood to the American Red Cross from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition, Mitzvah Day includes 16 other projects that require pre-registration. The complete schedule and registration link can be found on the Park Synagogue website. parksynagogue.org/mitzvahday
US Holocaust Memorial Museum Luncheon
As antisemitic incidents are on the rise in the United States, according to data from the Anti-Defamation League, learning about the Holocaust is paramount to moving toward a better future. Join other Clevelanders in learning and promoting the truth of Holocaust history at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s annual Cleveland luncheon at 11:15 a.m. May 31 at Landerhaven in Mayfield Heights. ushmm.org
Art in the Village
Howard Alan Events’ 33rd annual Art in the Village with Craft Marketplace will return to Lyndhurst’s Legacy Village from June 1-2. The art festival is expected to host about 100 artists and fine crafters, creating the perfect artsy shopping opportunity just ahead of summer. artfestival.com
Parade the Circle
On June 8, the Parade the Circle cultural event will take over Cleveland’s University Circle. The public art show, put on by the Cleveland Museum of Art and University Circle Inc., will kick off with the parade at noon, filling Wade Oval with lively sounds and colors. The family friendly event displays costumes, giant puppets and handmade masks created by artists, families, schools and community groups. universitycircle.org
Art by the Falls
Valley Art Center in Chagrin Falls will host its 40th anniversary Art by the Falls festival from June 8-9. This year, the art fest will move to the Cleveland Metroparks Polo Field in Moreland Hills, where fine art and contemporary creators will display and sell their work. Stay for demonstrations, food and wine, and more. valleyartcenter.org
Shavuot
Starting the evening of June 11 and through June 13, the Northeast Ohio Jewish community will observe Shavuot, celebrating the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai and the spring harvest. You and your loved ones can honor the holiday with a visit to a local farm. Or, take a hike and enjoy one of the many Cleveland Metroparks trails. clevelandmetroparks.com
Tri-C JazzFest
Get ready to dance and explore world-class contemporary jazz at the 45th Tri-C JazzFest from June 20-22 at Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland. The festival aims to share the history and help build the future of jazz, and in turn, provide educational opportunities for students. This year’s lineup includes award-winning creatives who are pushing the boundaries, advocating for social change and exploring the worlds of Broadway and Hollywood, according to the website. tri-c.edu/jazzfest
‘SEE ME’ at Roe Green Gallery
The photography exhibition “SEE ME,” on view in the Roe Green Gallery at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland in Beachwood, explores artist Michal Chelbin’s play on one’s identity. Chelbin’s photography attempts to capture human stories in everyday life – the identities of people not in the mainstream, many belonging to the edge of society and existing between the odd and the ordinary. In this exhibit, on view through August, her main themes are not social or topical, but collective and mythical; she searches for people who have a legendary quality in them. jewishcleveland.org/involved/arts
Cleveland Guardians 2024 season
Wear your baseball caps and navy blue, red and white to cheer on the Cleveland Guardians this season at Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland. And, fans can once again enjoy kosher food at the ballpark, thanks to Mendel’s Dogs and Deli. The kosher food stand is in a new location behind the main concourse by the entry gates. mlb.com/guardians