“There’s no place like home.” We all know that Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz wasn’t talking about Northeast Ohio in the classic MGM film. But between takes, it’s possible that Cleveland-born actress Margaret Hamilton (the Wicked Witch of the West) might have said the same and meant it about her hometown. When I write a Fresh Start for Ohio Authority, I think about my wife’s experience leaving Cleveland for one of the northeast’s larger markets before we met. She remembers her stint in Beantown fondly, always concluding with Dorothy’s classic line, “If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard.” It’s never too late for a Fresh Start in Cleveland; this week flows with vibrant arts, culture, libations and one of the Midwest’s premier LGBT celebrations.
Home. There really is no place like it. So put on those ruby slippers and hit the ground running.
Red, Red Wine
The two-day Cleveland Wine Festival began its tenure in Voinovich Park a few years ago, but has since snuggled into the Nautica Entertainment Complex on the west bank of the Flats. It’s a perfect venue for sampling 200 different wines from all over the world. Along with great local food, live music, cooking and tasting demos and seminars, you get to sample some spectacular vino — all for one low admission. Ohio wines are an integral part of the event; once you’ve decided on a varietal (or ten) you can order ‘em up by the bottle or case. The fest livens up the banks of the Cuyahoga this Friday and Saturday, June 25-26. Raise your glass after a click here.
A Fortified Port from Abroad
The Lorain Port Authority’s unsung Lorain International Festival & Bazaar is one of the best summer weekends around. Celebrating the rich cultural heritage and traditions brought to the area from divergent immigrant populations, the weekend-long cultural exchange runs Friday June 25-Sunday June 27 at Lorain’s Black River Landing. The 44th edition of the fest treats all to live music, amazing ethnic cuisine, a whole host of children’s activities, boat tours to the Historical Lorain Lighthouse, and guided nature tours on the Black River itself. Booths spotlight crafts and wares from the homelands of dozens of vendors and participants. Punch “421 Black River Lane, Lorain” into the GPS and head on over. This is a travel experience from home unlike any other. Find the schedule of events and more here.
Waterloo Surrender
The Waterloo arts district has enjoyed a huge surge in popularity over the last several years, spurned on in large part by the anchor investment that Cindy Barber and Mark Leddy made in revitalizing a landmark Cleveland Croatian hall. Since then, business has grown around the club and all the entrepreneurial spirit on the street has helped turn the Waterloo Arts Festival into one of “the fastest growing, grassroots, arts-centric, eclectic, family friendly festivals” in the area! More than 10,000 festgoers will take in Waterloo’s artful spirit, vendors, bands, public art installations, performance art and more. No way should you miss this dynamite showcase of what fun, passion and tradition can do for a neighborhood. It all starts this Saturday, June 26 with a noon kick-off. Spend the day. You’ll need that long to hit everything. Details here.
In the Name of Love…
Don’t forget that Cleveland Pride Parade & Festival happens this Saturday, June 26 as well. The premier LGBT celebration on the North Coast kicks off with a lively, energetic parade through the streets of downtown Cleveland, winding up at Voinovich Park. One of the best Pride celebrations in the Midwest features live music, a Children’s Pavilion, a beer garden, vendors and more. If you’ve ever been to Cleveland Pride before, you know that you and your ruby slippers will fit right in. Score all the details here.
