If you’re travelling to Cleveland in late summer or early autumn, a great way to get to know The Land is by attending one of the city’s many vibrant festivals. You can immerse yourself in Cleveland’s culture and traditions and experience the creativity found in food, film and music that is inherent in the city situated on the southern shore of Lake Erie.
Cleveland Garlic Festival, August 26-27
If you have a taste for the pungent, then you will not want to miss the Cleveland Garlic Festival. Visitors can try delicacies from garlic fries to garlic ice cream or enjoy the Top Chef Garlic Grill-off, pitting some of the best chefs in The Land against each other in a fight for garlic glory. Aside from garlic galore, there is live entertainment, a kid’s zone and more.
Cleveland National Air Show, September 2-4
The high-flying fun of the Cleveland National Air Show signals the end of summer as it takes to the sky above Lake Erie over Labor Day weekend. Burke Lakefront Airport will host fancy fliers of all kinds, including the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, who will present a choreographed 50-minute performance. Back on solid ground, attendees can check out aircraft displays, jump in the cockpit for a photo or watch a jet truck race a plane down the runway.
Fresh Fest Cleveland, September 9
This unique festival celebrates the arts and urban agriculture, promotes health and wellness and showcases fresh and local food whilst promoting cultural unity. Fresh Fest offers an amazingly varied music lineup, art installations, health and wellness activities, a farmer’s market, chef tastings, local vendors, hands-on activities, workshops and a kid’s zone filled with fun for the whole family.
Glenville Festival Summer Series, September 12-13
2023 is the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop, and the Glenville Festival will be celebrating with a lineup of hip hop artists, a DJ battle, food trucks and fun for all ages. Known for surprise headlining artists, guests can also expect impromptu music acts to make an appearance.
Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival (GCUFF), September 14-22
As a film festival, GCUFF identifies emerging talents and established artists who are contributing to the cinematic legacy of African Americans. The 9-day festival showcases independent films and provides a forum for the work of diverse filmmakers to be viewed and discussed with panels, workshops and symposiums.
Ingenuity Fest, September 22-24
IngenuityFest is Cleveland’s annual festival of art and technology, creativity and innovation. This year’s festival focuses on Biologies and Geologies and will explore how human innovation interacts with communities across earth, air and water. IngenuityFest 2023 is a journey through crystal caverns, aquatic landscapes and more looking at environmental stewardship, sustainability and innovation and human invention.
