CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It’s shaping up to be a fun weekend around Greater Cleveland. From the annual Wizard World comic con at the convention center to Jim Gaffigan’s standup show at the Wolstein Center and everything in between, there’s something for everybody.
Here are 20 events worth checking out:
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 04: Comeidan Iliza Shlesinger performs at KROQ Presents Kevin & Bean's April Foolishness at The Shrine Auditorium on April 4, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Getty Images
Iliza: The Forever Tour
The star of four Netflix specials and a past winner of “Last Comic Standing,” Iliza Shlesinger’s riffs on relationships, feminism, and life as a millennial will have you laughing out loud. Tickets, $35-$65.
Connor Palace, 1615 Euclid Ave, Cleveland
7 p.m., March 5
Andrew Aaron Valdez and Elisa Beatris Fuentes Aguirre star in "Marisol." Photography by Steve Wagner.
“Marisol” at Cleveland Public Theatre
Teatro Público de Cleveland presents José Rivera’s Obie Award-winning play about a woman drawn into a nightmare where heaven is at war. The play, performed in Spanish with English subtitles, is described as a “primal, fantastical, and often humorous contemporary classic inspiring us to wake up and change the world around us.” Tickets, $15-$35.
Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Ave., Cleveland
March 5-21
The 9 is located at 2017 E 9th St. in Cleveland. (Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer)The Plain Dealer
Game Show LIVE! at the Alex Theater
Have you ever dreamt of being on a game show? This fun, live interactive show is the next best thing as being on TV as contestants play games inspired by your favorite game shows for a chance to win prizes. Tickets, $10.
Alex Theater at The 9, 2017 E 9th St., Cleveland
7 p.m., March 5
Emily Swallow is the Armorer in "The Mandalorian," exclusively on Disney+.
Wizard World Cleveland
This annual comic coon celebrates nerd culture with celebrity appearances and panels, cosplay contests, live entertainment, comics, gaming and plenty of vendor tables to shop. Headliners include cast members from “The Mandalorian,” “The Walking Dead,” “Outlander,” “The Princess Bride,” MTV’s “Teen Wolf," and more. Tickets start at $30.
Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, 300 Lakeside Ave., Cleveland
March 6-8
wizardworld.com/comiccon/cleveland
Day of the Dude at The Corner Alley
Celebrate the annual sacred high holy day of Dudeism at Corner Alley. There will be a “Big Lebowski” costume contest, a photo booth with props from the movie, In-N-Out inspired burgers and fries, $5 White Russians, and more. Dress up as your favorite character for a discount on bowling. Free admission.
The Corner Alley, 402 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
4-9 p.m., March 6
facebook.com/events/490191164940795/
Monthly Mix events draw thousands of revelers to the Cleveland Museum of Art's atrium. (Photo courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art)The Plain Dealer
MIX: Masquerade at the Cleveland Museum of Art
Masquerade! Paper faces on parade! Mardi Gras may have passed, but you can still get your beads on at the museum’s monthly after-hours party. The theme is a swanky New Orleans ball, so dress accordingly. Tickets, $10-$15.
Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland
6 p.m., March 6
clevelandart.org/events/special-events/mix-at-cma
The Beachland Ballroom turns 20 years old. (Photo by Mike Levy, The Plain Dealer)
Walk All Over Waterloo
Explore everything the Waterloo Arts District has to offer at its monthly art walk. Pick up a special bingo card, collect stickers at participating businesses and redeem it for free admission to see Reigning Sound in concert at The Beachland.
Waterloo Arts District, Waterloo Rd. between E. 152nd St. and E. 161st St.
6-10 p.m., March 6
facebook.com/events/2604208773184984
WWE NXT is coming to the Agora on March 6.
WWE NXT Live! at the Agora
Enjoy a night of body slams, drop kicks and flying elbows as the next generation of WWE Superstars bring the excitement of professional wrestling to this historic venue. Tickets, $25-$75.
Cleveland Agora, 5000 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
7:30 p.m., March 6
agoracleveland.com/events/detail/389174
Jim Gaffigan: The Pale Tourist Tour
One of the most popular comedians of the last decade brings his everyman style of standup to Cleveland. Tickets, $35.75-$59.75.
Wolstein Center, 2000 Prospect Ave. E, Cleveland
8 p.m., March 6
wolsteincenter.com/event/jim-gaffigan
Joe Bonamassa at Connor Palace
Blues-rock guitar hero Joe Bonamassa comes to Cleveland in support of his latest album, “Redemption.” The Grammy-nominated artist is backed by a stellar band, which includes Anton Fig, who played drums in “Late Night with David Letterman” house band and pianist/organist Reese Wynans, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Tickets, $72-$202.
Connor Palace, 1615 Euclid Ave, Cleveland
March 6-7
A 1919 fire engine once used in Elyria is displayed at the Western Reserve Fire Museum and Education Center. (Brian Albrecht/The Plain Dealer)The Plain Dealer
Western Reserve Fire Museum Firematic Flea Market
Listen up, firefighting buffs: whether you’re a collector or a kid who just loves fire trucks, there’s something for you at this annual event, from toys, models, helmets and patches to alarm boxes, fire equipment, radios and more. Donation, $3 person. Kids 12 & under, free.
Cleveland Fire Training Academy, 3101 Lakeside Ave E., Cleveland,
8 a.m.-1 p.m., March 7
Winter Warmer Fest, a large-scale beer tasting that is a fundraiser for the Ohio Craft Brewers Association, has sold out.Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Winter Warmer Fest
Beer here! 60 Ohio breweries will be on hand to offer their winter, seasonal, limited-edition and high-gravity beers at the 14th annual festival. The event is a fundraiser for the not-for-profit Ohio Craft Brewers Association. Festival is sold out.
Windows on the River, 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland
2-5 p.m., March 7
ohiocraftbeer.org/winter-warmer-fest
St. Patrick's Day Parade spectators don the color and garb of the Irish as they watch the parade entries, March 17, 2019.cleveland.com
Jameson Cleveland St. Patrick’s Day Run
Get an early start on St. Patrick’s Day with this 5K fun run through the Warehouse District, across the Detroit-Superior Bridge and back. Enjoy the post-race food, music, and entertainment waiting for you at the finish line. Race benefits the Irish American Charitable Foundation. Registration includes hooded T-shirt, $30-$40.
Start-Finish line near Barley House, 1261 W 6th St., Cleveland
5 p.m., March 7
Young Dolph and Key Glock: No Rules Tour
After teaming up on their hit mixtape “Dum & Dummer,” the two rappers are hitting the road to perform collabs like “Water on Water on Water,” plus their solo music as well. Tickets starting at $45.
Find tickets on LiveNation.com
House of Blues, 308 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
8 p.m., March 7
Our brunch and breakfast series takes us to Nighttown in Cleveland Heights.
“Seize the Day” at Nighttown
Broadway comes to Cleveland’s premiere jazz club for two shows this weekend. The theme of the concert, presented by Bill Rudman and the Musical Theater Project, is “carpe diem,” and features classics from shows like “Mame,” “Hello Dolly,” and “Rent,” and composers including Sondheim, The Gershwin Brothers, and Rodgers & Hammerstein. Tickets, $35.
Nighttown, 12383 Cedar Rd, Cleveland Heights
March 7-8
Showtimes are Fridays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. from March 7-29.
The King of the Animals (A Tale of Cameroon) at Talespinner Children’s Theatre
This interactive play, designed to dazzle to the young and young at heart, is about Anansi the spider, who comes to town and decides he’s going to be the new rule. It’s up to the rightful King of the Animals to show Anansi the error of his ways. Tickets, $10-$18.
Talespinner Children’s Theatre, 5209 Detroit Ave, Cleveland
Weekends, March 7-29
talespinnerchildrenstheatre.org
In "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth Round 2," the former boxing champion talks about the ups and downs of his life and career. The one-man show comes to MGM Northfield Park on March 8. (Photo courtesy Live Nation)
Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth
In his one-man show, the former heavyweight champion of the world gets personal, talking about his meteoric rise to the top, dramatic fall from grace, and ongoing pursuit of redemption in the years since. Tickets, $45.
MGM Northfield Park, 10777 Northfield Rd., Northfield
8 p.m., March 8
mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com
Lynn Robert Berg from the Great Lakes Theater production of “Sleuth.” TRG Multimedia
Great Lakes Theater presents "Sleuth"
Who doesn't love a good mystery? This Tony-winning play is a mind-bending whodunit thriller about a suspense writer who invites his wife's lover and fellow game enthusiast to the house, where a series of events challenges the audience to decipher what's real and what's not. Tickets, $15-$89.
Hanna Theatre, 2067 East 14th St., Cleveland
Now through March 8
A Paphiopedilum orchid blooms inside the Costa Rica section of the Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse at the Cleveland Botanical Garden on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Lisa DeJong/The Plain Dealer)Lisa DeJong/The Plain Dealer
Orchid Mania at Cleveland Botanical Garden
The garden’s annual flower show wraps up this weekend. The theme, “Vibrant Vietnam,” celebrates that country’s exotic beauty and vibrant culture with thousands of varieties of orchids on display. Tickets, $10-$15.
Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Blvd., Cleveland
Now through March 10
(Photo courtesy Playhouse Square)
Flanagan’s Wake at Playhouse Square
Centered around an Irish funeral, “Flanagan’s Wake” doesn’t sound like a particularly humorous play. But the interactive performance, which has taken place in Cleveland regularly since 1996, involves improvisation based on audience participation, often leading to hilarious results. Tickets, $27.
Kennedy’s Cabaret, 1501 Euclid Ave., Cleveland
Weekends through April 25
Guitars used by Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton are among the artifacts on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's newest exhibit. (Seth Wenig)
Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll
The single largest exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's history features more than 130 of the most iconic instruments in music history, from Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Springsteen to Elvis and The Beatles. Admission, $18-$28.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, 1100 Rock and Roll Boulevard
Now through Sept. 13
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