Ohioans can now unlock a year of adventure with the new Get Out Ohio digital pass, granting unlimited access to over 50 entertainment venues statewide, all managed through a single app. With options for every family and discounts during Memorial Day, this upgraded pass makes exploring Ohio’s top attractions easier and more affordable than ever. Discover how a simple app could transform your weekends and vacations across the state.

The “What in The World” podcast dives into a flurry of Bigfoot sightings across Northeast Ohio, explores the latest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, and spotlights bizarre local news. From minor league teams rebranding for cryptid tributes to record-breaking dinosaur costumes, the show delivers a wild ride through strange happenings and odd innovations. Discover what’s behind the Bigfoot buzz and more in this captivating broadcast recap.

Tony Award-winning Best Musical “The Outsiders” is headed to Cleveland’s Playhouse Square. The acclaimed Broadway hit will play the Connor Palace from April 28 to May 17, 2026, bringing Ponyboy Curtis and the Greasers’ story of friendship, conflict and belonging to Northeast Ohio.

Kings Island is bringing back Phantom Theater with a reimagined dark ride opening April 18, 2026. Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare puts guests in a supernatural opening-night story, with interactive flashlights to capture “ghost notes” across 26 scenes. Fan-favorite characters return alongside new additions in the five-minute, family-friendly attraction.

A longtime “parking crater” in Cleveland’s Gateway District is finally being replaced. Cosm Cleveland has broken ground on a 64,000-square-foot venue featuring a nearly 100-foot LED dome and “Shared Reality” immersive viewing in 12K. The project is expected to draw about 750,000 visitors a year and create 300 full-time jobs, with a target opening of July 2027.

Production is underway in Northeast Ohio on “Fractured,” a psychological thriller filming at recognizable Cleveland-area locations. Jon Abrahams leads the cast alongside horror veterans Felissa Rose and Lew Temple, with former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones also appearing. Residents may see brief parking and sidewalk restrictions near filming sites.

Sandusky’s Ghostly Manor Thrill Center offers nearly a dozen indoor attractions year-round, from its nationally recognized haunted house to 3D blacklight mini golf, laser tag, a 4D dark ride, a roller rink, an arcade and more. The Epic Pass bundles multiple activities with a meal and an arcade card, giving families an all-in-one option just off Route 250 on Milan Road.

Dirty Dancing is headed to Severance Music Center with a concert-style twist. A digitally remastered screening will play on a massive screen as a live band and vocalists perform every song from the original soundtrack in sync with the film. An encore party follows, inviting fans to sing and dance along.

For SJ Santiago, the transition from the high-stakes environment of a hospital ward to the mystical landscapes of her debut novel was a process years in the making. Santiago, a registered nurse currently pursuing her master's degree, recently released her first fantasy book, "Blood Spells: The Awakening." The story follows a young woman named Aradia who, upon her 18th birthday, discovers magic is a tangible part of her biological heritage. According to Santiago, the narrative

Castaway Bay is doubling down on year-round family fun in Sandusky, with an indoor water park built to beat unpredictable Ohio weather. Its Rocket’s Canopy Coaster is billed as northern Ohio’s only water coaster, launching two-person rafts through hills and tunnels before a splashdown. The resort also offers an arcade, craft room and escape room to keep families on-site longer.

For three days in last week, downtown Cleveland transformed into a living, breathing celebration of pop culture as FAN EXPO Cleveland returned to the Huntington Convention Center. Thousands of fans filled the convention halls March 13 through March 15, creating a weekend packed with celebrity appearances, elaborate cosplay, charity outreach, and the kind of spontaneous moments that only happen when comic books, movies, television, gaming and fantasy all collide in one place.

The Cleveland International Film Festival is gearing up for its 50th anniversary, with the main slate opening April 9 and a special retrospective launching first. The 7x7+1=CIFF50 series runs Feb. 17 through April 4, featuring seven programs of award-winning shorts from the CIFF archives, plus a new bonus short made for the 50th season. Tickets are $15.

For more than two decades, Strano was part of the fabric of Northeast Ohio mornings at WKYC. Viewers woke up to her forecasts, her energy and her steady presence before sunrise. She was not an outsider who landed in Cleveland for a job. She was born and raised here. A graduate of John Carroll University, she built her career from the ground up, launching weather segments at her campus radio station and helping found JCUTV while still a student. She secured her first televisio

Golfers in Northeast Ohio are finding a way to play year-round at X-Golf, an indoor golf simulator facility with multiple locations across the region, including Broadview Heights. The venue combines high-tech golf simulators, instruction from a PGA professional, food and drinks, and event space designed for casual players, leagues and private gatherings.

The national tour of Water for Elephants has arrived in Cleveland, bringing aerialists, acrobats and striking animal puppetry to the Connor Palace Theatre. Adapted from Sara Gruen’s novel, the musical follows Jacob Jankowski as he joins a traveling circus during the Great Depression and is swept into a dangerous love story. The show runs through March 29.

FAN EXPO Cleveland is back March 13-15, 2026, bringing major celebrity guests, cast reunions and packed show floors to the Huntington Convention Center. From “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” icons to “Twilight” events and after-hours parties across downtown, organizers say tickets and photo ops are already in demand.

A sold-out McNugget “caviar” kit, a Matchbox car that fetched more than $30,000, and a 90-year-old teacher setting a Guinness record were among the stories featured on “What in the World,” a podcast produced by NewClevelandRadio.net with Cleveland 13 News WCTU. The episode also touched on Rome art controversy, England’s cheese rolling and rising “wellness drinks” in Cleveland.

The episode opened with global culinary curiosities, including Pizza Hut Japan’s controversial “Handy Melt” a one-handed pizza stuffed with cheese and Kit Kats. Despite backlash, the sugary monstrosity returned this year with a strawberry upgrade, infuriating pizza purists worldwide. “You walk down the street with something like that in New York City, they'll run you out of town,” Seaburn quipped during the segment.

The hit musical “Mrs. Doubtfire,” based on the beloved film, is coming to Akron for two nights. Performances are set for Tuesday, Jan. 20, and Wednesday, Jan. 21, both at 7:30 p.m. at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall. Find details and tickets through Playhouse Square.

Among the cast, Dennis Haysbert delivers a performance that many audiences have described as deeply personal and emotionally layered. According to production sources, Haysbert accepted the role immediately after reading the script, calling it the role he had always wanted to play. That knowledge adds dimension to his portrayal of Marty Anderson, a postal worker navigating long‑unspoken hopes and shifting expectations.