The Cleveland Orchestra canceled its Thursday night performance after musicians and their union walked off the job, setting off a high-stakes labor standoff at one of America’s most prestigious orchestras. Salary demands remain at the center of the dispute, and at least one other performance has already been scrapped.

Hilary Duff is headed back to Northeast Ohio for the first time in nearly 20 years, bringing her expanded Lucky Me Tour to Rocket Arena. The Cleveland stop is part of a major global rollout after surging demand abroad, and fans hoping to score seats will face a tightly controlled presale process.

Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet is coming back to the big screen in Cleveland with a live music experience built around the film's unforgettable 1990s soundtrack. The 30th anniversary tour stops at Severance Music Center in January 2027, blending the full movie with live vocals, a DJ, and a hybrid rock-orchestral ensemble.

BlueWater Chamber Orchestra is launching its 2026-27 season with an ambitious program that moves from Renaissance-inspired experimentation to a haunting World War II-era elegy. With flutist Anthony Trionfo featured and Daniel Meyer leading, the opening night at Church of the Covenant promises a striking blend of virtuosity, history and emotion.

A giant new mural is transforming Cleveland’s Warehouse District as globally known artist Eduardo Kobra creates an 11,000-square-foot tribute to rock and roll history. Backed by major arts and civic partners, the project is being hailed as a bold move to elevate the city’s street art scene and draw fresh attention downtown.

More than 400 people packed Cain Park as the Workmen’s Circle Educational Center of Ohio celebrated its 44th Annual Free Yiddish Concert in the Park. With Klezmer music, dancing, prizes and a powerful show of community spirit, the event turned a summer afternoon into a vibrant cultural celebration that organizers say is only getting bigger.

Put-in-Bay will explode with music and patriotism as Declaration 250 takes over South Bass Island. The three-day event at Perry’s Victory Memorial features rock legends, local icons, marching bands, living history, and a massive fireworks finale. All concerts and displays are free, making it one of the summer’s most anticipated island celebrations. Find out who’s performing and why this historic date matters.

Bedford’s Rotary Club celebrates a century of service by hosting the 44th Annual Ribfest on Historic Downtown Bedford Square, July 17–19. The free, three-day festival features headline concerts, local food vendors, family activities, and charitable events—plus a special performance by Labronn Conner Jr. Explore how this iconic event supports community programs and honors a century of giving in Bedford.

Disney's The Lion King, winner of six Tony Awards, has arrived at Cleveland's Playhouse Square for a spectacular six-week run. Experience breathtaking visuals, unforgettable music, and acclaimed performances through Aug. 16. Tickets are available for all shows. Don’t miss the world-renowned Broadway hit during its limited engagement in Cleveland.

The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “The Great Gatsby” is set for a limited engagement at Cleveland’s Connor Palace in June 2026. With an electrifying jazz and pop score, acclaimed direction, and record-breaking accolades, this adaptation brings F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic story to life on stage. Tickets go on sale Nov. 19—don’t miss the Roaring Twenties spectacle that’s taken Broadway by storm.

A night of new klezmer arrives in Cleveland as the Case Western Reserve University Klezmer Music Ensemble performs original instrumental and vocal works by director Steven Greenman. The program spans compositions from 1997 to 2025, drawing on Eastern European Jewish cultural traditions and the evolving sounds of klezmer and Yiddish music.

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.

BlueWater Chamber Orchestra continues its 16th season with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a Prague-themed program at the Church of the Covenant in University Circle. World-renowned pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi will perform Kabalevsky’s “Prague Concerto,” alongside works by Janacek and Mozart. Tickets are pay-what-you-wish, with multiple parking options nearby.

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.

Mentor has finalized the 2026 Mentor Rocks summer concert schedule, bringing national acts like Phillip Phillips and Night Ranger to the Mentor Civic Amphitheater. The free Tuesday night series runs June 2 through Aug. 25, with weekly food trucks, a beer garden and festival-style amenities for crowds across Northeast Ohio.

A$AP Rocky has announced his 2026 Don’t Be Dumb World Tour, including a May 29 stop at Cleveland’s Rocket Arena. Promoted by Live Nation, the 42-date global run supports Rocky’s first full-length album in eight years. Tickets go on sale to the public Jan. 27, with presales starting as early as Jan. 21 via Cash App and artist platforms.

Unable to perform for live audiences during the early pandemic, Sinkovic brought together a diverse group of seasoned local musicians and began posting performance videos to YouTube. The videos quickly resonated, drawing over a million views and building a loyal international following, including a strong fan base in Manila, Philippines. “This group should be playing theatres all over Ohio. We are very big in Manila Philippines trying to tour there in 2026,” he said.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at a landmark moment in pop culture history as part of its promotion for the upcoming 2025 induction ceremony. In a recent Facebook post, the Hall unveiled never-before-seen photos from Annie Leibovitz’s 1983 photoshoot with Cyndi Lauper, taken on Henderson Walk in Coney Island. The shoot was for the cover of Lauper’s debut album She’s So Unusual, which went on to become one of the most iconic album cove

The festival begins Friday in the Cedar-Fairmount district with performances starting in the afternoon and running into the evening. On Saturday, the event moves to Noble Road Library and the Cedar Lee district with music starting in the morning and continuing into the night. The celebration concludes Sunday in Coventry Village, with family-friendly activities beginning in the morning and live music scheduled from noon until 6 p.m.

Thomas, the founder and president of Vet Fest, started this event with a mission that cuts deep: to stop veteran suicide. “We’re tired of losing our brothers and sisters,” he told me. His voice was steady but heavy with purpose. As a veteran himself, Thomas knows the weight of transitioning to civilian life. The isolation, the unspoken struggles.