Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Ghosts of Christmas Eve TSO’s latest tour is bigger and better than ever before. The concert includes a performance of the rock opera “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” plus many of their greatest hits accompanied by a brilliant display of laser lights and pyrotechnics. Tickets start at $39. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland. 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Dec. 22. DETAILS The Cleveland Orchestra Holiday Concerts Severance Music Center will be filled with the sounds of the season as the Cleveland Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra Chorus give some of your favorite Christmas songs the classical treatment with a series of holiday concerts through Dec. 23. Tickets $49-$140. 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. DETAILS Home for the Holidays at Hilarities Some of Cleveland’s favorite comics are coming home for the holidays to perform on one stage on one hilarious, laugh-filled night. Tickets $24. Ages 21 & over only. 2035 E. 4th St., Cleveland. 7 p.m. & 9:45 p.m., Dec. 23. DETAILS A Magical Cirque Christmas This holiday variety show features a troupe of world-class Cirque entertainers performing dazzling and breathtaking acts to your favorite Christmas music. Tickets $35-$99. KeyBank State Theatre, 1519 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. 4 p.m., Dec. 23. DETAILS Cleveland Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ Cleveland Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” returns to the Connor Palace at Playhouse Square this month. Based on the original story by E.T.A. Hoffman with music composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, it is a seasonal favorite. Cleveland Ballet performs it every year, often with some variations to keep it interesting to repeat visitors. Tickets $10 to $109. Through Dec. 23 Connor Palace Theater, 1615 Euclid Ave, Cleveland. DETAILS The Rink at Wade Oval The Rink at Wade Oval is back and bringing new experiences to the winter tradition. Programming highlights include Santa visits, horse-drawn carriage rides and live carolers. Skaters can participate in ugly sweater nights, stand-up comedy and more. Tickets $2 to $10. Through Feb. 25, 2024. Wade Oval, 10820 East Boulevard, Cleveland. DETAILS Nela Park Holiday Lighting Display Nela Park is lit up for the holidays for the 99th straight year. The theme of this year’s display is “Cync Up Your Holidays.” Nearly one million LED lights are used to create 11 vibrantly lit vignettes including a huge Santa hat and Santa gnome village. There’s also a replica of the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., too. Enjoy the display 24/7 through Jan. 2, 2024. 1975 Noble Rd., East Cleveland. Through Jan. 2, 2024. Deck the Hall at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens There’s no better time to visit this historic estate than the holidays when it is illuminated with 1.2 million twinkling lights. Inside, the manor house is decorated in beautiful holiday fashion with several themed rooms. Don’t miss photos with Santa, shopping, hot cocoa and gingerbread cookies. Admission $7-$24. 714 N. Portage Path, Akron. Through Dec. 30. DETAILS “Little Women” at Dobama Theatre Playwright Heather Chrisler and an all-female and non-binary cast, crew and creative team breathe new life into Louisa May Alcott’s classic Christmas tale in this heartwarming play about love, loss and the importance of family. Tickets $14.98-$44.98. 2340 Lee Rd, Cleveland Heights. Through Dec. 31. DETAILS Wild Winter Lights at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo The zoo is transformed into a winter wonderland with festive displays located throughout the park. Featuring over one million lights, themed areas include the Enchanted Forest and Santa’s Workshop. Two dynamic musical light shows are new: one featuring the zoo’s 50-foot tree and another directly on Waterfowl Lake. Walk and drive-thru options are available. Tickets start at $22 per person or $55 per vehicle. 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland. Through Dec. 30. DETAILS Magic of Lights at Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds This dazzling drive-through experience returns for its ninth year with more than two million LED lights illuminating dozens of themed displays including a 32-foot-tall Christmas Barbie. The Jolly Holiday Village adds photos with Santa, ice skating and holiday snacks. Admission $23-$50 per vehicle. 19201 E. Bagley Rd., Middleburg Heights. Through Dec. 31. DETAILS Great Lakes Theater’s “A Christmas Carol” Ebenezer Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas after being visited by a series of ghosts in this Cleveland holiday tradition now in its 35th year. Tickets, $30-$80. Mimi Ohio Theatre, 1511 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Through Dec. 23. DETAILS Kringle’s Inventionasium Experience Explore Mr. Kringle’s top-secret laboratory to meet his team, invent a new toy and help make Christmas. The magical, interactive experience, held inside Tower City Center, ends with a private visit with Santa himself. Tickets start at $34. 230 W. Huron Rd., Cleveland. Through Dec. 23. DETAILS |
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Festival of Trees at Playhouse Square Cleveland Play House’s Festival of Trees is back at the Allen Theatre lobby for the holiday season. Each tree is decorated by a local artist or designer. Free. 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays, noon to 10 p.m., Saturdays & Sundays. Through Dec. 23. 1407 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. DETAILS Funny Bus Lights & Laughs Holiday Tour It’s a city bus tour and a comedy show! Hop aboard as local comedians point out area landmarks, crack jokes and interact with passengers in a unique experience that combines laughs, history and holiday music. Tickets $29. Adults only. Pickup at Collision Bend Brewing Co., 1250 Old River Rd., Cleveland. Through Dec. 23. DETAILS ‘Frost’ celebrates winter at Cleveland Botanical Garden Described as an ice-capped garden experience, the garden’s new holiday show transforms the facility into an ethereal wonderland of towering ice arches, dazzling light installations, a tunnel of flowers, larger-than-life animals and more than 500 poinsettias. Tickets $7-$26. Reservations recommended. 11030 East Blvd. Cleveland. Through Dec. 31. DETAILS Tobogganing at the Chalet Find your thrill in the chill at the Cleveland Metroparks in Strongsville, whooshing down twin 700-foot refrigerated ice chutes on an old-timey toboggan. Reservations required. Tickets $13-$15. Reservations required. 16200 Valley Pkwy, Strongsville. Through Feb. 25 (weather permitting). DETAILS Holidays at Crocker Park The lifestyle and shopping center in Westlake boasts plenty of festive fun this season including ice skating, the Holiday Express train and a nightly light show. Santa’s House offers photo and shopping opportunities. Fee for some activities. Crocker Park, Westlake. Through Dec. 31. DETAILS Christkindlmarkt at Sanctuary on Green Modeled after Christmas markets in Europe, this shopping village offers unique gifts like German nutcrackers, new and vintage European ornaments, handmade jewelry, linens, leather goods and more. Free. 1936 S. Green Rd., South Euclid. Through Dec. 27. DETAILS Wild Lights at Akron Zoo Experience the zoo like you’ve never before as the park comes alive at night with one million lights, festive displays and synchronized light shows. The event features appearances by Santa Claus, the Grinch and local high school choirs. Admission $8-$15. 500 Edgewood Ave. Through Dec. 29. DETAILS Rubber City Theatre presents “White Christmas” Irving Berlin provides the score for this musical about a pair of singing former soldiers who team up with a sister act to put on a holiday show in an effort to save their former commander’s lodge in Vermont. Tickets start at $20. EJ Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St., Akron. 7:30 p.m., Dec. 22. DETAILS Winterblast 2023 Akron celebrates the season with festivities to continue through New Year’s Eve. Indoor and outdoor activities include fire pit and igloo rentals, ice skating, Polar Putt-Putt, Archie the Snowman and much more. See site for complete list of prices and locations. 11 a.m., Wed.-Sun., through Dec. 31. DETAILS Country Lights Drive-Thru Experience sparkling light displays from the warmth of your own car as Lake Farmpark is transformed into a holiday village. Wooden toy kits are available to purchase for $5. Admission $27.50 per car. 8800 Euclid Chardon Rd., Kirtland. Through Dec. 22. DETAILS Candy Land experience at Lake Metroparks’s Penitentiary Glen Candy Land has been an indoor, holiday tradition at Lake Metroparks Penitentiary Glen for years. It’s back with a wild birding adventure this year. Families can enjoy a bird craft, scavenger hunts, activity pages and hands-on exhibits. Each Saturday, from noon to 3 p.m., an outdoor campfire with s’mores is open. Free. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Through Jan. 1, 2024. 8668 Kirtland Chardon Rd, Willoughby. DETAILS Hale Farm & Village Holiday Lantern Tour Take a 90-minute, lantern-lit tour of Hale Farm & Village and see the historic houses for the season. Get a glimpse into holiday celebrations from the 19th-century Western Reserve. Dress for the weather and plan to join guests for holiday treats after the tour. Tickets are $20 nonmembers; $15 members; $12 children (ages 3-12). Reservations required at 330-666-3711 ext.1720 or [email protected]. Dec. 19- 23. Hale Farm & Village, 2686 Oak Hill Road, Bath. DETAILS |
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FOOD & DINING Rood Food and Pie Rood Food and Pie, 17001 Madison Ave., Lakewood, has a menu that makes it impossible to choose an entree. The best strategy is to choose dessert first from the lineup of creative pie slices like Cognac Pumpkin, Baklava, Salt & Honey and more. You don’t have to order pie right away, just be aware so you don’t overorder or overeat the entrée. Then decide from a menu that includes spicy cauliflower steak or succulent scallops with bourbon coconut squash or duck bucattini or Cajun shrimp and grits or ... If you don’t yet have decision paralysis peruse the artisan cocktail menu. The ambiance is just as fun and funky as the food with neon sayings and the façade of a camper for a bar. DETAILS Aladdin’s offers Middle Eastern flavors If you don’t consider yourself an adventurous eater, this is the spot to help you break out of your shell. From tabouli (chopped parsley, oil, seasoning) to dawali (grape leaves, rice, seasoning), Aladdin’s offers a diverse selection of flavors perfect for lunch or nibbles for dinner (and who doesn’t hummus?) Most of the dishes are not spicy, but they are flavorful. Multiple locations in Northeast Ohio. READ MORE Pearl Street Wine Market and Cafe Tucked away on Market Avenue in Ohio City is Pearl Street, a gem made for wine enthusiasts that feels like it belongs in Europe. The market boasts a wide selection of carefully selected bottles alongside snacks to enjoy them with. Pearl Street also offers a cafe and bar menu to enjoy charcuterie boards, sandwiches and more while sipping on a glass of wine or a house cocktail. READ MORE ‘Dine Drink CLE’ offers lively guide to restaurant, bar scenes Get the latest news about Cleveland’s restaurant and bar scene in the new weekly "Dine Drink CLE" newsletter. With the latest on openings, closings, tastings and other events, plus recommendations, features and guides from our team of writers and critics. SUBSCRIBE |
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TV & MOVIES “The Color Purple” Based on the Tony-winning musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s classic novel, this story of sisterhood and survival features an all-star cast that includes Fantasia, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Halle Bailey, H.E.R. and Ciara. Opens Christmas Day in area theaters. REVIEW “Poor Things” Emma Stone stars in this feminist spin on “Frankenstein” about a woman rediscovering the world and what it means to be a woman after being brought back to life by a mad scientist (Willem Dafoe). Opens Friday in area theaters. REVIEW “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” Jason Momoa returns as Aquaman, who is living the dream when Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) returns more powerful and determined than ever to destroy him. Opens Friday in area theaters. DETAILS ‘Maestro’ Bradley Cooper directs and stars as Leonard Bernstein in this biopic focusing on the legendary composer and conductor’s complicated relationship with his wife, Broadway actress Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan). Streams this week on Netflix. REVIEW “Ferrari” Adam Driver stars as Enzo Ferrari in this high-speed and high-stakes biographical drama racecar about the racecar driver’s quest to win a 1,000-mile race across Italy in 1957. Michael Mann (”Heat”) directs. Opens Christmas Day in area theaters. DETAILS “The Boys in the Boat” George Clooney directs an inspiring sports drama, telling the true story of the University of Washington rowing team and its unlikely quest for gold at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Opens Christmas Day in area theaters. DETAILS “Anyone But You” Beautiful people Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell star in this sexy romantic comedy as sworn enemies who pretend to be a couple at a destination wedding in Australia. Opens Friday in area theaters. DETAILS “Migration” From Illumination, the studio behind “Minions,” this animated adventure follows a family of Mallard ducks as they embark on a family trip from their peaceful pond in New England to tropical Jamaica by way of New York City. Opens Friday in area theaters. DETAILS “The Iron Claw” Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White and Harris Dickinson star as the real-life Von Erich brothers, who rose to stardom as professional wrestlers in the early 1980s. Opens Friday in area theaters. DETAILS ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Percy Jackson finds out that Greek myths aren't just a history lesson in a new Disney+ series, based on the bestselling books by Rick Riordan. Walker Scobell ("The Adam Project") takes the lead as the 12-year-old who goes from dealing with school bullies to battling monsters, while finding out his paternity means he's a demigod with special abilities. Jackson sets out on a quest to clear his name. The first two episodes of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" drop this week on Disney+. DETAILS ‘A Home for the Holidays’ Prepare the tissues. On Friday, Dec. 22, CBS will air its annual "A Home for the Holidays" musical special, drawing attention to families and life-affirming stories of adoption through the foster care system. Now in its 25th year, the special — presented in partnership with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and the Children's Action Network — boasts of a tear-jerking lineup: Lauren Daigle, Gavin DeGraw, David Foster and Katharine McPhee, Pentatonix and CeCe Winans will take on holiday classics. McPhee will also host the event, airing live on CBS and on demand for Paramount+ and Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers. DETAILS ‘The Creator’ Artificial intelligence is at the heart of "The Creator," Gareth Edwards' visually dazzling sci-fi epic which began streaming on Hulu this week. John David Washington plays a retired special forces operative enlisted to help find the creator of advanced AIs after a nuclear bomb destroys downtown Los Angeles. Associated Press film writer Lindsey Bahr had this to say in her review: "Even if it is a somewhat convoluted and silly mishmash of familiar tropes and sci-fi cliches, it still evokes the feeling of something fresh, something novel, something exciting to experience and behold — which is so much more than you can say about the vast majority of big budget movies these days." DETAILS ‘Rebel Moon – Part 1: A Child of Fire ‘ If "The Creator" didn't have enough "Star Wars" vibes for you, Netflix has another ode to that ever-influential film from Zack Snyder with his long-in-the-works "Rebel Moon – Part 1: A Child of Fire." Sofia Boutella leads a starry cast (including Djimon Hounsou, Charlie Hunnam and the voice of Anthony Hopkins) in this space opera about a small colony that must rise up against a tyrannical threat to the galaxy. It begins streaming on Friday, Dec. 22 and the second part will follow in April. DETAILS ‘25 Years with Lidia: A Culinary Jubilee’ PBS is celebrating its 25-year partnership with James Beard-winning chef, cookbook author and restaurateur, Lidia Bastianich, with "25 Years with Lidia: A Culinary Jubilee." Premiering this week on PBS (check local listings), Lidia is joined by family and friends to reflect on her more than two decades in public television, and some of the dishes she's made along the way. The special will also stream on PBS.org and the PBS app. DETAILS ‘What If…?’ The animated anthology series "What If…?" is a mind-blowing, meta experience for Marvel fans where MCU characters are placed in different timelines and situations to play out an alternate story. Jeffrey Wright narrates as The Watcher, observing from afar. The first season's storylines explored possibilities including "What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord?" and "What If... Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?" Season two's premiere, debuting Dec. 22 on Disney+, asks "What If... Nebula Joined the Nova Corps?" DETAILS |
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The year’s 12 best new Christmas albums: What’s on your playlist this year? The winter holidays routinely bring a glut of new Christmas albums from artists in all genres, a trend that's been increasing exponentially over the years. This year's best span rock, pop and country, as well as some familiar names and unlikely carolers, including Cher, Samara Joy, Alanis Morissette, Jon Pardi, Gregory Porter and more. READ MORE The Boys from County Hell Cleveland’s own Pogues tribute band is joined by special guest Jack Harris for an all-ages show. General admission tickets are $25. House of Blues Cleveland, 308 Euclid Ave. 7 p.m., Dec. 23. DETAILS |
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