34 Things to Do This Weekend In Cleveland: Oct. 3-6 (2024)

All Dolled Up: 200 Years of Dolls and Miniatures Film Viewing Party and Exhibition Grand Opening at Western Reserve Historical Society
From porcelain and rag dolls to Barbie and American Girl, this exhibit at Western Reserve Historical Society includes dolls alongside life-sized fashion and historical images of children from the WRHS collection. In some cases, dolls or objects will be displayed alongside their life-sized counterparts, while other vignettes will open a window into the secret world of dolls. A film viewing party and exhibition grand opening takes place today from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event is included with general admission to the museum. 10825 East Blvd., 216-721-5722,wrhs.org

The Black Dahlia Murder & Dying Fetus at the Agora Theater
The two hard rock acts bring their co-headlining tour to the Agora. Black Dahlia Murder, which just released its tenth studio album, is riding high from the success of its new single, the heavy “Mammoth’s Hand,” which is partly inspired by a scene from Don Coscarelli’s 1982 film,The Beastmaster. The veteran metal band Dying Fetus recently released their new album,Make Them Beg for Death. Spite, Angelmaker and Vomit Forth share the bill. Doors are at 5:30 p.m. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221,agoracleveland.com

Chagrin Documentary Film Festival in Chagrin Falls
Filmmakers many of their subjects from around the country will be on hand for this annual festival that takes place at venues in Chargin Falls. The festival expects to set a new record with 70 directors, who’ll discuss their various movies. It continues through Sunday. Find a schedule on the website. cdff2024.eventive.org/welcome

Harding Conducts Schumann at Mandel Concert Hall
Daniel Harding conducts the Cleveland Orchestra tonight as it takes on pieces by Haydn, Walker and R. Schumann. The concert begins at 8 p.m. at Mandel Concert Hall, where performances continue through Saturday. 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111,clevelandorchestra.com

Historic Haunts Walking Tour at Near West Theatre
Held in the residential areas surrounding the Gordon Square Arts District, Historic Haunts offers an immersive experience that blends Cleveland's rich history with "spine-tingling urban legends" such as Ray Caldwell, Garrett Morgan, May Dougan, and Bessie. West Clinton Historic Haunts runs today from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and tomorrow and Saturday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with tours leaving every 10 minutes from the Near West Theatre. 6702 Detroit Road, 216-961-6391,nearwesttheatre.org

Ohio Mart at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens
This annual event showcases more than 140 exhibitors working in a variety of media, including sculpture, garden art, paintings, clothing, woodwork, pottery, home décor and jewelry. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, where it continues through Sunday. 714 North Portage Path, Akron, 330-836-5533,stanhywet.org

Billy Bob Thornton & the Boxmasters at Kent Stage
On tour in support of a rocking new album,Love & Hate in Desperate Places, the curmudgeonly actor and musician and his backing band, the Boxmasters, perform tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Kent Stage. 175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005,kentstage.org

Uz Jsme Doma at Beachland Tavern
The art rock band out of Prague returns to the Beachland Tavern. The group's roots date all way back to the 1980s, and frontman Miroslav Wanek has somehow kept the group together (with a few different lineups) all this time. Expect to hear Zappa-inspired music that embraces unconventional rhythms and beats. The show begins at 8 p.m. Da Land Brass Band opens. 15711 Waterloo Road, 216-383-1124,beachlandballroom.com

Cleveland Beer Week Neighborhood Crawl at Kamms Corner
Cleveland Beer Week kicks off with this special event that features eight special beers brewed for the occasion. Check in at West Park Station at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person. Advance tickets preferred, but tickets will be available at the door only if space remains. Proceeds benefit Rec2Connect, Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter and the Malone Scholarship Program. clevelandbeerweek.org

Fall Fest at StoneWater Golf Course
There will be live music and kids activities at this special celebration that takes place today from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Yard at StoneWater in Highland Heights. The event will also include a donuts and fritter stand, a hot cider stand, a fall beer tasting stand, pumpkin kegs and a full bar. 1 Club Dr., Highland Heights, 440-461-4653,stonewatergolf.com

GlamGore: Haunted Hoedown at the Grog Shop
Produced, marketed, and hosted by local celeb Anhedonia Delight, GlamGore has established itself as a "successful and empowering presence" in the Cleveland drag scene and beyond. Tonight's Wild West-themed show at the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights features Pepper Bupphet, Leia Way LeStat, Ryder Slowly and Snot Rockette. Doors open at 8 p.m. 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588,grogshop.gs

Marianas Trench at the Agora Theater
This Canadian band is headlining shows across the country for the first time since 2019 on their Force of Nature Tour. With its urgent vocals and dramatic synthesizer fills, the stirring single "Lightning and Thunder” finds the group in good form. It performs tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Agora. Cassadee Pope and PIAO open. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221,agoracleveland.com

A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Hanna Theatre
A group of would-be actors engage in "a joyful celebration of love lost, transformed and restored" in Shakespeare's classic comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Great Lakes Theater production of the play opens tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Hanna Theatre, where it continues through Oct. 27. 2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000,playhousesquare.org

MIX: Bailamos at Cleveland Museum of Art
Tonight's monthly MIX event at Cleveland Museum of Art features Ropa Vieja, a five-piece Northeast Ohio–based party band that performs Latin American hits in salsa, bachata, merengue, and reggaeton and DJ Chevi Red, who spins music in English and Spanish focusing on Latin genres and R&B. Themed food and drink item will be available as well as the event celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month. 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350,clevelandart.org

Niko Moon at MGM Northfield Park
This country singer-songwriter has written songs for Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown Band, Rascal Flatts and Morgan Wallen. He performs tonight at 8 p.m. at MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage. 10705 Northfield Road, Northfield, 330-908-7793,mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com/en.html

My Morning Jacket at Cain Park
To date, this terrific Kentucky-based band has released nine studio albums that provide a showcase for eccentric singer-songwriter Jim James. On their most recent release, 2021’s My Morning Jacket, they tried to capture the intensity of their live shows and songs such as the bluesy "Never in the Real World" feature gritty guitars and synthesizer swells. The group performs tonight at 8 p.m. at Cain Park in Cleveland Heights. 14591 Superior Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000,cainpark.com

Negativland + SUE-C: We Can Really Feel Like We're Here at moCa Cleveland
This special event at moCa Cleveland will begin with a screening of Stand by For Failure: A Documentary about Negativland, and members of the experimental group will participate in a Q&A and then perform. Visual artist Sue-C will provide the immersive visuals. It begins at 7:30 p.m. 11400 Euclid Ave, 2164218671,mocacleveland.org

Marc Lee Shannon Release Party at Rialto Theatre
Semi-regular jam sessions with brothers Dean Anshutz (Red Wanting Blue) and Kurt Anshutz (Easton Union) and guitarist Michael Weber Jr. (the Michael Weber Show) at the Jenks Building in Cuyahoga Falls have proven to be particularly fruitful for singer-songwriter Marc Lee Shannon, who just recorded his first album with the group. The concert to celebrate its release begins at 7 p.m. at the Rialto Theatre in Akron. 1000 Kenmore Blvd., Akron, 234-525-1956,rialtotheatre.com

Sarah Shook & the Disarmers at the Beachland Ballroom
After absorbing some old-school country thanks to a boyfriend who had good musical taste, singer-songwriter Sarah Shook put her first band together in 2010 and started playing bars around her Chatham County, NC home. The seasoned alt-country band returns to the Beachland Ballroom tonight at 8 p.m.. 15711 Waterloo Road, 216-383-1124,beachlandballroom.com

Strictly Gershwin at the State Theatre
Tulsa Ballet, Cleveland Ballet and Cleveland Pops will all team up for this tribute to the music of George and Ira Gershwin. The performance takes place tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the State Theatre, where performances continue through Sunday. 1519 Euclid Avenue, 216-241-6000,playhousesquare.org

Matt Fraser: America's Top Psychic Medium at MGM Northfield Park
The man who bills himself as "America's top psychic medium" performs tonight at 8 p.m. at MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage. 10705 Northfield Road, Northfield, 330-908-7793,mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com/en.html

Guardians vs. Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field
After winning 90+ games during the regular season, the Guardians secured the No. 2 seed in the American League playoffs. They'll begin their request to return to the World Series with today's game at Progressive Field. They'll play again at Progressive Field on Monday. 2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487,mlb.com/guardians

Harvest Festival at hale Farm & Village
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and tomorrow, Hale Farm & Village hosts Harvest Festival, a family-friendly event offers seasonal experiences such as apple cider pressing and butter churning, and pumpkin painting. Other harvest activities can be seen at the Saltbox House herb garden (funded and maintained by the Bath Gamma Garden Club) where herbs will be harvested and preserved for use during the winter, and at First Settlement where cooking demonstrations will happen. 2686 Oak Hill Road, Newton Falls, 330-666-3711,halefarm.org

Carly Pearce at the Agora Theatre
As part of a tour in support of her critically acclaimed fourth studio album,hummingbird, the singer-songwriter comes to the Agora tonight at 7 p.m. The twangy single "Truck on Fire" possesses a real defiance as Pearce uses the song to narrate a story of taking vengeance on a unfaithful lover. Karley Scott Collins opens the show. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221,agoracleveland.com

The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Cedar Lee Theatre
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the 1975 film that still draws an exuberant, costumed crowd that likes to throw rice and dry toast and sing along to the songs in the movie, still draws big crowds to local showings. Expect a throng to show up for tonight's screening that takes place at 9:30 p.m. at the Cedar Lee Theatre. Tickets cost $12. 2163 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, 440-528-0355,clevelandcinemas.com

A Spooky Season Double Feature at Imposters Theatre
This Spooky Season Double Feature at Imposters Theatre features a completely improvised original scary movie and a brand-new episode of Scooby Doo all based on suggestions from the audience. The show begins at 9:30 p.m. 4828 Lorain Ave., 216-471-8073,imposterstheater.com

OhioTaco and Tequila Festival at Crushers Stadium
This event that takes place from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Crushers Stadium in Avon Lake will feature tequila and tacos along with live music and other activities. 2009 Baseball Blvd., Avon, 440-934-3636,lakeeriecrushers.com

Yard Act at the Grog Shop
The quirky, Gorillaz-like Leeds, UK-based indie rock act comes to the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights. The current tour supports the band's new album,Where’s My Utopia?, a collection of sonically dense tunes that makes use of scratchy samples and funky bass and drums. The show begins at 8:30 p.m. 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588,grogshop.gs

Alec Benjamin at House of Blues
Since his debut in 2018, this singer-songwriter has had hits with emo-ish singles "Let Me Down Slowly (ft. Alessia Cara)," “If We Have Each Other," "Water Fountain" and "Jesus In L.A." On tour to support his third studio album,12 Notes, he performs tonight at 6:30 p.m. at House of Blues. Matt Hansen opens the show. 308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583,houseofblues.com

An Evening with Gong a the Beachland Ballroom
This space rock band from the 1960s has recently been revived and released the critically acclaimedThe Universe Also Collapsesin 2019 and a live album,Pulsing Signals, in 2022. On a rare U.S. tour, the group performs at 8 p.m. at the Beachland Ballroom. 15711 Waterloo Road, 216-383-1124,beachlandballroom.com

Joe Gatto at E.J. Thomas Hall
Best known for TV shows such as Impractical Jokers and The Misery Index, comedian Joe Gatto brings his standup show to the Akron Civic Theatre as his Let's Get Into It tour rolls into town. Gatto is also the co-host of theTwo Cool Momspodcast that recently kicked off its second season, andMessing with People, his new comedy special, is out now via YouTube. 198 Hill St., Akron, 330-972-7570,ejthomashall.com

Melvin Seals & JGB at Kent Stage
A jam band pioneer, Jerry Garcia Band keyboardist Melvin Seals brings his backing band JGB to the Kent Stage tonight at 7:30 p.m. 175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005,kentstage.org

Witch Perfect at the Agora Theatre
The live singing parody of the Disney filmHocus Pocuscomes to the Agora Theatre. The show features performers fromRuPaul's Drag Race. It begins at 5 p.m. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221,agoracleveland.com

Nilüfer Yanya at the Grog Shop
British singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya says that when she was younger, she really didn't think about the significance of having parents who were visual artists. But that background has clearly influenced the songs on her new album, My Method Actor, a collection of carefully crafted low-key pop tunes. Yanya performs tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights. 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588,grogshop.gs