While summer doesn’t officially kick off until the solstice on June 20, warm weather has already arrived, and with it, a slate of fun events to get Clevelanders outdoors. Case Western Reserve University students on campus for coursework or research, and faculty and staff can explore some of the best the city has to offer during June.
We’ve pulled together a few suggestions to get you started, but for more ideas, check out the Destination Cleveland website.
Parade the Circle and Circle Village
June 8
Just steps from campus, Parade the Circle is an annual event that is part art show, part parade. Hosted by University Circle Inc. and the Cleveland Museum of Art, the event features a spectacle of costumes, puppets and other creative art forms. This year’s theme is “Visions of Harmony.”
Before, during and after the parade, guests can participate in activities hosted by local institutions, listen to live music, try out fare from food vendors and more at Circle Village, the event’s central location.
Circle Village will be open Saturday, June 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the parade will kickoff at noon.
MetroHealth Cleveland Juneteenth Freedom Fest
June 15
On June 19, 1865, word about emancipation reached those who were enslaved in Galveston, Texas. The day came to mark the end of slavery in the United States. Now, Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom.
While the university is closed for the Juneteenth holiday Wednesday, June 19, this year, members of the community can join fellow Clevelanders in celebration of the day’s meaning during the MetroHealth Cleveland Juneteenth Freedom Fest Saturday, June 15.
Held on Mall C Downtown from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., the event will feature live music, family-friendly activities, artist demonstrations, food and more. Guests will have the opportunity to support various Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs.
Learn more about Freedom Fest.
Cleveland History Days
June 20–30
Celebrate our city’s legacy at more than 50 events over 10 days. Learn something new about our region at talks, including presentations on the city’s automobile history (given by historian and CWRU Professor John Grabowski) and the Cuyahoga County archives.
Or, if you prefer to learn while on the move, check out the River Rally Saturday, June 29, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Hart Crane Memorial Park. The event will feature kayaking, biking and walking tours—and more.
Other tours during Cleveland History Days will include those of League Park and the Cleveland Baseball Heritage Museum, the subway level of the Veterans Memorial Bridge, Dunham Tavern and Museum Gardens and more opportunities to explore.