📰 Real Dragons at the Zoo? You Heard That Right 🐉

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Good morning, Cleveland! This is The 216 Scoop. Where dragons hit the zoo, witches throw parties, and your new dog might cost less than your latte. 🎭🐉🐾 

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In today’s 216 Scoop Edition:

• Rides, thrills and changes: What’s to expect as Cedar Point opens

• Cavs vs. Pacers: Keys to the series

• Furry friend Fridays: APL lowers adoption fees for pups

• Playhouse Square backstage tour explores theaters & ghosts

• Kentucky Derby party guide — with mint juleps & ponies

• Attention witches: German hex for a pagan party

• Newest arrivals to the zoo… dragons

  
  
  John Petkovic & Victor Takakura

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IN THE NEWS

Rides, thrills and changes: What’s to expect at Cedar Point opens

Thrill-seekers have been screaming with high hopes about Cedar Point. The park will unveil new rides, attractions and amenities when it opens its 156^th season on Saturday.

Here’s what to expect:

• Cedar Point’s Top Thrill 2 roller coaster is ready to go for opening day. The ride – a spin-off of the park’s Top Thrill Dragster – opened in ’24 but closed eight days after opening due to mechanical issues.

• You’ll have to wait until early summer to ride Siren’s Curse. The much-hyped ride is billed as the fastest, tallest and longest tilt roller coaster in the U.S. It crawls up a 160-foot-tall hill. The ‘tilt’ lasts 10 seconds to create max extension before shooting riders into 2,966 feet of twisting track below.

• The Millenium Force roller coaster celebrates its 25^th year – and has been upgraded to expedite dispatch times.

• Steel Vengeance is ranked third in the new USA Today's 10BEST Roller Coasters list, Meanwhile, Hotel Breakers was voted the best theme park hotel in the same 10Best poll.

• Cedar Point has removed Highground playground from the family-friendly Forbidden Frontier. Also, the Snake River Falls water ride, Snake River Expedition riverboat and Professor Delbert’s Frontier Fling are no more.

• The Happy Friar stand got a makeover and is now a cafeteria-style eatery.

• Cedar Point has added arcade and challenge games, roving performers and live shows throughout the park

• Two new tube slides have been added to the waterpark, which opens May 24.

• Cedar Point will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays until it begins daily operations on May 15. For more info, go here.

A MESSAGE FROM BEACHLAND BALLROOM & TAVERN

🎶 Catch the Beat at Beachland!

From tribute shows to rising indie stars, Beachland Ballroom & Tavern is Cleveland’s home for live music magic. Whether you’re vibing with Langhorne Slim, rocking out with Marky Ramone, or browsing vinyl at Beachland Flea, there’s something for every music lover. Enjoy food, drinks, and unforgettable shows in a venue that feels like home with a killer sound system. 💃🕺

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Cavs vs. Pacers: Keys to the series

The Cavs crushed the Heat in the most lopsided series in NBA playoff history – sweeping them by a combined 122 points. Things are going to get much harder when they take on the Pacers, starting Sunday.

Things to watch:

• Only one player in NBA playoff history has strung together seven straight Game 1 performances of 30-plus points: Michael Jordan.  That is, until Donovan Mitchell did it in Cleveland’s opener against Miami. Does he go for 30 Sunday and break Jordan’s streak?

• What is the impact of Darius Garland’s sprained toe? He relies on changing speeds to create space for himself to get open shots. The Pacers have pressed him before and will likely apply full-court pressure on him in the series – and attack him on offense.

• The Pacers went from the 26^th best defense to the tenth best after the all-star break by focusing on giving up fewer three-pointers. and will focus on stopping what the Cavs do best.

• Tyrese Halliburton can score in bunches but double-teaming him is a risk because the Pacers excel when he facilitates for teammates and finds open shooters. The Cavs offense will likely attack Halliburton, a weak defender, when they have the ball.

• Center Myles Turner can shoot 3s, which will pull either Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen out on the perimeter to guard him. The other will have to guard Pascal Siakam in the post – and the Cavs wings and guards will need to help rebound.

Furry friend Fridays: APL lowers adoption fees for pups

Animal shelters are overwhelmed. They’re taking in more dogs and cats, and fewer people are adopting them. It has resulted in a crisis, as many are operating at full capacity.

As a result, many shelters have been forced to house dogs in smaller cages and have lowered adoption fees to entice people to give them a home.

Enter New Friends Friday! – a Cleveland APL promotion that allows animal lovers to adopt a dog for $21 every Friday through May 30. It’s a steep discount from the $121 customary fee and includes a dog license for Cuyahoga County residents.

The APL also has cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils and reptiles available for adoption. Mother’s Day is coming – so here’s your chance to surprise her. More info here.

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The ghosts must’ve been thespians in another life. The Man in Green has purportedly haunted the Palace Theater for decades and the Hanna has been home to countless spirits.

So much so that the theaters honor the longstanding theatrical tradition of leaving a glowing “ghost light” on the stage even when the theater goes dark.

You can look for ghosts when Playhouse Square hosts its theater tours. They run Monday May 5 and continue the third Saturday of every month (as well as an additional Monday tour on Aug. 4).

The 90-minute tour takes attendees behind, under and on the stages of the largest performing arts center outside of New York City. You also get to explore their history.

Built in 1921 and 1922, they hosted vaudeville stars like George Burns and Gracie Allen, who got married in Cleveland between shows.

Playhouse Square experienced a cataclysmic demise in the 1960s. By the early ‘70s, it was scheduled to be demolished to create parking lots.  That is, until two-year, 522-show run of the musical “Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris” sparked a revival.

The tour offers a look at the past, the ghosts and the district’s return to glory. There are multiple tours per night, but reservations are required. More info here.

The 216 Rundown

Kentucky Derby party guide — with mint juleps & ponies

You can bet on the horses. I’ll put my money on a sure thing… a Mint Julep. The Kentucky Derby is on Saturday and airs at 6:57 p.m. on NBC. Here are five places celebrating the 151^st Run for the Roses.

One Star Lakewood: The ‘Talk Derby to Me’ soiree rolls out free finger foods, live music, Buffalo Trace bourbon and mint julep drink specials and a costume contest. 2 p.m. More here.

Jack Thistledown Racino: Whoa, there’s a Derby Hat Contest to go with themed drinks and food, face painting and balloon animals. Noon. More here.

Astoria Café and Market: The second annual bash serves up specialty cocktails, appetizers, games and contests for best outfit and hat. 6 p.m.

Forest City Brewery: Call it horseplay for a good cause. The benefit for You Can You Will Foundation features themed food and drinks and encourages Derby hats and get-ups. 3 p.m.

Town Hall: The Ohio City spot is going all out with Derby drinks, costume contests and prizes for those who bet on the winning horse. 2 p.m.

Attention witches: German hex for a pagan party

Let’s get witchy. At 6 p.m. Saturday, German Central is summoning Hexennacht – a party to celebrates the arrival of spring with supernatural forces. As in, come dressed as a witch, warlock, wizard or fairy for a pagan party that includes polka music by Gemütlichkeit Cleveländer Musikanten and dance performances by the Crooked River Crones Twirling Witches. More info here.

An all-out Asian party at CMA’s MIX

The Cleveland Museum of Art is celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with an over-the-top party when it rolls out MIX: Amplify – 6 tonight. It features a house-music sets by DJ Andre Leone and DJ Zosimo Maximo, gymnasts and performers, a pop dance-music set by DJ PikaChieu, a fashion show, and a Bollywood DJ set – as well as themed food and drink items. More info here.

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NOTES ON A COCKTAIL NAPKIN

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Newest zoo arrivals… dragons

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has some new inhabitants – and they aren’t monkeys or zebras or giraffes. Egads, the dragons have arrived for the summer, and they’re all fired up.

The zoo has rolled out its new exhibit Dragons Landing – featuring more than 20 animatronic mythical creatures along the Zoo’s Waterfowl Lake.

The walk-through attraction opens today. It allows humans to get up close to the beasts, which are 15 feet tall and 30 feet long and can spew smoke, move about and roam like maniacs. For info here.

VINTAGE CLEVELAND

Playhouse Square at night, 1933.

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WEATHER

Friday, May 2

60 🌡️ 51 | 🌧️ | 55% | 💨 WSW 9 mph (8 knots)

Saturday, May 3

59 🌡️ 52 | 🌧️ | 55% | 💨 NNE 4 mph (3 knots)

Sunday, May 4

63 🌡️ 55 | ☁️ | 20% | 💨 N 11 mph (10 knots)

_{Please note that weather conditions can change rapidly. For the most up-to-date information, consider checking a reliable local weather service.}

Live Shows in the 216

Friday – May 2

• Beachland Ballroom & Tavern | Low Gap | 8:00 PM

• Discoveries | The Foundry | 7:00 PM

• Dunlap's Corner Bar | Gamblers | 8:00 PM

• Electric Freak Show | Happy Dog | 9:00 PM

• Factual Brains | Happy Dog | 9:00 PM

• Front St Social | Lauren Brabson | 7:00 PM

• Globe Iron | A Sense of Purpose | 6:00 PM

• Grog Shop | Nada Surf | 7:00 PM

• Happy Dog | Factual Brains | 9:00 PM

• Hop Brothers Brewing | Pete Lazard | 5:30 PM

• House of Blues Cleveland | Magdalena Bay | 7:00 PM

• Joey's Italian Grille (Madison) | Maria Petti | 6:00 PM

• Mahall's | Ocean Grove | 6:00 PM

• Musica | Molly's Midnight Villains | 7:00 PM

• Royal Palace | Banda Ibanez | 8:00 PM

• Signature of Solon | Victor Samalot | 6:00 PM

• The Five 4's Distillery | The Berrys | 7:00 PM

• The Roxy | nothing,nowhere. | 7:00 PM

• The Winchester | The River Boys | 8:00 PM

• The Village Inn | JustDeeDeeMusic | 7:00 PM

• Via Roma | Taylor Lamborn | 7:00 PM

Saturday – May 3

• Agora Theater & Ballroom | Jon Anderson | 8:00 PM

• Bar 32 | Pete Lazard | 7:00 PM

• Beachland Ballroom & Tavern | Local News Legend | 8:00 PM

• Blue Heron | FunGirl | 12:00 PM

• Coda | Raynes | 9:00 PM

• Cornerstone United Methodist Church | Calvary’s Love | 10:30 AM

• Dusty Armadillo | Terri Clark | 6:00 PM

• Ellis_Songs | Mahall’s | 7:00 PM

• Globe Iron | Mushroomhead | 7:00 PM

• Goodyear Theater | Paul Thorn | 7:30 PM

• Happy Dog | The Alarm Clocks | 8:30 PM

• Hollywood Mafia | The Local North Olmsted | 8:00 PM

• House of Blues Cleveland | Magnolia Park | 7:00 PM

• Hilarities | Kevin Nealon | 6:00 PM

• Mahall’s | Boston Manor | 7:00 PM

• Mercury Music Lounge | Runaway Gin (Phish Tribute) | 7:00 PM

• Rialto | Bethany Joy Music | 8:00 PM

• Stocker Arts Center | Electric Avenue | 7:30 PM

• The People's Folk Punk Fest | Cricket! | 1:00 PM

• The Roxy | Hot Milk | 8:00 PM

• The Treelawn | Joshua Jesty | 8:00 PM

• Welcome to the Farm | Jake Dodds | 10:00 PM

Sunday – May 4

• Agora Theater & Ballroom | Five for Fighting w/ String Quartet | 7:30 PM

• Beachland Ballroom & Tavern | Tejon Street Corner Thieves | 7:00 PM

• BOP STOP | Ben Wendel w/ Kneebody | 7:00 PM

• Cornerstone United Methodist Church | Calvary’s Love | 10:30 AM

• Debonné Vineyards | JustDeeDeeMusic | 2:30 PM

• Dunlap’s Corner Bar | Magic Rockers of Texas | 9:00 PM

• Happy Dog | J. Graves | 9:00 PM

• Hilarities | Kevin Nealon | 7:00 PM

• House of Blues Cleveland | Shae Universe | 7:00 PM

• SOL | Maria Petti (Brunch) | 12:00 PM

• The Roxy | The Blue Stones | 7:00 PM

• The Winchester | Youth Lagoon | 8:00 PM

• Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium | DJ Skribble | 2:00 PM

• The Village Inn | Navingale | 8:30 PM

• Wild Eagle Steak & Saloon | The Ladies Night | 9:00 PM

The 216 Sports Area

Upcoming Games

Cavaliers

Home vs Pacers, Sunday May 4 – Time TBD

Guardians

Away vs. Toronto Blue Jays, Thursday May 2 – 7:07 PM EDT

Away vs. Toronto Blue Jays, Friday May 3 – 3:07 PM EDT

Away vs. Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday May 4 – 1:37 PM EDT

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