📰 Your Weekend Festival Game Plan

Good morning, Cleveland! This is The 216 Scoop: Game 2 had tired legs, missed chances, and enough stress to make your smartwatch ask if you were okay 😮‍💨⌚🏀

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Keep Your Cool

John Petkovic & Jude Perez

The mad dash toward summer is upon us.

Festival season gets rolling with the first batch in what will be a long and busy run of celebrations.

Subscribe to the 216 Insider for our 2026 Cleveland Festival Guide – your roadmap through the summer.

Now on to the soirees:

54^th Tremont Greek Festival: A can of Mythos, dolmades and a side of baklava – Opa! The bash rolls out all three – along with bands, performers and tours of the 1913 Annunciation Church in Tremont. Through Monday. Info.

Reggae Fest Cleveland: OK, Cleveland isn’t Montego Bay, but the vibes are irie and the bands will feel like a trip to Jamaica. It features 10 reggae bands and a slew of food trucks in Voinovich Park. Saturday-Sunday. Info.

Blossom Time: This old-timey celebration makes Chagrin Falls feel like some classic movie -- where a parade, hot-air balloons, ice cream, carnival rides and a pie-eating contest add up to a thick, enchanting slice of Americana. Through Monday. Info.

27^th Berea National Rib Cook-Off & Beer Fest: This saucy chowdown has made millions of fingers messy since its 1988 debut. This edition brings 11 rib teams, a car cruise, bands and carnival rides to Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds. Through Monday. Info.

U.S. Polka Association Annual Polka Festival & Convention: The celebration of all things Polish has been kicking for six decades. It rolls out barrels and barrels of polka bands, ethnic pride, food at Wyndham Independence. Through Sunday. Info.

There’s here’s the waterfall, winding creek, thick forest and dramatic rock formation. I was even joined by three-foot snake on the trail.

But Tinker’s Creek in the Cleveland Metroparks Bedford Reservation offers a hidden look at a very different – and just as striking – scenery.

Amid the lush nature are the obscure ruins of an abandoned settlement that traces back to Cleveland’s founding.

Named after Captain Joseph Tinker, a surveyor in Moses Cleaveland's 1796 party, the creek powered a sawmill, gristmill and electric power plant from 1821-1913.

Well-worn brick formations, walls, tunnels and a viaduct are dramatic reminders of some long-gone ghost town.

Of course, the creek is from a much older era -- thousands of years earlier, when the valley was carved by glaciers.

We think of industrial ruins as graffiti-covered blight. These are embedded in lush greenery, and they seem to get along just fine.

The Game 1 was a disaster – particularly for a team that had just played 14 playoff games against the athletic Pistons and Raptors.

They came into Game 2 tired and out of sync.

Still, the Cavs were able to cut an 18-point deficit to seven with 7:46 to go.

Tired legs couldn’t complete the comeback.

Takeaways:

They have one day of rest before they’re back at it for Game 3 on Thursday in Rocket Arena.

FRIDAY

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition: The just-opened Great Lakes Science Center show features over 200 authentic artifacts, room recreations and piece of the hull of the ‘unsinkable ship’ that perished during its maiden voyage in 1912. (Also a VR experience and an immersive film.) Info.

Vinny Guadagnino: He’s been everywhere, from appearing “Jersey Shore” to “Dancing With the Stars.” He’s also a best-selling author and comedian who brings his routine to Hilarities. 7 & 9:45 p.m. (Also Saturday.) Info.

Claws Out!: The Wizbang Theater is loaded with panache and will take to 11 with this titillating drag variety show – featuring glittery king and queens. 7:30 p.m. Info.

SATURDAY

Nature Storytime at Squire’s Castle: A Metroparks naturalist leads an exploration through the abandoned 1890s castle that is said to be haunted by Mrs. Squire – who roams the estate with a red lantern.10 a.m. Info.

Dog Prom: A night of puppy glamor with a red carpet, prom king & queen and themed drinks at Taps & Tails – the dog park and cocktail lounge, always with a fun theme. 5 p.m. Info.

Vaude-Tease Revue: The Ohio Burlesque variety show pays tribute to old-time vaudeville, classic striptease and circus sideshows. 7:30 p.m., Beachland Ballroom. Info.

👉 View Listing on Zillow

There’s enough for a sequel, maybe even a mini-series.

MacKenzie Shirilla – the subject of the Netflix hit documentary “The Crash” -- keeps making headlines.

This time, it has to do with the convicted killer’s ‘mean girl’ behavior in the Ohio Reformatory for Women.

The Strongsville native and convicted killer of boyfriend Dominic Russo and his friend Davion Flanagan is accused of acting very different than the remorseful soul in the doc.

“She walked around like she was this famous person within prison,” said Mary Katherine Crowder, who served time with Shirilla. “She definitely carried herself like she was the Regina George of prison … she was very much like an ‘It girl.’”

She contends that Shirilla had several “hook-ups” in prison – and treated it “like a high school popularity contest.” 

The 1971 Memorial Day Parade in University Heights, led by a Delta 88 used to promote the Heights Public Library. “Read and Be Happy” – indeed!

Ooh and don’t forget! Tag @The216Scoop on Facebook & @scoopcle on Instagram to get your photos in the Scoop!

68 °F 🌡️ 54 °F | 🌤️➡️🌧️ (PM Showers) | 40% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 15 mph E (≈ 13 knots)

61 °F 🌡️ 56 °F | 🌧️ (Rain) | 100% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 19 mph SE (≈ 17 knots)

68 °F 🌡️ 58 °F | ☁️➡️☀️ (AM Clouds, PM Sun) | 22% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 7 mph WNW (≈ 6 knots)

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

Away vs. Phillies, 6:40 PM May 22 (Friday)

Away vs. Phillies, 4:05 PM May 23 (Saturday)

Away vs. Phillies, 1:35 PM May 24 (Sunday)

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