Burning River Fest
With all those Burning River jokes behind us after a Cavs championship and a stellar job hosting the RNC, it’s time to focus on the important takeaway from that debacle — we need to respect and maintain our freshwater resources. Raising eco-conscious, the Burning River Fest also educates about our food and culinary scene with 18 musicians and food demos from rock star chefs from Edwins and Pier W. Between acts, grab one of Great Lakes signature brews, like the aptly named Lawn Seat Kolsch. $15 each day, Aug. 26 & 27, 6 p.m., Historic Coast Guard Station, 2800 Whiskey Island, burningriverfest.org
Night Market Cleveland
Looking for a bit of luck? The dragon hitting Night Market Cleveland at 7:30 p.m. with the OCA Dragon Dance Team also performed at a Cleveland Cavaliers halftime show this year, and it may still have some extra goodwill left in it for you. Championships aside, this nighttime extravaganza offers plenty of charm, with heaping plates from AsiaTown restaurants and food trucks, goodies from local vendors and performers like AppalAsia, a Pittsburgh trio that blends traditional Appalachian and Asian instruments for a unique, multicultural sound. Free, Aug. 26, 5-11 p.m., Rockwell Avenue and East 21st Street, Cleveland, nightmarketcle.com
The Woman Hater at Mamai Theatre Co.
Boys are from Mars, girls are from Venus. … Enter the world of (nonsensical) gender politics with this absurdist comedy written by Frances Burney in 1802, premiering for the first time in the U.S. at Mamai Theatre Co. Featuring a jilted lover who swears off women for life, the scatterbrained bookworm who left him and a host of comic misunderstandings, The Woman Hater promises to be an uproarious but insightful look at the roles we assign men and women. During the Sunday matinee performance, audience members with children between five and seven (one child per adult ticket) can drop them off for an interactive arts workshop with Mamai co-founder Wendy Kriss, focusing on self-expression and confidence through art. $22, Aug. 26 & 27, 7:30 p.m., Aug. 28 2:30 p.m., Cleveland Masonic Auditorium, 3615 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, mamaitheatreco.org
Cleveland Garlic Festival
Open your eyes and taste buds to discover more about this pungent cousin of the onion. Try garlic any way you want from garlic fries to Mitchell’s Homemade garlic ice cream. Catch the Top Chef Grill-Off competition featuring chefs from hot spots like Pier W each day at 1p.m., learn about the bulb with the Cleveland Botanical Green Corps and dance off your tastings with bands like rock group Sim Ross and the Redemption so you can come back for more. (Just consider bringing some mints.) $9 for adults, $5 children and seniors, Aug. 27 noon-9 p.m. and Aug. 28 noon-6 p.m., Shaker Square, 13219 Shaker Square, Cleveland, clevelandgarlicfestival.org
One World Day
If you didn’t get a chance to cross the pond this summer, travel the globe with One World Day, a celebration of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens’ centennial and the diversity in our city. On foot or via Lolley the Trolley, stamp your souvenir passport at performances and activities in each country’s garden — and come hungry to enjoy traditional treats like banh mi sandwiches and goulash from accompanying food trucks along the way. The celebration will also feature a Naturalization Ceremony in which a federal judge will swear in 25 new citizens from throughout the world, as well as a parade with international flags and ethnic costumes. For the event’s finale, return home from your travels with some heartland rock from Cleveland’s own Michael Stanley. Free, Aug. 28, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Cleveland Cultural Gardens, East and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards, clevelandoneworldday.org