Meet Two Local Memes. Things To Do This Weekend: CLE Daily

Also check out our news roundup for July 22.

by Annie Nickoloff, Ron Ledgard | Jul. 22, 2026 | 5:00 AM

🎂 Happy 230th, Cleveland: The Land celebrates its milestone birthday today with party hats on the Script Signs, a "Brag Button" at Wade Oval Wednesday (5:30-8:30 p.m.) and the 9:30 p.m. debut of "Welcome Home," an all-new Illuminate CLE light-and-music show on Public Square.

⚽️ Soccer Town: Two pro soccer teams and a Downtown stadium are headed to Cleveland — our new CLExplained video with Stephanie Haney breaks down everything to know about Forest City Cleveland and Cleveland Astra.

ICYMI: Lucy Dacus made her first Cleveland stop since 2022, and our review of Monday's Agora show explains why her stripped-down set didn't need any flash.

Support our local journalism with a print subscription to Cleveland Magazine.

Trivia Question

This college in Canton was initially founded in Cleveland in 1892 as the Christian Workers Training School.

Trending: What It's Like To Achieve Internet Virality in Northeast Ohio.

By Annie Nickoloff

When a person becomes a meme or produces an online viral moment, it can change everything about their lives.

Bad Luck Brian: For Akron’s Kyle Craven, the “Bad Luck Brian” meme arose from a high school yearbook photo prank at Archbishop Hoban High School. It’s opened up a world of opportunities to travel to conventions and star in meme-filled commercials.

Kyle Craven: “I've always looked at it as a very lucky situation I was in, and very, very funny.”

"It's a Chicken Salad": Meanwhile, Clevelander Nisha Godfrey went viral after simply posting a video of her lunch on TikTok. Later, the audio was used in music placements and trending videos, and created a wave of recognition in Ohio and beyond.

Nisha Godfrey: "It was a time. I had fun, and I'm just riding the wave while it's still there, basically.”

We talked with both internet-famous Northeast Ohioans in an episode of The CLE Connection, Cleveland Magazine’s podcast that takes a look at Cleveland’s surprising ties to major pop culture moments.

Listen to the episode here.

Talk of the Town

Avon Lake is losing a manufacturer. Geon Performance Solutions is phasing out production at its Avon Lake plant by the end of 2026, moving the operation to Dyersburg, Tennessee.

33,000 new trees are taking root in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, with thousands more plantings to come — staff say the effort is needed to heal decades of deforestation and construction damage inside the park.

Fracking is coming to Wayne National Forest. Federal officials advanced a plan to open 2,800 acres of Ohio's only national forest to oil and gas leasing.

Gravity still rules in Akron. The 88th All-American Soap Box Derby has young racers coming back year after year to Derby Downs, where the beloved tradition keeps rolling.

Cuyahoga County is ready to write its first checks from its new violence prevention grant program, funding community groups working to stop violence before it starts.

Things To Do: Concerts, Food Fests, Festive Cheer and More.

By Jeff Niesel

An Evening with Idina Menzel at Blossom Music Center | Music | July 26

Famous for singing the tunes on the popular soundtrack to the Disney film Frozen, Idina Menzel performs on Sunday night at Blossom with backing from the Cleveland Orchestra in a show that should draw a capacity crowd. Andy Einhorn conducts. The concert begins at 7 p.m. 1145 W. Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com
Christmas Ale in July at Great Lakes Brewing Co. | Food & Drink | July 25

Great Lakes Brewing Company taps its beloved Christmas Ale for this special Christmas in July party. The event begins at 11 a.m. It's a charitable event, too. Organizers suggest bringing an unwrapped toy donation for a toy drive presented by Scott’s Haul, benefiting Providence House. 2516 Market Ave., Cleveland, 216-771-4404, greatlakesbrewing.com

Public Square Movie Nights | Film & TV | July 23

Feature-length family friendly films screen on a monthly basis at this event that takes place at 8 p.m. at Public Square. Food trucks will be on hand, and there will be a pop-up bar and interactive activities. Downtown Cleveland, clevelandpublicsquare.com

Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Festival | Festival | July 23-26

The annual Greek Festival at the Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Cleveland Heights kicks off on Thursday. Expect food, music and church tours. Admission is free, and the event runs through Sunday. In addition to raising funds for the ministries of the church, the festival also will raise money for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. 3352 Mayfield Road, Cleveland Heights, stsconstantine.com
Tacos & Tequila Festival at ForeFront Field | Food & Drink | July 25

Shaggy, Chamillionaire, XZibit, Trina, Ying Yang Twins, Bubba Sparxxx and Murphy Lee will perform at this event that celebrates throwback hip-hop heroes as well as tacos and tequila. It takes place at ForeFront Field. 2009 Baseball Blvd., Avon, 440-934-3636, lakeeriecrushers.com

For our full list of things to do visit clevelandmagazine.com/things-to-do.

Tuesday's Trivia Answer

Founded by Germans C.W. Schmidt and Robert Hoffman, Cleveland Brewery on Ansel Avenue is believed to be the first beer brewery in Cleveland. What year did it begin? 1852

Check back tomorrow for the answer to today's question

From the Editor

Bad Luck Brian ... man, what a throwback! It was cool talking to Kyle about it; I never knew the local connection behind the photo until more recently, but I remember the meme being popular when I was in high school and college. It's making me think about that now-cringey meme era. Who else remembers Grumpy Cat? Nyan Cat? I Can Haz Cheezburger? (The cat memes were always my favorites.)

Meanwhile, Nisha's story unraveled more recently, on newer platforms, exploding on TikTok and Instagram. We even tried the Chicken Salad in 2022 after the video started exploding online. (It was very good!)

I really enjoyed talking to both Kyle and Nisha, and I hope you listen to their stories about internet stardom and how it's changed their lives in unexpected ways. And be sure to keep tuning in, on Wednesdays, for a few more episodes of The CLE Connection podcast.

— Annie Nickoloff

Have a story idea? Tell us what we should cover at conversation@clevelandmagazine.com.

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Annie Nickoloff

Annie Nickoloff is the senior editor of Cleveland Magazine. She has written for a variety of publications, including The Plain Dealer, Alternative Press Magazine, Belt Magazine, USA Today and Paste Magazine. She hosts a weekly indie radio show called Sunny Day on WRUW FM 91.1 Cleveland and enjoys frequenting Cleveland's music venues, hiking trails and pinball arcades.

Ron Ledgard

Ron Ledgard is the managing editor for Cleveland Magazine. He is a native of Pittsburgh and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. He has worked for a number of publications, including The Athletic and Akron Beacon Journal, among others. He enjoys being outside and searching out restaurants to try and things to do. Sports is his subject of choice. Most Starbucks baristas in the area know Ron like the Cheers crowd knew Norm.