Summer festival season is right around the corner. World Cup tickets are the price of a new car, “blue dot fever” has music fans singing the blues, and buying groceries is almost as expensive as eating out.

But fear not! The joy of summer should not be forgone just because your wallet is skint. Here’s 20 summer festivals in and around Cleveland that won’t cost an arm and a leg. 

[Pro Tip: Most of these festivals are free and accessible with just a bus pass and a bottle of water. And hang on to your bottle – the City of Cleveland’s Water department has a 300-gallon portable water buggy you’ll find at a lot of these festivals so you can refill for free.]  

Know a festival we should add to this list? Send us an email.

ReggaeFest Cleveland

  • When:  Saturday and Sunday, May 23 – 24
  • Where: Voinovich Park, 800 E. 9th St. Pier, Cleveland 44114
  • Details:  The annual ReggaeFest Cleveland draws fans from all over Northeast Ohio for a day of music and fun. Guests are allowed to bring a lawn chair, blankets and one sealed bottle of water. See-through bags only. Tickets start at $35. 

Pride in the CLE

  • When: Saturday, June 6, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. 
  • Where: Malls B and C, 300 St. Clair Ave. NE, Cleveland 44114
  • Details: Expect performance art, music, vendors and community outreach as part of Cleveland’s contribution to nationwide Pride Month events. Free to attend.  
Pride in the CLE, 2025. Credit: Mark Naymik

Art in the Village

  • When:  Saturday and Sunday, June 6 – 7
  • Where: Legacy Village, 25001 Cedar Road, Lyndhurst 44124
  • Details: This free summer festival at Legacy Village features over 100 artists across all mediums from jewelry to sculptures and woodwork. There’s also a craft marketplace, plus family-friendly fun and entertainment. 

Cleveland R&B Rodeo Southern Style Food & Vibes Festival

  • When: Saturday, June 13, 3 – 9 p.m.
  • Where: The Rolexx, 24900 Euclid Ave., Euclid 44117
  • Details: The 1st annual Cleveland R&B Rodeo Southern Style Food & Vibes Festival will feature Southern-style eats, music, line dancing and live art activations. Early bird tickets start at $23.18.   

Larchmere PorchFest

  • When: Saturday, June 13, 1 – 10 p.m. 
  • Where: Larchmere Boulevard, Cleveland 44120 
  • Details:  Grab a cooler and a lawn chair and enjoy a day full of free music from your neighbors’ yards as local musicians line up to play on the front porches of participating homes in the Larchmere neighborhood. Plus, there are plenty of places to eat and other things to see along the main road. 

Parade the Circle 

  • When: Saturday June 13, noon – 3 p.m.
  • Where: Wade Oval, 10820 East Boulevard, Cleveland 44106
  • Details:  The theme for this year’s Parade the Circle is “Momentum” and is inspired by the works of local artist Hector Castellanos Lara. The Cleveland Museum of Art’s annual free celebration and parade features eclectic costumes, artworks and immersive art experiences for all ages. 
Lamar Edmondson who works for Cleveland Public Library volunteers his time to paint cardboard cut outs for Parade the Circle floats.
Lamar Edmondson, who works for Cleveland Public Library, volunteers his time to paint cardboard cutouts for Parade the Circle, 2024. Credit: Kenyatta Crisp for Signal Cleveland

Tri-C JazzFest 

  • When: Thursday through Saturday,  June 25 – 27
  • Where: Playhouse Square 
  • Details: Tri-C’s annual JazzFest features indoor ticketed performances and a free-to-attend community festival outdoors featuring several stages of music, plus a food and vendor marketplace. [Pro tip: Seats for the outdoor performance headliners fill up quickly, so if you’re coming after sunset, be prepared to dance!] 

Ohio Scottish Games and Celtic Festival 

  • When:  Saturday and Sunday, June 26 – 27
  • Where: Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, 19201 E. Bagley Road., Berea 44130 
  • Details:   Enjoy arts, crafts, culture, sports, food and more from the Scottish Highlands and Celtic nations. Features whiskey tasting, axe throwing, and workshops where participants can try playing bagpipes or the harp. [Pro tip: The #86 bus gets you within an easy 10-minute walk of the fairgrounds.] Tickets cost $15. 

Tremont Food Truck Festival

  • When: Friday June 26 – Sunday June 28 
  • Where: Lincoln Park, 1200 Starkweather Ave, Cleveland 44113
  • Details: A great festival for those wanting to experience different ethnic foods. This year’s Tremont Food Truck Festival will feature Nigerian, Brazilian, Tropical Asian, Italian and Caribbean cuisines, and that’s just for starters. Free to attend.  

Heading to Akron? Check out Signal Akron’s Your guide to 25+ Akron festivals, fairs and summer events.

Ivan Kupala Festival 

  • When: Sunday June 28, 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Where: Russian Cultural Garden, Cleveland 44103
  • Details: This Russian festival celebrates summer with cultural dance, cuisine, a Russian folklore performance and activities for children. Free to attend.   

Borderlight Festival 

  • When: Wednesday July 8 – Saturday July 11
  • Where: Playhouse Square neighborhood in downtown Cleveland 
  • Details: Over 40 productions across 15 stages, the Borderlight Festival spotlights indie works from comedy and storytelling to experimental and immersive art. Tickets range from around $11.50 to $16.50 per show. 

Garden Walk Cleveland  

  • When:  Saturday and Sunday, July 11 – 12, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 
  • Where: All over the city! 
  • Details: Enjoy free self-guided tours of neighborhoods around Cleveland participating in the Garden Walk. Meet neighbors, gardeners and new walking buddies in Collinwood, Fairfax, Glenville, West Park, Tremont and Ohio City.

Parma Pierogi Palooza

  • When: Saturday and Sunday,  July 11 – 12 
  • Where: Veterans Memorial Park, 6328 Loya Pkwy., Parma 44134 
  • Details: The free-to-attend pierogi festival will feature polka dancing, a kid zone, and a contest for the best pierogi with the winner receiving bragging rights across all of Cleveland. 

Blazing Paddles Riverfest 

  • When: Saturday and Sunday, July 17 – 18
  • Where: West Bank of the Flats 
  • Details: Kayakers and anyone who wants to celebrate the Cuyahoga River are invited to participate in kayak journeys or races or just attend the free Riverfront Expo on Saturday to learn more about the riverfront’s past and its future.  

Tequila Fest Cleveland 

  • When:  Saturday, July 25  3 – 9 p.m. 
  • Where: Voinovich Park, 800 E. 9th St. Pier, Cleveland 44114
  • Details: Over 50 tequilas to sample, plus other drinks and food vendors. Margarita specials all day. Tickets are $55. And watch out for the floor!  

Riverside Cemetery Music and Arts Festival 

  • When: Sunday, July 26, 1 – 5 p.m. 
  • Where: 3607 Pearl Road Cleveland 44109
  • Details: Riverside Cemetery’s annual free Music and Arts Festival helps support preservation and maintenance of the cemetery year-round and features music, eclectic food and goods vendors, and tours to see the cemetery’s more notable residents.   
Riverside Cemetery Music and Arts Festival
Riverside Cemetery Music and Arts Festival, 2025.

Cleveland Kite Festival 

  • When: Sunday, Aug. 9, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. 
  • Where: Edgewater Park, Cleveland 44102
  • Details: The free-to-attend Kite Festival will feature competition and games for flyers, a kite ballet that will be judged by a panel for performance, and workshops teaching the principles of kite flying.  

Cleveland Pagan Pride Days

  • When: Friday through Sunday, Aug. 14 – 16
  • Where: 730 Broadway Ave., Bedford 44146
  • Details: The 17th annual Pagan Pride Days celebrates the history and culture of paganism. Learn more about the different beliefs through workshops, rituals, music and entertainment. The event is free to attend, but cash and non-perishable food donations are encouraged.  

Cleveland Water Lantern Festival

  • When: Saturday, Aug. 22, 5:30 p.m.
  • Where: Coe Lake Park, Berea, 44017
  • Details: Participants receive a water lantern kit at entry and personalize it with messages or statements of intent, then enjoy the moments of reflection as the crowd releases their lanterns together. Tickets are $30.99. 

Cleveland Dragon Boat Festival 

  • When: Saturday, Aug. 29
  • Where: Merwin’s Wharf, 1785 Merwin Ave., Cleveland 44113
  • Details: The ancient Chinese tradition of dragon boat racing has seen a resurgence in modern times. Guests are invited to learn more about dragon boat racing and watch teams race on the Cuyahoga River. 

One World Day

  • When: Sunday, Aug. 30, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Where: Cleveland Cultural Gardens on Martin Luther King Blvd., Cleveland 44106
  • Details: The popular annual One World Day features food, entertainment and cultural learning experiences for all ages, including its popular naturalization ceremony welcoming Clevelanders as new American citizens. Free to attend.[Pro tip: This event involves a lot of walking. You’ll want to be able to walk at least two miles or plan ahead to have assistance.]    

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