The Cleveland Arcade Sets The Holiday Stage

Editor's Note: This article was originally published in December 2021.

Dressed in more than 10,000 lights, the Cleveland Arcade twinkles to life, bathed in a warm glow that’s sealed with the kiss of a lakefront sky beyond its 300-foot-long glass skylight. The historic indoor shopping center, the first of its kind in America, remains the elegant gentleman it was in 1890.

For the past 20 years, a team of about 20 Hyatt Regency Hotel managers have eagerly volunteered to string more than 5,000 feet of garland and 250 bows along the arcade’s 100-foot-long columns, creating the timeless charm of a classic Christmas. 

From shimmering symmetry to the 15-foot-tall Christmas tree in the rotunda, Hyatt general manager Todd Byrns says it may be the best indoor Cleveland holiday display. “[For] a lot of people … it reminds them of their childhood or something from their past. The building’s been here for 131 years and it’s always been a focal point in the city of Cleveland during the holidays.” 

For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter, delivered to your inbox six times a week.