6/1: The annual Taste of Lakewood moves to Madison Park and features local favorites such as the Root Cafe, Deagan's Kitchen and Bar, Jammy Buggars and Barrio. tasteoflakewood.com
6/4: Who says you can't find paradise in Cleveland? Hop aboard the Nautica Queen's Wednesday Tropical Nights starting today to satisfy your Caribbean craving. nauticaqueen.com
6/6: Impress that special person with a night under a sea of glowing hot air balloons (and a glass of ice wine) at the Debonne Vineyards Hot Air Balloon Night Glow Dinner. debonne.com
6/7: The family that canoes together stays together (unless you end up capsized). Test your family bonds during a 5 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. evening paddle on Silver Creek Lake. summitmetroparks.org
6/8: Forage for tea ingredients on a guided hike through the West Creek Reservation in Parma and learn how to make your own au naturel tea. clevelandmetroparks.com
6/13: Returning to the stage after 30 years means grayer hair, but Bill Cosby's jokes are still sharp in his Far From Finished tour that stops at the Akron Civic Theatre. akroncivic.com
6/13-15: Grab your slice of the "Best Pizza on the North Coast" at the Cleveland Pizza Fest at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in Berea. clevelandpizzafest.com
6/16: Rock Hall inductee Elvis Costello brings his first solo tour in nearly a decade to the Palace Theatre in Playhouse Square for a night of classics, fun and fedoras. playhousesquare.org
6/21: A true street party, the juried Clifton Arts and Musicfest combines live music and a variety of fine artisans from throughout the state and US. cudell.com/artsfest.asp
6/21: Salute summer's longest day with the Summer Solstice Sunset at Observatory Park — one of eight recognized Dark Sky Parks in the U.S. perfect for stargazing. geaugaparkdistrict.org
6/22-9/7: Learn to appreciate yoga from a scholarly point of view as the Yoga: The Art of Transformation exhibit opens at the Cleveland Museum of Art and runs through Sept. 7. clevelandart.org
6/24: Jimmy Buffett is still singing about beaches and cheeseburgers, and we like it that way. Jimmy Buffett and The Coral Reefer Band plays at Blossom Music Center. livenation.com
Try This: Get a killer core workout and test your balance by renting a stand-up paddleboard ($10 per hour) at Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park from 10: 30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. lakemetroparks.com
7/4: Skip navigating crowded city lawns and enjoy your fireworks from Progressive Field while cheering on the Cleveland Indians. Did we mention it's Dollar Dog Night?
7/9: The Tyrannosaurus rex, stegosaurus and torosaurus roar to life when Walking with Dinosaurs, based on an award-winning BBC show, claws its way back to Quicken Loans Arena. theqarena.com
7/11-17: There's no Tom Hanks in the stage version, but there's enough nostalgia in TrueNorth Theatre's Big, The Musical for you to remember why you never wanted to grow up. metroparks.cc
7/12 and 13: Tend to your green thumb with the free GardenWalk Cleveland, a tour of gardens, vineyards and farms sprouting up from Old Brooklyn to Glenville. gardenwalkcleveland.org
7/25-27: Santa, his reindeer and plenty of eggnog take over Put-in-Bay for Christmas in July, as the entire island decks its halls during this rollicking three-day weekend. visitputinbay.com
7/19: Get down and dirty at 5k Foam Fest in Garrettsville with obstacles ranging from muddy slip •n' slides to foam-filled bounce houses. Race tip: Goggles are a must. 5kfoamfest.com
7/19: Get one step closer to sailing off into the sunset with Fair Wind's Lake Erie Sailing School. Our pick? The Instant Cruiser, where you'll take to the water for a three-day weekend. fairwindsailing.com
7/19: Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with Medina County Bicycle Club's Ice Cream Odyssey Ride a trek for a sweet reward — a cone from Hartzler Family Dairy Ice Cream shop. medinabikeclub.org
7/24-8/10: Oliver, the Porthouse Theatre production, opens at Blossom Music Center and runs through Aug. 10. The Oliver Twist takeoff will have you begging, "Please, sir. I want some more." porthousetheatre.com
7/25: The Fray's passionate stage presence and honest lyrics is enough to make you break your plans and head to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica to catch the Helios Tour. livenation.com
7/27: Bring the family along for a night of crafts, firefly catching and a little "Kumbayah" to the Firefly Campfire at Bradley Woods Reservation. clevelandmetroparks.com
8/1: Experience one of summer's hottest parties Twilight at the Zoo with 17 bands, food by local chefs and drinks at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. clevelandzoosociety.org
8/1-3: See double again and again at the Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg that features a parade of pairs, a twins talent show and more during the world•s largest annual gathering of twins. twinsdays.org
8/2: Plane tickets to Hawaii may be too expensive, but the island-style Summer Beach Party featuring surfer movie Blue Crush at Huntington Beach is a nice escape until you save up. clevelandmetroparks.com
8/6-20: Spice things up with free dance lessons and live Latin music at the Mid-Summer Night Salsa Series on U.S. Bank Plaza 5 p.m. Aug. 6, 13 and 20. playhousesquare.org
8/7: She writes her own music, sings and plays the piano. Eight-time Grammy Award-nominated Tori Amos is the perfect act to see in the peaceful, open-air Evans Amphitheater. cainpark.com
8/8-9/6: Our hopes are high for the Browns this time of year. Prep for the roller coaster ahead with Dawg Pounded, which follows two Browns fans through a disappointing season. playhousesquare.org
8/9-16: You saw the commercial during the Olympics, now witness more than 12,000 participants of all kinds compete in more than 35 sports at the Gay Games 9. gg9cle.com
8/14: The ultimate California Gurl Katy Perry comes to Quicken Loans Arena for a show sure to be filled with over-the-top costumes, killer dance moves and maybe even fireworks. theqarena.com
Try This: Cast a line and let someone else handle the boat, tackle, live bait and rods with Wildwood Marina's walk-on Fishing Charters specializing in perch or walleye. discoverydive.com
Try This: Add some high-flying fun to your next hike by zooming through a mini zip line or navigating an obstacle course at Buckeye Bud's Adventure Woods in the Holden Arboretum. holdenarb.org
8/22-24: Watch 96 regional teams compete in the Wickcliffe Italian-American Club's Cleveland Challenge Cup of Bocce while enjoying Italian entertainment and food. wickliffeianda.com
8/23: The area's longest-running indie craft show is showing foodies some love with the first Cleveland Food Bazaar in Wade Oval filled with local food and culinary-related items. clevelandbazaar.org
8/24: With a little help from your friends — the Cleveland Orchestra — celebrate the 50th anniversary of Beatlemania hitting the U.S. with the Beatles Tribute at Blossom Music Center. clevelandorchestra.com
Try This: Jet Packs are no longer only for astronauts. While the average Joe still cannot fly through space, he can soar above water with Jet Pack Water Adventures in Sandusky. jetpackwateradventures.com
8/27: Pat Benatar may claim love is a battlefield, but she won our hearts and that of her guitarist husband Neil Giraldo, performing with her at the Hard Rock Rocksino. hrrocksinonorthfieldpark.com
Try This: Quell antsy kids with a fun day full of bumper boats, mini golf and paintball at Swings-N-Things in Olmsted Township. Don't leave without ordering an ice cream cone first. swings-n-things.com
8/30-9/1: The signature watermelon sherbet and cantaloupe ice cream at the Milan Melon Festival is a local legend and worth the drive out west. milanmelonfestival.org
8/30-9/1: Last year's Labor Day weekend was dull without the Cleveland National Air Show. Restart the tradition with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels at Burke Lakefront Airport. clevelandairshow.com
