Akron’s Lock 3 Live Rib, White & Blue
Kick off your Fourth of July weekend with an American classic: ribs and lots of them. This five-day festival features ribs from 12 vendors who hail from five different states — and even another country, Canada — along with performances from the Akron Symphony Orchestra and the Freedom Brass Band. While vendors compete for cash prizes and the title of champion, you can compete with friends and family to see who can devour the most ribs in a single weekend. Free, June 30-July 4, 11 a.m.-11 p.m., 200 S. Main St., Akron, lock3live.com
Cleveland Orchestra’s Star-Spangled Spectacular
Around 80,000 attendees are expected at the Cleveland Orchestra’s 28th annual Star-Spangled Spectacular and you’ll want to be one of them. Downtown Cleveland’s spacious, grassy Mall B provides ample room for guests to picnic on the lawn or dance along to the orchestra’s classical and patriotic tunes. The night, which begins with guest conductor Loras John Schissel leading a traditional rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner and includes a march in honor of the U.S. military, remains true to its patriotic theme right until the end, when a fireworks display is set to shine bright against the Cleveland skyline. Free, June 30, food trucks arrive at 6 p.m., concert begins at 9 p.m., 300 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, clevelandorchestra.com
Bats in my Bouffant: Art Exhibition and Fashion Show
It’s Independence Day, not Halloween. But that doesn’t stop visual artist and illustrator Angela Oster and textile artist Krista Tomorowitz from showing off their spooky vibes this weekend. The two are coming together to present their collaborative work at Canopy Collective this Friday. Tomorowitz crafts fashion-forward garments, which Oster then hand-paints with out-of-this-world patterns that include bats, vampires and ghouls. This gallery’s opening reception is sure to make as loud a burst onto the Cleveland art scene as the fireworks across town will be making in the sky. Free, June 30 (on view for two weeks), 6-10 p.m., 3910 Lorain Ave., Cleveland
A Night of (Mostly) Local Short Films and Videos
Emerge Microcinema, a Cleveland-based organization that showcases local, independent films, is offering patrons a chance to screen a music video from local, indie rock band Ottawa, several documentaries about local shops and citizens, a satire about martial arts created entirely in 48 hours, and more. Best of all, the event will be held at Forest City Brewery. The combination of locally made films and locally brewed beer goes together almost as well as red goes with white and blue. $5-7, June 30, 8 p.m., 2135 Columbus Road, Cleveland, forestcitybrewery.com
Light up the Lake
Luckily, the fireworks that the Downtown Cleveland Alliance is launching from the Port of Cleveland on Tuesday will be loud and bright enough to shine through to a number of locations all around the city. Shooters on the Water, Whiskey Island, Voinovich Bicentennial Park and Edgewater Beach are just a few of the spots from which you can partake in this free, family-friendly fun. Free, July 4, at dusk (approximately 10 p.m.), various locations, downtowncleveland.com