Now in its 16th year, Brite Winter returns during Cleveland's dreariest month for a day packed with live local music on Saturday, Feb. 22.
The fest will be in a new location this year, just over the Cuyahoga River from its former West Bank of the Flats home. Tickets are available for the event, starting at $12.
A map on Brite Winter's website shows a tentative look at the festival grounds, which take over a part of Old River Road and Collision Bend Brewing Co. in the East Bank of the Flats. Three outdoor stages and two indoor stages will host performances by 30 different musicians and bands from Northeast Ohio.
Wondering which shows you should catch? Here are a few ideas.
(Courtesy Sincere Dennis)
Chelsea Pastel
Vibe with one of Cleveland's best hip-hop musicians, Chelsea Pastel, in what will be a high-energy showcase of her catchy, eclectic music. "I want to make stuff that moves you. I want to have fun performing the songs that I’m making," Ferguson said in a 2024 interview with Cleveland Magazine for the annual Best of Cleveland issue. "I really want to connect and vibe out and get turned up with the audience." 7:45 p.m., Main Stage, instagram.com/chelseapastel
(Black Valve Media)
E-V
Brite Winter’s 2025 headliner is no stranger to the spotlight. Eric Vajda, better known as E-V, is a veteran of the local music scene, spinning feel-good club mixes for over a decade and earning recognition as Cleveland Magazine readers’ favorite DJ in both 2023 and 2024. His nostalgic beats have met the likes of other Cleveland legends like Machine Gun Kelly on their collaborative track, "Good Time," which punctuates exactly what fans can expect from Vajda’s festival set. 9:15 p.m., Main Stage, instagram.com/ev
(Courtesy Jinari Kemet)
Jinari Kemet & The Black Jackets
Kemet’s smooth and soulful hip hop embodies the best elements of artists like Method Man and Ice Cube, bringing polite, poetic rage to the Cleveland stage. Tracks like "Last To Fall" off his third and newest album, The Othercide, will come alive alongside his band The Black Jackets for an eclectic and memorable performance. 8:30 p.m., Bedrock Stage, instagram.com/jinari_kemet
(Courtesy King Buu)
King Buu
Surf's up! This local rock band will throw the Brite Winter crowd into a frenzy with its punky, frenetic spirit showcased on its latest fun-loving singles — which are just a small taste of a brand-new album on the way. 7 p.m., Bedrock Stage, instagram.com/_king_buu_
(Photo courtesy Raimund S-F)
Pal
Armed with an absurdist arsenal of Devo-esque art punk songs showcased on its 2023 debut self-titled album, Pal embraces its own quirky vision. Expect a funny, lively show from this delightfully weird Akron band, ahead of its major appearance at South By Southwest in March. 2:30 p.m., Bedrock Stage, instagram.com/pal.band.ohio
(Courtesy Victoria Holda)
TRUSS
Reminiscent of a pop-punk legend of the early 2000s, TRUSS’s self-proclaimed "riffs from the Rust Belt" can heal the emo kid in all of us. The fearless quartet amassed 30,000 listeners across 118 countries in 2024, thanks in part to a gradual rollout of grungy singles, elevated by the latest, "Tell Me Something," which is sure to rock the Flats East Bank. 6:15 p.m., Main Stage, instagram.com/trussband
(Courtesy Monterra Warmuth)
Will Cherry
Hip-hop artist Will Cherry is all about shining a light on Cleveland's music scene — especially in his latest album Somewhere In Ohio. The 12-track genre-bending project incorporates collaborations with a variety of Northeast Ohio musicians and producers in an impactful, personal ode to Cherry's home state: a perfect fit for the very-Cleveland February music festival. 5:30 p.m., Collision Bend Stage, willcherry.us
(Courtesy Alison Scarpulla)
Wish Queen
Grace Sullivan’s musical moniker is built on dreams, dissected through several lenses on her debut album Saturnalia. Retreat to her Brite Winter set for a soft and soothing sanctuary amid an energetic lineup, promising entrancing vocals and a whimsical aura. 3:15 p.m., Main Stage, instagram.com/wishqueen_
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