Station Hope
With papier-mache sculptures, colored lights and art installations, Station Hope presents moving art on topics of social justice performed by more than 250 actors and actresses, musicians and live storytellers, from groups such as Brick City Theatre and the Hue People Vocal Ensemble. The event that honors St. John’s Episcopal Church’s history as a stop on the underground railroad and features provocative pieces that challenge past struggles with freedom and equality but also address current issues such as immigration and police violence. Free, April 29, 6:30 p.m., 2600 Church Ave., Cleveland, cptonline.org
Pinch and Squeal
The neo-vaudeville duo hosts its beloved variety show at East Fourth Street’s Pickwick & Frolic theater. Through accordion-laced joke songs or knee-jerky love ballads, Pinch (Jason Tilk) and Squeal (Danielle Tilk) present a musical love story set in center of a European-style mini cabaret, complete with a cast of oh-so-wacky magicians, jugglers, escape artists and hula hoop dancers. $20, April 28, 8 p.m., 2035 East Fourth St., pickwickandfrolic.com
Welshly Arms
The loud Cleveland soul-rockers are only getting louder. With Sam Getz’s Midwestern croon and Jimi Hendrix-aspiring guitar licks center stage, the Cleveland six-piece voices a fresh take on bluesy rock ‘n’ roll. It’s caught on, landing the group a record deal with Universal Music Group in Europe, sending them on a European tour, securing a spot touring with NeedtoBreathe and Mat Kearney, and getting their song on Fox’s Empire and Cleveland Indians’ promos. This show is a chance to see the “Legendary” rockers before they go back overseas to France, Germany, Switzerland and more. $20, April 28, 8:30 p.m., Beachland Ballroom, 15711 Waterloo Road, Cleveland, beachlandballroom.com
Canton Film Fest
An explosive RNC documentary and congressman biopic headline this Summit County-based three-day festival. One of the largest to date, the Canton movie spectacle features 68 flicks at three venues, from an American Dream commentary to a fast-paced assassin thriller. Also see headliners A More Civil War, an in-depth capture of the at times tense 2016 Republican National Convention, and Traficant: The Congressman of Crimetown, a story of former Youngstown congressman Jim Traficant, who was a sheriff-turned-congressman-turned-convict after being going to jail for bribery and tax evasion and then getting out to trumpet his innocence. Free, $5, April 28 6:30 - 11 p.m., April 29 noon - 11 p.m., Visit website for venues, cantonfilm.com
Independent Bookstore Day at Mac’s Backs
Coventry’s longtime bookseller Mac’s Backs joins 453 other shops around the country April 29 in a highly literary homage to brick-and-mortars, a celebration lined with live storytelling, face-painting, journal-making and music from avant chamber trio Tres of the D’urvervilles. And of course, look out for one day-only book sales and quirky giveaways. Free, April 29, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., 1820 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, macsbacks.com (Appletree Books, 12419 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, Loganberry Books, 13015 Larchmere Blvd, Shaker Heights, and Learned Owl Book Shop, 204 N. Main St., Hudson, are also participating)