The Great Big Home and Garden Show
Whether you dream of a white picket fence or a sleek high-rise filled with the latest tech, the Great Big Home and Garden show will help you make a house a home with more than 600 exhibitors and 1,000 experts. Snap a pic for your Instagram beside the vibrant flower wall entrance before exploring 12 gardens inspired by musical themes. Watch HGTV celebs, local experts, chefs and special guest designer Kathy Ireland on the Main Stage or wander through surprisingly spacious tiny homes, each under 200-square feet in size. With this many experts present, the Great Big Home and Garden Show practically forbids buyer’s remorse. $5-$10. Feb. 2 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Feb. 3 10 a.m.-9 p.m. & Feb. 4 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 1 I-X Center Drive, Cleveland, 216-676-6000, ixcenter.com
Shen Yun
Dive into 5,000 years of Chinese history with traditional music and dance in a show that transcends time. The dance troupe’s performance at Playhouse Square’s State Theatre moves through Chinese regions, dynasties and legends while folk dances light up the stage with vibrant colors and electric energy. A nonprofit company, Shen Yun Performing Arts is banned in China, but is taking the rest of the world by storm with its preservation of long-forgotten civilizations. Prepare to be transported for two hours into a world where legends breathe. $80-$150. Feb. 3 2 &7 p.m., Feb. 4 2 p.m. Playhouse Square, State Theatre, 1501 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 866-546-1353, playhousesquare.org
Wild & Scenic Film Festival
Take a trip into the wild with this festival exploring natural adventures and environmental struggles. This national tour will be making a stop at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Feb. 3 for a screening of 10 shorts, ranging from the topic of elusive wolverines to the vast cosmos. Attendees can also meet local sustainability and conservation organizers after the screening. The Great Lakes take a starring role in this year's festival with Great Lakes, Bad Lines, a short highlighting pipelines’ threat to these natural wonders. Don’t miss this opportunity to see films that inspire a closer look into natural life. $15-$25. Feb. 3 3 p.m., Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive, Cleveland, 216-231-4600, cmnh.org
Celebrating Black History Month
In celebration of Black History Month, Verb Ballet will showcase original works from two nationally recognized African-American choreographers, Tommie-Waheed Evans and Cleveland native Antonio Brown at the Breen Center for Performing Arts. Evans’ Dark Matter, and audience favorite, returns to the stage, while Verb will revive Brown’s first work, Continuum among others. With innovative stage design by Trad A. Burns, the performances harmonize to create an ethereal and captivating experience. Come early for a pre-show talk with both choreographers at 7:10 p.m. detailing their experiences in dance, and before reveling in the show’s marriage of intense physicality and visual effects. $25-$35. Feb. 3 8 p.m., St. Ignatius High School, Breen Center for the Performing Arts, 2008 W. 30th St., Cleveland, 216-397-3757, verbballets.org
Thirsty Dog Super Bowl Party
As Super Bowl Sunday looms, what better place to watch a sans-Browns football game then at the Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. with 32 beers on tap and 16 HD televisions to watch your adopted favorite bring in the victory. With Super Bowl-themed games, access to an all-you-can-eat buffet and an all-you-can-drink special on select drafts, this party will either comfort you in defeat or help you bask in glory. $30. Feb. 4 5:30-10 p.m. Thirsty Dog Brewing Co., 1075 Old River Road, Cleveland, 216-523-1501, thirstydogeastbank.com