Progressive Mid-America Boat Show
Start planning your next Lake Erie cruise at the 61st annual Progressive Mid-America Boat Show at the I-X Center. Whether you prefer fishing, sailing or cruising, the selection of more than 400 boats offers options for even the casual sailor. The show will feature more than 160 exhibitors selling at discounted prices, plus Metroparks exhibits, a free scuba dive pool and a “boating experience pavilion” offering boat simulations and children’s activities. Food selections include the popular lobster bisque from Put-In-Bay’s Boardwalk Restaurant—putting you on island time even in the middle of a Cleveland winter. $14. Jan. 18 & 19, noon-9 p.m.; Jan. 20 & 21, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. I-X Center, 1 I-X Center Drive, Cleveland, 216-676-6000. clevelandboatshow.com
For the Love of Chocolate Festival
An event as decadent as it is delicious, Medina's 21st annual For the Love of Chocolate Festival is the place for cocoa cravers. Your $10-dollar ticket covers 8 two-bite size samples of different chocolate selections. With an abundance of chocolates, beer, wine and Valentine’s Day gift options, this event also offers live music, a Swenson’s food truck and children’s activities. Proceeds help raise money for free services for older adults and those with disabilities living in Medina County. Start February’s sugar rush right with an entire festival dedicated to this sweet delight. $10. Jan. 19, 6-10 p.m. Medina County Fairgrounds Community Center, 735 Lafayette Road, Medina, 330-952-0342. fiamedina.org/medina-chocolate-festival-2018
Cleveland Tattoo Arts Convention
Back for its third year, the Cleveland Tattoo Arts Convention spotlights a bevy of body modifications with tattoo sessions, appearances from notable TV tattoo artists, educational seminars and design competitions along with much more. At the Huntington Convention Center, the festival will have nine special guests, including Spike’s Ink Master Season 5 and 7 runner-up Cleen Rock One. The event will feature more than 300 national and international tattoo artists inking live on site — the perfect opportunity to get that tattoo of LeBron you’ve been considering. $20-$40. Jan. 19, 2 p.m.-midnight; Jan. 20, 11 a.m.-midnight; Jan. 21, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Cleveland Convention Center, 300 Lakeside Ave., Cleveland, 216-423-4780. villainarts.com
G. Love and Special Sauce
Join G Love and Special Sauce at the House of Blues on its 25th anniversary tour for a shot of laid-back, “sloppy” blues fused with classic R&B. Calling to mind both Jack Johnson and Beastie Boys, the Philly trio has long stymied genre constraints, blending relaxed rhymes, upright bass and guitar to create its sonic concoction. Since its 1994 self-titled debut, the funky festival favorites have released seven albums, including last year’s Coming Home for Christmas and spawned a devoted following. Grab a cold beverage — see what we did there? — and jam out with the Sauce. $25-$35. Jan. 20, 8 p.m. House of Blues, 308 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 216-523-2583. houseofblues.com/cleveland
Marie and Rosetta
Set over one night in a funeral home in 1946 Mississippi, this musical play traces the true tale of famed gospel singer and guitarist Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight, a vocalist who was her protegee and collaborator. Tharpe, a 2018 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee for her influence on early rock n’ roll, snatches the mannerly Knight from a rival gospel show, and their momentous musical collaboration begins. In this bio-drama, the two powerhouses spend one night rehearsing for their premiere as a musical duo, exploring love, the Lord, race relations and womanhood along the way. Written by George Brant, this 90-minute show will have the audience singing a resounding hallelujah. $25-$105. Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 21, 6:30 p.m. Allen Theater, 1407 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 216-241-6000. clevelandplayhouse.com