Star Spangled Science
Get ready for the Fourth of July at the Great Lakes Science Center with this two-day event centered around chromatic explosions. Meander to the harbor and dissect the physics and chemistry of the fireworks crackling over Lake Erie or create your own Alka-Seltzer rocket that you can launch into the sky. There will be a special watermelon explosion event on both days and explorations of the pigments and tints that sparkle beneath the cosmos. $14-$17, June 30 & July 1 Sat 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sun 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., Great Lakes Science Center, 601 Erieside Ave., 216-694-2000, greatscience.com
Tri-C JazzFest
Miles Davis and John Coltrane would be proud. Cuyahoga Community College’s Jazz Fest takes over U.S. Bank Plaza where you won’t want to miss the gorgeous lineup of some of today’s best jazz, gospel and funk bands such as Common, Vinicius Canturaria, Joshua Redman and more. There will be shopping merchants setup in the square, along with games and food trucks that will surround the stage. Free, June 29 & June 30 3 p.m. - 12 a.m., U.S. Bank Plaza, 1501 Euclid Ave., 216-771-4444, tri-c.edu
Meet Larry Doby
Larry Doby became the first African-American baseball player in the American League when he joined the Cleveland Indians one season before their historic 1948 World Championship. This weekend, the Baseball Heritage Museum will honor Doby’s legacy with a day of stories such as the new biography Just as Good: How Larry Doby Changed America’s Game and activities dedicated to the legendary Cleveland ballplayer. Free, June 30, 12 p.m. - 2 p.m., Baseball Heritage Museum, 6601 Lexington Ave., 216-789-1083, baseballheritagemuseum.org
Shakespeare Festival
Catch the final curtain call of Troilus & Cressida, a 1602 tragedy performed by Cleveland Shakespeare Festival. Adapted and directed by David Hansen, this Shakespearean staple is a can’t-miss event in Cleveland. The predecessor to the festival’s production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, this enigmatic Trojan War-epic will erupt throughout the city this weekend. Free, June 29 - July 1, various locations, 440-794-1273, cleveshakes.com
Waterloo Arts Festival
The 16th installment of the Waterloo Arts Festival will bring local bands, art vendors and Cleveland food trucks to the Waterloo Arts District outside Downtown Cleveland. With an electric cacophony of everything from polka to hip hop, this festival will energize locals. There will be over 80 vendors slinging out original work and high-quality snacks. Fine arts exhibits will be on display throughout the neighborhood. Free, June 30, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Waterloo Arts & Entertainment District, Waterloo Rd. between E. 161st Street and Calcutta Avenue, 216-692-9500, waterlooarts.org
