For the town that maintains the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, there's certainly reason to also have an annual music festival. The Cleveland Music Fest, held near the Lake Erie shore, features such popular genres as metal, hip-hop and, of course, rock. In fact, more than 200 bands, from national to local acts, perform at the weekend-long festival each year, making it one of the largest events in the city. The Cleveland Music Fest is sponsored by Guerrilla Productions and has been going since 2000.
Cleveland Music Fest
Numerous downtown venues
Cleveland, OH 44102
216-322-6056
clevelandmusicfest.com
The annual Rock on the Range festival in Columbus is considered by many to be "the" rock festival in Ohio. Although Columbus certainly isn't the largest city in the state, it is home to Ohio State University, which has about 60,000 students living in and around town. The two-day festival takes place in Columbus Crew Stadium, which can hold up to 30,000 people when hosting concerts, and features a large dose of heavy rock and metal acts. Bands to have most recently played Rock on the Range include Godsmack, the Deftones and Limp Bizkit.
Rock on the Range
1 Black & Gold Boulevard
Columbus, OH 43211
614-447-2739
rockontherange.com
For lovers of classical music in Ohio, the Blossom Music Festival in Cuyahoga Falls is the concert to attend. The annual open-air festival occurs over the month of August. Each weekend, there is an emphasis on a different composer or style of classic music, with performances by the Cleveland Orchestra. With the lush green lawn, guests are encouraged to bring picnics and enjoy a summer dinner along with the music. Monthly passes for the Blossom Music Festival are available, and children under 12 can attend for free.
Blossom Music Festival
1145 Steels Corners Rd
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223
216-231-1111
clevelandorchestra.com
The Cincy Blues Fest, sponsored by the Cincy Blues Society, has the motto, "Keepin' the blues alive." That no doubt is the purpose of Cincinnati's annual blues festival, which has been running since 1992, when it used to be called the Queen City Blues Fest. The two-day event, held in Sawyer Point Park, is dedicated to pure blues, with more than 40 different acts performing on four separate stages. With several band and musician competitions, the Cincy Blues Fest seeks to educate its audience on the importance of the genre as much as it does to entertain.
Cincy Blues Fest
Sawyer Point Park,
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-739-2583
cincyblues.org