This Mother’s Day weekend, celebrate history and social justice at Station Hope, bowl with Clevelanders that have big ideas at BOLWECTIVO, re-live the dream of the ‘90s at Mahall’s MTV Spring Break Dance Party, run four miles to support clean water in Cleveland and more.

Station Hope
Saturday, May 9th 6 - 10:30 pm
St. John’s Church, 2600 Church St.
Free (all ages)

Ohio City’s St. Johns Episcopal Church was known on the Underground Railroad as “Station Hope.” In the years leading up to the Civil War, it served as a safe space for freedom seekers on their way to Canada.

Slaves once hid in the church's bell tower, where they watched for signals from Lake Erie telling them that it was safe to venture to the lake shore to board steamships bound for Canada. Some neighborhood residents recognized the church as a station on the Underground Railroad and instructed slaves to hide when bounty hunters were nearby.

On Saturday, Cleveland Public Theatre and Ward 3 Councilman Joe Cimperman present the second annual Station Hope, a block party with a purpose. It is a free multi-arts event that celebrates the triumphs of the Underground Railroad, the history of St. John’s Church and contemporary struggles for freedom and justice.

“We hope that this event provides an opportunity for reflection and connection and an opportunity to move people at a heart level toward greater compassion and understanding for some of the most relevant issues of our time,” says Cathleen O’Malley, CPT’s Director of Audience Engagement & Media Relations.

Station Hope is a choose-your-own-adventure style event featuring seven different stages showcasing many arts forms including theatre, dance and music. Speakers will address topics of social justice, history and messages of hope.

CPT confirmed yesterday that former Congressman Louis Stokes will be attending the event, which kicks off at 6 p.m. with the dedication of an Ohio Underground Railroad Historical Marker. It will be officiated by Bishop Mark Hollingsworth (Episcopal Diocese of Ohio), Cathy Nelson (Chair of Ohio Friends of Freedom Society), Ward 3 Councilman Joe Cimperman and Stokes.

St. John’s is on the corner of Church and W. 26th, south of a middle-class, gentrifying neighborhood and north of public housing. “It is extremely powerful that between these two sections of the community is this extraordinary site whose whole history is liberation and to provide a safe base,” she says.

Aside from Cleveland Height’s Cozad Bats House, which was also an active station on the Underground Railroad, St. John’s is the only other authenticated historical site of this type in Cleveland. In the future, CPT hopes to maintain an ongoing relationship with St. Johns as a hub for arts and community activities.

“We are looking forward to viewing the transformative power of the arts in nurturing compassion and being reconnected to this extraordinary historical treasure,” says O’Malley.

Bowlectivo
Thursday, May 7th. 6 -9 pm
The Nash 3563 East 80th St., at Union Ave.
$10 (includes bowling, two drinks & snacks)

Over the last 10 years, the Cleveland Colectivo has awarded more than $115,000 in grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 to support innovative ideas. To celebrate their 10th anniversary, they will award one $10,000 grant to a past grant recipient.

The crowd will vote on the best idea for building Cleveland and the winner will receive $500 and a spot as a finalist. The second place idea will also become a finalist. If you didn’t receive a grant from Collectivo in the past, the best bowler also has the chance to become eligible for funding as a wild-card finalist.

Attendees can also bid on donated items in a silent auction including bikes and art. Following the event, the finalists will be invited to make short proposal presentations to Colectivo members who will determine the anniversary grant winner.

NOAD Art Expo
Thursday, May 7th, 5 - 9 pm (preview gallery)
Friday & Saturday, May 8th - 9th, 11 am - 5 pm
Sunday, May 10th, 12 pm - 5 pm
Transformer Station, 1460 West 29 Street
$10 (Preview Gala is $50 and includes readmission)

NOADA is an association of Ohio fine art galleries and dealers formed to promote professionalism in the marketing and sale of fine art. The ArtExpo, NOADA’s annual public exhibition, provides educational programming while showcasing members and their artwork. The event provides an opportunity to browse and purchase fine works of art from Ohio’s most respected dealers and galleries, including a cross section of historic, regional, international and contemporary paintings, drawings, fine prints, photography, fiber art and sculpture.

Bada Bingo!
Friday, May 8th, 7 pm
Convivium 33 Gallery
$65 (5 Bada Bingo! cards & drink ticket)

Bada Bingo is not your grandmother’s bingo! Support Zygote Press while sitting down for dinner and dessert provided by A Taste of Excellence and local chefs from Flying Fig, Grovehill, Anna in the Raw, Tastebuds, Toast, Reddi’s Pizza, Luna, Outrageous Endings by Sandi Lefkowitz and Pheonix Coffee, with an art exhibition curated by Alenka Banco. There will be a cash bar and music by DJ Ape Bleakney with MC Veranda L’Ni. Enjoy silent auction, bingo and much more funky fun!

Groove is in the heart presents: An MTV Spring Break Dance Party!
Saturday, May 9th, 10 pm - 2 am
Mahalls 20 Lanes, 13200 Madison Ave.
$2 (all ages)

The time has come to bust out your little red one-piece Baywatch Speedo! This Saturday is Mahall’s third ‘90s dance party hosted by Catittude Vintage, a curated resale shop located at the front room of Mahalls.

If you fell love at the ‘90s Valentine’s Day dance party in February, here’s your chance to do it all over again, except this time the theme is MTV’s Spring Break. Embrace this absurd American Tradition with two levels of dance parties. There will be DJs upstairs on the main stage and downstairs in the locker room. The event will be sure to provide floatation devices, spring drinks and nostalgia that you can dance to.

4 Miles 4 Water
Saturday, May 9th 2 - 9:30 pm
Edgewater Park
$30 adults, $10 kids under 18, $20 global runners

Edgewater's second 4 Miles 4 Water event is more innovative, educational and fun than ever before! The name 4 Miles 4 Water grew from the fact that many people must walk 4 miles daily for potable water for drinking and cooking. The goal is to create awareness and reconnect people with fresh water resources in our own backyard, as a way to preserve our fresh water resources and make an impact on the global water crisis.

With nearly a billion people around the world lacking access to safe drinking water, water access is a global issue. Local exhibitors including Wash Drops, Greater Cleveland Aquarium, Cleveland Metroparks, Famicos Family Foundation, and many more, will be educating the public about water. Last year’s event raised over $60,000 for Drink Local Drink Tap., Inc.