The 43rd Annual Cleveland Turkey Trot brought many racers in costume. After polling FreshWater readers, we now have the winners of first annual Turkey Trot Costume Poll, with prizes awarded to Buddy the Elf, the Grinch Family, and a costumed dog.

The Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival and Saint Luke's Foundation are hosting two events at Shaker Square for residents of Mt. Pleasant, Buckeye-Shaker, and Woodland Hills for a festive celebration of community and connection. The events to celebrate the holiday season include a free movie night at Atlas Cinemas featuring "Moana 2" and "Wicked" on December 18, and a gathering at Café Indigo on December 21.

The Community West Foundation awarded $566,100 in fourth quarter grants to support nonprofit organizations in Cleveland and Western Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties. The grants aim to advance the health and well-being of the community through the organizations that provide essential services to those in need.

BlueBridge Networks has evolved from a data center to one of the top comprehensive IT solutions providers in the country under the leadership of Kevin Goodman. As BlueBridge celebrates its 20th anniversary, it continues to adapt to technological changes and maintain its commitment to excellence in IT services and community involvement.

City Fresh, a nonprofit CSA working to increase food access in Northeast Ohio, is offering holiday shares of locally grown produce for pickup in Cleveland Heights, Oberlin, and Lakewood. Registration ends Saturday!

The Western Reserve Historical Society's Cleveland History Center is hosting Winter Toyland, a holiday exhibition featuring the HollyDays miniature village. Other attractions include the Euclid Beach Park Carousel, the historic Hay-McKinney Mansion, decked out in holiday decor, and several ongoing exhibits—all included with admission.

FreshWater Cleveland managing editor Karin Connelly Rice, has been named one of Crain's Cleveland Business 2024 Notable Leaders in Communications. The recognition highlights Rice's 30-year career in journalism and public relations, her contributions to FreshWater, and her commitment to showcasing positive stories and changemakers in the Cleveland area.

Big Fun, the beloved nostalgic toy and novelty shop in Cleveland Heights, has returned as a seasonal pop-up store for the second year in a row. Owner Steve Presser offers a wide array of unique items including vintage toys, handmade afghan quilts, and rare rock memorabilia.

The Saint Luke's Foundation has approved grants totaling $1,769,760 to 20 organizations in its fourth-quarter board meeting. These grants aim to address social determinants of health, including educational attainment, financial stability, healthy living, housing, social connections, and neighborhood strengthening.

Vote for your favorite pet, human, and group costumes from las week's 43rd annual Cleveland Turkey Trot. 

After 14 years of shining a light on the people and organizations making a difference in Cleveland and its inner-ring suburbs, FreshWater Cleveland is launching its first fundraising campaign. Help us keep sharing the good news and support FreshWater!

More than 9,000 participants will celebrate Thanksgiving next week in the 43rd annual Cleveland Turkey Trot. And don't forget to vote for the winners of the annual costume contest on FreshWater after the event!

Cleveland Museum of Natural History anthropologists Emma Finestone and Ebeth Sawchuk spent last summer in Kenya, conducting fieldwork crucial to the study of human evolution—excavating sites spanning 3 million years and studying how herders and farmers moved around the Central Rift Valley over the last 5,000 years.

"Wild Horses: 60 Years of Ford's Mustang," is now on exhibit at the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum. The exhibit celebrates the iconic American car's 60th anniversary and features all seven generations of Mustangs, from the 1964 original to the latest 2024 models.

Fifty years ago, the discovery of an Australopithecus afarensis in Ethiopia by Cleveland Museum of Natural History paleoanthropologist Don Johanson and his team  revolutionized our understanding of human evolution. Lucy's journey from fossilized bones to scientific icon illustrates Lucy's impact and the contributions of Northeast Ohio to human origins research.

The undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Museum of Art debuted the 2024-25 Nike NBA City Edition uniforms and court design at last night's winning game against the Charlotte Hornets. The uniforms feature a coloring-book pattern that merge art and basketball, and will carry over into CMA's December MIX: Art of the Game event.

Cleveland Masterworks: Cleveland city manager William R. Hopkins' 1927 vision of an airport on the shores of Lake Erie was set in motion at the 1936 Great Lakes Expo. In 1947 the vision became reality with the opening of a dirt runway at Burke Lakefront Airport.

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland, and an army of volunteers will prepare and distribute 12,000 dinners on Thanksgiving—both through home deliveries across Greater Cleveland and in-person dinner at St. Augustine Hunger Center in Tremont.