Heights Music Hop expands to Coventry

Heights Music Hop.

The fifth-annual Heights Music Hop will take place Sept. 7–9. The music festival is expanding this year, to take place over three days, at more than 30 venues in three Cleveland Heights neighborhoods.

When the festival first started in 2013, it was a one-day event that took place in the Cedar Lee Business District. Last year, it grew into a two-day event, with more than 70 performances at 27 venues in Cedar Lee and Cedar Fairmount, and drew more than 5,000 people to Cleveland Heights.

This year’s festival will kick off on Thursday, Sept. 7, in the Coventry Village Business District. On Friday, Sept. 8, the Hop will move to Cedar Fairmount, and then will wrap up on Saturday, Sept. 9, in Cedar Lee.

“We are delighted to have Coventry involved,” said Angela Hetrick, director of Coventry Village Special Improvement District. “With our love of the arts and original music, the Grog Shop turning 25 this year and the energy and nightlife that Heights Music Hop brings, we are thrilled to see that residents and businesses are so supportive that it is able to expand to Coventry this year.”

Heights Music Hop is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Additional sponsors and partners include: Dominion East Ohio; Keller National; the city of Cleveland Heights; and Cedar Fairmount, Cedar Lee and Coventry Village special improvement districts.

The Hop features live music in traditional and non-traditional venues, including restaurants, bars, stores and other businesses. This year’s venues include: Appletree Books, Cleveland Heights Church, The Fairmount, Pavilion Home & Floral, The Fix Bistro, CLE Urban Winery, Heights Libraries, Dewey’s Pizza, Heights Music Shop, New Heights Grill, Phoenix Coffee, Rudy’s Pub, Stone Oven, The Social Room, The Wine Spot, Washington & Lee Service and the Grog Shop.

FutureHeights, the same nonprofit organization that publishes the Heights Observer, is the founder and presenter of the Heights Music Hop. “We are excited about expanding the event again this year,” said Dan Budin, chair of the FutureHeights Heights Music Hop Committee. “The event brings a lot of people and energy into the Heights to experience our unique business districts and see what the Heights has to offer.”

Throughout the Hop, FutureHeights will hold a chance raffle, featuring prizes from many local businesses.

New this year is an event planned for the open space at Lee Road and Meadowbrook Boulevard: a silent disco. “Details are still being worked out,” said Budin, “but the idea is that people will pay a small admission price and receive a headset so that they can dance to their own musical preference at Meadowbrook and Lee. It will be something to see and be seen at on Saturday night!”

The diverse musical genres featured by the Hop provide opportunities to expand one’s musical palette and celebrate the Heights as a home for the arts. A list of participating bands and artists will be available in advance of the event, at the Heights Music Hop’s website.

To learn more, visit www.heightsmusichop.com, and follow the Hop’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.

James Henke

James Henke, a Cleveland Heights resident, was a writer and editor at Rolling Stone magazine for 15 years. He is also the author of several books, including biographies of Jim Morrison, John Lennon and Bob Marley. He is on the board of Future Heights, and he is the co-chair of the Heights Observer Advisory Committee. He is also on the Future Heights Music Hop committee. Deanna Bremer Fisher, executive director of FutureHeights, contributed to this story.

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Volume 10, Issue 7, Posted 12:29 PM, 06.29.2017