Rebecca Cahill

Rebecca Cahill is a freelance writer who is thrilled to contribute to FreshWater Cleveland, sharing the stories of the people and places that make our fine Forest City flourish and grow. Rebecca enjoys hiking CVNP, Playhouse Square’s pretzels, and the Cleveland Browns. She lives in Ohio City with her husband and three dogs.

Family affair: Cleveland Turkey Trot is a 43-year Thanksgiving tradition
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!
Furnishing hope: Chair-ity transforms lives of former foster youth
What started 10 years ago as a high school senior project for then-16-year-old Maria Paparella, has evolved into the thriving Chair-ity—a nonprofit that furnishes apartments for young adults who are aging out of foster care.
A Wild Urban Refuge: Cuyahoga Valley National Park mural celebrates 50 years, invites reflection
Artist Arlin Graff's new mural, "A Wild Urban Refuge," celebrates Cuyahoga Valley National Park's 50th anniversary and the transformation of the Cuyahoga River. Inspired by local wildlife and the park's conservation efforts, the mural highlights the importance of environmental stewardship.
Turn your gourd green: Cuyahoga County offers pumpkin compost program
Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District offers an eco-friendly way to dispose of Halloween pumpkins with its Pumpkin Composting program. The program aims to reduce landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions by turning pumpkins into compost.
Easy riders: Cycling group Slow Roll Cleveland to close out touring season with Halloween ride
Slow Roll Cleveland, a community cycling group that takes leisurely 10-mile bike rides each week through various Cleveland neighborhoods, concludes its 2024 season next week with a Halloween ride—costumes and bike decorations encouraged.
Two million books: Literacy Cooperative, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library hit literacy milestone
Since 2017, The Literacy Cooperative has partnered with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to send free books each month to local children. Working with local groups like Heights Family Foundation, United Way, and the Bruening Foundation, the groups have now distributed two million books.
Making Waves: CSU and AquaMissions launch water safety program for Cleveland youth
Cleveland State University, AquaMissions, and Cleveland Metropolitan School District are diving into a life-saving partnership to teach 2,500 Cleveland fourth graders critical water safety and swim skills. The program aims to prevent drowning deaths among the region's youth.
Nature’s canvas: Exploring the changing October colors in Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Discover the magic of Fall in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Read about the best times to explore the stunning Autumn colors—from early to late October—with insider tips from park officials for everything you need to plan the perfect fall hiking adventure in Northeast Ohio's natural wonderland.
Connecting narratives: Live lit returns to The Brownhoist for Story Club’s new season
Story Club, a monthly nonfiction storytelling event in Cleveland, offers a platform for personal narratives and community building. This month features guests from Literary Cleveland and Nebula Spiritual. Partnering with The Reading Room CLE, the event will host a mix of featured storytellers and open mic slots in The Brownhoist this Friday.
Power of the pen: 2024 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards adds new public author symposium
The 89th Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, which recognize outstanding books that contribute to our understanding of racism and celebrate cultural diversity, take place this weekend at the City Club of Cleveland. As part of the ninth annual Cleveland Book Week, the awards will introduce a new author symposium, “When Artists Go to Work,” with Anisfield-Wolf Award-winning authors and the jurors The event is presented by the Cleveland Foundation.
Free Books! Lakewood Public Library to host the Banned Wagon next week
The Banned Wagon will roll into Lakewood Public Library next week to give away free books on a tour spearheaded by Penguin Random House to promote awareness of book challenges and censorship during Banned Books Week.
Live music and local vibes: Heights Music Hop returns this weekend
Future Heights will host the 2024 Heights Music Hop this weekend in several Cleveland Heights neighborhoods, including Cedar Lee, Coventry, and Cedar Fairmount, with live music, shopping, dining, and plenty of community spirit.
Fresh Fest Cleveland: A celebration of community, culture, and wellness
Fresh Fest Cleveland 2024 will bring the energy of a block party, the flavors of a cookout, and the connections of a family reunion to the Urban Agriculture Innovation Zone at Rid-All Farm & Otter Park this Saturday, with live music, fresh food, local artists, health and wellness vendors, and a variety of family-friendly activities.
Passport to Peace: One World Day embraces cultural diversity
The 78th annual One World Day takes place in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens this Sunday, Aug. 25—offering a family friendly cultural celebration of Cleveland's diversity with music, dancing, and food and drink.
Tender Roots: Art and nature unite in healing at newest Conservancy for CVNP  exhibit
The Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) is showcasing the work of five Northeast Ohio artists who explore the healing qualities of the natural world in the “Tender Roots” exhibit at The Gallery in the park.
Cultural Fringe: BorderLight Theatre Festival returns this week
The BorderLight Theatre Festival returns this Wednesday for its fourth in-person four-day event, with theater, comedy, music, and other performances at various indoor and outdoor venues throughout Playhouse Square.
Take a hike: Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Trails Council releases new trail guide
This Saturday, June 29 in Peninsula, the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council will celebrate the release of the fourth edition of the CVNP Trail Guide—designed around hikers of all abilities and interests.
Conversations with Amy Tan: Author visits CMNH to discuss her new book, birdwatching, and drawing
Renowned author Amy Tan visited the Cleveland Museum of Natural History last week to talk about her newest book, "The Backyard Bird Chronicles"—about Tan’s ventures into backyard birding, nature journaling, and drawing. Before the event, Tan sat down with FreshWater Cleveland to talk about her inspiration and motivation to write and draw about birds, instead of the fiction she is usually known for.
Cosmic dining: Welcome aboard The Astro Restaurant at Tower City
The Astro Restaurant owners invite guests to take a cosmic voyage at their new outer space and alien-themed eatery at Towner City Center. From the creators of the Haunted House Restaurant in Cleveland Heights, The Astro gives a nod to sci-fi classics like Men in Black, Star Wars, The Jetsons, Star Trek, and more in an out-of-this world atmosphere.
Step right up: Cleveland State’s CarniVike returns, opens to the public
CarniVike, Cleveland State University's carnival-like festival that started last year as a way for students to bond and blow off steam before finals, returns to the campus lawn. This year the festival, designed to foster inclusivity and community, is open to the entire Cleveland community.