Ralph Horner recalls a moment of triumph during a neighborhood football game when he unexpectedly outperforms a star opponent, leading to a moment of personal victory and reflection on the nature of the sport.

Christmas Around the World, a holiday event at Crushers Stadium in Avon, offers an immersive global Christmas experience with 16 themed rooms showcasing international holiday traditions, live performances, cultural cuisine, and activities.

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!

"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.

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.

This week marks the beginning of Cleveland Independents' Cleveland Restaurant Week—with deals on three-course dinners at 30 local restaurants. Read about what Bruno's Ristorante & Catering is offering at its Ohio City Italian eatery.

Wild Winter Lights returns this week for its sixth season at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, featuring more than 1.5 million lights, a 50-foot musical tree, carousel rides, and photo opportunities with Santa.

FreshWater columnist Ralph Horner goes back through 1950s and 1960s Cleveland, when he was in his childhood quest to understand the world. Horner explores local television, holiday traditions, and the beloved Euclid Beach amusement park, among other musings.

Since 2012, Bike Cleveland's Random Acts of Brightness program had ensured cyclists riding after dark are visible by distributing free rechargeable light sets to riders across the city—giving out more than 5,000 light sets in 12 years.

Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is set for an exciting weekend with back-to-back home openers for the Cavs and Monsters—featuring fan giveaways, new food options, and special season-long celebrations for the venue's 30th anniversary.

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.

Malley's Chocolates' Mike Malley shares the Cleveland history and significance of Sweetest Day, a celebration of kindness and community—and chocolate-covered strawberries and chocolate-covered grapes.

The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes has teamed up with Wild Birds Unlimited in Mayfield Heights for its annual Bird Seed Sale fundraiser. A variety of seeds, suet, and accessories are available. Read some tips for feeding the birds in your yard this winter.

The Jane Austen Society of North America, Ohio North Coast Region Chapter, is holding its sold-out annual meeting in Cleveland this weekend. "Austen, Annotated: Jane Austen's Literary, Political, and Cultural Origins" will bring together scholars, speakers, and Austen devotees for a weekend of activities and academic discussions.

Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation will host OB Street Fest on Broadview Road this weekend, with plenty of live entertainment from Apostle Jones and Front Porch Lights, food and drink from Masthead Brewing Company, and vendors.
 #OBStreetFest

AutumnFest: Fairytales in the Forest, a free family-friendly event, is set to enchant visitors at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes this weekend with a variety of activities, storytelling, s'mores, craft-making, and food trucks. Guests can also check out the annual bird seed and perennial plant sales.

The Western Reserve Historical Society opens its newest exhibit "All Dolled Up: 200 Years of Dolls and Miniatures" on Thursday at the Cleveland History Center. The exhibit showcases a diverse collection of dolls, dollhouses, and toys from the 1830s to present-day. The opening will also feature a screening of "Black Barbie."

This summer a new trend in outdoor entertainment—public concerts in private yards—swept through Northeast Ohio. Hosts invited both friends and strangers onto their properties to hear the sounds of local musicians like Blue Lunch, Jackie Warren and Forecast, Moises Borges, and the Jim Rangel Trio. It sounds like a trend that may continue.