The best things in life are free, indeed, and our monthly "Free Stamp" feature rounds up all of the free #CLE events that get our "stamp" of approval. Got a free event you want us to include? Drop us a line here.

A Walk on the Wild (West) Side

On the second Friday of every month, Tremont gets its creative juices flowing with extended hours at galleries and shops, special deals at bars and restaurants, and other offerings such as street performers, pop-up art, and neighborhood walking tours. This month’s “Winter Warmer” edition of Walkabout Tremont will be held on January 12 from 6 to 10 p.m.

Music to Our Ears

On January 14, The Cleveland Orchestra will join the MLK Celebration Chorus for a free concert at Severance Hall. While all of the tickets have been distributed, Clevelanders can enjoy the concert by tuning in live on January 14 to WCLV or WCPN, or watching the WVIZ broadcast January 26. On the following day (MLK Day, January 15), Severance Hall will host an open house with free performances throughout the day, plus family-friendly activities, dancing, and more. Get all the 411 here. 

Museum Hopping on MLK Day

Since many of Cleveland's museums are located on or near Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, it’s only fitting that many offer free admission on MLK Day. Among the museums welcoming visitors for free on January 15^th are:

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.)

Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage (11 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Great Lakes Science Center (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Cleveland History Center (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Cleveland Museum of Natural History (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

University Circle, Inc. will be running a free shuttle from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with stops at the following locations: Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Botanical Garden, Severance Hall (The Cleveland Orchestra), and MOCA Cleveland.

Starting the New Year With City Year

City Year Cleveland is doing its part to celebrate the civil rights leader by mobilizing a volunteer brigade to give back. Participating community projects include the Cleveland Kids' Book Bank, MetroHealth, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Ernest J. Bohn Rose Centers for Aging Well, Habitat for Humanity, Teach for America, and more. Register here, then meet up at the Glenville Recreational Center (680 E 113th St.) at 10:30 a.m. to find out which project you’ll be working on; you can also search Points of Light for projects in your own neighborhood.

Living MLK’s Dream Out Loud

In addition to free admission, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has carefully curated a family-friendly day of film screenings, programs on the music of the civil rights movement, and performances by Distinguished Gentlemen of the Spoken Word, Digital Arts High School Steppers, Tam Tam Magic, and more—not to mention the turntable stylings of Browns deejay Ryan Wolf. The museum will also collect donations of hats, gloves, coats, and scarves for Providence House for those wishing to contribute.

Free Ice, Anyone?

Sure, there’s plenty of that around town, but it’s nothing like the North Coast Harbor Ice Fest. Slated for January 15, this full day of outdoor fun includes an ice slide, an ice throne, ice carving demonstrations, a display of nearly 30 ice sculptures, and—wait for it—a chance to win free airfare to Iceland.

Material World

From sketches and prototypes to completed works, the newest exhibit at Heights Arts showcases the distinctly different metalworking styles of seven local artisans: David Deming, Mark Hartung, Matthew Hollern, Jacquie Wynn Kennedy, Seth Nagelberg, Stephen Yusko, and curator Pamela Argentieri. “Northeast Ohio has a long tradition of sculptors, blacksmiths, silversmiths and designers working in metal,” says Argentieri. See for yourself on January 19 at the free opening reception of “Materialized: Seven Artists Working in Metal."

T.G.I.F.

Third Fridays at 78^th Street Studios are a staple in the Gordon Square Arts District, but in 2018, this multi-sensory art experience will expand to include live music performances. Last month's installment kicked off the music element with native Brazilian musician Moises Borges' unique brand of Bossa Nova, and this month's event on January 19 promises to follow suit—alongside the usual lineup of visual arts, performance arts, local cuisine, and pop-up vendors.  

Two Green Thumbs Up

Everyone from pro gardeners to newbies will be able to swap seeds, swap stories, or learn how to get growing this spring at the Annual Winter Seed Swap. Don’t have any seeds to bring? There will be plenty to go around, but feel free to bring sourdough starters, cheese and yogurt cultures, kefir grains, or kombucha scoby to share. The Cleveland Seed Bank will also be accepting donations of non-perishable food items for the food pantry. This free event is being held on January 27 from 2 to 4 p.m. Register here.