Brite Winter Celebrates its “Sweet 16!”
Festival moving to East Bank of the Flats for 2025!
Brite Winter, Cleveland’s premier music and art festival, will again bring light to one of Cleveland’s coldest months on Saturday, February 22, 2025. Returning for its 16th year, the event will take place on the East Bank of the Flats and expand its musical footprint to accommodate three outdoor stages and two indoor areas.
“We’re excited to host Brite Winter on the East Bank of the Flats near Collision Bend Brewing for a lot of reasons – the proximity to downtown residents and transit, the historic beauty of the buildings and the chance to bring thousands of music and art lovers into a new-to-us neighborhood,” said Emily Hornack, Executive Director, Brite Winter.
“Crowds enjoyed Brite Winter on the Flats West Bank since 2016, and we can’t thank our gracious hosts enough for providing such a phenomenal space for all those years,” added Brian Horsburgh, owner of the event’s production company, Spindrift Management. “Moving across the Cuyahoga River will allow us to provide everything people love about Brite while bringing a new sense of energy to the event.”
Also new for 2025 is programming specifically designed and curated to inspire children’s musical creativity allowing kids to express themselves and appreciate the universal language of music through engaging and imaginative crafts. “Every year we look forward to reimagining our setting with the help of hundreds of artists and community volunteers. The new site is a chance for us to bring high energy music and family-friendly activities to a beloved and historic piece of Cleveland’s riverfront,” said Emily Appelbaum, Art Director, Brite Winter.
Right now, festival organizers are reviewing approximately 330 musical acts that will ultimately be pared down to 25-30. That final line-up will be released in the new year. “We receive applications from so many talented and unique musical acts every year. This year, we will add more kid-friendly music, and welcome back singer-songwriters more robustly into the lineup,” continued Hornack.
In addition to performances by up-and-coming artists covering a range of genres and interactive art installations, the family-friendly event features dozens of food trucks, outdoor activities, workshops and much more!
Presale tickets are available for $10 through December 31, 2024, advanced tickets will increase to $12 in 2025, and general admission tickets will be available for $17 on the day of the event. Kids under age 12 get in free. Additional ways to support the festival are available online by purchasing a Fluri’s Clubhouse ticket or becoming a Brite Backer.
“No matter what Mother Nature has planned for February, Clevelanders always show up to beat the winter blues in the rain, snow or sunshine,” said Hornack. “You just have to dress for all the weather conditions!”