Carnival of Soul

[Cory Grinder Band/Akron Art Museum]

Midwinter Blues & Other Tunes

Akron Art Museum

1 South High St., Akron

Thursdays through February 13.  Activities and gallery music beginning at 5:30 p.m.  Auditorium concerts at 7:00 p.m.

The Akron Art Museum warms up winter on Thursday evenings with Midwinter Blues & Other Tunes. This series of events, each including a concert featuring Northeast Ohio performers. Local artists will take up residency in the lobby. There will also be musicians performing in the galleries, as well as surprise pop-up activities and performances. Visitors will have the chance to create art, too. Activities and gallery music are free. There is an admission charge for the auditorium concerts featuring Cory Grinder Band (Jan. 16), Shivering Timbers (Jan. 23) and Floco Torres (Jan. 30).

[E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall]

Dinosaur World

E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall

University of Akron

198 Hill St., Akron

January 19, 3:00 p.m.

Children (ages 3+) and adults who love dinosaurs can meet them face-to-face in this interactive stage show featuring lifesize dino-puppets of various sizes.  Visitors can be part of pre-historic world exploration where they will encounter Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, Giraffatitan and other dinosaurs.

 [Scott Shaw Photography/Cleveland Museum of Art]

Martin Luther King Day Celebration

Cleveland Museum of Art

11150 East Blvd., Cleveland

Monday January 20. The museum and its galleries are open from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.  Activities and events take place from 11:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The Cleveland Museum of Art continues its long-standing tradition of celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a day of free events including music, dance, theatre, art, stories for children and more. Some of the day’s activities including making art inspired by the civil rights movement; jazz, blues and soul music by Hubb’s Groove and performances by young artists from the Cleveland Foundation’s Arts Mastery Initiative, including Cleveland Public Theatre’s “Cleveland Act Now,” Rainey Institute’s El Sistema, Sisterhood, Twelve Literary Arts, Tri C’s Vocal and Dance Mastery programs and the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society Education Program.

[Asia Plaza]

Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration

Asia Plaza

2299 Payne Ave., Cleveland 

January 25, 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

Join in celebrating the arrival of “The Year of the Rat” in Cleveland’s Asia Plaza. This free event will feature Kwan Lion Dance performances at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. The OCA Greater Cleveland Dragon Dance Team can be seen at 2:15 p.m. as well as other cultural activities and martial arts demonstrations throughout the day.

 [Cleveland Bluegrass Orchestra]

The Cleveland Bluegrass Orchestra

Trinity Hall at John Knox Presbyterian Church

25200 Lorain Rd., North Olmsted

January 31, 7 p.m.

The Cleveland Bluegrass Orchestra has an interesting requirement for membership. This ensemble features members of the Cleveland Orchestra playing different instruments than they play with that esteemed group. The quintet gives performances of bluegrass, newgrass and classical music that is free to the public.