Dobama Theatre is pleased to announce the 5th Annual Heights Halloween Festival to be held on Saturday, October 18th from 3pm to 6pm in the Cedar Lee District of Cleveland Heights. This treasured annual tradition has become one of the largest community events in Cleveland Heights, drawing families and treat-or-treaters from all over Northeast Ohio.
The Heights Halloween Festival is free and open to Halloween-lovers and trick-or-treaters of all ages. This event includes the traditional “candy crawl” along the Cedar Lee District, where businesses hand out candy to trick-or-treaters, with many employees dressing up for the holiday. Anyone and everyone is encouraged to come in costume and enjoy the festivities.
The festival also includes activities and performances for the entire family including stages where actors in costume greet attendees for photos. Characters expected to be featured this year are from Hocus Pocus, Ghostbusters, The Little Mermaid and more. There will be performances from Wizbang Circus and large scale puppets from Robin Van Lear as well as face painting, balloon twisting, temporary tattoos, games, and other free attractions.
As more families attend the Halloween Festival each year, it has been increasingly clear that closing a section of Lee Road is the only way to safely produce the event given the large number of pedestrians - particularly children. Thanks to the work of the City, Cleveland Heights Police Department, and the Cedar Lee Special Improvement District, this year’s Heights Halloween Festival will be the first year with the street closed and fully programmed with family-friendly attractions and activities. Lee Road will be closed from Meadowbrook to Silsby for the event, but the Candy Crawl will extend along Lee Road from Dellwood Road to Cedar Road.
“Everyone at Dobama Theatre is thrilled to bring back this beloved event for the fifth straight year,” said Dobama Artistic Director Nathan Motta. “This free, community event in the heart of Cleveland Heights has been an enormous success and we look forward to welcoming our neighbors from the Heights and beyond for what is sure to be a festival full of candy, costumes, music, games, and entertainment for the entire family.”
The Heights Halloween Festival began in 2020 as a safe way to gather during the pandemic, with Dobama Theatre using its resources as a professional theatre company to produce the event. The festival has grown to an estimated 2,500-4,000 attendees annually making it a “can’t miss” event for Halloween-lovers of all ages. And with the festival taking place in the DORA, attendees over 21 years of age have the freedom to purchase alcoholic beverages at one location and move freely about with that alcoholic beverage in an open container within a designated area.
Dobama Theatre is grateful to have support from the City of Cleveland Heights, Church of the Savior, and the Cedar Lee Special Improvement District for this year’s festival.
For more information on the event, visit dobama.org/hfest or call the Dobama Main Offices at (216) 932-6838. There is no planned rain date for the festival. We look forward to seeing you on October 18th!