Cleveland’s annual midwinter arts and music celebration is getting a fresh backdrop in 2026.
Brite Winter returns on Saturday, kicking off at 2 p.m., with a packed lineup of 37 performers scheduled throughout the afternoon and evening.
Leading the bill is Cleveland funk-rock favorites LoConti, who close out the festival’s 17th edition as headliners.
This year also marks a major location shift.
After years in the Flats, the festival relocates to the Waterloo Arts District on the city’s East Side.
The move opens a tight cluster of walkable venues, including Beachland Ballroom, Treelawn Music Hall and Praxis Fiber Workshop, spreading the festival across spaces rooted in the neighborhood’s creative ecosystem.
Brite Winter began in Ohio City before relocating to the Flats in 2016, later shifting from the West Bank to the East Bank in 2025.
The 2026 move embeds the festival directly into one of Cleveland’s most artist-driven corridors.
A festival built for the cold
Brite Winter has always embraced the colder temperatures, encouraging Clevelanders to gather outdoors in an unlikely festival season.
In addition to music, immersive outdoor art experiences, sculptures and light displays line the festival path.
For longtime attendees, the new setting in Waterloo offers a fresh vantage point, with opportunities to visit local businesses like Pop Life, Citizen Pie and Blue Arrow Records & Books along the festival’s footprint.
The outdoor event also includes fire pits and beverages, but bundling up is recommended as temperatures have ranged from eight to 69 degrees in years past, according to Brite.
Who to catch on the Brite Winter stage
Many of this year’s performers have been featured on Ideastream’s “Shuffle” podcast, your backstage pass to Northeast Ohio’s independent music scene.
As you plan your day, revisit local performers’ interviews and dig into their stories and songs before the festival.
Kid Tigrrr
Jenna Fournier builds immersive soundscapes that blend indie-pop textures with dreamy electronic production. Performing as Kid Tigrrr, her music balances vulnerability and pulse with shimmering chords layered beneath confessional lyrics. Live, she leans into a quietly ethereal atmosphere, creating a set that feels intimate even in a crowded room.
Mr. Jeff
Longtime local rocker Jeff Klemm has found tremendous success writing and performing children’s music, including winning a World Entertainment Award for Best Children’s Album. His shows are energetic, fun and entertaining for kids and grownups alike.
Country Honk
Reimagining classic country through a Northeast Ohio lens, Country Honk channels the spirit of honky-tonk spirit without losing their Midwestern edge. Their performances are loose, lively and built for communal sing-alongs. With jangling guitars and a wink of irreverence, the band is sure to get your boots stomping.
Anya Van Rose
With sugary-sweet vocals sprinkling gritty rhythms from her backing band, Canton singer-songwriter Anya Van Rose has brought “bubblegrunge” to festivals and stages around Northeast Ohio. Releasing a new single, “Sleep Smoking,” Friday, listeners get a taste of a darker, gothic romantic sound ahead of her Brite Winter set.
Lea Marra & The River Boys
Fronted by powerhouse vocalist Lea Marra, this five-piece blends bluegrass, folk and Americana into high-energy sets. Expect big hooks and blues-soaked riffs, the kind of music that feels tailor-made for a winter festival crowd craving warmer vibes.
Guy Snowdon & The Citizens
Making the long trek overseas from Birmingham, England, to Cleveland, Guy Snowdon has kept the spirit of ‘80s hair metal alive with a touch of ‘90s Brit-pop. The artist and his band plan to hit the road this year once the ice melts and the snow clears.
Church of Starry Wisdom
An ensemble unlike any other, Church of Starry Wisdom was born out of Akron’s niche cabaret-meets-performance-art community. The group blends rock ‘n’ roll with theatrical performance, mixing in gospel, R&B and baroque-pop influences. Formed a decade ago, the eclectic band continues making waves with its experiential performances.
The full Brite Winter lineup:
2 p.m.
Mr. Jeff, Nulife Fitness stage
School of Rock, main stage outside
2:30 pm.
Brite Warm Up, Nulife Fitness stage
3 p.m.
Sadhu, Praxis Fiber Workshop
Mr. Jeff, Nulife Fitness stage
3:20 p.m.
Fawx, Treelawn Music Hall
Country Honk, main stage outside
3:30 p.m.
Guy Snowdon & the Citizens, Turner Construction stage at Treelawn Social Club
4 p.m.
Shortt Stories, Praxis Fiber Workshop
Sound bath and kid-friendly yoga, Cultivate Yoga
4:15 p.m.
Assault, main stage outside
4:20 p.m.
The Sweet Spot, Treelawn Music Hall
4:30 p.m.
Thicarus, Turner Construction stage at Treelawn Social Club
5 p.m.
Liz Bullock, Praxis Fiber Workshop
5:10 p.m.
Time Cat, main stage outside
5:20 p.m.
Cellophane Jane, Treelawn Music Hall
Retro Pharoh, Progressive Urban Tower stage
5:30 p.m.
Austin & the Syd Experience, Turner Construction stage at Treelawn Social Club
6 p.m.
Matt Moody, Praxis Fiber Workshop 6:05 p.m.Armand Rashad, main stage outside
6:15
Rent for Cheryl, School of Rock stage at Millard Fillmore
6:20
Dreadlock Dave, Progressive Urban Tower stage
Church of Starry Wisdom, Treelawn Music Hall
6:30
Anya Van Rose, Turner Construction stage at Treelawn Social Club
7 p.m.
Adam Paddock, main stage outside
7:20 p.m.
Allthehipe & Astral Housefly, Progressive Urban Tower stage
Dana, Treelawn Music Hall
7:30 p.m.
Bittersweet Revenge, Turner Construction stage at Treelawn Social Club
Youth Pallet, School of Rock stage at Millard Fillmore
7:55 p.m.
Hooked Like Helen, main stage outside
8 p.m.
Black Voltron, Cleveland Rocks stage at Beachland Ballroom
8:20 p.m.
Touchdown Jesus, Treelawn Music Hall
Awesome*Quest!, Progressive Urban Tower stage
8:30 p.m.
Yacobucci, Turner Construction stage at Treelawn Social Club
8:45 p.m.
AJ & the Woods, School of Rock stage at Millard Fillmore
9 p.m.
Kid Tigrrr, Cleveland Rocks stage at Beachland Ballroom
Laconti, main stage outside
9:20 p.m.
Dave Zup & Joey Aich, Progressive Urban Tower stage
10 p.m.
Nuke Franklin, Cleveland Rocks stage at Beachland Ballroom
11 p.m.
Lea Marra & the River Boys, Cleveland Rocks stage at Beachland Ballroom