5/2/14 - Playhouse Square scored big time on their opportunity to make their neighborhood a honest to God recognizable destination. They took their already highly successful neighborhood and brand and turned it into a place to go even if you don't have a ticket to a show. It wasn't meant to rhyme. It just did. Any who, after months of planning and preparation we Clevelanders started to see things get finished along Euclid Ave. New signs for the theaters, a new old-school sign on a building top, other random signage, and new arches that greet you at the entrances to the neighborhood.
 |
 |  |  |
 |
The last piece that went up was definitely the most controversial and talked about outdoor decoration probably in Cleveland history. It's the GE chandelier and it's the biggest outdoor chandelier in the world. It was to be the crowning jewel of the neighborhood and the city's newest tourist attraction. Many complained that this was unnecessary in a city where poverty and crime are so high and roads were so badly chewed up but I for one love the idea. It sets Playhouse Square up for success in the future and builds upon an already strong entertainment based neighborhood by turning it into a destination inside and out. The chandelier is famous now (it's in the Guinness Book of World Records) and that's waaaaaay better than being known for a burning river. With events like the Gay Games, the Transplant Games, and possibly a political convention coming up (Not to mention Wrestlemania... serious get that done!), neighborhoods like Playhouse Square that can stick out on the map like this become a place for tourists and visitors to just casually go to and enjoy. You can come to playhouse Square to sight see for free and then maybe stay for the food, drinks, and plays.
|
The Dazzle the District event was the party that Playhouse Square threw to unveil the new additions and celebrate the success of the neighborhood. They shut down the streets, got a band (Hot Chelle Rae) to perform, and showed off a little bit of that glitz and glamour that they're known so well for. The turnout was impressive given that there was an Indians game and a Cher concert going on at the same time. The event was free but everything inside was "special event" priced. The lines were fairly manageable though and everyone seemed in great spirits. The booze choices were abundant with not only beer but wine, champagne, and some sort of canned mixed drink. I didn't get a chance to sample the food because I just got too hungry around 2 pm to hold out any longer... so I ate Chinese for lunch. Completely spoiled my appetite My only complaint was the lack of bathroom facilities especially since anyone to the right of the stage (Me) was trapped in by the VIP gated off area and a wall of human beings so thick that it took me 15 excruciating minutes to navigate it while having to pee. It was literally only 20 feet and people were jammed in to the point where they had to be just inappropriately touching all sorts of parts. I'm sure the notion of port-a-potties made most of the Playhouse Square board swoon and faint so I can understand why there weren't any... to a point.
After the concert portion of the festivities, they finally got to the unveiling and showing off. After I had peed behind a dumpster in an alley, I circled around to the far back where I knew I could escape if I needed to. The choirs, songs, and performances were pretty entertaining. Everyone cheered and applauded... for awhile but it did drag on. Cheers of "Light it up!" roared from the crowd from time to time. I didn't mind since I was being entertained and really, I was just happy to be there. These are the kind of events that I moved to Cleveland to be closer to and to take part in.
I did my best to get in position to get the best view of when they lit up the chandelier. It wasn't quite as crowded in the area I was standing in so you could wiggle in between groups to get a better view. After some maneuvering I finally found a great spot. I had my phone out and my camera fired up and ready to go. The problem was... THEY TRICKED US! Everyone was looking at the fireworks and the arches lighting up on the east side of the event area. Only the gasps of the people in the crowd smart enough not to break eye contact with the chandelier told everyone that it had happened! This is the video I did capture once I turned around:
Dazzle the District is the kinda party that you're supposed to throw when you have an unveiling that's this good. The excitement of the crowd was at a fever pitch. The entertainment was great and the payoff was top notch. Congratulations Cleveland! You did it up right.
Leave me comments on what you
thought of Dazzle the District
in the Comments Section below.
in the Comments Section below.
Get my blog posts sent right to you
by putting your e-mail address under
FOLLOW BY EMAIL
on the right menu and clicking Submit.
Like, Share, Star, and +1 the blog on Social Media by
clicking either the Buttons below after Posted by or
the Icons below the comments at the bottom of the screen.
No comments:
Post a Comment