Brave the Cold at Cleveland's Brite Winter Festival, Feb. 16

Is it ever going to stop snowing? Who cares! Because Brite Winter is back.

You can read my review of the 2011 Brite Winter Fest here, but in short this annual community-organized music and arts festival is one of the best reasons to brave snow, sleet and 10 degree weather in Cleveland.

After the unprecedented success of last year’s 10,000+ attendees, Brite Winter returns to Ohio City next Saturday, February 16.

As always, Brite Winter is free, thanks to sponsors and a Kickstarter fundraiser going on now.

Starting around 5pm, 48 bands from Ohio and across the Midwest are scheduled to play on 7 stages. This includes the outside stage at West 26th and Bridge Ave., the Loren Naji Studio Galleries, Campbell’s Sweets Factory, and the Cleveland Hostel.

Cleveland’s Bad Racket Recording Studio has curated a selection of indie, rock, punk, folk, soul, electronic and acoustic acts for attendees’ listening pleasure.

Brite Winter Festival’s Giant Skeeball

Besides being a huge music showcase, Brite Winter’s flip side features art installations and games.

If you’ve been to Brite Winter before, you’ll remember their 24-foot long Giant Skeeball ramp. Well, it’s back, along with new games and activities put together by RGI international and the Cleveland Disc Alliance.

This year there will be between 15 and 20 individual art installations created through a partnership with The Cleveland Institute of Art and The Cleveland Museum of Art’s Department of Community Affairs. And, for the second year in a row, GE Lighting will provide high energy efficiency lights for the installations.

Snow, rain, freezing temps or sunshine. It doesn’t matter. The Brite Winter show will go on, proving to Clevelanders you don’t have to wait til summer to play outside.

So head down to Ohio City on February 16 for an all-night party (here’s RTA and parking details).

If you’d like to help out, Brite Winter is always in need of day-of volunteers or you can donate to their Kickstarter campaign (a Pint Glass from Glass Bubble Project is just one of the perks you can get for donating).

And keep up-to-date on music, games, and artist announcements by following them @BriteWinter and Facebook.com/BriteWinter.

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