EVENTS

THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST

Noon-11:30p.m. FLAIR FEST, South Main Street, Akron 4-11p.m. FESTIVAL VILLAGE, Mall C, Lakeside Avenue between East Sixth and Ontario, Cleveland

4-6 p.m. Big Gay Happy Hour, Electrolush (groovy beats and global remix), Music Box Supper Club, Cleveland 5:30-8:30p.m. Gay Games Renaissance Happy Hour Music, Renaissance Cleveland, Cleveland

5:30p.m. Lock 3 Concert featuring headliner Indigo Girls, adjacent to Flair Fest, Akron

7p.m. DanceSport, Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, Cleveland

7p.m. Figure Skating Exhibition, Serpentini Arena, Lakewood

7p.m. The Last Voyage Murder Mystery Train, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Cleveland

7p.m. Katy Perry, Prismatic World Tour, Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland

8 p.m. Detox, Festival Village, Cleveland 8-11:30p.m. "Fantasia," Asia Town Center, Cleveland

8p.m. Virginia Woolf's ORLANDO adapted by Sarah Ruhl, The Balch Street Theatre, Akron

8p.m. Amazons & Their Men, Liminis Theater, Cleveland

8p.m. "My Mother's Lesbian, Jewish, Wiccan Wedding," Actors Summit Theatre, Akron

9p.m. Lelf, Festival Village, Cleveland

9p.m. Recharge on the Rooftop, Velvet Dog, Clevelan

9 p.m.-3 a.m. Gay Games Renaissance Live DJ, Renaissance Cleveland, Cleveland

10 p.m. Official Gold Party, House of Blues, Cleveland

FRIDAY, 15 AUGUST

10a.m.-1 p.m. Day Tour: The Little' City Tour

4 p.m.-12 a.m. FESTIVAL VILLAGE, Mall C, Lakeside Avenue between East Sixth and Ontario, Cleveland

4-6 p.m. Big Gay Happy Hour, Frank Friday (Rat Pack swing & vintage jazz), Music Box Supper Club, Cleveland 5:30-8:30 p.m. Gay Games Renaissance Happy Hour Music, Renaissance Cleveland, Cleveland

5:30 p.m. Annual Shabbat Picnic Dinner and Rock My Soul Shabbat Under the Stars Service, The Temple-Tifereth Israel, Cleveland

7p.m. DanceSport Gala, Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, Cleveland

7p.m. Summers@Severance with the Cleveland Orchestra, Severance Hall, Cleveland

7:30 and 10 p.m. Christopher Titus comedy, Pickwick and Frolic, Cleveland

8p.m. Official "Hot Time in Cleveland" Womyn's Dance Party, Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Ave., Cleveland

8 p.m. Virginia Woolf's ORLANDO adapted by Sarah Ruhl, The Balch Street Theatre, Akron

8 p.m. "My Mother's Lesbian, Jewish, Wiccan Wedding." Actors Summit Theatre, Akron

8 p.m. Amazons and Their Men, Liminis Theater, Cleveland

8 p.m. The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, Beck Center, Lakewood

9 p.m. Ana Matronic, Festival Village, Cleveland

9 p.m.-3 a.m. Gay Games Renaissance Live DJ, Renais sance Cleveland, Cleveland

SATURDAY, 16 AUGUST

4-5 p.m. Participant Staging Closing Ceremony, Cleveland Convention Center, Cleveland

4-6 p.m. Big Gay Happy Hour, Americana-Rama (Roots-Rockin'), Music Box Supper Club, Cleveland

5p.m. Closing Ceremony, Mall C, Cleveland

7p.m. Laugh Out Loud with Karen Williams, The Sanctuary, Akron

10 p.m. After Closing Ceremony: Seven Deadly Sins After Party, House of Blues, Cleveland

Opening Ceremony

Saturday, 9 August

TIME: 7-10 p.m.

4:30-5:45 pm. Pre-ceremony staging party (registered participants only) Progressive Field

LOCATION: Quicken Loans Arena (Ontario and Huron roads), downtown Cleveland

SPECTATOR TICKETS: $20-$75; bitly. com/GG9OpenTkts and at door

GREG

LOUGANIS

DETAILS: The unifying and official kickoff of Games Week, Opening Ceremony promises a spectacular production from the inspiring Parade of Participants to the closing Pointer Sisters who energize the crowd for the upcoming sports and culture fete.

Experience the Parade of Participants as each country's and each U.S. state's delegation marches in wearing their geographic team pride, the colors and costumes of their country or their Games-ready fashion. More than 45 countries and representatives from across the United States are expected to make up this parade of thousands.

With the Parade complete, the excitement continues with "Rock and Rubber,"

the full-scale production of Opening Ceremony. With a nod to hosts Cleveland (birthplace of rock and roll) and Akron (rubber capital of the world), the evening tells a story around Northeast Ohio and the Gay Games.

A tribute to the athletes and artists who participate will tell the participants' stories and feature a special appearance by singer, radio host and versatile performer Lance Bass. Music will fill the arena with performances by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS guests Andrea McArdle and Alex Newell as well as the collaborative community and Gay Games choral groups plus the Gay Games Team Marching Band.

Beyond the pageantry, Opening Ceremony will follow a protocol established over its 32-year history with a welcome by elected officials and Olympic diver Greg Louganis, the administration of the participant oath, and a lighting of the flame by special guests to officially open the 2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation.

EVENTS

PRE-CEREMONY STAGING PARTY Participants planning to march into Opening Ceremony should gather at Progressive Field (the ballpark just south of the arena) between between 4:30 and 5:45 pm. A DJ, cash bar and other fun will be happening as participants get into their staging positions. The staging party gates will close at 5:45 pm.

AFTER-PARTY OPENING CEREMONY DATE: Saturday, 9 August TIME: 10 p.m.-2am. LOCATION: The Bank (Cadillac Ranch), 200 Euclid Ave., Ceveland TICKETS:bitly.com/GG9AfterOpenTkts,

at door

DETAILS: When Opening Ceremony wraps up, the After Party heats up. Produced by Stereo Entertainment, the Official Opening Ceremony After Party. the Gay Champions, will let the partying roll on into the early hours of the morning.

CONGRATULATIONS

to all of the participants

in the

2014 Gay Games!

Cose

council of smaller enterprises

NATURE

CONNECTS

A LEGO Brick Experience

Discover the Extraordinary Building Blocks of Nature

NOW IN ITS FINAL DAYS!

NATURE CONNECTS RUNS THROUGH AUGUST 24!

cbgarden.org/natureconnects

www.cose.org

arts & culture

CLEVELAND

BOTANICAL

GARDEN

POINTER SISTERS

LANCE BASS

PHOTO: D LITWIN