Big Fun/Flower Child

Big Fun: 11512 Clifton Blvd, Cleveland, 44102; 216.631.4386; bigfunbigfun.com; open Tuesdays-Thursdays from 11a-8p, Fridays-Saturdays from 11a-9p and Sundays from 11a-

6p.

Flower Child: 11508 Clifton Blvd, Cleveland, 44102; 216.939.9933;

flowerchildvintage.com; open Mondays and Wednesdays-Thursdays from noon-7p, FridaysSaturdays from noon-8p and Sundays from noon-5p.

Satellite stores are in Columbus, but in Cleveland they're side by side and just a block away from Twist, one of the city's premier gay bars.

Flower Child is a retro store hawking the clothing, furniture and jewelry of yesteryear. You might do a double take when you enter, but no, that's a mannequin, not Megan Draper, draped over the vintage armless couch, so don't ask her to point the way to the Lava Lamps.

Next door, Big Fun sells your standard toys like Barbies, Etch-aSketches and Gumbies, but you'll also find dashboard Zombies, bacon mints and a Grow Your Own Boyfriend (just add water!). There's even a Pride corner where you can find merchandise like Gay Accent Mouthspray or the That's So Gay Sound Machine with 25 fabulous, sassy and fun expressions.

Want to know what they are? You'll need to spend $15 more than I did.

b.a. Sweetie Candy Company

7480 Brookpark Rd, Cleveland, 44129;

216.739.2244; sweetiescandy.com; open MondaysSaturdays from 10a-8p and Sundays from 11a-5p.

This shop bills itself as the largest

candy store in the United States, and indeed, the sweet smell of sugar nearly slaps you across the face as you enter.

Just adjacent to the front door is a whole wall of Pez dispensers, including, if you must have it, a line of US presidents should you crave candy dispensed out of Grover Cleveland's fat little belly. There are also Moon Pies galore, Pop Rocks, Giggle Heads, even bubble gum yardsticks and candy necklaces.

Or sample some cockroach gummies or even pizza-flavored gummies. Just want a straight-ahead Three Musketeers bar? They're available by the boxful, as are Mounds Bars and Almond Joys. Because sometimes you feel like a nut.

32 august 2014

Squash @ Case Western Reserve Univer-

sity's Veale Center, 2138 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, 44106: 8a-6p; free.

Flag Football @ Barton-Bradley Recreation Field, 30651 Bradley Rd, North Olmsted, 44070: 8a-7p; free.

Soccer @ Copley Road Soccer Complex, 1806 Copley Rd, Akron, 44320; 8a-7p; free.

Tennis @ Cleveland State University's Malaga Complex, E 21st Street and Chester Avenue, Cleveland, 44115; Highland Heights Community Park, 5905 Wilson Mills Rd, Highland Heights, 44143; Mayfield Village Racquet Club, 6685 Beta Dr, Mayfield Village, 44143; and Cleveland Racquet Club, 29825 Chagrin Blvd, Pepper Pike, 44124: 8a-8p; free.

Cycling/Individual and Team Time Trial@ Rocky River Reservation, Cleveland, 44135: 9a; free.

Softball @ Cascade Valley Metro Park, 1690 Cuyahoga St, Akron, 44313; Colonial Salt Field, 400 W Wilbeth Rd, Akron, 44314; Firestone Stadium, 1575 Firestone Pkwy, Akron, 44301; and Pony Field, 1575 Firestone Pkwy, Akron, 44301: 9a; free.

Basketball @ Cleveland State University's Woodling Gymnasium and Recreation Center, 2420 Chester Ave, Cleveland, 44115: 9a6p; free.

Darts @ Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, 24 Public Square, Cleveland, 44113: 9a-6p; free.

Water Polo @ Case Western Reserve University's Veale Natatorium, 2138 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, 44106: 10a-5p; free.

Bowling @ Game of Wickliffe, 28801 Euclid Ave, Wickliffe, 44092: 10a-1p and 3p-6p; free.

DanceSport/Day Session @ Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, 24 Public Square, Cleveland, 44113: 10a-5p; $20-$35 for one-day pass or $80-$110 for four-day pass.

Flair Fest @ Main Street in Downtown Akron, 44308; 330.374.7676; downtownakron.com: The daylong festival features a juried art show, food and entertainment. 11:30a; free.

Pipe & Cigar Smokers Soiree @ Leather Stallion Saloon, 2205 St. Clair Ave, Cleveland, 44114; 216.589.8588; leatherstallion.com: Weekly event. Noonmidnight; no cover.

Track and Field/Afternoon Session @ University of Akron Lee R Jackson Track and Field Complex, 315 S Union St, Akron, 44304: 1p-6p; free.

Festival Village @ Mall C, Lakeside Avenue between Ontario and E 6th Street, Cleveland, 44199: RuPaul's Drag Race fan favorite Pandora Boxx hosts; Detox and Lelf perform. Plus entertainment, activities, food, drinks,

merchandise, recognition of medal winners and pin-swapping. 4p-11p; free.

Gay Games Happy Hour @ Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, 24 Public Square, Cleveland, 44113; 216.696.5600; FB: Renaissance Gay Games Happy Hours: Nightly entertainment. 5:30p-8:30p.

Indigo Girls @ Lock 3, 200 S Main St, Akron, 44308; 330.375.2877; lock3live.com: The legendary duo performs at Flair Fest with the Anne E DeChant Trio and Hanna Thomas. 5:30p; $10.

Chi Chi LaRue's Pleasure Island @ Aura (Mean Bull), 1313 E 26th St, Cleveland, 44114; FB: AURA Ultra Lounge Cleveland: A rooftop dance and pool party featuring porn stars and Chi Chi LaRue. 7p-2:30a; Cover charge TBA.

Katy Perry @ Quicken Loans Arena, 1 Center Ct, Cleveland, 44115; 1.888.894.9424; theqarena.com: She's not technically in town for the Gay Games, but she couldn't have picked a better time to play Cleveland. 7p; $29.50-$103.50.

Figure Skating Champions Exhibition @ Serpentini Arena, 14740 Lakewood Heights Blvd, Lakewood, 44107: 7p-10p; $25.

DanceSport/Evening Session @ Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, 24 Public Square, Cleveland, 44113: 7p-11p; $15-$25 for oneday pass or $80-$110 for four-day pass.

Fortune Feimster @ Hilarities 4th Street Theater, 2035 E 4th St, Cleveland, 44115; 216.241.7425; pickwickandfrolic.com: The lesbian comic and Chelsea Lately regular performs standup. 7:30p and 9:30p; $18$23.

Bad Girls Club @ Interbelt Nite Club, 70N Howard St, Akron, 44308; 330.253.5700; interbelt.com: "Thursdays are a drag" at Interbelt Night Club. No cover.

Amazons and Their Men @ Liminis Theater, 2438 Scranton Rd, Cleveland, 44113; 216.687.0074; convergence-continuum.org: Convergence-Continuum theater company presents the Ohio premiere of Jordan Harrison's darkly comedic look at the circumstances of gay artists in 1930s Berlin. 8p; $10-$15.

My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding @ Greystone Theatre, 103 S High St, Akron, 44308; 330.374.7568; actorssummit.org: David Hein and Irene Carl Sankoff's musical comedy, presented by Actors' Summit, is based on Hein's experience when his mother and her girlfriend plan their wedding during Canada's fight for marriage equality. 8p: $10-$33.

Virginia Woolf's Orlando Adapted by Sarah Ruhl @ Balch Street Theatre, 220 S Balch St, Akron, 44302; 330.867.3299; nwplab.com: Akron's New World Performance Laboratory stages Woolf's gender-flipping 1928 novel. 8p; $10-$15.

We hope Cleveland treats you as nice as Columbus did, Chi Chi LaRue!

Fantasia @ Asia Town Center, 3820 Superior Ave, Cleveland, 44114; afcleveland.org: Gathering hosted by Asians & Friends Cleveland, an LGBT social group. Register at eventbrite.com. 8p-11:30p; free for members and Gay Games participants, $5 for others.

Official Gay Games Gold Party @ House of Blues, 308 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, 44114; 216.523.2583; houseofblues.com/cleveland/goldparty: Featuring DJ Tony Moran and Robin Harris. 9p; $15 for Gay Games participants and $25 at the door ($35 for passes to Black and Gold parties).

My Big Funny Peter@ Bounce, 2814 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, 44113; 216.357.2997; bouncecleveland.com/mybigfunnypeter.com: Comedian Peter C Bisuito is the world's only gay bodybuilding comedian, and he'll perform one night only. 9p; no ticket info available.

Renaissance Gay Games Live Late Night DJ @Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, 24 Public Square, Cleveland, 44113; 216.696.5600; FB: Renaissance Gay Games LIVE: Tonight's party features DJ Michael Fedele. 9p-3a; free.

Recharge on the Rooftop @ the Velvet Dog, 1280 W 6th St, Cleveland, 44113; FB: Recharge on the Rooftop GG9 Style: Overflow for this party is inside the club. It's sponsored by gayprinters.com and features DJ Rob Sherwood. 9p-3a; free (just join on Facebook).

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15

Sailing @ Edgewater Yacht Club, 6700 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway, Cleveland, 44102: times not announced; free.

Track and Field @ University of Akron Lee R Jackson Track and Field Complex, 315 S Union St, Akron, 44304: 8a; free.

Swimming @ Cleveland State University's Robert F. Busbey Natatorium, 2451 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, 44115: 8a-5p; free.

Table Tennis @ Case Western Reserve University's Veale Center, 2138 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, 44106: 8a-5p; free.

Ice Hockey @ OBM Arena, 15381 Royalton Rd, Strongsville, 44136: 8a-6p; free.

Flag Football @ Barton-Bradley Recreation Field, 30651 Bradley Rd, North Olmsted, 44070:8a-7p; free.

Soccer @ Copley Road Soccer Complex, 1806 Copley Rd, Akron, 44320; 8a-7p; free.

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