Check out our November Community Board for a list of free events happening throughout Cleveland this month. Our board also includes free community resources, such as utilities assistance and health programs.

📌 Want to submit something to the Community Board? Email [email protected] or use our contact form. We only share free programming, but please reach out if you’d like to place a paid ad.

November 7: Day of the Dead celebration

A vibrant cultural celebration for the whole family, the annual “Day of the Dead” honors the memory of those who have passed and is a treasured holiday in Mexico and throughout Latin America. This year, Cleveland Public Theatre (6415 Detroit Ave.) will host its Day of the Dead celebration on Saturday, November 7 from 10 am to 11 pm. The Skulls and Skeltons Procession will be from 3:30 – 4:15 p.m. The event will feature altar installations, Latin food, live music, a folk-art market, and FREE entertainment for all ages. Visit cptonline.org for more information.

November 7: Music at Main: Hip to That

Enjoy free live music from Hip to That, a musical group celebrated for its creative sing arrangements, high-energy performances, and entertaining sense of humor with music covering rock to jazz to standards to everything in between, Saturday, November 7 from 2 pm to 3 pm at the Main Branch of the Cleveland Public Library (325 Superior Ave. NE).

November 10: Cleveland SCORES Poetry Slam

Cleveland SCORES youth in grades 3-5 from 14 schools across the city will perform their original poems on stage for family and community members. Kids in the SCORES program have been writing and reciting poems throughout the fall. The Poetry Slam will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10 at Cleveland State University’s Waetjen Auditorium, 2001 Euclid Ave. A family and community reception will take place an hour before the start of the event. Free and open to the public.

November 11: Ward 11 and Ward 4 Community Meeting

Ward 11 Councilwoman Nikki Hudson and War 4 Councilman Kris Harsh will co-host a community meeting at Estabrook Recreation Center, 4125 Fulton Road, on November 11 from 6-7:30 p.m.

November 14: Family portrait day at South Library

Capture special memories with your loved ones at our Family Portrait Day. Each group will go home with printed copies to share and digital copies to keep, at no cost. Saturday, November 14 from 2 pm to 5 pm at the South Branch of the Cleveland Public Library, at 3096 Scranton Rd.

November 14: NOBLE 2026 Platform Meeting

Be a part of advocacy efforts to demand a better state budget. Join Northern Ohioans for Budget Legislation Equality (NOBLE) for its 2026 meeting on Saturday, November 14 from 10 am to pm at Pilgrim Congregational Church (2592 West 14th St.). Rides provided for anyone in need of one. Lunch and snacks will also be provided. Contact us at [email protected]. Register at ohiobudgetequality.org/2026meeting.

November 17: Secret Songwriting Society

Anyone can write a song. Wanna start? Join The Baker’s Basement on the third Tuesday of every month at Forest City Brewery (2135 Columbus Rd.) for a celebration of spontaneous creativity. This month, we will meet on Tuesday, November 17. Doors open at 7 pm and the show starts at 7:30 pm. For more information, visit thebakersbasement.com/secret-songwriting-society.

November 18: Ethical Investing

Cleveland Westside Village will host Ethical Investing on Wednesday, November 18 at 2:30 p.m. at the Carnegie West Branch (1900 Fulton) of the Cleveland Public Library. Free and open to the public. Register at: https://clevelandwestside.helpfulvillage.com/events/642 Speaker is Cleveland Westside Village member Edie Rasell, an economist.

November 21: Street Studio

This month’s Street Studio will be Saturday, November 21 from 1 pm to 3 pm at St. Paul’s Community Church, 4427 Franklin Ave. All are welcome to share music, poetry, and spoken word – or to listen in support. Piano, drums, guitar, and microphones provided – as well as coffee and snacks. For more information contact Ian Heisey at [email protected].

November 21: Friends and Family Open Studio

Join ArtHouse Inc. at the Brooklyn Branch Library for a story time and a craft inspired by the story. Saturday, November 21 from 11 am to 1 pm.

November 28: WinterLand Kickoff

The start of WinterLand CLE, downtown Cleveland’s annual holiday celebration, runs from 3 pm to 8 pm on Saturday, November 28 in and around Public Square. The kickoff event includes ice skating (12 pm - 10 pm), firepits and s’mores (3 pm - 5 pm, while supplies last), live performances (3 pm - 6 pm), a photo op. with Santa (6 pm - 8 pm), trackless train rides, games and giveaways, and a rotating tree lighting ceremony (starting at 5:30 pm and repeating every thirty minutes). Visit winterlandcle.com for more information.

November 28: Write Now free fiction group

Join Literary Cleveland and instructor Meg Toth at the Cleveland Public Library Lorain Branch (8216 Lorain Ave.) from 10:30 am to noon, the fourth Saturday of each month for fiction writing and community in this free monthly writing group for adults. Each month we will read samples of published stories and novels for inspiration, discuss craft and form, draft our own fiction writing in response to in-class exercises, and build community among fellow writers. Join us every month or stop by for a single session. This group is great for making progress on an ongoing project or for starting something new. This month's session will be on Saturday, November 28.

Cleveland’s Mobile Health Unit

The Cleveland Department of Public Health is bringing FREE health services directly to our neighborhood recreation centers this fall! No cost and no appointment needed. Services include: blood pressure checks, smoking and vaping quit assistance, reproductive health screenings, and mental health resources. Tuesdays from 2 pm to 5 pm. This month’s dates will be November 10 and November 17 at the Michael Zone Recreation Center

(6301 Lorain Ave.). Questions? Call 216-664-2889.

Collective Thoughts

Collective Thoughts is a news discussion group that meets on the second and fourth Sunday of every month from 9 am to 10 am at Harbor and Bridge at 4321 Bridge Ave. The next two meetings will be Sunday, November 8 and Sunday, November 22. The meetings are a chance to read, reflect, and respond to difficult and divisive issues. We often talk about local issues (housing, policing, politics, gentrification, etc.), and sometimes talk about more broad ones. Email Matt at [email protected] for a copy of the article we’ll be discussing at the next meeting.

The Ohio Library for the Blind and Print Disabled offers a wide selection of reading materials to those who are unable to read standard print due to blindness, low vision, or other limitations. Materials can be mailed to you, or you can download digital materials via our online catalog. To start using our services, request an application for service by calling us at 800-362-1262 and will mail an application, or download the form from OLBPD.cpl.org.

The education center at May Dugan (4115 Bridge Ave.) offers adult learners GED test preparation, workforce training, financial literacy courses, and English for Speakers of Other Languages programs. Each year, our programs welcome 250 individuals of all skill levels and educational backgrounds. Our educators create individualized lesson plans with each student. Students work at their own pace, one-on-one with one of our classroom instructors. For more information or to enroll in any of our Community Education Programs, please call 216-631-5800 x114.

SPARK Ohio is a FREE kindergarten readiness program for three and four year olds and their parents. You are your child’s first teacher, and we want to help you be the best you can be. You and your child will receive in-home education enhancement with a parent partner to work on skills important for kindergarten, including colors, numbers, shapes, letters, and social skills. You and your child will receive free books and free art supplies. For more information, contact Family Connections of Ohio at 216-921-2023.

If you need shelter, contact Cuyahoga County’s Coordinated Intake office at 216-674-6700. Hours of operation: 8 am – 8 pm, Monday – Friday. After hours and weekends, please call 2-1-1 for an on-call Coordinated Intake representative. If it is after hours, women in need of assistance may also go directly to Norma Herr Women’s Center, 2227 Payne Ave., and staff will assist you in contacting Coordinated Intake the following day.

During the cold-weather months, the City of Cleveland extends the normal operating hours of recreation centers to serve as warming centers for Cleveland residents that are seeking shelter during major snow and weather events. Warming centers provide temporary relief for homeless and vulnerable individuals but do not operate as overnight shelters. Recreation Center staff connect individuals to nearby shelters and social services to provide ongoing support and accommodation. Visit clevelandohio.gov for a list of participating shelters and their hours.

If you or someone you love is struggling with depression and/or thinking about suicide, get help now. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 988, is a free resource, available 24 hours a day for anyone who is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. You can also use our free online chat at suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat.

Operation Save-A-Life, a program of the American Red Cross and Cleveland Fire Department, provides FREE smoke alarms to Cleveland residents. The smoke alarms are installed by Cleveland firefighters at no cost to the resident. To apply, call the 24-hour hotline at 216-361-5535. Please note that the application and installation process may take up to 90 days.

Are you pregnant? Do you live in the city of Cleveland? The MomsFirst program can help you learn how to deal with the stress that comes with being a parent; connect you to resources for housing, education, and healthcare; teach you how to keep your baby safe; and find birth control options that work for you. To enroll, visit momsfirst.org or call 216-664-4194.

Looking for support for a substance abuse disorder? If you are ready to stop using now, call Project White Butterfly at 216-727-8725 (Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm), or for 24-hour assistance, call Project SOAR at 440-502-0020. Visit projectwhitebutterfly.org for more information.

After a complete redevelopment of the City of Cleveland Land Bank application process, the portal is now open! This initial launch will serve as a 60-day trial period, giving residents until November 20 to submit a Side Yard Expansion Application for consideration. The Side Yard Expansion Program provides eligible property owners an opportunity to purchase qualifying City Land Bank lots that are adjacent to their existing property. Questions or need assistance with the application? Call: 216-664-7482 Email: [email protected]

Neighborhood Connections are excited to announce the launch of the Green Space Grants - micro grants of up to $5,000 focused on supporting resident-led initiatives to maintain, improve, reclaim or repair vacant land in the City of Cleveland. To learn more, or two apply, visit

neighborupcle.org/community-grants.

Every Saturday and Sunday, residents of the City of Cleveland, East Cleveland, Brooklyn, Euclid, Garfield Heights, Maple Heights, and Warrensville Heights can receive FREE admission to the newly renovated Cleveland Museum of Natural History, thanks to the generous support of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Foundation. To receive free admission, reserve tickets on our website and present proof of residency at the Welcome Desk on the day of your visit. Proof of residency should include an address in one of the eligible cities and can be any of the following: a current Ohio driver's license or state ID, a utility bill or bank statement, a medical insurance statement, a lease agreement or mortgage statement, or a pay stub or W2. (Mandel Community Days give you access to everything covered by a general admission ticket.) To learn more or to reserve your tickets, visit https://www.cmnh.org/visit/mandel-days.

Every Monday, the zoo is FREE for residents of Cuyahoga County and Hinckley Township. To confirm your residency, bring your driver’s license or state ID or a current utility bill with your Cuyahoga Cty. or Hinckley Township address along with a photo ID.

Current Cleveland residents can receive free admission to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The free CLE VIP tickets are available online only, at rockhall.com/ticketing, and upon arrival at the museum you must show proof of residency such as a driver’s license, state ID, or photo ID with a City of Cleveland address. Children under 18 without an ID may gain entrance with their parents or guardians. Limited to five minors (without ID) per one adult admission.

A local nonprofit that gives high-quality, gently used children's books to organizations of all sizes that distribute them to children and families in need, The Kids’ Book Bank has a variety of volunteer opportunities available. Help us sort, process and package books in our new westside warehouse (13913 W Parkway Rd.), host a book drive in your community, assist families in choosing free books to take home at various events, and more. Visit kidsbookbank.org for more info or contact us at [email protected] or 216-417-1803.

Be a snow hero this winter! Volunteer to shovel snow for older adults and people with disabilities in Cleveland. Help make sidewalks safer for all and build a stronger, more-connected community – one snowstorm at a time. After signing up to Snow Heroes, a program of the Cleveland Department of Aging, volunteers will be matched with a resident and will then shovel their sidewalk, stairs and ramps in less than 48 hours of any snowfall of 3 inches or more. Volunteers must provide their own shovels or snowblowers. Sign up today at clevelandohio.gov/aging. Questions? Contact [email protected] or call 216-857-7165.

🗓️ Want to submit something to the Community Board? Email [email protected] or use our contact form. We only share free programming, but please reach out if you’d like to place a paid ad.