A snowy, bone-chilling day in February isn’t exactly when most people think about attending (let alone organizing) an outdoor music and arts festival, but leave it to a couple of Clevelanders to turn challenge into opportunity. Enter Brite Winter, an outdoor music and arts festival hosted in Ohio City on February 15th. Last year was our first time attending the festival and it was quite the experience–we definitely can’t wait to go back.

This year marks Brite Winter’s fifth consecutive festival, boasting substantial growth year after year. The 2013 event drew in an estimated 20,000 people and showcased 48 artists over 6 stages. This year, there will be 70 artists spread out out 10 stages; 4 outdoor, 6 indoor. You’ll here music genres from indie alternative to folk, punk, rock, bluegrass, funk, electronic, and singer songwriter. The festival also includes creative light installations, food trucks, beer gardens, bonfires, games, and activities for people of all ages.

The best part: It’s free. However, if you wish to donate, check out the festival’s Kickstarter.

Visit the Brite Winter website for directions and parking information: http://www.britewinter.com/get-there/.

A few words of advice: dress warm. We completely underestimated the 19 degree weather last year and found ourselves at Dave’s Market scavenging for gloves and an extra layer of socks.

Stages

The Brite Winter Stage at W. 26th St. and Market Ave (main stage).

The Ohio City Stage @ Market Square Park

The Great Lakes Brewing Stage @ the GLBC Tasting Room : Folk / Bluegrass

The Chipotle Stage @ The Cleveland Hostel: Indie Rock

The TownHall Stage @ The Town Hall Patio : Indie Electronic

The Classic Mini Stage @ Market Ave. Wine bar : Singer Songwriter

The Cleveland Clothing Stage @ The Loren Naji Gallery: Jam Funk

Additional Stages at: Joy Machines Bike Shop, W 25th St. Pl, and Old Angle Tavern

Outdoor stages feature music from 4-11pm. Indoor stages feature music from 4pm-1am.

Artist Line-up

Air Traffic Controller · Coin · The Lighthouse & The Whaler · Hollis Brown · Herzog · Obnox · Texas Plant · Bars of Gold · Pleasure Leftists · Signals Midwest · Thaddeus Anna Greene · Keeps · Little Big League · Freeze-Tag · Rollergirl · Seasick Mama · Jonathan Harper Croh · Dolfish · Emma Shepherd · Let’em Run · Smooth Hound Smith · Silent Lions · Cruiser · Shivering Timbers · Nick D & The Believers · Seafair · Nick Tolford · Captain Kidd · Tinnarose · The Defibulators · Lulu Mae · Fever Fever · Night Sweats · Emily & The Complexes · Shale Satans · Fingers · Eddie Doldrum · Sidneyyork · Ages · Crash City · Dave Hammer’s Power Supply · Wild Rompit · Rob Kovacs · Heart Attack Man · Vibe & Direct · Captain Ivory · Our Lady · Nomads · Friendly Faux · Jenna Fournier (of Nights) · Carrie Ryan · Green Gallows · Smug Saints · Sim Ross · Skirbe · Yosemight · Bombardier · Tree No Leaves · Caitlin Mahoney · Sweepyheads · Bella Ruse · Wolf Creek · We The People · Istvan Medgyesi