“I’ve been to Cleveland recently and I have a good handle on the attractions there, but I am trying to determine what’s hot right now in exhibits for groups? The REALLY big shows to promote as group tour opportunities . . . . what can suggest?”  

Really big, eh? Well, I had some ideas, but I checked with our resident expert, Kathy Toth (Manager or Group Tour/Motorcoach Sales) to make sure I was on track.  After a quick consult, we came up with the following:

Vatican Splendors at the Western Reserve Historical Society

It’s a quick turnaround, but if you can do it, check out Vatican Splendors (now through Sept. 7, 2008) at the Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS). I went to see it just the other night and was pleasantly surprised by the size of the exhibit, which is on the top “rotunda” floor of the WRHS’s Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum. (A fellow exhibitgoer commented, “I can’t believe how this goes on and on . . . did you know this room was this big?”)  Some of the items in the exhibit have never before left the Vatican and at least one has never been shown anywhere–EVER. Cleveland is one of only three US stops for this traveling exhibit of treasures.

Another traveling exhibit we are looking forward to is Zap! Pow! Bam! The Super Hero at the Maltz Museum of Heritage. Why at the Maltz, you ask? Well, because Superman was created in Cleveland. The man of steel was the idea of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1933. They invented him while attending Glenville High School. Publisher Harry Donnenfeld paid $135 for their strips, which appeared in the premier issue of Action Comics in 1938.

We realize most tour operators need significant lead time to plan and promote a tour. So, to that end, the Cleveland Museum of Art’s upcoming exhibit, Artistic Luxury: Faberge Tiffany Lalique (Oct. 19, 2008 – Jan. 18, 2009) devoted to the talented artists who made luxury goods seems like a real treat.

And the Canton Museum of Art is really excited because Feb. 8, 2009 – April 26, 2009 an exhibition of 40 giant landscape kimono of Japanese Master Itchiku Kubota is coming to the United States for only the second time. Kimono as Art: The Landscapes of Itchiku Kubota is coming to Canton after a stop at the Timken Museum of Art and San Diego Art Museum in San Diego, California. (Why Canton? We’re guessing it’s the Timken connection.) The museum is planning all sorts of related activities and programs.

Then, while not exhibits, there are three major events that will have groups taking notice.

• US Figure Skating Championships, Jan. 18-25, 2009
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Induction Ceremonies, April 2009 (We hear they are planning to have an event in Cleveland with more public access, though details are not yet available.)
• Outdoor Flower Show at Cleveland Botanical Garden, May 21-25, 2009

But don’t forget to check out the Broadway series at Playhouse Square, the always popular Vintage Ohio wine festival (Aug. 1-2, 2008), the always tasty Fabulous Food Show at the I-X Center (Nov. 14-16, 2008), the busy slate of shows at the Carousel Dinner Theatre, the live performances of the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra, the blooming flowers and/or winter holiday lights of Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens and other popular group attractions in Cleveland Plus.  — Samantha Fryberger (with help from Kathy Toth)