Music and Sports Venues

Blossom Music Center is located in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio about thirty miles south of Cleveland and ten miles north of Akron. It is the premier outdoor amphitheater in northeast Ohio and features a very unique design. Blossom is located in a beautiful setting on 800 acres of a natural wooded area inside Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Construction began on the venue in 1967 and was completed in 1968 at a cost of $8 million. The venue was named after Dudley S. Blossom who was the president of the Cleveland Orchestra from 1936 to 1938. The Cleveland Orchestra performed during the first six weeks after the opening of the amphitheater in the summer of 1968 and received excellent reviews from critics all around the country.

Owned by the Musical Arts Association (the non-profit parent organization of the Cleveland Orchestra) and managed by Live Nation, Blossom Music Center is the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra and has also been a major stop for summer concerts for many years. Live Nation is responsible for booking and promoting all the non-orchestra events. There have been countless artists who have performed at Blossom. The venue has also hosted numerous music festival throughout the years including Lilith Fair, H.O.R.D.E. Festival, Lollapalooza, Ozzfest and Mayhem Festival to name a few. There is seating for over 19,000 people in the venue including 5,700 covered Pavilion seats and 13,500 lawn seats. One of the unique features of the amphitheater is the lawn covering the back rows of seating. This provides for an incredible outdoor music experience. The lawn also allows a great view of the stage.

Blossom underwent a $17 million major renovation project in 2002. The renovation was the first major improvement made to the facility since it opened in 1968. The restoration included a 60 foot extension of the stage, the addition of 3,624 lawn seats and 1,106 reserved seats which increased the capacity of the venue to 23,500. Other improvements included the overhaul of the backstage, new dressing rooms and new restrooms, video screens with two robotic cameras were placed onstage and the sound system for the lawn was upgraded. The cost of the renovations could have paid for construction of a new small to mid-sized venue.

The Blossom Music Festival is a well-known festival that runs every summer from late June through Labor Day. The festival of weekend concerts features the Cleveland Orchestra, as well as performances by the Blossom Festival Band, Blossom Festival Orchestra and performances by visiting artists. During the festival, the Blossom Grille is open before and after the concerts for full-service dining as well as take-out picnic dinners. The Bandwagon Gift Shop and Wine Shop are also open during the festival. There are landscaped gardens, picnic areas and a party center that accommodates groups of 25 to 450 people. The lawn provides space for a long-running tradition of picnics before the concert.

If you are attending a concert at Blossom Music Center keep in mind that most events take place rain or shine so be prepared for the weather. Blankets and umbrellas are allowed in the venue but be sure to keep others in mind when using an umbrella. You can bring short-legged chairs or rent them for $5 for the concert. Tents and other structures are strictly prohibited. The venue opens 2.5 hours before a concert so be sure to arrive early and enjoy the picnic areas, the gardens, Elles Art Gallery and the Gift Shop. If you are attending an orchestra concert you can bring a picnic basket and wine into the venue but you must clean up after the concert.

Blossom Music Center is now 50 years old and has entertained over 20 million fans over the years. It is one of the finest outdoor venues in the country. The venue has great acoustics and the sound system for the lawn ensures a great concert experience. All of Blossom’s features combine to make it Ohio’s favorite music venue.

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