It’s St. Patrick’s Day, March Madness has begun, Opening Day at Progressive Field is just around the corner and the temperature outside is slowly warming up. Spring has arrived in Cleveland, which means the team at the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission is gearing up for another busy summer. The Sports Commission traditionally has busy summers managing and organizing numerous events and 2016 is certainly no different. Oh, and there is also that little thing called the Republican National Convention coming through Cleveland too.
An event-by-event look at the Sports Commission’s busy summer:
UWW ASICS Cadet and University National Championships
Dates: June 2-5, 2016
Where: The University of Akron’s Stile Athletics Field House
What: Over 1,000 of the nation’s top wrestlers ages 18-24 compete to qualify on national and world teams in the greco-roman and freestyle classifications.
Cool Fact: The Sports Commission is bringing this event to Cleveland for the ninth-straight year and it has grown from just over 700 wrestlers to its current 1,200 participants.
Economic Activity: $1,000,000
Donate Life Transplant Games of America
Dates: June 10-15, 2016
Where: Multiple venues across Cleveland, headquartered at the FirstMerit Convention Center of Cleveland
What: This awe-inspiring event brings over 6,000 organ, tissue and corneal recipients and living donors to Cleveland to compete in 20-plus sports. The event also includes several ancillary events, many for the families of organ donors.
Cool Fact: The overall goal of the Transplant Games is to increase the number of registered organ donors. Few events can make the claim that they are literally life-saving.
Economic Activity: $8,100,000
Continental Cup International Youth Sports Festival presented by Cleveland Clinic Sports Health
Dates: June 30-July 3, 2016
Where: Multiple venues across Northeast Ohio, headquartered at Baldwin Wallace University
What: Now in its 11th year, the Continental Cup brings athletes from over a dozen countries and across the U.S. to Cleveland to compete in three sports: soccer, basketball and baseball.
Cool Fact: Since it was founded, the Continental Cup has featured over 2,100 teams from 37 different countries.
Economic Activity: $3,000,000
World Yo-Yo Contest
Dates: August 3-6, 2016
Where: Renaissance Cleveland Hotel
What: The world championships for the sport of Yo-Yo will feature 1,500 competitors.
Cool Fact: There are, in fact, five different divisions of competition sponsored at the World Yo-Yo Contest.
Economic Activity: $1,500,000
DAP Championship
Dates: September 8-11, 2016
Where: Canterbury Golf Club
What: After two successful June events, the Web.com Tour will bring the first of its four-tournament playoff run to Cleveland in 2016.
Cool Fact: The DAP Championship will be integral in deciding which professional golfers will move on to the PGA Tour next season.
Economic Activity: $4,00,000
NEOCycle presented by Ohio Savings Bank
Dates: September 9-11, 2016
Where: Edgewater Park
What: The third edition of NEOCycle – the nation’s largest urban cycling festival – will bring exciting races and unique rides to Edgewater Park. The spotlight event is the Night Ride which features thousands of glowing cyclists riding an incredibly unique course with great views of downtown Cleveland and Lake Erie.
Cool Fact: The event also features a 2-stage Music Fest and endless amounts of outdoor activities, beer, food and fun.
Economic Activity: $750,000
With the Sports Commission sharing an office with Destination Cleveland and the 2016 Host Committee, the organization will also be counted on to use its event expertise to help Cleveland shine on the international stage during the 2016 Republican National Convention.
Sumemr is coming Cleveland. Time to get prepared and get excited.
View the full event calendar