Nate’s North Coast Notes • Winterfest | Cleveland Cinematheque | Sony’s Alpha Female Plus Grant Program

By Nathan E. Paige

Winterfest 2020 – (November 28 – January 3)

Winterfest 2020 – downtown Cleveland’s official kickoff to the holiday season – begins Saturday, November 28 at 7PM. (Photo: Nate Paige)

Winterfest is one of Cleveland’s most anticipated annual winter holiday events. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event has been scaled back, but still designed to entertain with a special tree lighting broadcast on WKYC-TV3 November 28 at 7PM. The wide variety of scheduled events includes daily light shows, performances by the Singing Angels, a Santas of the World Scavenger Hunt, the Rivergate Park/Merwin’s Wharf Riverfest, on-site and online shopping from downtown merchants and much more!   Get more information.

Take a break from your daily stresses with some frivolous entertainment by watching the low-budget, explosion-heavy film “Action U.S.A.” (Photo: Kino Marquee)

Cleveland Cinematheque Virtual Cinema: “Action U.S.A.” (Streaming through December 3)

Considering 2020 has been quite an exhausting and emotionally draining year, it can’t hurt to want to spend an hour or two on mindless escapism.  That’s where “Action U.S.A.” comes in.  Serving as the directorial debut of veteran Hollywood stuntman John Stewart, this 1989 film was shot in Texas, and the paper-thin plot revolves around missing stolen jewels.  Get ready for a series of car jumping scenes, huge explosions for the sake of explosions, and a hitman who resembles a muscular Freddie Mercury. The sub-par acting would make this film perfect fare for “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” Streaming fee is $10 and allows film to be viewed for five days. View the trailer.

Get an inside look at the inner workings of the Rock Hall during “Rock Your Giving Week” December 1-5. (Photo: Nate Paige)

Rock Your Giving Week at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (December 1-5)

Tuesday, December 1 through Saturday, December 5, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame presents “Rock Your Giving Week,” a series of free virtual, educational programs highlighting the Museum’s mission.  The schedule is as follows:

• December 1: Backstage Pass - Learn about current preservation projects
• December 2: Drum Like A Rock Star – Drumming tutorial
• December 3: Preserve Your Rock Star Legacy – Explore the Rock Hall’s Library & Archives
• December 4: Power of Rock & Roll - Learn about the free online educational resource Rock Hall EDU
• December 5: Rock & Yoga - Join in an all-levels vinyasa session featuring instructors from Inner Bliss Yoga Studio

Programs begin at noon each day and are available on the Rock Hall’s YouTube page, Free, but donations welcome.  Get more information.

Sony is looking for female photographers and videographers to apply to its Alpha Female Grant Program. (Photo: Sony/YouTube)

Sony’s Alpha Female Plus Grant Program 

(Deadline February 15, 2021)

Sony is looking for female photographers and videographers to apply to its Alpha Female Grant Program. Among the items the winner will receive is a $5,000 grant to fund a specific, well-defined project; a full-frame Sony camera and lens (value of $3,000+) to shoot your project; and a one-year full Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps subscription to edit your project. The contest is open to all legal residents of the United States and Canada (with the exception of the Province of Quebec) who are at least 18 years old at the time of entry. The deadline to apply is February 15, 2021. Click here for compete details.

Is there an upcoming event you’d like included in this column? Send the details, along with a high-resolution photo/graphic, to northcoastnotes@therealdealpress.com at least two weeks prior to the event.

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