Happy Friday, Westsiders! The weather is finally turning, and we are looking forward to all of the fun Spring and Summer activities being announced.

🔊 Speaking of announcements… If you like wine, fun, and animals, The Westside Buzz is cooking up something special just for you. Official announcement on Tuesday! (That’s called a tease in the biz)

Today we’re buzzing on:

• 🏀 Cavs Playoff Fever Preview

• 🥃 Tasty upcoming events announced

• 🎊 37 Westside weekend events

Let’s make it a great day,

—The Briggses

📅 MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Sip for a Cause: A Special Wish Foundation's Whiskey Tequila Fest | Flats

Mark your calendars, Westsiders! A Special Wish Foundation Northeast Ohio is hosting their annual Whiskey Tequila Fest on April 26 from 2:30 to 6 p.m. at Tenk West Bank.

As Ohio's largest whiskey and tequila tasting event, attendees will sample from an impressive selection of over 100 whiskeys and 40 tequilas. Rare finds like Dark Arts Cask Strength Bourbon and Don Julio Resposado will be among the premium options available!

The best part? Every sip supports children facing life-threatening illnesses, as all proceeds benefit A Special Wish Foundation's mission to grant their wishes.

Event Details:

• When: April 26, 2:30-6:00 p.m.

• Where: Tenk West Bank, 2111 Center St., Cleveland

• Tickets: $75 general admission (includes meal and 10 tastings) or $55 bar pass (includes meal and 3 drink tickets)

• Music: Live music by Sammi Butler

• Bonus: Exchange a tasting ticket for a margarita upgrade!

• Win: $10 Raffle tickets for rare bottles

Come for an afternoon of good spirits 😜 and even better causes. Cheers to making wishes come true!

Sunshine & Wine: The Sunflower Wine Festival Returns! | Rocky River

The popular Sunflower Wine Festival, supporting the Prayers from Maria Foundation, returns this summer on July 12 from 4 to 11 p.m. on Depot Street in Rocky River.

We have gone to this festival over the years, and it is amazing to see how it has grown into one of the premier Westside events of the summer.

Event Details:

• When: July 12, 4:00-11:00 p.m.

• Where: Depot Street, Rocky River

• Tickets:

  • $60 Garden wristband (pre-sale) or $75 (day-of): Includes 10 tastings and souvenir wine glass

  • $250 VIP wristband: Includes unlimited tastings, private tent access, complimentary bar, food, and seating

  • $20 Festival Street wristband: Access to street activities, food court, and Maria's Shop (ideal for designated drivers and children)

Bonus: Limited edition insulated wine tumblers available for $25!

Want to help more? The foundation welcomes auction donations and volunteers! Email [email protected] to contribute auction items or sign up for volunteer opportunities.

Come join hundreds of community members for this summer highlight that combines fun with purpose.

FRIDAY FB MARKETPLACE FIND

Vintage 1950s Coca-Cola Bottle Crate | Cleveland

One of my many guilty pleasures that brings me a lot of joy, and many eye rolls from Jodie, is scrolling through Facebook Marketplace’s hidden gems. Just recently, I stumbled upon this amazing 1950s Coca-Cola tray. With a bit of TLC, it could become a statement piece for a game room or entertainment space. It's these little vintage treasures that make the hunt so worthwhile!

CAVS PLAYOFF PREVIEW

If it is to be, we must make our Threes 👌 | Rocket Arena

I officially have Cavs fever.

They stormed through the regular season with a modern, depth-focused system built around All-Star guards and defensive bigs who can switch positions. Under first-year Head Coach Kenny Atkinson, they've dominated opponents with elite 3-point shooting and versatility.

The Concerns:

1. Lack of perimeter size against teams with elite guards (The Celtics)

2. Lackluster finish to the season (8-8 in their last 16)

Their championship hopes likely hinge on whether their 3-point shooting returns to early-season form, as both Mitchell and Garland saw significant percentage drops after the All-Star break.

The Positives:

1. The Cavs are the deepest team in the league

2. Coach Atkinson strategically kept the starters’ minutes low during the season

The Cavs pummeled teams all season, which ended up good for 64 wins and #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, which will be huge if we are to beat the returning champion Celtics.

Game 1: (The winner of the Heat/Hawks tonight) vs. Cavs, This Sunday @ 7 PM

I’ll be heading down to the Rocket Arena for game 2 of the series. I am predicting a 4-1 series win over either team.

🧠 TRIVIA

📝 TUESDAY POLL FEEDBACK

I need to be better about following up on the polls we run here at The Buzz. You, the faithful readers of Buzz Nation, provide such great feedback that it would be a shame if we kept it to ourselves.

Here are the results of Tuesday’s poll:

Responses of Loving Spicy (the new Guardians racing hotdog) and wishing they had named it something else, like Relish, were tied with 35% of the vote.

Thank you to everyone who participates in the polls. We read each response and try to reply to each and every piece of feedback. We love to hear from you!

The Buzz Strip

For more of Patrick’s work, check out GeyserArt.com and follow him on Instagram: @GeyserArt.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

🎷 Live Entertainment

Friday

Stones Tribute by Gimme Sugar | Music Box SC, Flats 7:30 PM

Fortune Feimster | Connor Palace, Playhouse 7 PM

Led Zeppelin 2 - A Tribute to Led Zeppelin | House of Blues, Cleveland 7:30 PM

The Dave Matthews Tribute Band | Music Box CH, Flats 8 PM

Horns And Things | The Bop Stop, Cleveland 8 PM

Four Times Louder, Stay Gone, & Messmaker | The Winchester, Lakewood 8 PM

Pat Shepard | Gormley’s, Rocky River 8 PM

Grunge DNA | Backstage Bar, Westpark 8:30 PM

Follow The Sun | Time Warp Bar, Westlake 9 PM

Jazz Jam Session | The Bop Stop, Cleveland 10 PM

Saturday

Columbus Crew vs. Messi & Inter Miami CF | Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland 4:30 PM

UNHINGED EASTER | Mercury Music Lounge, Lakewood 6 PM

Jeff Arcuri | Connor Palace, Playhouse 7 PM

Coop's Nightmare | House of Blues, Cleveland 7 PM

STYX Tribute by Best of Times | Music Box CH, Flats 7:30 PM

Luther Vandross Tribute by The Reid Project | Music Box SC, Flats 7:30 PM

The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective | The Bop Stop, Cleveland 8 PM

Whose Live Anyway? | Keybank State Theatre, Playhouse 8 PM

Kelly & Matt | Gormley’s, Rocky River 8 PM

Melted Strawberry 420 Bash W/ Altered Generation, & The Other Guys | The Winchester, Lakewood 8 PM

Armstrong Bearcats | Backstage Bar, Westpark 9 PM

Billy Morris | Time Warp Bar, Westlake 9 PM

Dark Wave Dance Cave Presents: Die Industrie! | The Winchester, Lakewood 9 PM

Sunday

Yacht Rock Brunch | Mercury Music Lounge, Lakewood 11 AM

Sunshine Daydream | The Winchester, Lakewood 6:30 PM

Cavs Playoff Game 1 vs (TBD) | Rocket Arena, Cleveland 7 PM

Weather

Friday

82 🌡️ 60 | ⛅ | 20% | 💨 SW 20-25 mph

Saturday

66 🌡️ 44 | 🌧 | 90% | 💨 SW 11-17 mph

Sunday

56 🌡️ 49 | 🌦 | 30% | 💨 NE 11-13 mph

Monday

70 🌡️ 47 | 🌦 | 60% | 💨 S 11-17 mph

💧^{🌡️ Water temperature = 44ºF}

That’s it for today, Westsiders.

Enjoy Your Weekend,

—The Briggses