Weekly Feature: Hidden Gems

This week's Hidden Gem: Larchmere Festival

As you can see folks, Hidden Gems has been on a short hiatus, sort of...

Summer vacations, traveling, breaking sports news, and such have made me stray from this feature for the time being.

Don't worry, it's not gone for good. It's summertime!

Cleveland's known for its abundance of summer festivals, carnivals, outdoor events, concerts, patios, and non-stop festivities which run all summer long! I love this city!

Definitely NOT lacking the perfect accompanying weather. It's been FLA North!

One of the most amazing festivals this month has been the Larchmere Festival.

If you have not ventured over to Larchmere/Shaker Square in a while, it's a must.

You are sure to find a restaurant and type of food tantalizing to your taste in this neighborhood.

Every Saturday morning, the Farmer's Market.

Unique stores, antiques, collectibles, galleries, movie theatres, and anything else you crave can be found in this historical neighborhood.

The Larchmere Festival rocked! Set up nearly the stretch of North Moreland to East 121st Street, vendors lined both sides of the street wall to wall selling their creations.

Vendors came from far and near. Even if they did not have a shop on Larchmere, they made their way to the Boulevard clamoring for attention from Ohio and beyond.

The charm began for me from the get go.

I walked to the festival and stopped by an old-fashioned lemonade stand put on by 2 adorable little neighborhood girls. Oh, the days when we used to set up our stands --we sold lemonade and one year we sold ice cream floats! Because we made the most complex ice cream concoction, we actually lost money, but it was delish!

Not even on the BLVD, you could hear the live musical acts lining the street.....food vendors also sporadically placed for the hungry shoppers.

You greeted everyone you saw, even if you did not know them and saw so many friends and neighbors along the way.

The sellers peddled anything and everything from porch swings to handmade jewelry, Beatles plates, porcelain figurines, shoes, drawings, wood crafted articles, furniture, religious items, record albums and cd's, and anything else you could imagine.

This already vibrant area had its heart beating right out of its chest.

There was also a special wine tasting session which ran for most of the day, if you were into that delicacy.

Most restaurants up and down Larchmere have some type of patio in front or out back. The Flying Cranes has one of the most beautiful flower gardens you could ever see. Won't want to miss it!

Simply put, a fulfilling and quite amazing day with no one going home disappointed.

If you've not been to this area before or in a while, a must!

Keep your eyes on the calendar for any events which take place in this area including next year's Larchmere Festival and Porchfest! Always a treat, always a hit never to be missed!

Please, don't take my word for it. Expand your horizons this summer and head over to Larchmere Boulevard while the days are long, the heat is on, the patios are open, and the drinks flowing to experience for yourself while the Larchmere Festival is this week's Hidden Gem!