Summer sounds at Blue Heron

The brand-new amphitheater on the grounds of Blue Heron Brewery is proof that the popular brewpub’s owners are serious about taking Friday night entertainment to the next level in Northeast Ohio, says Bill Rini, co-owner of the award-winning establishment.

“We constructed a new covered stage just for exciting events like our Blue Heron Concert Series, which will kick off on Friday evening, July 18,” Bill announces. “Featuring a variety of compelling local bands, the concert series will be a fantastic night out under the stars. We’ll have world-class beer, specialty cocktails, food stations and fireworks. And you can feel comfortable bringing the kids.”

The rockin’ country tunes of The Caliber Band will open the 11-week concert series, which will continue every Friday night through September 26, from 7-10 p.m., leading up to the Blue Heron Oktoberfest on Sunday, October 26.

“We’re going to have a nice mix of country, throwback music and today’s hit music,” Bill says. “We’ll feature different types of genres every week.”

Ben Erjavec, executive chef and co-owner, says the view from Blue Heron is “glorious.”

“It’s incredible to enjoy a good meal with a beer or cocktail watching the sunset and the eagles and other wildlife in Austin Badger Park,” he says.

Concert tickets can be ordered online at BlueHeronMedina.com for $10 in advance or you can pay $15 at the door. A $75 season pass also is available online.

“We will have buses transporting people here from Buehler’s Fresh Foods at Route 18 and River Styx Road,” Ben says. “The shuttles will run from 4:30 p.m. until midnight.”

The Blue Heron Concert Series schedule is as follows:

• July 18—The Caliber Band: Featuring rockin’ country music from the 1980s to today’s biggest country hits.
• July 25—The Element: A collaboration between some of Cleveland’s most notable performers like Tony Koussa Jr. and Erin Rossi. The band’s playlist spans from jazz to classic rock, to Motown, pop and country.
• August 1—Tyler Reid Band: Tyler Reid is an independent American country music singer and songwriter from Northeast Ohio who has been playing and telling stories at festivals, fairs and honkytonk concerts across the Midwest since he was16 years old.
• August 8—Trailer Park Ninjas: An energetic four-piece band that offers a diverse song selection, an interactive light show and decades of experience creating a perfectly tailored production.
• August 15—E5C4P3: Widely considered to be one of the best Journey tribute bands in the country, E5C4P3 recreates the live concert experience of Journey, including the visual aspects of the early 1980s.
• August 22—The Cleveland Keys: An all-request dueling pianos show.
• August 29—The Spazmatics: A 1980s tribute band complete with skinny ties, Brylcreemed hair and horn-rimmed glasses.
• September 5—Tricky Dick & The Cover-Ups: A four-piece band that has logged more than 1,000 shows, with partnerships with all major Cleveland sports teams. The band features a fast moving, genre-spanning array of musical selections, a vivid and dynamic light show and a high-energy performance.
• September 12—The Ladies Night: An all-male tribute to pop divas, with an emphasis on the 1990s and 2000s. Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Kesha, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus are among the divas represented.
• September 19—Cleveland’s Breakfast Club: Formed in 2000, focuses on the top hits of the 1980s, including such acts as Journey, Duran Duran, Rick Springfield, Bryan Adams, The Cure, U2, the Cars, INXS, J Geils Band, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses and Van Halen.
• September 26—Böaterhead: Formerly Yacht Rock Cleveland, Böaterhead is a smooth rock party band that celebrates the hits of the late 1970s and early 1980s, including artists like Hall & Oates, Steely Dan, Michael McDonald, Player, Jackson Browne, Ace, Toto, Billy Joel and Christopher Cross.

Mike Piazza, brewmaster and co-owner, says the Oktoberfest will be the “grand finale” at the conclusion of the concert series.

“We will honor the traditional German style,” he explains. “We’ll have German-focused beer and create the true feel of how Oktoberfest is done in Munich.”

The events are among the “big changes coming to Blue Heron this year,” Bill says. 

Adding to live music on the brewpub patio on weekends, a variety of new festivals and special events is expected to be scheduled throughout the summer. And, by next winter, Bill plans to open an on-site ice-skating rink.



“We are a family-friendly destination and that will be reflected in the exciting new things we’re planning,” Bill says.

You can order concert tickets, check Blue Heron’s live entertainment schedule and get more information by visiting BlueHeronMedina.com. You can call Blue Heron at 330-870-BLUE (330-870-2583). Blue Heron is located at 3227 Blue Heron Trace, in Medina.