Re-meet the Beatles
Feb. 9 marks the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, long considered the moment when the band officially conquered America.
Besides televised celebrations of the Fab Four, there will be various local events, especially the Kent BeatleFest on Friday and Saturday. Free musical performances by Beatles tribute bands and others will be offered on Friday along with showings of Beatle films, spread across a dozen venues.
On Saturday, the band Hard Day’s Night will perform at the Kent Stage. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 on the day of the show, and are available at www.thekentstage.com. For more info about the BeatleFest, see www.kentbeatlefest.com.
Hard Day’s Night will also play on Feb. 9 in the Hudson Library & Historical Society as part of the library’s salute to the Beatles. Find more information at http://hudsonlibrary.org.
Think spring
A sure antidote to the winter blahs is the Great Big Home + Garden Show, opening Saturday at the I-X Center next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
The show does its best to imitate spring, with flowers blooming in 18 indoor gardens. You can also check out two model homes, visit vendor booths and watch stage shows and demonstrations.
The show is open through Feb. 16. Hours, ticket prices and other details are at www.great bighomeandgarden.com, or call 216-676-6000.
Journalist speaks on race
The University of Akron Forum presents Michele Norris at 7:30 p.m. Monday at E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St.
Norris is an award-winning journalist and author and former host of NPR’s All Things Considered, and she will present Eavesdropping on America’s Conversation on Race.
Tickets are $10, $8 UA faculty/staff and seniors, $6 UA students. Call 330-972-7570 or see www.uaevents.com.
Creepy in Canton
Halloween is months away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do a little ghost hunting.
On the first Friday of each month — that means this week — the Canton Palace Theatre presents the Spirits of the Palace. The ghost investigation begins at 10:30 p.m. at 605 Market Ave. N., Canton. The event, which concludes at 2 a.m., costs $40. And because it’s just so darn spooky, no guests younger than 18 are permitted.
For more information, call 330-454-8172.
Go for fro-yo
It may be too cold to even think about it, but Thursday is National Frozen Yogurt Day.
All area Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt shops will be giving away free 6-ounce servings to any customer who goes to the company’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MyMenchies and prints out the coupon.