Cleveland, OH

‘A Christmas Story’ fan expo: nostalgic deep-dive event celebrates 40th anniversary with a hint of mystery

Published

1 year ago

November 8, 2023

‘A Christmas Story’ fan expo: nostalgic deep-dive event celebrates 40th anniversary with a hint of mystery

CLEVELAND, Oh– The only thing “Ralphie” Parker ever wanted for Christmas was a Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200 Shot Range Model air rifle.

Thanks to a huge cult following and never-to-be-underestimated nostalgia, Ralphie’s got a whole bunch of other presents to look forward to this weekend.

Maybe even a mortgage.

The Greater Cleveland Film Commission is hosting “Behind the Camera: A Christmas Story – Official 40th Anniversary” November 10 – 12 at the Cleveland Public Auditorium.

The long-awaited reunion dubbed “Ralphie Comes Home” features the film’s lead actor Peter Billingsley, along with other cast members from the film, for a “Cast Expo” weekend filled with stories, memories, photos, and autograph opportunities.

The weekend also features a moderated panel discussion on Friday night, where Billingsley and company share stories from the making of the movie—which was partially filmed in Cleveland during the winter of 1983. That panel will be held in the adjacent Music Hall and requires a special admission ticket.

Details about the 40th Anniversary events can be found at clevelandfilm.com.

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‘A Christmas Story’s’ Ralphie says he’s ready for another closeup in Cleveland at fan expo

“A Christmas Story” chronicles Ralphie’s life in the days leading up to Christmas, his many attempts and setbacks to secure the perfect holiday BB-gun gift and examines the peculiar familial characters in his childhood odyssey foibles.

The film was adapted from Jean Shepherd’s “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash.”

While “A Christmas Story” launched to a tepid box office tally, it has gone on to become a cherished holiday classic with a counterculture all its own—thanks in large part to cable television—with A Christmas Story House & Museum and compound here in Cleveland serving as a major draw for fans both inside and outside the city.

The owners of the tourist attraction announced recently that “a deal for a change of ownership” had been made, according to a Facebook post. “We expect to have the agreement finalized by the end of November, at which time we will introduce the new owner,” the post said.

Speculation surrounding the cast’s desire to purchase the property from current owner Brian Jones has bubbled up again on social media around the weekend’s events, begging the question: will a change of ownership be announced at the moderated panel discussion?

Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to Jones for comment through the house/museum website. “No comment at this time,” was Jones’ reply. A similar inquiry and response came from the Greater Cleveland Film Commission’s event team.

No change of ownership has been filed with the Cuyahoga County Recorder’s Office as of press time; the three-parcel entry 008-14-005 is still listed as “A CHRISTMAS STORY HOUSE INC., OH.”

“Behind the Camera: A Christmas Story – Official 40th Anniversary” cast expo takes place from 1:30 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10, and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, and Sunday, Nov. 12, in Public Auditorium, 500 Lakeside Ave., Cleveland. Daily tickets for the expo are $20 for adults and children over 13, and $10 for kids ages 6-12. Kids under 5 are free. Weekend passes. Go to tixr.com to buy tickets. Additional charges for autographs and photo ops.

A behind-the-camera panel featuring Peter Billingsley and other cast members will be held in Music Hall at 7 p.m. on Friday. Tickets start at $20 and are available at tixr.com.

All proceeds benefit the film commission, which aims to attract jobs and economic development to the region via film and television productions.

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Cleveland, OH

Thursday Night Football Open Thread: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns

Published

5 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

Thursday Night Football Open Thread: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns

Hello, good evening and welcome to week 12 of the NFL season.

Tonight, TNF travels to the rust belt for an AFC North matchup. The Pittsburgh Steelers travel west to the exotic realm of…Ohio to take on the Cleveland Browns

Here are the deets, as the cool kids say, about tonight’s game:

Who: Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2) at Cleveland Browns (2-8)

What: Thursday Night Football

Where: Huntington Bank Stadium, Cleveland, OH

When: Thursday November 21, 7:20 pm CDT

Why: Because you can watch Cleveland sit in their wrongness for embracing their longtime quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has played only for the Cleveland Browns

Channel: ABC, NBC (local markets only)

Streaming: Amazon Prime, NFL+ (subscriptions required)

And if you feel like making this game a little extra interesting, here are my picks for tonight’s game, from FanDuel.

Let’s Go Texans!

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Cleveland, OH

Steelers fall to Browns, 24-19

Published

13 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

Cleveland (3-8) overcame a couple of late turnovers by quarterback Jameis Winston to come away with their second upset win in recent weeks over an AFC North rival. The Browns defeated the Ravens here, 29-24, on Oct. 27.

“I’d like to compliment the Cleveland Browns,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “They brought it tonight. It was a hard-fought game. They made more plays over the course of a 60-minute game. We’ve got to own our portions of it. Particularly early on, it took us too long to warm up to the action. We were penalized some with pre-snap penalties. We weren’t really sharp. We got going. Our guys fought. But it wasn’t enough to secure a victory.”

Winston completed 18 of 27 passes for 219 yards with an interception, while Chubb scored a pair of touchdowns while running for 59 yards on 20 carries.

Russell Wilson was 21 of 28 for 270 yards and a touchdown for the Steelers, who dropped to 1-5-1 in their past six trips to Cleveland and 0-4 on Thursday nights against the Browns on the road.

The Steelers had two promising drives to start the game but came away empty both times despite driving into Cleveland territory.

Wilson was sacked on third-and-3 at the Cleveland 32 by Garrett for an 8-yard loss. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin chose to have Chris Boswell attempt a 58-yard field goal, but Boswell’s attempt went wide right to keep the game scoreless.

The Steelers forced a three-and-out and a Cleveland punt and again drove into Browns territory, this time getting to the 38 where they faced fourth-and-2. But Justin Fields, who entered in place of Wilson in the short-yardage situation, was stopped for a two-yard loss, turning the ball over on downs.

The Steelers finally did score on their third possession, as Wilson connected with Calvin Austin III on a 46-yard pass to set up a 48-yard field goal by Boswell and a 3-0 lead.

The Browns, who hadn’t had a first down to that point, answered with a touchdown drive, including converting on fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 16.

“They made some of those fourth-and-shorts and we didn’t,” said Steelers defensive lineman Isaiaah Loudermilk. “We pride ourselves in stopping those kind of plays, and we just didn’t do it.”

Chubb then scored on a 2-yard run to give Cleveland a 7-3 lead with 4:00 remaining in the half.

Looking to get a score before the end of the half, Wilson attempted to step up in the pocket on second down at his own 32, but Garrett got a hand on the ball and knocked it loose. Winston Reid recovered the loose ball at the Pittsburgh 31.

That set up a 34-yard Dustin Hopkins field goal that pushed Cleveland’s lead to 10-3.

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Cleveland, OH

Winter Weather Alert: Cleveland, OH Braces for Up to 5 Inches of Lake Effect Snow Tonight

Published

23 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Winter Weather Alert: Cleveland, OH Braces for Up to 5 Inches of Lake Effect Snow Tonight

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Cleveland, OH – A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Cuyahoga and Geauga Counties until midnight. Residents should prepare for heavy lake effect snow and hazardous travel conditions.

The National Weather Service warns of total snow accumulations between 3 and 5 inches. The snow is expected to intensify this evening, creating dangerous conditions for the Thursday evening commute. Visibility could drop significantly, making travel difficult across the region.

Local authorities urge drivers to slow down and exercise caution on slick roads. According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, travelers should delay unnecessary trips and monitor traffic updates at www.ohgo.com.

Residents are also advised to watch for icy patches on sidewalks, stairs, and driveways, which could lead to injuries. Heavy snow rates are expected to decrease after midnight, but roads could remain treacherous into Friday morning.

Stay updated on weather and traffic conditions, and take extra precautions to ensure safety during this winter weather event.

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