The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Entering the ‘TwiBrite Zone’
With no big Brite Winter gathering this year, event makes virtual pivot
For more than a decade, the annual Brite Winter music and visual arts festival has been the epicenter of optimism during coldand-dark Northeast Ohio winters.
Of course, the notion of such hopefulness and positivity promoting community — while perhaps needed more than ever in 2021 — can’t take place as a live event this year.
That’s why Brite Winter organizers have decided to pivot into the virtual world with the aptly titled “TwiBrite Zone.” Think “Twilight Zone,” only less scares, more laughs and plenty of music.
“Like most of us in 2020, we made plans and then changed them and then made more plans and changed them again,” said Emily Hornack, Brite Winter co-founder and managing director.
“All summer long, we spent time coming up with a variety of contingency plans. I lost track after six. It was pretty quick we started looking at virtual stuff — as everyone did.
Our virtual programming is a series of four episodes where we’re going to celebrate things we missed during 2020.”
Celebrating beach parties and Fourth of July celebrations, the first episode of “TwiBrite Zone” — which debuts at 7 p.m. Jan. 15 on Brite Winter’s website, britewinter.com — features
music by Post Saga, Eliy Orcko and The Labra Brothers, as well as artistic creations by Aldous Mustache, Haley Himiko Hudson Morris and Susie Underwood.
“Having the advantage of watching a lot of virtual programming roll out over the last 10 months, we have very intentionally decided to make this a lot more active, with movement and different kinds of segments going on,” Hornack said.
There also will be a craft tutorial and comedy skits featuring festival mascot Fluri.
“My vision of it is sort of like this 1950s-style variety show crossed with Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg doing crafts, where things get wacky, weird, funky and quirky,” Hornack said.
“I think it’ll be fun. Part of our MO with Brite Winter’s is we don’t take ourselves too seriously. So we’re just hoping people will enjoy it and have fun.”
People enjoying themselves and having fun describes
last year’s Brite Winter event, which snuck in just under the COVID-19 wire.
Looking back at last year’s affair, Hornack said it’s almost like an aberration. Still, she’s proud organizers were able to give the unsuspecting audience something memorable in 2020.
It’s those thoughts she hopes brings festival-goers back for the monthly “TwiBrite Zone” series.
“Because winters can be tough in Cleveland, there’s a little bit of the reliving that happens all of the time,” Hornack said. “I do have to say, especially during lockdown, it was on my mind having that many people in one place enjoying the same thing and creating an experience that was really, unfortunately, rather unique for 2020.
“I’m very glad we were able to provide that for people.”