Last minute is now when it comes to attending the NBA All Star Weekend

by Shana Black

I think it’s fair to say that we Clevelanders know how to host a large event. From last year’s NFL Draft to the RNC in 2016 AND a certain championship parade (insert joke about a 3-1 lead here) our city seems to shine when the national spotlight turn to us.

Next month we get to do it all again. This time we welcome the NBA as they return to Cleveland for the All-Star game. I’ll admit I’ve gotten to straddle the fence as both an insider and a fan. On one hand, I’ve been told how electric and excited the city is. On the other hand, it seems as some people are just starting to think about it or how they want to participate in the weekend’s events,

A moment of real-talk for my fellow Clevelanders

I know some us, hear “big event” and we go running to the neighborhoods proclaiming “I don’t want to be nowhere near downtown” with an additional comment about parking or traffic. Don’t worry we’ll still have our newsletter of weekend events for you.

Some of us are excited and wondering if we “should get a room downtown for the weekend” so we can be close to all the action. Good luck, most hotels have been booked for months but there’s always still a chance right? Others feel that they have a few more weeks to decide what they want to do. My suggestion, start deciding now if you want to go to one of the official events. Those tickets have been on sale for a while and are VERY limited.

Where ever you are on this All-Star attendance spectrum we’re here to help. First, my team wants to answer your questions about All-Star weekend. If you have questions, we’ll do some digging and see if we can find some answers for you. You can leave a question in the comment section of this story, or text us at 216-279-5284 and use the hashtag #allstar. If I know the answer I’ll text you right back but if I need to do some digging I’ll let you know that too. All answers will be shared on a future story here on this website and on our social media channels @blackgirlinCLE so you’ll be able to check back to stay informed.

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So here’s what we know

The App:  The NBA events app should be on your phone.  This will be the quickest and easiest way to stay up to date on events, other official NBA opportunities including opportunities to meet the players and autograph sessions.

Scan to win:  Since August businesses around the city have been displaying QR codes for you to scan. Scanning the code earns you points that you can redeem for prizes, like autographed merch and All-Star game tickets. Locations can be found on both the East Side and West Side of town and of course downtown. The 1st prize level is 20 points