The Tri-C JazzFest has a new bandleader as it enters its 47th year.

Why it matters: Orlando Watson, 34, is the youngest executive director in the festival's history and is tasked with growing its audience while preserving one of Cleveland's signature cultural events.

The intrigue: Watson, a Cleveland native, previously served as the fest's associate director from 2019 to 2022, before becoming the senior director of programming for the August Wilson African American Cultural Center in Pittsburgh.

• There, Watson helped oversee several major events, including the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival.

What they're saying: "In my first year leading the Tri-C JazzFest, I want to preserve the foundation of what the festival is known for," Watson tells Axios.

• "Building on top of that, I want to program more jazz-adjacent artists and expand our demographic to reach younger patrons."

State of play: Watson's impact can already be felt with the booking of Cleveland native Durand Bernarr, who won the Grammy Award for best progressive R&B album in February.

• Watson also keyed in on artists like contemporary jazz singer Laurin Talese (another Cleveland native), experimental bassist MonoNeon and legendary tap dancer Savion Glover.

The big picture: Those acts join a stacked lineup that also features more traditional acts such as Sheila E., the Ohio Players and Dominick Farinacci.

• "It's important to maintain a balance between legacy acts who get jazz enthusiasts to buy tickets, while also looking to grow the festival's brand and audience."

The bottom line: That formula appears to be working. Northeast Ohio music festivals have come and gone, while Tri-C Jazz Fest continues to draw more than 7,000 patrons each year.

• "We're tied to the premier community college in the area," Watson says, "That's a huge advantage to the sustainability of the fest, which has been under great leadership."

If you go: The festival runs June 25-27 at Playhouse Square. The JazzFest's outdoor shows are free, while indoor concerts vary in price.

The latest show from House of BurlesCLE features a playful version of Greek mythology ruled by women.

State of play: "God is a Woman" reworks the "Apple of Discord," a Greek myth about a vanity-fueled beauty contest among the goddesses.

• The show, opening at the Roxy at Mahall's this weekend, turns the story into a tale of female empowerment that conquers toxic masculinity.

The intrigue: You've never seen Zeus like this before, in a show with nearly 30 performers — all women — on a thrust stage that makes the audience part of the show.

• "God is a Woman" is an original show written by House of BurlesCLE member Olivia Eberhart that came out of a brainstorming session earlier this year.

What they're saying: "We wanted a story where we could feature as many women as possible as performers," says Kailin Vedda, the group's director.

• "We don't get too political or religious with this show, but it's a really good time for something like this based on what's going on in society."

The big picture: Vedda runs the group out of her The Workshop Dance + Fitness Studio in Westlake.

• The studio organizes three House of BurlesCLE shows a year and recently launched Cleveland Showgirls, which performs at public and private events.

If you go: "God is a Woman" takes place at 7:30pm tomorrow, plus 5:30pm and 8:30pm Saturday.

• Tickets start at around $40 after fees.

🥵 The city of Cleveland opened its cooling centers in anticipation of high heat levels expected through this evening. (Fox 8)

👮 Cuyahoga County Council is considering legislation that would return the county sheriff to an elected position and give the county executive power to fire the sheriff. (Signal Cleveland)

⚖️ Geauga County Probate Judge Tim Grendell has returned to the bench after serving a six-month suspension for violating professional conduct policies. (Cleveland Scene)

🛥️ Rocky River Harbor has finally begun work on its first dredging project in more than two decades. (Spectrum News 1)

Ahead of the nation's 250th, more Americans than usual are displaying the Stars and Stripes.

The big picture: Aaron Bacon, a flag expert at the American Legion, offered Axios these flag-hanging tips.

1. The stars go in the top left — even when the flag hangs vertically.

• Hung horizontally, of course the union (the blue field with stars) goes in the upper-left corner.
• Hung the vertical way, the stars should still be in the upper left from the viewer's perspective, even if that may seem counterintuitive.

2. Display the flag only from sunrise to sunset — or 24/7 if it's lit.

• The default rule is to raise the flag at first light and bring it down in the evening.
• To fly it nonstop, it needs to be "specifically lit," Bacon says. A spotlight works.
• Bring cotton flags in for bad weather; all-weather synthetic flags can stay up.

3. You don't need to retire a flag just because it touches the ground.

• That's a myth, Bacon says, and you need to retire a flag only if it's actually damaged or badly faded.
• The easiest way to retire it: Bring your old flag to a local American Legion post. Most have collection boxes and conduct ceremonial retirements for flags, traditionally on Flag Day.

4. Flag-print swimsuits and tablecloths are fine.

• Flag Code applies to actual U.S. flags — not flag-themed clothing, towels, napkins, yard decor or small handheld flags.

The Cavs may not have advanced, but this year's NBA Finals still have a touch of Cleveland.

State of play: In honor of the New York Knicks' first finals in 27 years, Nike launched the "Always Knicks Campaign."

• The campaign includes new merchandise, promotional posters and billboards featuring notable fans in New York.

Zoom in: The photos of those fans, including Spike Lee, rapper Jadakiss and others, were shot by Cleveland native Jonathan Mannion.

• Mannion is known for his high-profile work with hip-hop artists, including Jay-Z, Outkast, Lil Wayne, Dr. Dre and many more.

Fun fact: One of the Knicks billboards in Manhattan is a 30-foot-tall portrait of Mannion himself.

📱 Check out more photos from the campaign on our Instagram page.