Assorted ramblings from the world of entertainment:

l Northeast Ohioans are a hearty bunch or they’re insane — probably a little of both.

Who else would attend an outdoor music festival in downtown Cleveland in February?

Brite Winter put more than 40 acts on six (mostly outdoor) stages at different locations Saturday on the West Bank of The Flats. The festival has drawn 20,000-plus in some years, particularly when Mother Nature cooperated.

It didn’t appear to reach those heights this year, but judging by the sea of people at the different stages — and the line of traffic getting in and out the area — the event was a rousing success.

Saturday’s daytime temps in the mid-40s were a little higher than the norm, but trust me, after the sun set, it definitely was chilly.

What’s great is that a crowd this size comes out for what essentially is a festival of local bands. With the exception of headliner Ra Ra Riot, most of the acts call Greater Cleveland home.

Judging by the masses on Elm Avenue, one of this year’s biggest draws was Youngstown’s The Vindys, who played the main stage immediately before Ra Ra Riot.

The band debuted a new song among some old favorites, and my only complaint was its set was too short.

Another band with Valley ties, Spirit of the Bear, also got a warm reception on the main stage, and I’m looking forward to catching Cleveland’s Uptight Sugar again soon.

l The Vindys announced another high-profile gig a couple days before Brite Winter.

The band will be part of Women Who Rock at Pittsburgh Stage AE on May 15, a benefit for the Magee-Women’s Research Institute and Foundation.

Ann Wilson of Heart headlines the event, which also features actor / singer Rita Wilson and percussionist / singer Sheila E., who will be the Women Who Rock Impact Award recipient.

Tickets range from $50 to $250.

∫ The Cleveland International Film Festival announced its opening and closing night films for its 44th edition.

The fest will open March 25 at Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theatre with “Military Wives.” Based on true events, it tells the story of a group of women from different backgrounds who form a military wives choir while their partners are serving in Afghanistan.

Peter Cattaneo, best known for “The Full Monty,” directs a cast that includes Kristin Scott Thomas (“The English Patient”) and Sharon Horgan (Amazon’s “Catastrophe”).

Closing the festival on April 5 at Tower City Cinemas will be “Dream Horse,” another film based on a true story about the residents of a small Welsh town that become investors in a horse that ultimately competes with the racing elites at the Welsh Grand National.

Toni Collette (“Little Miss Sunshine,” “About a Boy”) and Damian Lewis (Showtime’s “Billions” and “Homeland”) stars in a film directed by Euros Lyn, a veteran British television director who has worked on episodes of “Doctor Who,” “Black Mirror,” “Broadchurch” and “Sherlock.”

The full festival lineup will be announced online at 11 a.m. Friday at www.clevelandfilm.org.

l It probably seemed like a great idea when organizers of the Sonic Temple music festival in Columbus decided to book Metallica as its headliner for two of the three nights.

The downside is that it leaves twice as big of a hole to fill when the band has to cancel.

Metallica announced this week that it was canceling its appearances at Sonic Temple on May 15 and 17 and at Louder Than Life in Louisville, Ky., on Sept. 18 and 20.

Hetfiield said in a statement released on Monday, “As part of my continuing effort to get and stay healthy, I have critical recovery events on those weekends that cannot be moved. I apologize to all of our fans who have bought tickets for these festivals. We are working with the festival promoters to provide for refunds or exchanges. My intent with this statement is saying ‘I apologize’ to each one of you. The reality is that I have not prioritized my health in the past year of touring, and I now know that my mental health comes first.”

Red Hot Chili Peppers (May 15) and Tool (May 17) will fill the holes on the Sonic Temple schedules. Replacements for Louder Than Life will be announced soon. Refunds will be available to ticketholders who want them beginning Friday.

Andy Gray is the entertainment editor for Ticket. Write to him at agray@ tribtoday.com