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Special Events & Art Shows

Special Event Earth Day Extravaganza

Sunday, April 22 • 11 AM to 3 PM • The West Woods

Join our Natural Resource Management team on Earth Day for presentations by wildlife experts, live animals, a Nature craft, amphibian/reptile show & tell, wildlife discovery walks, the Hunger Squad food truck and more!

The theme this year is “Your Backyard.” Here’s what we have planned:

11 AM-12:30 PM

  • 11 AM-12:30 PM Bird Mist Netting/Banding
  • 11-11:30 AM “Special Plants & Animals in Your Backyard” presented by Park Biologist Paul Pira and other Natural Resource Management staff
  • 11:30 AM-Noon “Helping the Earth from Home” presented by Gail Prunty from the Geauga County Soil & Water Conservation District
  • Noon-12:15 PM “Organic Lawn Care for Your Home” presented by Mel Hauser from Good Nature Lawn Care
  • 12:15-12:30 PM Break, plant giveaways, refreshments, etc.

12:30-3 PM

  • 12:30-1:30 PM “Live Birds of Prey Show: Ohio’s Raptors” presented by Harvey Webster of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
  • 1-3 PM Bird walks, Nature craft (seed bombs), live amphibians/reptiles show-n-tell, garlic mustard pull contest, etc.
  • 2-2:15 PM “Backyard Stream Stewardship” presented by Kim Brewster of the Chagrin River Watershed Partners
  • 2:20-3 PM “Coyotes in Northeast Ohio” presented by Jon Cepak of Cleveland Metroparks

 

Special Event Art Shows

Scheduled this season at The West Woods Nature Center:

  • Nature-inspired paintings
    by Julie Cook (Madison, OH) and Hap Howle (Thompson, OH)
    Show runs through April 16
  • “2 Friends Sharing Their Love of Art & Nature”
    Landscape & floral paintings by Susan Hood
    Drawings, paintings, photography & mixed media by Sheila R. Dorris
    Meet the Artists on Saturday, April 21, 2 to 4 PM
    Show runs through July 24

Special Event Caveman Crawl 5K Trail Run & 1-Mile Fun Walk

Sunday, June 10 • Registration 7 AM, Costume Contest 8:30 AM, Race 9 AM • The West Woods

It’s a tough one, but man is it fun! Mark your calendars to join us for a great cause: getting kids outdoors through the Chip Henry Institute for Outdoor Adventure. Walkers are welcome in both the 5K and the 1-Mile Fun Walk.

Register: Online Registration • Paper Application

Resources: Course Map • Facebook  Event

Photos: 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013  (Video 2013) • 2012 • 2011

Thanks to our 2018 sponsors:

Also, thanks to Perfect Occasion Costumes and Magic in Middlefield for offering 15% off retail merchandise and 20% off rentals on costumes for the Caveman Crawl costume contest at 8:30 AM.

Links to Athlete Tracking and Race Results will be posted as soon as they become available.

Special Events Nights Out in the Parks

Our popular Nights Out in the Parks series returns this summer with more live music at Big Creek Park‘s Frances S. Hall Amphitheater and movies under the stars at Observatory Park.

Fan Vote Movie Night! What classic movie will we show in August: Casablanca, Grease, Back to the Future or Apollo 13? Fans, you decide! From June 1 to July 14, come back here for the link to vote, or vote in-person during the June or July movie nights.

2018 Nights Out

Special Event West Woods Wednesdays Farm Market

Second Wednesdays, June to September • 4 to 7 PM • The West Woods

Purchase locally made/grown items the second Wednesday of each month this summer! A food truck on site will also serve dinner/snacks for purchase.

Vendor Application

Please visit again for a list of farm market vendors as soon as it becomes available.

Special Event Nature Arts Festival

Special Event Claridon Woodlands Opening Celebration

Friday, August 17 • 6 to 9 PM
Saturday, August 18 • Noon to 9 PM
Claridon Woodlands

Celebrate your newest Geauga Park District park with live music, food trucks and family entertainment, along with an opportunity to experience the ropes course (registration required), pump track/single mountain bike track, freeform boulder wall, fishing and Nature-based playground.

Saturday’s schedule will feature Chardon Polka Band, while Sunday’s schedule will feature DJ Larry Rummel Jr. playing family-friendly favorites noon to 4:30 PM, Fort Huntsburg Band 4:30 to 6:30 PM, and the Swamp Rattlers 7 to 9 PM.

Please visit again for more details as they become available.