204. Family Friday Night - Remembering the Titanic with Hands-On Science

April 20 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm

This free event offers hands-on science activities related to water and will recognize the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.  Jim Paskert of Cleveland Underwater Explorers (CLUE) will share his insights about this tragic event and about his work around shipwrecks in Lake Erie. This program is a collaboration of the Center for Science & Mathematics Education-CWRU, Cleveland Lakefront State Park -ODNR, and Cuyahoga County Public Library, funded in part, by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.

Reservations requested. Please call 216-881-8141 x3001.

MORE INFO!

Location:
8701 Lakeshore Blvd

Cleveland, OH 44108

178. FREE NATURALIST PROGRAMS AT CLEVELAND LAKEFRONT & HEADLANDS BEACH

FRIDAY FAMILY FUN NIGHTS
FISHING
CANOEING
STARGAZING
SCAVENDER HUNTS
LUAU PARTY
SNORKELING
SANDCASTLE BUILDING

AND LOTS MORE!

CHECK IT OUT  TONS of EVENTS!

Location:
8701 LAKESHORE BLVD.
CLEVELAND, OH 44108

171. North Coast Harbor Boating and Fishing Fest

Saturday, June 11...	11 am - 6 pm
Sunday, June 12.....	11 am - 5 pm

• Free recreational power and sail boat rides!
• Free fishing trips for children from the 60-foot charter boat Holiday (equipment provided)!
• Tour the Grandon, the ODNR Division of Wildlife’s fish research vessel!
• Sail on B-About Sail Ministry’s 65-foot schooner Journey!
• Bringing his blend of Great Lakes knowledge, musical interaction, and nautical nonsense, Capt'n Willie the Great Lakes Pirate will perform several times on Sunday!
• Miniature submarines, PT boats, sailboats, Coast Guard cutters, and speedboats from the Cleveland Model Boat Club will be cruising the water all weekend!
• Hamburgers, hot dogs, and other refreshments will be available!
• Life jackets and fishing sets will be given away to children while supplies last!

More INFO HERE!

Location:
Voinovich Bicentennial Park
800 E. Ninth St.
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

120. Great Lakes Pirate Fest

Don't miss the annual Great Lakes Pirate Fest in Vermilion, Ohio on October 15th & 16th at McGarvey's Landing and Ritter Library.  This event  is for crewmembers both young an' old. Salty dogs will learn ye' importance of one of ye' earth's  greatest forces...The Great Lakes...while having fun in true pirate fashion.  Dress like a pirate and join the fun.  Costume contests, tall ship, live bands, pirate shows, magic shows, circus acts, entertainment, treasure hunt, raffles, food, exhibitors, jungle animals and more!


TONS MORE INFO!


Location:

Vermilion, OHIO

McGarvey's Landing & Ritter Public Library

Idea Provided By:  Rochelle Fayne Blaylock

113. Navy Band

A United States Navy band will play a free rock concert behind the Free
Stamp sculpture in Willard Park at 6 p.m. Sept. 1.  The concert is free and open to the public.

The Navy's rock band, Four Star Edition, entertains audiences across the
Mid-Atlantic with a hard-hitting blend of contemporary music that
includes today's top Rock and Country hits, as well as Classic Rock and
songs that help us remember our pride in America.  The six Navy
musicians in the group are among the Navy's most talented and versatile.
Each performance presents a diverse, high-energy show that entertains
audiences of all ages.

The concert is part of Navy Week, a weeklong series of outreach events
culminating in the Cleveland National Air Show. Navy Weeks are designed
to tell the Navy's story.  These events consist of community visits by
Admirals and ordinary sailors with namesake and hometown connections.

More info on NAVY WEEK!

Location:
Williard Park
Cleveland, Ohio 44199

80. Tall Ships

The big ships are back!  July 7 - 11, 2010  Enjoy Exhibits, Maritime Market Place and Family Entertainment. Take part in youth sail training activities dockside, visit the Festival Village and discover more about sailing and nautical products and services. Explore the Great Lakes United Green Village to learn how maritime activities along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes are working to improve the environment. Ship ramps are unable to accommodate wheelchairs(or strollers I assume); dockside viewing only.

Opening Festivities:  Wednesday, July 7     You will not be able to board ships this day.

                                    Majestic Parade of Sail: 4:00 p.m. 

                                    Opening Ceremonies: 7:00 p.m.

General Information

Tickets (Admission and ship boarding) Thursday, July 8 - Sunday, July 11

Tickets are good any day of the Festival – Rain or shine!

$14 Day Of                                                     $11 groups of 10 or more       

$12 Advance Sale                                           $11 Seniors (65+); Rotarians; Military           

$  8 Children 6-14 (under 5 free)      

LOTS MORE INFO!

Location:
Erieside Avenue
On the Lake Behind Cleveland Browns Stadium
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

58. North Coast Harbor Boating and Fishing Fest

June 5-6, 2010. The annual event is awash in free family fun, including hands-on fishing activities for children, boat rides and maritime exhibits. Free fishing trips for children from the 60-foot charter boat Holiday (equipment provided).  A 20-person dragon boat canoe and a land-based boat simulator are new this year.
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday
11-5 Sunday

More INFO HERE!

Location:
Voinovich Bicentennial Park
800 E. Ninth St.
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

48. Sandusky May Days & KidsFest

No, not technically Cleveland but still an awesome little road trip for the family! 

KidsFest Safety Celebration
May 22, 2010 from: 12:00pm - 6:00pm
The KidsFest Safety Fair will be held at the Sandusky Bay Pavilion from 12 Noon to 5:00 p.m.  The event features more than fifty health and safety displays, extreme inflatables, a variety of children’s activities, entertainment and food vendors.
Capt’n Willie will present his Silly Pirate Show from 2:30 to 3:30 pm. Other activities include a Craft Zone, Sand Art, Face Painting by the Sandusky City Schools cheerleaders, balloon animal creations sponsored by Mark & Stephanie Larrick and the Salvation Army, caricatures by Sean Carroll of Sandusky Bay Poster Works, Pony Cart Rides with 4-H’s The Outlaws, Kids Games with Dick & Barb Gallagher of the Children’s Traveling Museum and much more!
Admission to the KidsFest Safety Celebration is one canned good or nonperishable food item per person. Any child under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Photo Opportunities at KidsFest:

• 12:00PM - Streaky Bear (Sandusky City Schools)
• 1:00PM - Wiley the Wolf (Great Wolf Lodge)
• 2:00PM - Sponge Bob Square Pants
• 3:00PM - Elmo
• 4:00PM - Truman the Dragon (Kidsville News)

International Museum Day
May 22, 2010 from: 11:00am - 4:00pm
Erie County celebrates International Museum Day with free admission to many area museums, as well as family activities at each site.

May Days
May 22, 2010 from: 9:00am - 5:00pm
May 23, 2010 from: 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Nautical Flea Market, model boat building for kids, boat rides, Underground Railroad trolley tours, Capt’n Willie’s Silly Pirate Show and the Blessing of the Fleet. At the Maritime Museum of Sandusky, Sandusky Bay Pavilion and Battery Park Marina

More info HERE!

Location
125 Meigs Street

Sandusky, OH‎ 

(419) 624-0274‎

Image Provided By:  John-Morgan

27. Hinckley Reservation

One of my ALL time favorite places to go in the area -  Hinckley Reservation and Whipps Ledges.
(Full disclosure I may have had my first date with my husband here...oh so long ago!)

Wonderful year round, but perfect in the summer this park offers swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, baseball fields, picnicking, a walking trail and a general good time for all. Take the kids for an after dinner stroll around the lake.  Or spend a weekend afternoon boating around the lake or taking a swim, searching for tadpoles in the river and pack a hearty picnic!

During the summer months there is a refreshment area right next to the spillway swimming area.  And across the street there is Buzzards Cove, a mini-golf and driving range that has ice cream!


See the Metroparks Site HERE!

Location:
Where Hinckley Hills Road (606) Meets Bellus Road (140)
South of Rt 303
Hinckley, Ohio 44233‎


Image Provided By: Jenny Austin