Outdoor Recreation

towpath_marathon_2022_069.jpgBob Perkoski

No matter what the weather—a wide-open lawn on a bright, warm, sunny day, snow-covered trails and a bitter wind, or overcast and looking like rain, Clevelanders relish the chance to get outside and enjoy the region’s variety of parks, beaches hiking trails, gardens, and urban greenspace.

Turkey Trot costumes: Vote for your favorite pet and human outfits
Vote for your favorite pet, human, and group costumes from las week's 43rd annual Cleveland Turkey Trot. 
Family affair: Cleveland Turkey Trot is a 43-year Thanksgiving tradition
More than 9,000 participants will celebrate Thanksgiving next week in the 43rd annual Cleveland Turkey Trot. And don't forget to vote for the winners of the annual costume contest on FreshWater after the event!
Spiders, skeletons, and candy! Enjoy kid-friendly spooky, silly crafts at the Nature Center
The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes will be celebrating Halloween today, and all weekend long, with plenty of spooky kid fun at the welcome desk. Stop in wearing your favorite costume and celebrate the season!
Easy riders: Cycling group Slow Roll Cleveland to close out touring season with Halloween ride
Slow Roll Cleveland, a community cycling group that takes leisurely 10-mile bike rides each week through various Cleveland neighborhoods, concludes its 2024 season next week with a Halloween ride—costumes and bike decorations encouraged.
For the birds: Stock up at Nature Center’s bird seed sale
The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes has teamed up with Wild Birds Unlimited in Mayfield Heights for its annual Bird Seed Sale fundraiser. A variety of seeds, suet, and accessories are available. Read some tips for feeding the birds in your yard this winter.
Fairytales in the Forest: Nature Center welcomes Fall with AutumnFest this weekend
AutumnFest: Fairytales in the Forest, a free family-friendly event, is set to enchant visitors at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes this weekend with a variety of activities, storytelling, s'mores, craft-making, and food trucks. Guests can also check out the annual bird seed and perennial plant sales.
Ready all, row: Head of the Cuyahoga takes to the river
The 28th Head of the Cuyahoga Regatta takes place this Saturday at Cleveland's Rivergate Park. With more than 1,500 athletes from across the U.S., the free event highlights Cleveland's rowing tradition dating back to the 1980s.
Bubble blizzard: Two-day Bubblefest hits Edgewater, Wade Oval, Heights High
Steve Presser, owner of the former Big Fun, and Gary Pearlman, aka, Dr. U.R. Awesome, are bringing Bubblefest to Cleveland in September. The two-day event hosts bubble artists from around the world and features activities, demonstrations, food trucks, music, and, of course, plenty of bubbles!
Signs of life: Artists, volunteers prepare for Parade the Circle
The giant white tent has gone up in University Circle—indicating it's almost time for the Cleveland Museum of Art's 32nd annual Parade the Circle! The University Circle Inc. institutions and groups like Hildebrandt Artist Collective, Inlet Dance Theatre, Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center, Samba da Cidade, as well as volunteers, vendors, and other groups, are getting ready for a day of Visions of Harmony.
First leg: Canalway Half Marathon kicks off 2024 Towpath Trilogy
Canalway kicked off its 2024 Towpath Trilogy race series with the Towpath Half and 5 Mile Race last Sunday, with more than 500 runners participating. Bob Perkoski caught the runners and the fans at the Cleveland Metroparks Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation.
Lighting the way: Nature Center’s annual Luminary Walk celebrates Winter Solstice
Come celebrate the upcoming Winter Solstice this Friday at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes' Luminary Walk & Holiday Market. Enjoy the luminaries on the All Peoples' Trail, then warm up with hot mulled Syrah or blackberry merlot hot chocolate from Cleveland Urban Winery, and shop with local vendors and artists for your holiday shopping needs.
Ice Capped: A seasonal Botanical Garden in photos
A completely new holiday experience has arrived at the Cleveland Botanical Garden with Frost: An Ice Capped Garden Experience—featuring Winter botanical displays, holiday lights, and immersive, themed rooms that will transport guests to an enchanting world. Bob Perkoski took a tour to give our readers a preview of what’s in store for guests at Frost this holiday season.
Tales of Terror: Tours of Cleveland to share spooky stories of horror and tragedy in October
Tours of Cleveland founder Scott O'Con wanted to cover something different than the usual haunted house tours and spiritual sightings in his October walking tour series. So, in Tales of Terror, he focuses on Cleveland's true tragedies, murders, and disasters spanning the 19th and 20th Centuries.
Celebrating Fall: Nature Center’s AutumnFest draws revelers of the season
Managing photographer Bob Perkoski joined the seasonal fun at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes' AutumnFest last weekend and captured in photos everyone celebrating all that fall has to offer.
Fall gardening: Get a head start on next year’s garden with autumn plantings
Fall is an excellent time for planting, with the cooler temperatures and increased rainfall that allow native plants to establish strong root systems before winter sets in. The staff at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes give some tips on fall planting, and remind readers to stock up on bird seed for the winter.
Fall Fest makes its debut at North Coast Harbor this weekend
Downtown Cleveland, Inc. invites everyone to come down to North Coast Harbor over the first three Saturdays in October to celebrate Fall Fest at Voinovich Bicentennial Park.
All are welcome: First annual Neurodiversity Cultural Festival celebrates our differences
Doug Blecher's autism diagnosis at age 42 led him to partner with the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities and start the first annual Neurodiversity Cultural Festival, happening Saturday, Sept. 30 at Solon Community Park.
Full steam ahead: Irishtown Bend stabilization project breaks ground
Last Friday, Aug. 25 at the Cleveland Rowing Foundation, city officials and organizations celebrated the beginning of the vital next step in the Irishtown Bend project—the stabilization of the banks of the Cuyahoga River to move ahead with a 23-acre park.
Peace through understanding: One World Day on Sunday in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens
The 77th annual One World Day—a year celebration of mutual cultural understanding—takes place this Sunday in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.
Beacon of fun: Asian Lantern Festival in photos
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's annual Asian Lantern Festival kicked off earlier this month. Bob Perkoski spent a warm summer evening capturing the entire visual treat with his camera.