Nature Center at Shaker Lakes

Summer Wednesdays: Hike & Explore with A Naturalist
2025-06-04 17:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Kick off Summer Wednesdays at the Nature Center on June 4!
Join the Natural Resources team on an evening hike around the Nature Center grounds! Ask questions about habitat restoration, native plants, and get to know our trails, features, and more during this fun and informative walk. Be prepared to hike on unpaved and uneven surfaces, over some small rocks and roots, and dress for the weather! Two hikes available at 6PM at 7PM, each approx. 45-50 min in length.
Pack a picnic, enjoy the outdoors, play a few games or cornhole or ladderball, and stop inside to enjoy 25% off ice cream in the gift shop.
Free. Donations welcome!
REGISTER

Summer Wednesdays: Game Night
2025-06-11 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Native Plant Bingo Returns! Join us for encore of Native Plant Bingo in the Friends Pavilion for a fun night of learning about native plants. Participants will play 8 rounds of bingo with a native plant theme. Everyone will have the opportunity to win a native plant from the evening’s nursery partner Avonlea Gardens & Inn. $12 for 8 rounds of bingo. Plants will be available for purchase. Your ticket includes 3 beer or mocktail samples from our beer sponsor Midnight Owl Brewing Company and Verbena Free Spirited.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/ODUX2G
If BINGO isn’t your thing, you’ll find ladder ball, cornhole, giant connect 4, and more to enjoy with family and friends in the amphitheater and children’s play area. OR simply grab your phone or camera and walk the trails to capture the beauty that exists all around to compete in our Summer Wednesday photo contest. Upload your photos to Instagram and tag @shakerlakes to participate. Winner receives a $30 Duck Pond Gift Card.
Don’t forget to grab 25% off ice cream in the Duck Pond, where you can also find snacks and drinks.

*Ticketed event

Summer Wednesdays: Nature Includes You
2025-06-18 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Celebrate Juneteenth with a Social & Environmental Justice Fair where you will meet local organizations making a difference & learn how you can become involved, while grabbing dinner from the Really Amazing Food Truck (R.A.F.T.), learning from guest speakers Kim Woodford and Joe Worthy, and hearing live music from Skwerm (@skwerm.band on Instagram).
Local Organization Highlights:

Cuyahoga Valley National Park Rangers with their interactive Nature Includes You traveling exhibit

GirlTREK with Jo Rattiliff | Far more than a walking group, GirlTREK is a life-saving sisterhood. We are a campaign to heal intergenerational trauma, fight systemic racism and transform Black lives.

Ohio Environmental Council & Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund with Brian Siggers

Journey on Yonder with Kim Woodford Smith | The mission of JOY is to inspire Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) to have enjoyable and healthy connections with nature that will lead to increased health outcomes and stronger environmental stewardship through mindful, cultural, educational, and social outdoor experiences.

Community Life Collaborative | Engages communities around social and environmental justice issues by empowering untapped relationships, collaborations, and understandings across boundaries.
Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition | The Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition (NEOBHC) was established in 2011 and is the first organization in the State of Ohio dedicated to addressing disparities in the black community. Their mission is to address the social, structural, behavioral, and environmental determinants of health in communities of concern.
Doan Brook Watershed Partnership | Doan Brook Watershed Partnership (DBWP) leads conservation and restoration projects that champion environmental justice and foster a sustainable and resilient watershed. They serve as a collective voice for the Doan Brook and its constituencies through equitable engagement and by providing reliable, accessible watershed science.

ABOUT NATURE INCLUDES YOU:
This traveling photo exhibition and program series explores the rich relationships that people of color have with nature in Northeast Ohio, past and present. Nature is all around us: in our communities, gardens, parks, and yards. It nourishes and teaches us throughout our lives.
In nature, we can . . .
Grow healthy foods
Nurture our spirits
Become inspired
Express our creativity
Collect scientific data
Explore different careers
Learn something new
Enjoy friends-and-family time
Build a sense of community
Heal our land, water, and selves
Nature Includes You is a project of Cuyahoga Valley National Park in collaboration with Museum of Creative Human Art (MOCHA) and Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. A total of 15 organizations contributed images of people from diverse Northeast Ohio communities. The show highlights the work of more than 20 photographers.
Funding provided by a grant from the National Park Service.
Photo: As an autistic person, landscape designer Maci Nelson reflects on how natural spaces help her relax and “unmask.” National Park Service / © Amber Ford

Summer Wednesdays: Spirit of Soul
2025-06-25 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Spirit of Soul
Experience the sounds of Esther Fitz Duo*, enjoy Zanzibar Soul Fusion Food Truck, OR spend the evening with Tibetan Monks listening to a lecture on climate change followed by a guided meditation**.
Join us for a special teaching with the Gaden Shartse Tibetan Monks as they share profound wisdom at Spirit of Soul! This unique event offers an opportunity to learn from centuries-old Tibetan Buddhist teachings about Climate Change and the Six Delusions, followed by a group guided meditation. Experience the transformative power of their words and presence in the beauty of the Nature Center at Shaker Lake’s trails.
Climate Change and the Six Delusions Lecture | 5-6:30PM
Human life contains 84,000 delusions, which are states of mind that cause suffering for oneself and others. This suffering can occur in the next moment of life as well as in the next lifetime. This lecture condenses the delusions into six categories, teaches how they relate to humans’ treatment of the earth and all of its inhabitants, and how positive change can be made through compassionate action.
Group Guided Meditation in Nature | 7-8PM
The monks will lead participants in a walking meditation through the Nature Center grounds. They will focus on how to achieve mindfulness in the present moment, appreciation of the earth, and the interconnectedness of all living beings on the earth. In case of light rain, please bring an umbrella. In case of heavy rain or wind, we will meditate indoors. You may also bring a folding chair if standing is a challenge for you.
Tickets: $20 per program or bundle $30 for both. Members enjoy $5 off with code SWMEM2025. Please enter your member ID when prompted. If you’re unsure of your member ID, please contact cara@shakerlakes.org.
REGISTER
*Music arranged in partnership with Roots of American Music
**Ticketed or paid food and programs

Summer Wednesdays: Native Plant Bingo & Live Music
2025-07-02 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
NATIVE PLANT BINGO**

Bingo starts at 6PM!
With Midnight Owl Brewery, Verbena Free Spirited, & Meadow City Nursery
Play 8 rounds of BINGO for $12 ($10 for members) with a chance to take home a native pollinator friendly plant. Grab a beer or mocktail & enjoy music by Will Dudley. Will plays the kora, a 21-stringed harp played by the Mande people of West Africa and he will be bringing a percussionist.

**Ticketed event. REGISTER https://givebutter.com/SumWed_Bingo_7-2-25

Summer Wednesdays: Screen-Free Night
2025-07-09 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
SCREEN FREE WEDNESDAY
Ditch your phone, grab 25% off ice cream in the Duck Pond Gift Shop & experience a tech free evening unwinding from the busy holiday week. Kids will enjoy a story time and scavenger hunt with Sarah Littlefield, author of Many Paths, the tale of a young girl who goes on an exciting adventure through the forest. Participants receive a free sticker sheet. Story times at 5:30 & 6:30PM, Scavenger hunts around 6 & 7PM.

Summer Wednesdays: Art in the Park
2025-07-16 17:00 - 20:00 | Ohio
July 16, 2025 | 5-8PM
In partnership with studio Chartreuse
Join us for our third annual event! This unique one-of-a-kind outdoor nature-inspired pop-up shopping event with studio Chartreuse features local artisans and makers throughout our trails. Music and food from Grateful Grub food truck, are available for purchase as well as a signature cocktails. This is a not-to-be-missed local shopping experience!
List of vendors:
S’il Vous Play
Lotus Candles
Barbara Verne
Abby Star
The Dabbler’s Collective
Thrown Room Ceramic Studio
Rabbit Rabbit
Studiowürk
SASHA
Earthen Wares
Birdtown Botanical Oddities
Glinkgo Printmaking
Light the Wild
Aspen Makes
Brenna Claire Artistry
Bendi’s Fine Designs, LLC
Silvana’s Kitchen
Small Screen Studios
Messianic Supply Co.
Lari Jacobson
Nonlinear Nomad
Santa Rosa Stitches
Roy Pekoc
Love Violet xo Shop
Growing Hope
House in the Heights
Hazelmade

Summer Wednesdays: Birding with Brews
2025-07-23 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
7.23 BIRDING WITH BREWS
Look to the trees & sky and explore the fascinating world of birding with a beer in hand. $15, $10 members.
Discover the bird banding program at the Nature Center with birding expert Julie West. Julie will share the science behind the program, the interesting things she’s seen over the many years she’s been helping with this important research, and highlight some of the unique birds she’s seen over the years that you may also see at the Nature Center.
Complimentary tastings of beer included!
Presentation begins at 5:30pm, bird walk begins at 7pm. A limited amount of binoculars will be available to borrow, but please bring your own if you have them!
Registration link: https://givebutter.com/birding-with-brews

Summer Wednesdays: Pup Playdate
2025-07-30 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Music | Food | Pets are invited to explore our trails this special pet-friendly evening featuring pup-cup treats!
Pupchella Returns to the Nature Center
Woof! Woof! Bark! Bark! Translation: Normally pets are not permitted on our trails, but we invite you to bring your favorite furry companion to the Nature Center for this special dog-friendly (and people-friendly!) event. Stick around for MoKo BoVo Quartet. Please bring your lawn chairs or blankets!
Activities include:

Live Music from MoKo BoVo Quartet
Walk your dog along the Nature Center trails (which is usually not allowed to help us preserve the natural habitat of the animals and plants on our property)
Enjoy a treat for yourself and your furry friend! Ice cream from the Duck Pond Gift Shop is 25% off and grab a $1 pup cup for your dog. *
Enjoy delicious food from the Delish Mobile Food Truck**

Summer Wednesdays: Native Plant Bingo
2025-08-06 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
NATIVE PLANT BINGO**
Bingo starts at 6PM!
With Midnight Owl Brewery, Verbena Free Spirited, & Avonlea Nursery
Play 8 rounds of BINGO for $12 ($10 members) with a beer or mocktail in hand, and a chance to take home a native pollinator-friendly plant.
Members should include promo code: SWMEM2025 and their member IDs to receive the discount
**Ticketed event. REGISTER https://givebutter.com/SumWed_Bingo_8-6-25

Summer Wednesdays: Art in the Park - Rain Date
2025-08-13 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
We postponed our July date due to weather, so Art in the Park will now be August 13!
Stroll through this summer favorite pop-up market, experience with local artisans & makers, music, Grateful Grub food truck, & cocktails.
Join us for our third annual event! This pop-up shopping event with studio Chartreuse features local artisans and makers throughout our trails. Music and food are available for purchase, as well as a signature Art in the Park cocktails, beer and wine. This is a not-to-be-missed local shopping experience!

List of vendors:
S’il Vous Play
Lotus Candles
Barbara Verne
Abby Star
The Dabbler’s Collective
Thrown Room Ceramic Studio
Rabbit Rabbit
Studiowürk
SASHA
Earthen Wares
Birdtown Botanical Oddities
Glinkgo Printmaking
Light the Wild
Aspen Makes
Brenna Claire Artistry
Bendi’s Fine Designs, LLC
Silvana’s Kitchen
Small Screen Studios
Messianic Supply Co.
Lari Jacobson
Nonlinear Nomad
Santa Rosa Stitches
Roy Pekoc
Love Violet xo Shop
Growing Hope
House in the Heights
Hazelmade

Summer Wednesdays: Back to School Picnic with Climate Change Lecture
2025-08-20 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC WITH CLIMATE CHANGE LECTURE
Dive into the effects of climate change on plants & birds with Judy Semroc** in our pavilion from 6-7:30PM ($5, FREE for members). Pack a family picnic, then hike the trails & enjoy the serenity of the Nature Center before the hustle & bustle of the school year begins. Our friends from Shaker Heights library will be onsite to share a FREE story and hike for our Junior Naturalist Friends from 6-7PM
From Roots to Wings: The Effects of Climate Change on Plants and Birds | 6:00- 7:30PM
This program will outline the threats and complications to the biodiversity of these important denizens of our natural world. In addition, helpful strategies to aid plants and birds will be addressed.
**Registration: https://givebutter.com/back-to-school-picnic

Summer Wednesdays: End of Summer Soiree
2025-08-27 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
END OF SUMMER SOIREE
Celebrate the end of summer with music by award winning children’s artist Mr. Jeff, Good Times Food Truck, and drinks. Family-friendly.
Mr. Jeff’s performance will start at 6:30 PM.
Music arranged in partnership with Roots of American Music

Environmental and Racial Justice Fair
2026-06-17 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Environmental and Racial Justice Fair
Featuring Really Amazing Food Truck
Join the Nature Center for an inspiring Juneteenth community celebration featuring local racial justice organizations, environmental advocates, art exhibits, and changemakers. Through engaging community conversations, unique exhibits, and opportunities to connect with local groups, we’ll explore how environmental racism impacts Black communities and the collective work being done to advance equity and access to healthy, vibrant neighborhoods.
Visitors can also experience the Nature Includes You exhibit, on loan from Cuyahoga Valley National Park, along with a special quilt exhibit presented by the African American Quilt & Doll Guild.
Enjoy food from the Really Amazing Food Truck. Free and open to all ages. All are welcome.

VEGAN NIGHT: Beneath One Moon
2026-06-24 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
VEGAN NIGHT: Beneath One Moon
Grab a vegan dinner at our Vegan Taco Bar from Cleveland Vegan for $15, or add a side salad or beet “beef” slider ($6) and assortment of vegan pastries ($4). Enjoy refreshing beverages from the Duck Pond as well as 25% off frozen treats. First come, first served, sales begin at 5 PM.
OR join Emmy for a yoga experience inspired by the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes’ 60th anniversary celebration starting at 6 PM. Together, we will gather beneath the same moon that guides the rhythms of nature and renewal in a grounding and reflective yoga practice. This class invites you to slow down, and reconnect with the earth. Suitable for all levels. $10 donation suggested.
REGISTER https://givebutter.com/yoga-night-6-24-26

Native Plant Bingo, Pop-Up Plant Sale & Musician Maxwell Stern
2026-07-01 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
7.1 Native Plant Bingo & Musician Maxwell Stern
Pop-Up Plant Sale
Our bingo co-hosts from Avonlea Gardens and Inn will join us to offer plants for sale with a portion of proceeds supporting the Nature Center.
Join us for our first installment of NCSL Native Plant Bingo! This will be a night of fun and learning about native plants. Participants will play 8 rounds of bingo with a native plant theme. Our partners from Avonlea Gardens and Inn will bring the plants and cohost! Visitors will also enjoy live music from local artist Maxwell Stern. Bingo starts at 6 PM. $12 for 8 rounds. $10 for members. Registration required.
REGISTER: https://givebutter.com/native-plant-bingo-7-1-26

Pet Play Date
2026-07-08 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
7.8 Pet Play Date
Bring your furry friend to the Nature Center to walk our trails at this year’s Pet Play Date! We will have sweet treats available for four-legged and two-legged guests alike, with both ice cream and pup cups available for purchase.
Free. All ages. No registration required.

Clothing Swap with Fashion Talks
2026-07-15 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
7.15 Clothing Swap with Fashion Talks
Connect with your community and update your wardrobe at the Nature Center’s first ever clothing swap in partnership with Fashion Talks. Bring your gently used clothes, shoes, purses and accessories to find a new home while enjoying delicious mocktails from Verbena Free Spirited and discovering your own new favorite pieces.
$10 Admission fee. All ages. Registration required.
REGISTER: https://givebutter.com/clothing-swap-7-15-26

Author Talk w/ Jarod Anderson Book and Loganberry Books
2026-07-22 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
7.22 Author Talk w/ Jarod Anderson Book and Loganberry Books
The Nature Center is partnering with Loganberry Books to host an enlightening evening with Jarod Anderson, author of the newly released memoir SOMETHING IN THE WOODS LOVES YOU. Jarod is best known for his writing/podcast as @cryptonaturalist. We will hear Jarod read an excerpt from his book, lead a discussion on nature’s impact on mental health, and share how you can start writing in nature.
Free. Suggested $5 donation. All ages. Registration required.
REGISTER: https://givebutter.com/jarod-anderson-7-22-26

Game Night starring Native Plant Bingo
2026-07-29 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
7.29 Pop-Up Native Plant Sale, Game Night and Native Plant Bingo
Wednesday, July 29 | 6-8 PM
Join us for Native Plant Bingo! This will be a night of fun and learning about native plants. Participants will play 8 rounds of bingo, with a native plant theme and everyone will have the opportunity to win a native plant from the evening’s nursery partner Meadow City. Registration required. $12 for non-members, $10 for members.
Pop up plant sale! Native plants from Meadow City will be available for purchase.
Dinner available from Good Times LLC Food Truck.
Register: https://givebutter.com/native-plant-bingo-7-29-26

Art in the Park
2026-08-05 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Co-hosted with studio Chartreuse
Stroll through this summer favorite pop-up shopping experience with local artisans and makers, music, Grateful Grub food truck, and cocktails. Free to attend. All ages. No registration required.

Waxing Moon Sound Bath & Restoration Hike
2026-08-12 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Experience a relaxing sound bath and guided meditation with Liz from Waxing Moon Sound OR join NCSL Natural Resources Manager Nick Mikash for a free restoration hike to learn about the restoration work recently completed. Sound Bath $35 non-members, $30 members.
REGISTRATION LINKS:
Hike: https://givebutter.com/restoration-hike-8-12-26
Sound bath: https://givebutter.com/sound-bath-8-12-26

End of Summer Soiree
2026-08-26 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Celebrate the end of summer with music by award winning children’s artist Mr. Jeff, food, and drinks. Family-friendly. Mr. Jeff’s performance begins at 6 PM. Enjoy food from the Delish Mobile Food Truck.
