Upcycle and Repurpose Workshop: Make Your Own Scrubbers
2026-03-06 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Friday, March 6 @ 6 PM
Help protect our environment by learning to reuse everyday household items! Karen Ault will be leading this tutorial workshop to share how to make dishwashing scrubbers out of recycled orange and onion plastic mesh bags. Registrants are encouraged to bring their own bags, though one will be provided to start.
All ages welcome. Registration required. $12 for non-members, $10 for members.
Members can use code WINTERMEM2026 for $2 off after inputting their member ID. Reach out to Cara Anderson at cara@shakerlakes.org if you need help finding your ID number.
REGISTER: https://givebutter.com/diy-scrubber-workshop-3-6-26

Spring Guided Bird Walks
2026-03-08 08:00 - 21:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Guided Bird Walks
ONGOING | Select Sundays 8-9:30 AM
March 8 and 22*, April 5*, May 24*
Join a guided walk through the Shaker Parklands exploring the sights and sounds of the birds that migrate through or make the parklands their home. The first walk of each month begins on our ADA-accessible boardwalk and moves to dirt trails throughout the Parklands. All walks meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available to borrow. Rain or shine. Free. $5 suggested donation. Registration required.
*One walk of each month is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter.
REGISTRATION:
https://givebutter.com/spring-bird-walk-3-8-26
https://givebutter.com/spring-bird-walk-3-22-26
https://givebutter.com/spring-bird-walk-4-5-26
https://givebutter.com/spring-bird-walk-5-24-26

Getting Started with Natives
2026-03-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Getting Started with Natives
Wednesday, March 11 | 6-8 PM
Led by Nick Mikash (NCSL Natural Resources Manager)
Curious about how to start gardening with native plants? Nick Mikash, The Nature Center’s Natural Resources manager, will share tips, terminology and recommendations for those getting started. We’ll touch on trees, shrubs, perennials, and grasses. We’ll highlight some great starter plants, and how to give them the best chance of success. There will be plenty of time for Q&A as well.
Registration link: https://givebutter.com/bnh-lecture-3-11-26

Spring Equinox Moonlight Walk
2026-03-20 19:30 - 21:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Spring Equinox Moonlight Walk
Friday, March 20 | 7:30-9 PM
Bring in the spring season by joining the Nature Center for a Spring Equinox Night Walk. Stroll through our trails under the moonlight on the first night of spring and learn about bats and other nocturnal animals, spring plants, and more. Joining us will be Cleveland Metroparks Naturalist Nicole Hindman, who will share her passion for bats!
Registration Required. Free. $5 donation suggested. All ages.
Registration link: https://givebutter.com/spring-equinox-walk-3-20-26

Swap Meet
2026-03-21 10:00 - 14:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
SHPL and NCSL Swap Meet
Saturday, March 21, | 10 AM-2 PM
The Shaker Heights Public Library and the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes are teaming up to host a Community Swap Meet in the spirit of reducing waste, building comradery and sharing with our neighbors. No money will be exchanged at the swap meet, and participants can trade books, records, gardening tools, small furniture and much more!* To learn more and sign up for a table,* click this link https://forms.gle/UbrgKhCA8zoDmpMh6

*No personal electronics, vehicles, or items not in good working order
*Tables are first come, first serve.

Spring Guided Bird Walks
2026-03-22 08:00 - 21:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Guided Bird Walks
ONGOING | Select Sundays 8-9:30 AM
March 22*, April 5*, May 24*
Join a guided walk through the Shaker Parklands exploring the sights and sounds of the birds that migrate through or make the parklands their home. The first walk of each month begins on our ADA-accessible boardwalk and moves to dirt trails throughout the Parklands. All walks meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available to borrow. Rain or shine. Free. $5 suggested donation. Registration required.
*One walk of each month is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter.
REGISTRATION:
https://givebutter.com/spring-bird-walk-3-22-26
https://givebutter.com/spring-bird-walk-4-5-26
https://givebutter.com/spring-bird-walk-5-24-26

A Garden Party for Butterflies: How to be the Ideal Host
2026-03-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
A Garden Party for Butterflies: How to be the Ideal Host
Thursday, March 26 | 6-8 PM
Led by Meadow City
Monarchs, Admirals, Emperors, Viceroys, Ladies… an important crew, indeed! And they won’t visit just any garden. Roll out the red carpet for this illustrious bunch with host plants, nectar sources, and even overwintering spots because your company won’t want to leave.
Registration link: https://givebutter.com/bnh-lecture-3-26-26

Spring Guided Bird Walks
2026-04-05 08:00 - 21:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Guided Bird Walks
ONGOING | Select Sundays 8-9:30 AM
April 5*, May 24*
Join a guided walk through the Shaker Parklands exploring the sights and sounds of the birds that migrate through or make the parklands their home. The first walk of each month begins on our ADA-accessible boardwalk and moves to dirt trails throughout the Parklands. All walks meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available to borrow. Rain or shine. Free. $5 suggested donation. Registration required.
*One walk of each month is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter.
REGISTRATION:
https://givebutter.com/spring-bird-walk-4-5-26
https://givebutter.com/spring-bird-walk-5-24-26

Stewardship and Your Backyard
2026-04-09 18:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Stewardship and Your Backyard
Thursday, April 9 | 6-8 PM
Led by Kyle Warren (NCSL Natural Resources Technician)
Learn about the most common invasive plants found in NE Ohio backyards and how to remove them. Furthermore, we will discuss native plants that make excellent replacements to improve the ecological function of your yard, including ones available through our annual plant sale! Finally, we will discuss how to protect your native plants from deer predation.
Registration link: https://givebutter.com/bnh-lecture-4-9-26

Junior Naturalist: Compost Conquest
2026-04-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
JUNIOR NATURALIST
COMPOST CONQUEST: in Partnership with RustBelt Riders
Saturday, April 11 | 10AM-12 PM
Join the Nature Center and our friends at RustBelt Riders for an informative session that introduces students to the core concepts of composting through discussion and hands-on activity. We will delve into the challenges of resource conservation and waste management by learning the science of composting while exploring the role of microorganisms and the benefits of nutrient cycling. Through living laboratories and visual aids, we will guide students in understanding composting and inspire them to build a compost system at home!
Registration required. $20 for non-members, $15 for members. Ages 9-13.
Registration link: https://givebutter.com/compost-conquest-4-11-26

Grow Not Mow Planting Event
2026-04-11 10:00 - 13:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Grow Not Mow Planting Event
Saturday April 11, 2026, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Meet at Grow Not Mow Site 3
Shaker Blvd & Warrensville Center Rd
Shaker Heights, OH
We are calling for volunteers of all ages to join us in planting more native trees and plants and removing invasives at this site adjacent to the Doan Brook. We will be planting 15-21 native species of trees and many native plants. All volunteers should come dressed for the weather. Tools and gloves will be provided, but if you have a favorite shovel, please feel free to bring it along! Families and volunteers of all ages are welcome!
Grow Not Mow is a community program powered by volunteers like you and championed by the City of Shaker Heights. With this program, we hope to restore and enhance biodiversity in the floodplain of the Doan Brook to make it a better habitat for pollinators, wildlife, and people while also reducing the land area that is mowed. Our plantings will also help to absorb, filter stormwater runoff and prevent soil erosion, and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with mowing.
Register at https://dbwp.org/event/grow-not-mow-2/

Audubon Society Spring Bird Walks
2026-04-12 07:30 - 22:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Audubon Society Spring Bird Walks
Select Sundays | 7:30-10:30 AM
April 12, 19, and 26*; May 3, 10, and 17
Audubon Bird Walks, in conjunction with local partners, are a great way to improve your birding skills. Led by experienced birders who welcome all levels from beginners to advanced, the walks are between 1–2 miles on dirt, gravel and grass trails around the Nature Center and Lower Shaker Lake. Dates marked with an asterisk (*) will have an ASL interpreter in attendance. Bird species are counted and recorded, and the data is stored both on eBird and at the Museum of Natural History. Free. Registration required.
Registration links:
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-4-12-26
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-4-19-26
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-4-26-26
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-5-3-26
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-5-10-26
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-5-17-26

Annual Stream Sweep
2026-04-18 10:00 - 13:00 | Ohio
Annual Stream Sweep
Saturday, April 18 |10AM-1PM | Cultural Gardens
Join the Doan Brook Watershed Partnership and the Nature Center as we clean up the winter’s accumulation of trash in the Doan Brook. We’ll meet in the Cultural Gardens Volunteer as an individual or as a group. Groups with school-age children are welcome. Registration required. Free. All ages.
https://dbwp.org/event/earth-day-stream-sweep/

Audubon Society Spring Bird Walks
2026-04-19 07:30 - 22:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Audubon Society Spring Bird Walks
Select Sundays | 7:30-10:30 AM
April 19, and 26*; May 3, 10, and 17
Audubon Bird Walks, in conjunction with local partners, are a great way to improve your birding skills. Led by experienced birders who welcome all levels from beginners to advanced, the walks are between 1–2 miles on dirt, gravel and grass trails around the Nature Center and Lower Shaker Lake. Dates marked with an asterisk (*) will have an ASL interpreter in attendance. Bird species are counted and recorded, and the data is stored both on eBird and at the Museum of Natural History. Free. Registration required.
Registration links:
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-4-19-26
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-4-26-26
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-5-3-26
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-5-10-26
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-5-17-26

Historic Homes Tour
2026-04-19 10:00 - 15:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
HISTORIC HOMES TOUR: How Transportation Shaped the Heights
Sunday, April 19 | Two session options, 10 AM-1 PM OR 12-3 PM
As part of the America250-Ohio celebration of Ohio transportation, the Homes Tour will begin with a light brunch and presentation exploring how rapid transit shaped the growth and character of Shaker Heights. Following the presentation, guests will enjoy a trolley tour of 3-4 Shaker Heights homes located along or near the city’s historic rapid transit routes.
Limited Spots Available. Register Early: $160 for non-members, $130 for Nature Center or Shaker Historical Society members.
For Event Questions: Contact Aaliyah at muhammad@shakerlakes.org
Members can use code WINTERMEM2026 for $30 off after inputting their member ID. Reach out to Cara Anderson at cara@shakerlakes.org or Brianna Treleven at director@shakerhistory.org if you need help finding your ID number.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/historic-homes-tour-2026

Earth Day Tree Giveaway
2026-04-22 10:00 - 15:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Earth Day Tree Giveaway
Wednesday, April 22 | 10 AM-3 PM
This Earth Day, stop by and receive a free tree from the Nature Center! Participants can choose a red bud, blackhaw viburnum, or flowering dogwood.

City Nature Challenge
2026-04-24 08:00 - 2026-04-27 17:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
City Nature Challenge
Friday, April 24 – Monday, April 27
The City Nature Challenge (CNC) is an annual international event to collaboratively record as many wildlife observations as possible using iNaturalist. This global event is organized by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and California Academy of Sciences. The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes is one of the regional organizers. We’ll be hosting a couple of drop-in sessions throughout the challenge. Come join us!
No registration. Free. All ages.

Earth Day Meditation Ceremony
2026-04-26 15:00 - 17:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Earth Day Meditation Ceremony
Sunday, April 26 | 3-5 PM
In honor of Earth Day we come together to celebrate the regenerative power of the natural world! Join us around the circle to learn about the special herbs that the Spring season brings and to create a blend of herbal tea with Amber of Cleveland Tea Revival. Sip on a delightful, botanical non-alcoholic beverage from Molly of Verbena Free- Spirited Shoppe and experience the transformational energy of guided meditation and ceremony with Caressa of Caressa Joy-Centered Life. Take home your own unique blend of herbal tea, a potted plant to add to your garden, and a blessing stone to activate the memory of your extraordinary experience.
Registration required. $45 for non-members $40 for members.
Registration link: https://givebutter.com/earth-day-ceremony-4-26-26

Audubon Society Spring Bird Walks
2026-05-03 07:30 - 22:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Audubon Society Spring Bird Walks
Select Sundays | 7:30-10:30 AM
May 3, 10, and 17
Audubon Bird Walks, in conjunction with local partners, are a great way to improve your birding skills. Led by experienced birders who welcome all levels from beginners to advanced, the walks are between 1–2 miles on dirt, gravel and grass trails around the Nature Center and Lower Shaker Lake. Dates marked with an asterisk (*) will have an ASL interpreter in attendance. Bird species are counted and recorded, and the data is stored both on eBird and at the Museum of Natural History. Free. Registration required.
Registration links:
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-5-3-26
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-5-10-26
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-5-17-26

Annual Plant Sale
2026-05-09 08:00 - 17:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
SAVE THE DATE! More information coming soon. Saturday, May 9, 2026

Audubon Society Spring Bird Walks
2026-05-10 07:30 - 22:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Audubon Society Spring Bird Walks
Select Sundays | 7:30-10:30 AM
May 10 and 17
Audubon Bird Walks, in conjunction with local partners, are a great way to improve your birding skills. Led by experienced birders who welcome all levels from beginners to advanced, the walks are between 1–2 miles on dirt, gravel and grass trails around the Nature Center and Lower Shaker Lake. Dates marked with an asterisk (*) will have an ASL interpreter in attendance. Bird species are counted and recorded, and the data is stored both on eBird and at the Museum of Natural History. Free. Registration required.
Registration links:
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-5-10-26
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-5-17-26

Quiet Bloom: Expressive Watercolor Workshop
2026-05-16 13:30 - 15:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Quiet Bloom: Expressive Watercolor Workshop
Saturday, May 16 | 1:30-3 PM
Slow down and discover the joy of watercolor in a relaxed, nature-inspired setting. Join celebrated contemporary watercolor artist Burnell McKenna for a welcoming workshop designed for adult learners of all experience levels. Participants will explore expressive watercolor techniques inspired by botanical forms, learn approachable ways to work with color, water, and brushwork, and create a finished or in-progress piece to take home. This one-time session emphasizes observation, creativity, and enjoyment of the process in a calm and supportive environment.
Registration required. $80 non-members, $70 members. Price includes all materials, instruction, and presentation.
Registration link: https://givebutter.com/quiet-bloom-5-16-26

Audubon Society Spring Bird Walks
2026-05-17 07:30 - 22:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Audubon Society Spring Bird Walks
Select Sundays | 7:30-10:30 AM
May 17
Audubon Bird Walks, in conjunction with local partners, are a great way to improve your birding skills. Led by experienced birders who welcome all levels from beginners to advanced, the walks are between 1–2 miles on dirt, gravel and grass trails around the Nature Center and Lower Shaker Lake. Dates marked with an asterisk (*) will have an ASL interpreter in attendance. Bird species are counted and recorded, and the data is stored both on eBird and at the Museum of Natural History. Free. Registration required.
Registration links:
https://givebutter.com/audubon-spring-bird-walk-5-17-26

Naturalist Notebook: Vesper Flights
2026-05-17 13:00 - 15:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Naturalist Notebook: Vesper Flights
Sunday, May 17 | 1-3 PM
Join the Nature Center and Loganberry Books to discuss Vesper Flights by Helen MacDonald. Helen MacDonald, a British naturalist, poet and falconer, is best known for their memoir, H is for Hawk. Vesper Flights, written more recently, is a collection of essays on the natural world in which MacDonald shares their exceptional eye for detail and observational skills with readers. Wonderful to dip into at leisure, the essays soar from falcons to peregrines to swifts’ mysterious vesper flights. Book available at Loganberry at 10% off
Registration required. Free.
Registration link: https://givebutter.com/naturalist-notebook-vesper-flights-5-17-26

Trekking Together: Spring Hike with GirlTrek Cleveland
2026-05-23 10:00 - 11:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Trekking Together: Spring Hike with GirlTrek Cleveland
*Check our website for March and April dates
Saturday, May 23 | 10-11 AM
Join Jo Rattiliff of GirlTrek Cleveland for our monthly hike!
GirlTREK is a global organization that is made up of over a million Black women united by a movement for health justice and whose mission is “to increase the life expectancy of Black women by 10 years in 10 years.” We invite you to bundle up, get active, and appreciate the beauty of nature on these fresh, beautiful spring mornings. The trail will be of natural surfaces (paved and dirt trails) and sidewalks. In the case of inclement weather, the hike will be cancelled, and an email will be sent to registrants. Registration required. Free. Donations welcome.
Registration link: https://givebutter.com/girltrek-5-23-26

Spring Guided Bird Walks
2026-05-24 08:00 - 21:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Guided Bird Walks
ONGOING | Select Sundays 8-9:30 AM
May 24*
Join a guided walk through the Shaker Parklands exploring the sights and sounds of the birds that migrate through or make the parklands their home. The first walk of each month begins on our ADA-accessible boardwalk and moves to dirt trails throughout the Parklands. All walks meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available to borrow. Rain or shine. Free. $5 suggested donation. Registration required.
*One walk of each month is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter.
REGISTRATION:
https://givebutter.com/spring-bird-walk-5-24-26

Nature at Night: Moonbeam
2026-05-30 08:00 - 17:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Nature at Night: Moonbeam – Saturday, May 30, 2026

Hike & Run
2026-09-13 08:00 - 17:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Hike & Run – Sunday, September 13, 2026

AutumnFest
2026-09-26 08:00 - 17:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
AutumnFest – Saturday, September 26, 2026

Luminary Walk
2026-12-18 08:00 - 17:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
