Fall Bird Banding
2024-09-13 07:30 - 11:00, 2024-09-11 07:30 - 11:00, 2024-09-09 07:30 - 11:00, 2024-09-06 07:30 - 11:00, 2024-09-04 07:30 - 11:00, 2024-09-02 07:30 - 11:00, 2024-08-30 07:30 - 11:00, 2024-08-28 07:30 - 11:00 (America/New_York) and 4 more dates | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Meet Julie West at the table near the right side of the driveway to observe migratory birds as they are banded. Generally, the timing is around 30 minutes after sunrise and goes until 12PM. Weather permitting. Free. All ages and abilities welcome.

Ballet Under the Trees & 25% off Duck Pond Ice Cream
2024-09-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Enjoy an evening of performances under the tree canopy on locations throughout our trails. (RESCHEDULED!)
Activities include:

Captivating roaming ballet performances by talented City Ballet of Cleveland students – all free to the public to enjoy! Performances start at 6 PM

25% off Duck Pond Ice Cream
(Please note: Unfortunately, Good Times Food Truck will NOT be able to attend the new scheduled date as previously planned for in August!)

Support for Summer Wednesday’s is provided by the Nord Family Foundation

Container Gardening Workshop
2024-09-10 19:00 - 20:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Fall Container Gardening Workshop with Meadow City Nursery
Tuesday, September 10th, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EDT
No yard, no problem!
Many native plants thrive in outdoor planters, where they can still provide food for birds and pollinators. In this hands-on workshop, we will put together a container garden with three native plants, which can live on a porch, a balcony, or in your yard.
Included in the cost of the program are:
Your choice of planter/bring your own planter (see below)
Growing media to fill planter
Your choice of 3 native plants (in 4″ pots)
Guidance/materials on plant selection and maintenance

Choose your planter (photos below): Wooden whiskey barrel planter, black fabric planter (can stand alone or be placed inside a larger decorative planter), or bring your own. If you bring your own planter, we recommend one with a minimum diameter of 15″ and with drainage holes.

If you are planning to use a ceramic pot, choose a high-quality glazed pot with a wide opening and tapered base. This gives water space to expand when frozen and reduces the risk of your pot cracking over the winter. Terra cotta pots are particularly susceptible to cracking.

REGISTER: https://givebutter.com/Ve5XD2

$45-$65 per person, depending on planter chosen. Registration required.
Thank you to our partner Meadow City Nursery!

Qigong: Movement & Mindfulness
2024-09-10 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-09-03 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-27 10:00 - 11:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Tuesdays, August 27 through October 1 | 10:00AM – 11:00AM | Nature Center
Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that combines gentle, slow, and powerful movements with breath, self-massage, and meditation to bring multiple benefits at physical and emotional levels. Qi means internal life force energy and gong is work or skill. Qigong moves and works with internal energy to facilitate health, wellness, and calm.
AnaMaría Carrillo has personally practiced Qigong and Tai Chi for many years and is certified to teach both. Her certifications include Holden Qigong (200 hours Tier 1 Teacher), Tai Chi Easy Practice Leader, and Satori Qigong-Flow Form. AnaMaria has been teaching group and individual classes both in person and virtually in Shaker Heights and Beachwood for 5 years. She can be contacted at carrillo.anama@gmail.com
The emphasis of the class at the Shaker Nature Center will be on Qigong and will be suited for people of all ages and skill levels. No special equipment or clothing is necessary although comfortable clothes are preferred. Participants will learn:

Proper alignment and posture

Breath

Tapping and stretching to stimulate adequate blood and energy flow

Gentle, easy to learn and practice flows to benefit body, mind, and emotions

Simple, yet powerful, coordination of breath and movement to maximize benefits

Basic self-massage

Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/Ppc8D7

Paint the Grandeur of Winter with David Rankin
2024-09-06 10:00 - 16:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Friday, September 6 – Sunday, September 8 | 10AM-4PM | Nature Center
Join David for a 3-day transparent watercolor workshop where you will paint Fall and Winter images. As the trees still glow with the last remnants of the fall color palette, they make way for stark and dramatic winter colors. The forest, gradually losing its leaves and vegetation, exposes its underlying structure. Its grandeur is made increasingly stark and enchanting with the arrival of snow. David Rankin, a master of transparent watercolor, will share the techniques he uses to capture the grandeur of winter.
This hands-on workshop will run from September 6-September 8 from 10AM to 4PM each day. $350/person for this 3-day workshop. Supply list will be sent upon registration.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/davidrankin24

A “Dazzle” by David Rankin: A Transparent Watercolor Demonstration
2024-09-05 18:30 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Thursday, September 5 | 6:30PM-8PM | Nature Center
Nature Center at Shaker Lakes invites you to a special event:
A “Dazzle” by David Rankin: A Transparent Watercolor Demonstration
Join us Thursday, September 5th, as nationally known watercolor and wildlife artist, David Rankin creates one of his masterful paintings. As David says, the distinctive and elegant blends coupled with the translucent washes of watercolor allow artists to create magical visual effects that bring subjects to life. With David’s use of a strong, dramatic color palette and excellent design he is widely recognized as one of the very best. Join us as David dazzles us with watercolor. Q&A at end of demonstration. Free. Registration required.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/ZlJSBw

Verbingo with Verbena Free Spirited
2024-08-30 18:30 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Friday, August 30 | 6:30PM-8PM | Nature Center
Come join us to celebrate the end of summer with the Verbingo you know and love- at the Nature Center! We’re partnering with Verbena Free Spirited to bring you a night of connecting with others in a healthier, more meaningful way- and without alcohol. Ticket includes 5 rounds of bingo with prizes, handheld charcuterie cups, and one complimentary drink with additional drinks available for purchase!
$25 per person. Members enjoy a $5 discount. Registration required.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/Q5sAhj

SUMMER WEDNESDAYS: Farewell to Summer
2024-08-28 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Bid farewell to the summer with a party at the Nature Center!

Shaker Heights Public Library Bonfire Storytime

Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library – Cricut Water Bottle Sticker Craft

Archery – Unleash your inner archer at Summer Wednesdays with Archery in the Forest! Come check out the Nature Center’s range, learn archery skills, and challenge yourself to hit bullseyes! Fun for all ages! REGISTER

Cleveland Kid’s Book Bank Activity

Food includes:
Pop Culture Cleveland Food Truck
Summer Raspberry Fizz and other drinks available for purchase

Support for Summer Wednesday’s is provided by the Nord Family Foundation

Botanical Monoprinting Workshop
2024-08-27 17:30 - 19:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Botanical Monoprinting Workshop – SOLD OUT
Tuesday, August 27, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Get added to the waitlist! If you are interested in being contacted if a spot opens up, please email turner@shakerlakes.org
An evening workshop wherein participants will be taught about the process of Monoprinting, a form of printmaking in which an image is made by using plexiglass to layer ink onto paper. After a short demonstration, registrants will be given the materials necessary to create a series of up to eight unique pieces of artwork that incorporate botanicals sourced from the park surrounding the Nature Center.
This workshop will be taught by Lilly Ross, senior Printmaking and Painting major at the Cleveland Institute of Art. The workshop is offered in conjunction with the upcoming Art on View group exhibition, Up a Creek, featuring work by current and former CIA students about humans and their nuanced relationships with the environment.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/1Qm1Qx

Take to the Lake
2024-08-24 10:00 - 16:00 | Ohio
Started in 2013 as a memorial to Lester Stumpe, an avid paddler and early Doan Brook Watershed Partnership board member, Take to the Lake gives participants a chance to enjoy some time by the lake for a day, and gain a new perspective on the lakes, the Doan Brook and their place in our watershed community. In addition to boating lessons and rentals, water themed yoga, and a hike, a number of education tables to engage participants in watershed science and Lower Lake history.
REGISTER HERE

SUMMER WEDNESDAYS: Serenity in the Sun
2024-08-21 17:00 - 20:00 | Ohio
Join us for an evening of wellness and relaxation with yoga, sound healing, and delectable vegan and vegetarian bites sourced from local restaurants!
Activities include:

FREE Yoga Class with Cari Hickerson – REGISTER
Sound Bath Performance by Cassandra Woods – 6:00-7:00pm
FREE Qigong Class with Ana Maria Carrillo* – REGISTER
Vegan and vegetarian bites from local restaurants: Jillian Spencer, personal chef

Spicy Asian Quinoa & Spinach Toss: nutty quinoa & red mung beans tossed in a spicy dressing with fresh cilantro, bean sprouts & carrots
Roasted Brussel Sprout Salad: brussels sprouts roasted with sweet shallots and dried cranberries tossed in an avocado vinaigrette

Banana Bread: baked with walnuts and golden raisins

(everything is created with love from local organic ingredients for all to enjoy)

Dathan Little, A Little Goes a Long Way

Support for Summer Wednesday’s is provided by the Nord Family Foundation

Naturalist Notebook: The Round of a Country Year by David Kline with Loganberry Books
2024-08-18 13:00 - 15:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Sunday, August 18 | 1:00PM-3:00PM | Nature Center
David Kline, an Amish farmer and naturalist in mid-Ohio, has written several books following the seasons with a keen eye on nature as well as daily life in his book, THE ROUND OF A COUNTRY YEAR. David is a good friend of Wendell Berry’s, who introduces the book speaking about the kinship Amish farmers have with their land and the simpler life we have left behind. This newer book of David’s also addresses climate change.
Registration required. Free. Donations welcome.
Purchase your book at Loganberry Books for a 10% discount here: https://store.loganberrybooks.com/round-country-year
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/JzOcxF

Is Nature More Cooperative Than We Think? A Talk with Kristin Ohlson
2024-08-15 18:00 - 19:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Thursday, August 15 | 6:00PM-7:00PM | Nature Center
Join us for a very special author talk from writer Kristin Ohlson! Books available for purchase from Mac’s Backs-Books on Coventry.
Most people believe that nature is characterized by competition and conflict—red in tooth and  claw, as the poet Tennyson said. But recent science suggests that cooperative relationships among living things have both shaped the world around us and continue to knit ecosystems together. How can we both uphold these cooperative relationships and become a cooperative partner with the rest of life?
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/87QPaA

SUMMER WEDNESDAYS: All About Birds
2024-08-14 17:00 - 20:00 | Ohio
Grab your binoculars and look to the sky! This evening is all about birds, our feathered friends!
Activities include:
Beginner’s Boozy Birding: Introduction to Birding
Learn about the basics of birding from birding expert Julie West!
Bring your friends and family to enjoy a presentation on what birding events the Nature Center offers, what you need to get started with your birding journey (both at home and at the Nature Center), best times of year to look to the sky, tips, resources, and more. Complimentary tastings of beer included!
Presentation begins at 5:30pm, bird walk begins at 6:30pm. A limited amount of binoculars will be available to borrow, but please bring your own if you have them!
For more Nature Center birding programs, click here: https://shakerlakes.org/birding-programs/
REGISTER

Meet Otis the Duck!
Drop in and join us for a very special book reading and meet & greet with a very special friend, Otis the Duck!
https://www.instagram.com/otisduck/

Musical performer Carolina Borja: Carolina Borja is an Afro Colombian world musician, composer and educator. She has gathered her eclectic experience from collaborating with folk fusion and world music bands, interdisciplinary groups of artists, dance companies, chamber music ensembles and symphony orchestras. She is currently a member of the Cleveland based duo Sororii.
Carolina holds a masters degree in Cello Performance Pedagogy from Ohio University. She is a Fulbright, Martin Luther King Jr. and the United States of America State Department Fellow and New Music USA Creator Development Fund receiver, among other distinctions. In the last years, Carolina has been exploring the cello as an ever expanding and versatile instrument in different music settings, as well as discovering her voice as a Cantaora (traditional Afro Colombian singer).
Carolina’s work for the past years reflects her avid search for her roots and creativity, together with her role as a woman of the African diaspora. Carolina is the founder and director of the Tutti Music Program, a music school in the Cleveland area that offers multi genre and bilingual music sessions for infants.
*Concerts arranged in partnership with Roots of American Music*
We nourish our neighborhoods with the transformative power of music through education and performance.
Roots of American Music uses live music to educate, inspire, and comfort people in settings where exposure to music performance is limited or non-existent (music deserts). We serve Northeast Ohio citizens in K-12 schools, residential communities serving seniors, and assisted living communities serving the physically and mentally challenged.
www.rootsofamericanmusic.org

Support for Summer Wednesday’s is provided by the Nord Family Foundation

SUMMER WEDNESDAYS: Outdoor Movie Night
2024-07-31 18:00 - 21:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Join us for a cozy night under the trees to enjoy a magical movie experience!
Activities include:
Outdoor Family Movie Night! Celebrate summer as we gather in the Nature Center Pavilion and turn it into an outdoor movie theater. Bring a lawn chair, get cozy, and enjoy Disney’s Strange World!
FREE! Suggested donation: $10 adults, $5 children under 12. Event begins at 5:00pm; the movie begins at 6:30pm. Arrive early to enjoy food from Good Times Food Truck!
Food includes:

Good Times Food Truck
Free popcorn!
Enjoy 25% off ice cream from the Duck Pond Gift Shop

Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/fPYQrG

Support for Summer Wednesday’s is provided by the Nord Family Foundation

Sip & Script with Brenna Claire Artistry & Verbena Free Spirited
2024-07-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Friday, July 26 | 6:00PM-8:00PM | Nature Center
Join the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes for a night out full of art, drinks, and fun! This night out includes an intro to calligraphy class taught by experienced luxury and event calligrapher Brenna Rudary of Brenna Claire Artistry!
The class will cover the basics of calligraphy including an overview of the basic strokes, how to hold and use your pen, and connecting strokes to make letters. Students will learn the foundation to jump start their calligraphy practice, use this skill to write your own invitations, or learn a new hobby with friends! While learning this new skill, enjoy special, refreshing non-alcoholic cocktails from Verbena Free Spirited Shoppe!
Registration required. Ticket includes calligraphy materials, one-on-one instruction, and one non-alcoholic mocktail (additional drinks available for purchase). $60 per person.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/2i5fhH
