Geauga Park District
dd kayaking or canoeing to one’s summertime schedule.
For more information on these programs, contact the park district at 440-286-9516 or visit them online at www.geaugaparkdistrict.org.
Out On The Water
Add kayaking or canoeing to one’s summertime schedule. Plan to borrow a kayak for free at the Headwaters Park Boathouse.
Or, for a more structured experience, register by phone at 440-286-9516 to join a naturalist on any of the following guided floats: Cuyahoga Canoe, July 29, 1-3 p.m.,
Eldon Russell Park; Kelso Katydid Canoe,Aug. 22, 7:30-9 p.m., Burton Wetlands Nature Preserve; Kayak Fishing at Bass Lake,Aug. 26, 6-9 p.m., Bass Lake Preserve;Sandpiper Paddle Canoe Float,Sept. 6, 6-8 p.m., LaDue Reservoir; Kelso Canoe,Sept. 22, 1-3 p.m.,
Burton Wetlands Nature Preserve.
Kayaking is also a part of Geauga Park District’s annual summer camps, offered for youth entering grades five through seven the weeks of July 30 and Aug. 6.
Just For Seniors
Geauga Park District unveils its upcoming summer repertoire for Elderberries: Seniors Ripe for Adventure. Registration is required for Elderberries programming, all co-presented by Geauga Park District, the Geauga Department on Aging and University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center.
Heavenly Bodies in the Summer Sky
Aug. 9, 8-10:30 p.m.
Observatory Park
Peer deep into the night sky through the Oberle telescope, viewing planets, nebula and other celestial features. A planetarium show substitutes for telescope viewing if skies are cloudy. Also enjoy after-dark desserts, coffee and EZ Go Cart tours of the Planetary Trail.
Strolling in Fields of Gold
Sept. 20, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Orchard Hills Park
Take in the splendor of late summer wildflowers, praying mantises and goldfinches, tag migrating monarch butterflies for science and more on a short walk, complete with lunch in the shelter. Tours of the trail will also be given on the EZ Go Cart.
Park naturalists also lead Geauga Walkers hikes of active seniors year-round, usually a couple Tuesdays a month from 1-2:30 p.m. Upcoming hikes are: July 31 at Whitlam Woods, Aug. 14 at Orchard Hills Park, Aug. 28 at Swine Creek Reservation, Sept. 11 at Chickagami Park and Sept. 25 at Headwaters Park.
Registration is not required for Geauga Walkers hikes. For the season’s complete Geauga Walkers schedule, call Geauga Senior Center at 440-279-2137.
Summer At Observatory Park
Observatory Park in Montville Township is open daily 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. through Labor Day.
On Aug. 11, come watch “Back to the Future”– the recently chosen fan-voted final film of 2018 – with family activities starting at 8 p.m. and the movie at dark. Free popcorn and lemonade will be provided, as well as visits to the Geauga County Public Library’s Fun Bus; bring blankets and lawn chairs.
Also that night, stay late or spend the night to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower during the Meteors & Moths Overnight Event,with peak meteor time between 1-3 a.m. Also check out cool moths attracted to the park’s black light and mercury vapor lamps and help sample and survey nocturnal wildlife. A naturalist will be on hand from sunset to sunrise to answer questions.
Naturalist-led night sky viewing returns to the recently renovated Nassau Astronomical Station and its huge research-grade telescope on Saturdays, July 28, Aug. 25, Sept. 8, 15 and 22, from 7-11 p.m. To celebrate Ohio Open Doors Week, Nassau will also be open for daytime visitation on Sept. 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Enjoy full moon programs from 8:30-9:30 p.m. July 27 (The Thunder Moon); Aug. 26 (The Sturgeon Moon); and Sept. 23 (The Harvest Moon).
Hands-on astronomy education will be presented from 7-8 p.m. Fridays, Aug. 10 and 24 (Asteroid Sampling Missions) and Sept. 7 and 21 (Relativity for Beginners), followed by night sky until 11 p.m. if weather permits.
Some age groups get extra-special access this summer. Kids ages 3-5 can sign up to enjoy Astrotots: Cosmic Cousins, about the possibility of life on other planets, on Aug. 2 and 4; while seniors can sign up for Elderberries: Heavenly Bodies in the Summer Sky the evening of Aug. 9. Registration is required.
Finally, astronomy naturalist Chris Mentrek will open the Robert McCullough Science Center and Oberle ObservatorySundays, July 29, Aug. 12 and 26, Sept. 9 and 23 from 1- 4 p.m., all featuring The Sky Tonight Planetarium Shows at 2 p.m.
Stay Connected
