Today

Old-time music — Quail Hollow State Park near Hartville will host old-time traditional music from 7 to 10 p.m. at 13480 Congress Lake Road NE, Lake Township. Bring your instruments and join the fun. Call 330-877-6652 for information.

Museum talk— Dr. Mario Livio of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md., will lecture on Is God a Mathematician? at 8 p.m. at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval. Free. Call 216-231-4600 for information.

Wildflowers for kids — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, will present Kinderealm programs about wildflowers for youngsters 3, 4 and 5 years old and accompanying adults at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. They will be held at the Shady Hollow Pavilion at Sand Run Metro Park. That's off Sand Run Parkway in northwest Akron. The program will be repeated at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday and 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Call 330-865-8065 for reservations and information.

Bird baths — The Stark County Park District is presenting a program about bird baths at 6 p.m. at the Exploration Gateway, 5712 12th St. NW, Perry Township. Call 330-477-3552 for reservations and information.

Editing for Impact — Susan Kirkman Zake of Kent State University and a former Beacon Journal photo editor will speak about editing for impact from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Happy Days Lodge, state Route 303, in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Her talk is sponsored by the Cuyahoga Valley Photographic Society. Call 330-657-2909 for information.

Spring wildflowers — The Medina County Park District is holding a spring wildflower walk at 10 a.m. at River Styx Park off River Styx Road in Guilford Township. Call 330-722-9364 for information.

Friday

House concert — Ed Caner, the artist in residence in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, will stage a house concert at 8 p.m. at the Hines Hill Conference Center, 1403 Hines Hill Road, Boston Township. He will be joined by guest musician Sebastian Anthony Birch. Tickets are $6 for adults. Call 330-657-2909 for reservations and information.

Climate change talk — Laura Christie of the GreenCityBlueLake Institute at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History will speak about Climate Change: How You Can Help Make a Difference at 7 p.m. at the Wilderness Center off U.S. 250 near Wilmot. Free. Call 330-359-5235 for information.

Wine train — The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad is sponsoring a wine-tasting trip from 7 to 9 p.m. from the Rockside Station in Independence. For age 21 and older. Tickets are $55, $75 or $90. Call 800-468-4070 for reservations and information.

Pulling invasive plants — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, is seeking volunteers to pill garlic mustard from 9 a.m. to noon at Seiberling Nature Realm, 1828 Smith Road, Akron. Volunteers are also needed from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Pioneer Area of Goodyear Heights Metro Park in East Akron; from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Silver Creek Metro Park (meet at the bathhouse); and 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the Pioneer Area of Goodyear Heights Metro Park. Bring a hat, work gloves, snack, drinking water. Call 330-865-8047 for reservations and additional information.

Dances of peace — You can join in Dances of Universal Peace at 7 p.m. at Crown Point Ecology Center in Bath Township. The program embraces movement as prayer. No experience necessary. The center is at 3220 Ira Road. Call 330-668-8992 for information.

Butterfly search — Cleveland Metroparks is staging a search for the rare West Virginia white butterfly from 10 a.m. to noon in the Hinckley Reservation in northern Medina County. Meet at the Johnson's Picnic Area off West Drive between Bellus and State roads in Hinckley Township. Call 440-526-1012 for information.

Hale farming — Hale Farm & Village, 2686 Oak Hill Road, Bath Township, will host interactive farm programs for youngsters 2 to 6 years old at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. The programs include a craft, story and snack. The fee is $8 per child. One adult per child is free. For information, call 330-666-3711, ext. 100, or http://www.halefarm.org.

Park movie — The Medina County Park District will present the animated movie, The Jungle Book, at 7 p.m. at the Wolf Creek Environmental Center, 6100 Ridge Road (state Route 94), Sharon Township. Free. Free popcorn, too. Call 330-722-9364 for information.

Saturday

Earth Day party— The Medina County Park District is staging an Earth Day party from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Buffalo Creek Retreat near Seville. There will be Earth-friendly exhibits, children's activities, food. Free. The retreat is off Hubbard Valley Road in Guilford Township. Parking is also available at nearby Hubbard Valley Park with free shuttle service to the event. Call 330-722-9364 for information.

Earth Day II — The Wilderness Center off U.S. 250 near Wilmot will hold a trail cleanup from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition, Earth Day will be celebrated with a bird walk at 8 a.m., backpacking demonstration from 9 a.m. to noon, green burials from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., family astronomy program at 2 p.m., Earth ecology games from 1 to 2 p.m., family astronomy program on galaxies at 2 p.m., Earth Day run of 3.4 miles or a 11/4-mile time-prediction run at 12:45 p.m. [registration opens at 11:30 a.m.; entry fees] and photo show from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The photo show continues from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Call 330-359-5235 or 877-359-5235 for information.

Hudson Earth Day — The program with emphasis on Brandywine and Tinkers creeks and Mud Brook watershed will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Hudson Green. Old mercury thermometers can be exchanged for mercury-free thermometers in a program run by the Hudson Fire Department. A rain garden will be constructed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Barlow Community Center. Demonstrations, exhibits, vendors. For more information, call 330-342-1750.

Learn Green/Live Green expo — The community expo runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with 75 exhibitors at the John S. Knight Center in downtown Akron. The focus is on all-natural, organic and environmentally friendly products. Proceeds will benefit the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America in Washington, D.C. Admission is $3 if you bring a bag of materials to be recycled and $5 without a bag. Call 330-688-0964 or check out http://www.learngreenlivegreen.com.

Geology hike — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, will present a geology walk of 1.8 miles along the strenuous Gorge Trail in the Gorge Metro Park. Meet at 2 p.m. in the Front Street parking lot in Cuyahoga Falls. Call 330-865-8065 for more information.

Frog hop — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, will stage a frog hop at 7:30 p.m. at Liberty Park in northern Summit County. Meet naturalist Meghan Doran to search out amphibians at 3973 E. Aurora Road (state Route 82) at the Pond Brook Conservation Area. Call 330-865-8065 for information.

Spring hike — The National Park Service is sponsoring a hike of 41/2 miles on the Plateau Trail from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Cuyahoga Valley. Meet at the Oak Hill Trailhead off Oak Hill Road in Boston Township.

Sheep shearing — The Spicy Lamb Farm at 6560 Akron-Peninsula Road in Boston Township will conduct sheep shearing from 9 a.m. to noon, serve lamb stew samples from noon to 1:15 p.m. and bless the sheep/conduct border collie demonstrations from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Cuyahoga Valley. For information, call 330-657-2012 or visit http://www.thespicylamb.com.

Junior Rangers— The National Park Service is presenting a Junior Rangers program about creepy crawlies for youngsters in the Cuyahoga Valley park. It will run from 2 to 4 p.m. The fee is $8 per child. Call 800-642-3297, ext. 100, for reservations, the location and information.

Touring USA — The Cuyahoga Valley park's M.D. Garage will host an exhibit of touring U.S. paintings by the Crooked River Gang, a group of local painters, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The show will continue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The garage is off Boston Mills Road east of the Cuyahoga River in the hamlet of Boston.

Saturn's rings— The Astronomy Club of Akron will present a program about Saturn at 8:30 p.m. and observe Saturn at the club's observatory at Portage Lakes State Park, 5031 Manchester Road (state Route 93), New Franklin. Call 330-837-5848 for information.

Passport to fishing — The Stark County Park District is presenting a Passport to Fishing program for youngsters 4 to 17 years old from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet at the Sippo Lake Clubhouse off Tyner Street Northwest in Perry Township. Call 330-477-3552 for reservations and information.

Animal cartooning — The Medina County Park District will stage an animal cartooning class for youngsters 8 to 13 years old. It will run from 10 a.m. to noon at the Wolf Creek Environmental Center, 6100 Ridge Road (state Route 94), Sharon Township. The fee is $25. Call 330-722-9364 for reservations and information.

Stark hike— The Portage Trail Walkers hiking club will meet at 9 a.m. at Quail Hollow State Park near Hartville for a hike of four to five miles. The park is at 13480 Congress Lake Road NE, Lake Township. Call 330-673-6896 for information.

Orrville hike— The Akron Metro Parks Hiking Club will meet at 9:30 a.m. for a hike of six miles on sidewalks and roads in Orrville. Park behind the Orrville Chamber of Commerce on South Main Street (state Route 57). Call 330-655-5911 for information.

Drum circle— Mount Union College's John T. Huston-Dr. John B. Brumbaugh Nature Center will host a drum circle with Greg Rice at 2 p.m. The center is on Daniel Street off state Route 183 six miles south of Alliance in Washington Township. Call 330-823-7487 for information.

Sunday

EarthFest 2009 — Cleveland's EarthFest 2009 will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way. The 20th annual event, sponsored by the Cleveland-based Earth Day Coalition, is the largest Earth Day event in Northeast Ohio. With 150 environmental exhibits, a recycling center, an organic food market and discounted zoo admission. Admission is $7 for those 12 and older and $4 for youngsters 2 to 11 years old. There will be the Walk or Bike for the Earth that morning. The walk begins at 7 a.m. at the zoo entrance and participants will walk a five-mile loop. The bicyclists will meet on Cleveland's East and West sides and pedal to the zoo. For information, call 216-281-6468 or check out http://www.earthdaycoalition.org.

Stark Earth Day — Earth Day will be celebrated from 1 to 4 p.m. at Kent State University's Stark campus, 6000 Frank Ave. NW, Jackson Township. The activities in the third annual celebration will be in the Campus Center parking lot and pond area. For information, call 330-499-9600 or check out http://www.stark.kent/edu/CampusInfo/EarthDay.cfm.

Stream hike — The National Park Service is conducting a 21/2-mile wet and strenuous hike to explore a small unnamed tributary of the Cuyahoga River. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Station Road Bridge Trailhead off of Riverview Road south of state Route 82 in Brecksville.

Boomerang fun — Learn how to throw a boomerang from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Cuyahoga Valley park. Meet Dave Boehm of the Cleveland Boomerang School at Howe Meadow off Riverview Road in Cuyahoga Falls. Boomerangs will be provided.

Camp open house — The Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center will hold a public open house to spotlight its summer programs from 2 to 5 p.m. The center is off Oak Hill Road in Boston Township. Call 800-642-3297, ext. 100, for information.

Jazz festival — The Peninsula Jazz Festival will run from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Happy Days Lodge on state Route 303 in the Cuyahoga Valley park. The event with New Orleans' style music is sponsored by the Peninsula Library & Historical Society. A shuttle will run from the parking lot to the lodge for visitors.

Meet the authors — Local authors Larry Rosche and Judy Semroc will be on hand at 1 p.m. at the Coventry Oaks Pavilion at Firestone Metro Park off Axline Road in South Akron. They penned the book Dragonflies and Damselflies of Northeast Ohio. Call 330-865-8065 for information.

Daffodil hike — The Akron Metro Parks Hiking Club will meet at 2:30 p.m. for a hike on the Daffodil Trail in Furnace Run Metro Park. Meet at the Brushwood Area off Townsend Road. Call 330-655-5911 for information.

Photo-editing workshop — The Medina County Park District will present a workshop about digital photography editing from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Wolf Creek Environmental Center, 6100 Ridge Road (state Route 94), Sharon Township. For ages 15 and up. The fee is $25 a person. Call 330-722-9364 for information.

Life underground — The Medina County Park District is staging a hike to look at animals found in the dirt. Meet at 3 p.m. at Plum Creek Park North in Brunswick Hills Township. Be prepared to get dirty. For age 10 to adult. Call 330-722-9364 for information.

Bird walks— Cleveland Metroparks, the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History are offering the 71st annual series of spring bird walks at 7:30 a.m. Sundays through May 18. Locations: Brecksville Reservation, meet at the Station Road Bridge Trailhead off Riverview Road south of state Route 82 in Brecksville; Hinckley Reservation, meet at the bridge at the south end of Hinckley Lake off State Road in Medina County's Hinckley Township; Bedford Reservation, meet at the Hemlock Creek picnic area off Button Road in Bedford; Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation, meet at the CanalWay Center off East 49th Street south of Grant Avenue in Cuyahoga Heights. Other sites include Audubon Sanctuary on East Pioneer Trail east of Page Road, Aurora; Audubon's Blanche Novak Wildlife Sanctuary off Town Line Road north of state Route 82, Aurora; Hiram College Biological Field Station, Wheeler Road, Hiram Township. Call 216-635-3200 or 440-734-6660.

Monday

Walborn trail cleanup — The Stark County Park District is sponsoring a trail cleanup from 5 to 7 p.m. at Walborn Reservoir off Price Street Northeast, Marlboro Township. Call 330-477-3552 for information.

Tuesday

Meteor showers — Ranger Paul Motts of the National Park Service will direct a Lyrid meteor shower watch from 9 to 11 p.m. at the Oak Hill Trailhead off Oak Hill Road in Boston Township. If the skies are cloudy, the program will only run for 30 minutes.

Garlic mustard pull — The Stark County Park District is seeking volunteers to pull invasive garlic mustard from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sanders Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, 800 Genoa Road NW, Perry Township. Call 330-477-3552 for information.

Growing vegetables — The Medina County Park District is offering a class about vegetable growing from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Wolf Creek Environmental Center, 6100 Ridge Road (state Route 94), Sharon Township. For adults only. Call 330-722-9364 for information.

Wednesday

Akron Earth Day — Akron will mark Earth Day from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the Akron-Summit County Public Library, 60 S. High St. The Greenprint for Akron plan will be released at 6 p.m. by Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic and Paula Davis, president and chief executive officer of Keep Akron Beautiful. In addition, there will be a concert by Zach at 6:30 p.m. Sponsored by Keep Akron Beautiful and radio station 91.3 the Summit (WAPS-FM). For information, call 330-375-2116 or 330-761-3095.

Lights Out Ohio — Local residents are asked to turn off unneeded lights from 8 to 9 p.m. The campaign is sponsored by the Sierra Club's Portage Trail Group. People are asked to turn off lights and save energy. In 2008, the program was known as Lights Out Akron. You can even join a lantern hike from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Cuyahoga Valley park. Meet

at the Ledges Shelter off Truxell Road in Boston Township. For information, check out http://www.lightsoutohio.org or contact Donny Davis at 330-807-3046.

Parks' Earth Day — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, will mark Earth Day from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Coventry Oaks Pavilion at Firestone Metro Park off Axline Road in South Akron. Summit County residents can drop off and recycle cardboard, newspapers, magazines, books, phone books, musical instruments and e-waste (batteries, cell phones, computers, VCRs and radios). Televisions will not be accepted. The first 100 families will receive a free green item. Call 330-867-5511 for more information.

Ohio State Earth Day — The Scarlet, Gray and Green Fair from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Wooster at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, 1680 Madison Ave. Theme is Green is for Life. Rattan Lal, an Ohio State University soil scientist and expert on carbon management and sequestration, will speak at 11 a.m. in the Fisher Auditorium. With exhibits, demonstrations, contests, vendors. For information, call 330-263-3700 or go to http://www.wcsen.org/wcsggf/index.html.

Bike to work — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, is offering a bike to work ride on Earth Day. Meet at 7 a.m. at the Big Bend Area off Merriman Road in northwest Akron. The ride will stop at Memorial Parkway at 7:15 a.m. and at the Mustill Store at 7:30 a.m. Call 330-865-8065 for information.

Bird walk — An Earth Day bird walk will be held at 2 p.m. at Jackson Bog State Nature Preserve off Fulton Drive Northwest in Jackson Township. Sponsored by the Canton Audubon Society. Call 330-280-4285 for information.

Alliance Earth Day — Alliance and Mount Union College will mark Earth Day with a celebration from 3 to 5 p.m. at Alliance's Silver Park.

Photos, dinner — Photographer Tom Jones will present a multimedia show about the Cuyahoga Valley as the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association kicks off its new Dinner in the Cuyahoga Valley series. Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. at the Happy Days Lodge off state Route 303 in Boston Heights. The show will begin at 6:45 p.m. Reservations are required. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for children 3 to 12. Call 330-657-2909, ext. 119, for reservations and information.

Nature walk— The Medina County Park District will hold a nature walk at 10 a.m. at Hubbard Valley Park off Hubbard Valley Road in Guilford Township. Call 330-722-9364 for information.

Canal talk— Canal expert and author Terry Woods will speak about Ohio Canals — Its People at 7 p.m. at Akron's Mustill Store off West North Street near downtown Akron. Free. Call 330-374-5625 for information.

Reservoir hike — The Akron Metro Parks Hiking Club will meet at 9:30 a.m. for a hike of five miles at Mogadore Reservoir. Meet at the Ankor Inn off state Route 43 in Portage County's Suffield Township. Call 330-655-5911 for information.

Roses in the garden — The Master Gardeners of Summit County will present a gardening program about roses at 7 p.m. at the Mingo Shelter at Sand Run Metro Park off Sand Run Parkway in Northwest Akron. Call 330-865-8065 for information.

Little Explorers— The Stark County Park District is holding a Little Explorers class on being green for youngsters at 11 a.m. at the Exploration Gateway, 5712 12th St. NW, Perry Township. Call 330-477-3552 for reservations and information.

Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com.