Today

Summit owls — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County is staging a nature program on owls with naturalist Rachel Sokira at 7 p.m. at Firestone Metro Park. Meet at the Coventry Oaks Pavilion off Axline Road in South Akron. Sokira will attempt to hoot up an owl. Call 330-865-8065 for more information.

Leaves for kids — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County is presenting Kinderealm classes on leaves for youngsters 3, 4 and 5 years old and accompanying adults at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Shady Hollow Pavilion at Sand Run Metro Park. That's off Sand Run Parkway in Northwest Akron. The class will be repeated at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Advance reservations are required. Call 330-865-8065 for more information.

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 more information.

Foliage ride — The Stark County park District is holding a fall foliage ride at 6 p.m. on the Hoover Park Trail off East Maple Street in North Canton. Call 330-477-3552 for reservations and more information.

Friday

Park concert — Harry Manx, known as the ''Mysticssippi'' blues man, will perform in concert at 8 p.m. in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. His concert will be at the Happy Days Lodge off state Route 303 in Boston Heights. His show is part of the park's Cuyahoga Valley Heritage Series. Tickets Are $15 for adults and $5 for children 3 to 12. For tickets and more information, call 330-657-2909 or stop at the Park Place in Peninsula store.

Ghostly hikes — The Portage Park District and the Munroe Falls Paranormal Society are sponsoring ghostly night walks at 7, 8 or 9 p.m. at Towner's Woods Park off Ravenna Road in Franklin Township. Tickets are $10 with proceeds going to the park district. Reservations are required. The hikes will be repeated on Oct. 23. Call 330-297-7728 for reservations and more information.

Native mammals — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County is presenting a nature program on Ohio mammals with naturalist Dee Casteel at 7 p.m. at Firestone Metro Park. Meet in the Tuscarawas Meadows area off Harrington Road in South Akron for the 1.1-mile hike. Call 330-865-8065 for more information.

Family bonfire — Akron's historical Mustill Store will host a family campfire with stories, Akron trivia, pumpkin carving and hot chocolate from 7 to 9:30 p.m. The site is off West North Street near downtown Akron. Call 330-374-5625 for more information.

Train rides — The Medina County Park District and the Northeastern Ohio Live Steamers are offering rides on the miniature train from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Lester Rail Trail. That's off Lester Road north of state Route 18 west of Medina in York Township. Come in Halloween costumes, but avoid long flowing garments. The rides will also be offered from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Free. Call 330-722-9364 for more information.

Dinosaur lecture — Dr. Steven Gatesy, a paleontologist and evolutionary morphologist at Brown University, is an expert on bipedal locomotion in carnivorous dinosaurs like the Tyrannosaurus rex. He will speak on An Animated Approach to Dinosaur Locomotion at 7:30 p.m. at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. His talk is part of the museum's Explorer lecture series. The museum is at 1 Wade Oval in the University Circle area. Tickets are $10 for adults and $9 for senior citizens, students and children. Call 216-231-1177 or 800-317-9155, ext. 3279, for reservations and more information.

Mustill concert — Musician Jon Miller will entertain from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Akron's historical Mustill Store in a brown-bag concert. Refreshments and snacks will be available. The store is off West North Street near downtown Akron. Call 330-374-5625 for more 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 more information.

Saturday

Night orienteering — The Northeastern Ohio Orienteering Club is holding a night meet using a map and compass to negotiate a cross-country course at dusk in the Cuyahoga Valley park. Registration is from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Kendall Lake Shelter off Truxell Road in Boston Township. Bring a flashlight, extra batteries, a compass and a whistle. Courses available for all levels. The fee is $8. For more information, call 866-812-8316 or check out http://ncooc.home.att.net.

Ohio bats — Naturalist Meghan Doran of Metro Parks, Serving Summit County will lead a program looking at Ohio's bats at 6 p.m. at Goodyear Heights Metro Park off Newton Street in East Akron. Everyone is invited to cook your dinner over a fire until 6:30 p.m. when the program begins. Visitors will search for bats in the meadow. Call 330-865-8065 for more information.

Gorge hike — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County is holding a 1.8-mile Glens Trail hike at the Gorge Metro Park at 11 a.m. Meet in the Front Street parking lot in Cuyahoga Falls. Call 330-865-8065 for more information.

Valley explorations — The Cuyahoga Valley park's M.D. Garage will host an exhibit of Exploring Our Valley 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.

Park Place pop-ins — The Park Place in Peninsula store is open from noon to 4 p.m. for stories, crafts and games. The store is on state Route 303 in downtown Peninsula.

Portage hike — The Portage Park District is staging a hike along the Headwaters Trail. Meet at 9 a.m. at the state Route 700 Trailhead in Hiram Township. Call 330-297-7728 for more information.

Fall fest — The Stark County Park District is holding its Family Fall Fest with lots of activities starting at 4 p.m. at Petros Lake Park off Perry Drive Southwest in Perry Township. Call 330-477-3552 for more information.

Spree blitz — The Akron Metro Parks Hiking Club intends to hike three trails on the Fall Hiking Spree list: at Deep Lock Quarry in Peninsula, at O'Neil Woods in Bath Township and at the Big Bend area of Sand Run Metro Park in northwest Akron. Meet at Deep Lock Quarry at 9 a.m. The hikes will cover up to eight miles and include some hills. Call 330-524-9415 for more information.

Astronomy program — The Astronomy Club of Akron will hold a program on the Blue Snowball Planetary at 7:30 p.m. at the club's observatory. That's at Portage Lakes State Park, 5031 Manchester Road (state Route 93), New Franklin. Sky watching will follow if the weather permits. Call 330-837-5848 for more information.

Star party — Quail Hollow State Park and Astronomy 1 on 1 are staging the park's first star party from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Bring your telescopes or binoculars. Dress warmly. The park is 13480 Congress Lake Road NE, Lake Township. Call 330-644-5912 for more information.

Cuyahoga hike — The Portage Trail Walkers hiking club will meet at 9 a.m. for a hike to Bridal Veil Falls and the Tinker's Creek Gorge Overlook. Meet at the Bike-and-Hike Trailhead on Alexander Road in Walton Hills. Call 330-673-6896 for more information.

Wilderness concert — Musicians Ann and Phil Case will perform at 7 p.m. at the Wilderness Center off U.S. 250 near Wilmot. They are known for their old-time Appalachian duets, parlor songs and Depression-era tunes. Tickets are $10. Call 330-359-5235 for more information.

Wilderness doings — The Wilderness Center off U.S. 250 near Wilmot is holding a bird walk at 8 a.m, a geocaching event, Autumn GeoFest II, from 8 a.m,. to 5 p.m., an Environmental Investigators: Geology Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a family astronomy program at 2 p.m. Call 330-359-5235 for more information.

Bird banding — Mount Union College's John T. Huston-Dr. John B. Brumbaugh Nature Center will host a bird-banding demonstration from 8 to 10 a.m. The center is on Daniel Street off state Route 183 six miles south of Alliance in Washington Township. Call 330-823-7487 for more information.

Drum circle — Mount Union College's John T. Huston-Dr. John B. Brumbaugh Nature Center will present 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 more information.

Poker run — The Massillon Area Greenways Inc. and the Rails to Trails of Wayne County are sponsoring the Sippo Valley Bicycle Poker Run on the Sippo Valley Trail. You can register from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lincoln Park Trailhead on 17th Street in Massillon. The cost is $5 per poker hand. Riding west on the trail toward Dalton, bicyclists will get a playing card at five checkpoints. Prizes. Rain or shine. Proceeds will benefit trail projects. Call 800-291-0099 for more information.

Voyageur canoes — Cleveland Metroparks is offering paddles in fiberglass replicas of Voyageur canoes at 11 a.m. and 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m. at Hinckley Lake in its Hinckley Reservation. The trips will be repeated at 11 a.m. and 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Hinckley Lake is located between West and East drives south of Bellus Road in Medina County's Hinckley Township. The fee is $5 a person. Advance registration is required. Call 440-786-8530 for reservations and additional information.

Birthday party — Cleveland Metroparks is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation with an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. at the CanalWay Center off East 49th Street south of Grant Avenue in Cuyahoga Heights. Call 216-206-1000 for more information.

Sunday

Sand Run hike — Metro Parks, Serving Summit County is staging a 1.4-mile hike on the Parcours Trail at Sand Run Metro Park. Meet at 2 p.m. in the parking lot off Treaty Line Road in northwest Akron. Expect difficult terrain. Call 330-865-8065 for more information.

Towpath hike — Naturalist Mike Greene of Metro Parks, Serving Summit County will lead a 1.6-mile hike on the Towpath Trail. Meet at 4 p.m. at the Big Bend area of Sand Run Metro Park. That's off Merriman Road in northwest Akron. Call 330-865-8065 for more information.

Meet Cheeks — Youngsters can meet Cheeks the Chipmunk, the costumed mascot of Metro Parks, Serving Summit County. Cheeks and his friend, Buck the Dog, will be at the Acme No. 11 store at 600 South Ave., Tallmadge, from noon to 2 p.m. Youngsters can get park trading cards. Call 330-865-8065 for more information.

Fox talk — The Medina County Park District will present a nature program on red foxes at 2 p.m. at the Wolf Creek Environmental Center, 6100 Ridge Road (state Route 94), Sharon Township. For all ages. A take-home craft is part of the program. Call 330-722-9364 for additional information.

Leaf hike — The Medina County park District is staging a hike to learn about leaves changing colors at 3 p.m. at Allardale Park off Remsen Road in Granger Township. Call 330-722-9364 for more information.

Tuesday

Valley run — The Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association is sponsoring a trail run at 6 p.m. in the Cuyahoga Valley. Meet at the Pine Hollow Trailhead off Quick Road in Boston Township for the competitive run-walk. The distance will vary from three to six miles. The fee is $15. Call 330-657-2909 for more information.

Wednesday

Dinner in the Valley — The Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association is sponsoring Dinner in the Cuyahoga Valley. You can hike to Brandywine Falls or hike the Towpath Trail at 5:30 p.m. prior to dinner. The casual harvest dinner will be held on the front lawn of the Stanford House off Stanford Road in Boston Township. A bonfire will follow. Call 330-657-2909, ext. 100, for reservations, ticket prices and more information

Reservoir hike — The Akron Metro Parks Hiking Club will meet at 9:30 a.m. for a five-mile hike at Mogadore Reservoir. Meet at the boat house parking lot off state Route 43 just north of the spillway in Suffield Township. Call 330-524-9415 for more information.

Trees for kids — The Wilderness Center off U.S. 250 near Wilmot will hold a story hour on trees for youngsters 3 and 4 years old and accompanying adults at 11 a.m. Call 330-359-5235 for more information.

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