Check out these upcoming events but for the full list of available opportunities, visit our programs page.

TRUCKS, TRACTORS, AND TRAINS
Sat., June 22, 2024
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
(Sensory-friendly time: 10:00-10:30 a.m.)
Carlisle Visitor Center, LaGrange
Free! | No registration required

EXPLORE lots of large vehicles! RIDE The Little Green Choo Train! DIG with buckets and shovels! MEET local heroes! CREATE arts and crafts! PLAY games! HAVE FUN with your family!

Join the staff and vehicles of Lorain County Metro Parks as well as local agencies in this FREE, fun, family-friendly event! See emergency vehicles, construction vehicles, law enforcement vehicles, and more! Ride The Little Green Choo, meet first responders, and get up-close looks at their vehicles. A sensory-friendly version of this event will be held from 10-10:30 a.m. with no vehicle horns or lights. Refreshments will be available from the Friends of the Metro Parks!

PIRATE INVASION
Sat., July 13, 2024
12:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Lakeview Park, Lorain
Free! | No registration required

The Pirates are BACK at Lakeview Beach! Challenge a pirate to a duel, get a (temporary) tattoo, walk the plank, visit with a mermaid, and search for treasure! All games and crafts are FREE. Pirate-themed meal options are available for a fee in the Sunset Café.

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
June-August | All concerts at 6:00 p.m.
Lakeview Park, Mill Hollow, & Miller Nature Preserve
Free!

Every summer season, the Lorain County Metro Parks offers unique outdoor music experiences that cannot be found anywhere else! Every year brings new and exciting bands and artists, and some of the local favorites come back each year. Vermilion River Reservation concerts take place in the gorgeous amphitheater on Sunday evenings, while Lakeview Park’s concerts on the shores of Lake Erie and Miller Nature Preserve’s concerts on the outdoor patio take place on alternating Thursday evenings. All concerts begin at 6:00 p.m. and are free to attend. Visit the parks for a truly unique experience of basking in nature while enjoying some lively tunes! The Summer Concert Series begins in June, and the complete concert calendar is below!

*Note: Concerts begin in June*

TRAM RIDES
Various park locations
Free (no registration required)

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the county’s most beautiful environments on our free tram rides! Tram rides take place annually, from June through September, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No prior registration is required. These open-air tram rides take approximately 15 to 30 minutes and allow visitors to explore our gorgeous parks. The complete schedule is below, based on park location.

  • Black River Reservation - Day’s Dam Picnic Area
    2720 East 31st St., Lorain, OH 44055

    Every Wednesday from June through September
    10:00 am - 12:00 pm
    Tram departs from the shelter at the Day’s Dam Picnice Area

  • Cascade Park
    387 Furnace St., Elyria, OH 44035

    Every Tuesday from June through September
    10:00 am - 12:00 pm
    Tram departs from the Nature Center

  • Kopf Family Reservation
    32649 Electric Blvd., Avon Lake, OH 44012

    Every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month from June through September (excluding holidays)
    5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
    Tram departs from the Avon Lake Public Library Trailhead

  • Sandy Ridge Reservation
    6195 Otten Rd., North Ridgeville, OH 44039

    Every Saturday and Sunday from June through September
    1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
    Tram departs from the picnic shelter near the Visitor Center

  • Schoepfle Garden
    11106 Market St., Wakeman, OH 44816

    Every Sunday from June through September from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
    Every Thursday from June through September from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
    Tram departs from the Visitor Center

  • Wellington Reservation
    535 Jones Rd., Wellington, OH 44090

    May: Every Monday from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
    June: Every Saturday from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
    July: Every Wednesday from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
    August: Every Tuesday from 9:00 am - 11:00 am
    September: Every Sunday from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
    Tram departs from the Visitor Center

Artboard 1.png

HOMESCHOOL EXPLORERS:
Various park locations
$3 per child

Homeschool Explorers is geared for children learning at home. This program series (September through May) will travel to different park locations to engage your children in nature, science, history, the arts, and recreation!

Depending on the program’s topic and location, children will learn through educational biofacts, nature hikes, activities, games, arts and crafts, or meeting a live animal! The program fee is $3.00/child, and participation medical waivers are required for these drop-off programs. To accommodate as many students as possible, only students within the age range listed in the program description will be permitted to attend.

Registration opens one month prior to the program date.

MARCH

  • Unreal Animals: Tuesday, Mar. 19, 2024 | 10-11:30 am | Vermilion River Reservation: Mill Hollow Carriage Barn (Vermilion)
    Learn about animal myths and truths as well as we explore mythical animals and legends. All students between the ages of 7-12 welcome to this drop-off program. Medical form is required. Pre-register by 3/18. Cost is $3 per child participant.

APRIL

  • Archery: Thursday, Apr. 25, 2024 | 10-11:30 am | Black River Reservation: High Meadows picnic area (Elyria)
    Learn all about the basics of archery, and then try for a bullseye! You will learn how to safely draw, shoot, and retrieve your arrows and add up your target scores. All students between the ages of 7-12 are welcome to this drop-off program, and a medical form is required to participate. Pre-register by 4/24. Cost is $3 per child participant.

MAY

  • Birds: Tuesday, May 14, 2024 | 10-11:30 am | Sandy Ridge Reservation (North Ridgeville)
    Join a naturalist to explore the magic of spring songbird migration. We will hike through the woods looking and listening for warblers, thrushes, vireos, and more as we learn about where the birds are coming from and where they are going on their migration journeys. We will also check on the bald eagles and view the birds hanging out in the ponds. Bring binoculars if you have them (binoculars available if needed). Meet at the Johnson Wetland Center. Dress for the weather as this program takes place outdoors. All students between the ages of 7-12 are welcome to this drop-off program, and a medical form is required to participate. Pre-register by 5/13. Cost is $3 per child participant.

  • Planting Seeds: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | 10-11:30 am | Miller Nature Preserve (Avon)
    Learn about how to start seedlings and what it takes to grow plants. Take home your own planted seed.  All students between the ages of 7-12 are welcome to this drop-off program, and a medical form is required to participate. Pre-register by 5/17. Cost is $3 per child participant.