Check out these upcoming events but for the full list of available opportunities, visit our programs page.
Inside the Sugar Shack at Carlisle Reservation
MAPLE SUGARING
Feb. 28-Mar. 1 & Mar. 7-8, 2026
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (Sugar Shack open house)
12:00-2:30 p.m. (Guided hikes/programs)
Carlisle Visitor Center
12882 Diagonal Rd., LaGrange, OH 44050
Free | No registration required
February is when the ideal conditions for the running of maple sap typically begins. We will tap the Carlisle maple trees and convert that sap to syrup in our beautiful Sugar Shack--which opened 25 years ago!
Drop by between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm to watch the process, learn about the equipment, and sample some of our home-made maple syrup. There will also be naturalist-led hikes leaving from the Sugar Shack every 30 minutes between 12:30 and 2:30 pm. These hikes will follow the paved Children’s Nature Discovery Trail and includes a stop at one of our sap-collecting sites (known as a “Sugar bush”).
EASTER EGG HUNTS
Bring the family to the park for your outdoor egg hunt! The Easter Bunny will be making an appearance! Make sure to dress for the weather!
Underwater Aqua Egg Hunt
Sunday, March 29, 2026 | Time: 10:00 am
Amherst HealthPlex (North Ridgeville)
$5/personBring your suits, goggles, and towels and come join us to gather all the eggs you can at our Aqua Egg Hunt! In addition, participants can make a craft and take a picture with the Easter Bunny! There will one session for all ages 0-12. All children ages 7 and under must be accompanied in the pool by a swimming adult. Coast Guard approved life jackets are permitted. Children who are not toilet trained must wear a swim diaper.
Easter Egg Hunt 10:00 am-11:00 am
Open Family Swim 11: 00 am-12:00 pm
Lakeview Park Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 4, 2026 | Time: 10:00 am
Lakeview Park (Lorain)
Free | No registration required
This is an outdoor hunt so please dress for the weather. Bring a basket or a bag to collect up to 15 eggs with treats inside! Egg hunt for ages 2-12, however, older siblings are welcome to join. No registration required. Hunt will take place no later than 10:10am. Plastic eggs must be emptied on-site and returned to park collection bins. The Easter Bunny will be available for photos.
Schoepfle Garden Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 4, 2026 | Time: 10:00 am
Schoepfle Garden (Birmingham)
Free | Registration required
Bring the kids out to Schoepfle Garden to hunt for the 3,500 Easter eggs hidden around the front garden. This event also includes a take home craft, Easter Bunny visit, and family scavenger hunt. Register child participants only! All participants will turn in their eggs at the end of the hunt and will receive a prize bag full of goodies! The Egg Hunt starts promptly at 10am. Arrive early to ensure your child is lined up for the 10 AM start time. Please note, there is limited parking, carpooling is encouraged for our environment and our space!
Wellington Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 4, 2026 | Time: 10:00 am
Wellington Reservation
Free | Registration required
The egg hunt will begin promptly at 10:00 am so please be sure to arrive early in order to ensure your child is ready for the start of the hunt. Registration is required by April 3 at 4:30pm and only the child participant (ages 2-12) needs to be registered. Parents and guardians do not need to be registered for the egg hunt. Please bring a basket, bag, or bucket to collect eggs. The Easter Bunny will make an appearance during the egg hunt. This event will happen rain or shine and if there is thunder and lightning we will have the children hunt indoors. Please dress for the weather!
ORNITHOLOGY OPEN
May 16-May 17, 2026
$20/team | Registration required
Join friends in this non-stop, 24-hour birding extravaganza, the Lorain County Metro Parks’ inaugural Ornithology Open! Create a team of birders to challenge other local avian enthusiasts in this competition to spot the most birds in a 24-hour period during spring migration. Vie to be crowned a winner of one the seven different birding categories, and get your team’s name engraved on a plaque along with bragging rights for the year. Grab a pair of binoculars and your best bird nerd friends and family members and register today!
Teams meet at the Carlisle Visitor Center at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 16 for light refreshments and an introduction. The competition then officially begins at 7:00 p.m. and runs for 24 hours. All teams then meet back at Carlisle Visitor Center at 7:30 p.m. on night #2 for snacks, refreshments, and official results. Checklists will be tallied, a winner will be announced, and a group checklist will be made to see how many total species the competition’s participants were able to find and identify.
Meet other birders, learn about local avian wildlife, and engage in a little friendly competition this Spring! Spread your wings and sign up for this 24-hour birding competition! Follow the link below for more information, view category winners, and to sign up.
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, crafts, or meeting a live animal! Program fee is $3.00/child. To be able to accommodate as many students as possible only students within the age range listed in the program description (usually ages 7-12) will be permitted to attend and participation waivers are required. Please dress for the weather.
Registration opens one month prior to the program date.
SEPTEMBER: Science of Water
Tuesday, September 9, 2025 | Time: 10:00-11:30 am
Splash Zone (Oberlin)Join us at Splash Zone as we conduct some hands-on experiments that will focus on water. Then, stick around after the program for some discounted pool time!
For children ages 7-12. Register and pay $3/child by 9/8/25. Registration opens 8/15/2025.
OCTOBER: Birding Hike
Tuesday, October 14, 2025 | Time: 10:00-11:30 am
Sandy Ridge Reservation (North Ridgeville)Learn about the importance of wetlands and why so many species of birds are seen at Sandy Ridge Reservation.
For children ages 7-12. Register and pay $3/child by 10/13/25. Registration opens 9/14/2025.
NOVEMBER: Wildlife Forensics
Thursday, November 13, 2025 | 10:00-11:30 am
Columbia Reservation, Briarwood Lodge (Columbia Station)Learn how to apply forensic techniques to solve wildlife crimes through hands-on activities and crafts.
For children ages 7-12. Register and pay $3/child by 11/12/25. Registration opens 10/13/2025.
DECEMBER: Animal Tracks and Signs
Thursday, December 11, 2025 | 1:00-2:30 pm
French Creek Nature Center (Sheffield Village)Learn how to identify the animals who live in the forest by looking for tracks, trails, homes, scat, and other signs of wildlife. Please dress for the weather.
For children ages 7-12.
JANUARY: Raptors Eat What?!
Wednesday, January 15, 2026 | 10:00-11:30 am
Carlisle Visitor Center (LaGrange)What do raptors eat, and why? Find out during owl pellet dissection, bio-facts and an outdoor eating demonstration using our Raptor Center resident birds. Please dress for the weather.
For children ages 7-12. Register and pay $3/child by 1/14/26. Registration opens 11/21/2025.
FEBRUARY: Snow & Ice
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 | 10:00-11:30 am
Vermilion River Reservation, Mill Hollow Carriage BarnLearn about snow and ice with a lesson, activity/craft and hike at Vermilion River Reservation! We will learn about the properties of snow and ice, snowflakes, glaciers and icebergs, and the Ice Age in Ohio.
For children ages 7-12. Register and pay $3/child by 2/10/26. Registration opens 1/10/2026.
MARCH: Pollinator Diversity
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 | 10:00-11:30 am
Miller Nature Preserve (Avon)Discover and learn about some of the lesser-known but still really important pollinators and the plants that depend on them during a hands-on lesson, fun activities, and an engaging Conservatory Tour!
For children ages 7-12. Register and pay $3/child by 3/18/26. Registration opens 1/18/2026.
APRIL: Seed Starting
Thursday, April 16, 2026 | 10:00-11:30 am
Schoepfle Garden (Birmingham)Learn about how plants grow and how to start seeds at home for a flower or vegetable garden. Students will start a few seeds to take home and grow for the summer.
For children ages 7-12. Register and pay $3/child by 4/14/26. Registration opens 1/15/2026.
MAY: Migration Madness
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | Time: TBD
Carlisle Visitor Center (LaGrange)Join us as we learn how our feathered friends migrate.
For children ages 7-12.