Cheap Kids Crafts at Michael's All Summer!

Good morning Cleveland!! I've been thinking for some time now about relaunching my blog, and now seems like a great time to do it as the summer and all of it's awesome FREE things are quickly approaching! Although there are several other great kid and family activity blogs, like Macaroni Kid and Northeast Ohio Family Fun {please follow them and let them know that FREE As Can Bee sent you!!}, this blog is and will remain dedicated exclusively to the FREE or very cheap activities in the greater Cleveland area. 

I came across the above flyer at Michael's this weekend for Kids Crafts all summer long! I'll pass along more information when I get it, but this would be a great, cheap way to unplug and get creative! The BEST thing about this is that you don't have to prep or clean up after said craft, like you would at home. Yay!

But June is still a ways off, so in the meantime you can do some Kids Crafts each Saturday at Michael's. Click here for more information on this month's activities. 

Did you know that the craft classroom at Michael's stores is also FREE to use for hosting an arts and crafts group activity? Reservations are at no charge on a first come, first serve basis. See a store associate to reserve a spot!

Cleveland Beats & Eats Starts Tomorrow, 8/21!

Admission is FREE and open to the public! Cleveland Beats & Eats is an mid-day outdoor celebration of the diversity found in Cleveland, featuring local food (restaurants and vendors), live music, art, and culture. Come out an see the best of Cleveland!

FREE Lunches All Summer for Children Age 18 and Under!!

Photo Credit

For the several years now, Grace Church in Old Brooklyn, Cleveland (located at 2503 Broadview Rd.), is partnering with the Cleveland Foodbank to provide FREE lunches to children 18 and under for the summer! This Ohio Summer Food Service Program will run Monday through Friday from 11:30am-1:30pm, starting Monday, June 11th through Friday, August 17th. The lunch menu for the month of June is as follows:

• June 13: Turkey and Cheese Sandwich
• June 14: Beef Lasagna
• June 15: Ham and Cheese Sandwich
• June 18: Sloppy Joes
• June 19: Chicken & Noodle
• June 20: Chicken Strips
• June 21: Chicken Sausage on a Bun
• June 22: Turkey, Ham & Cheese Sandwich
• June 25: Chicken & Gravy
• June 26: Beef & Peppers
• June 27: Turkey & Cheese Sandwich
• June 28: Taco Casserole
• June 29: Ham & Cheese Sandwich

All meals are served with a fruit, vegetable, milk, and sometimes a dessert. Adults will be served at 1pm (or earlier if it's a slow day) with the remaining food. There will also be a Nutrition Class for adults on Thursdays, starting June 21st at noon. Children can come and eat and then participate in a cooking lesson with Chef Micheal while the adults are learning about nutrition. More detailed information about this program and others will be coming soon!

*NEW* As of June 18th, Cleveland Recreation Centers will be offering FREE lunches to Cleveland Residents ages 1-18 every Monday through Friday, until August 17th. Click here to view the list of participating recreation centers, staffed playgrounds, public libraries, and various other non-profit agencies to find one near you! Times vary by location. Glenville Rec, Halloran Rink, Lonnie Burten, Zelma George, and Ken Johnson locations will also be serving breakfast, Monday through Friday from 10-10:30am. 

FREE Swimming Lessons in Cleveland 2012

(Photo Credit)

Did you know that there are many places around the Cleveland area where your kids can learn to swim for FREE?? That would save you an average of $40/session, but the free sessions will probably be more crowded. If you would rather avoid the crowds and pay, check with your local recreation center for their swimming schedule.

The City of Cleveland offers FREE Learn to Swim Classes for kids ages 8-17. There are youth an adult programs available. Click here to view the flyer and find a pool near you! Click here to view the complete schedules of local Recreation Centers and Pools in Cleveland.

Farmer's Markets in the Cleveland Area 2012

Farmers markets are FREE to attend, and a lot of them will offer free samples, tastings, demonstrations, and more! Buying local produce is not only better for you but is good for our local farmers and economy, so stop by one close to you! Here's a roundup of the markets in the area I'm aware of (special events are italicized):

Farmers Market at Farmpark

• Every Wednesday 3-6pm, May 18th-October 12th
• Located in the Lake Farmpark parking lot in Kirtland
• Featuring locally grown seasonal produce and products. Click here for a list of items, updated each week, that can be found at the market.

Geauga Fresh Farmers Market

• Every Saturday 9am-noon, rain or shine, starting May 19th
• Located at Rt. 306 and Bell St. in South Russell
• Featuring lots of fresh produce, herbs, flowering plants, honey and maple syrup, handmade soaps and lotions, meat, cheese, kettle corn, jewelry, crafts, and more!

Medina Farmers Market

• Every Saturday 9am-1pm, June 2nd-October
• Located in Medina Public Square
• Featuring fresh flowers, plants, herbs, produce, foccacia, cookies, pies, and more!

North Coast Harbor Farmers Market

• Every Thursday 11:30am-2:30pm, June 2nd-September 8th
• Located on the E 9th Street Pier
• Features produce, cheese, flowers, canned items, jewelry, clothing, cooking demonstrations, and much more!
• FREE parking

North Union Farmers Markets

• One of the top 20 Farmers Markets in the US and voted "Best Farmers Market" in Cleveland
• There are many North Union markets in the area:
• Shaker Square Market, Saturdays 8am-noon, April 7th-December 22nd. This will be followed by the Shaker Square Winter Indoor Market.
• Crocker Park Market, Saturdays 9am-1pm, April 14th-December 22nd
• Crocker Park Evening Market, Thursdays 4-7pm, June 14th-August 30th
• Chagrin Falls Market, Sundays 10am-1pm, June 3rd-October 21st
• Cleveland Clinic Main Campus Market, Wednesdays 10:30am-1:30pm, June 6th-October 24th
• Cleveland State University Market, Thursdays 11am-2pm, June 7th-September 27th
• Cleveland Clinic Beachwood Market, Wednesdays 11am-2pm, July 25th-September 26th
• Click each link for more information about each market, including location, vendors, and more!
• Flower Days at the Market on Saturday, May 19th from 9am-1pm at Crocker Park and again on Saturday, May 26th from 8am-noon at Shaker Square. It's an event focused on getting your garden and yard ready for summer. Win a FREE Troy-Bilt Lawnmower! Click here for more details.

Tremont Farmers Market

• Every Tuesday 4-7pm, May 1st-October 30th
• Located in Lincoln Park in Tremont
• Featuring eggs, cheese, produce, spices, coffee, tea, honey, meat, bread, salsa, local artisans, musicians, and more!
• Visit their website for more information on vendors and other weekly happenings at the market
• Flower Power Dance Workshop on Tuesday, June 5th from 5:00-5:45pm for ages 3-7. Children can participate in a FREE creative movement dance class with Tremont Moves. Wear play clothes and tennis shoes. Click here for more details. 

Don't see your local Farmers Market listed? Click here for an extensive list of Ohio Farmers Markets to find one near you! Enjoy!

FREE and Cheap Summer Movies in Cleveland 2012

Here's a roundup of all the FREE and cheap summer movie programs and events in the greater Cleveland area this summer.

Regal Cinemas Summer Movie Express
Select theaters offer G or PG movies for only $1/person on Tuesday and Wednesday Mornings at 10am from June 19th through August 15th. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Will Rogers Institute. The two participating theaters in the Cleveland area are:

COBBLESTONE SQUARE STADIUM 20
5500 Cobblestone Road
Elyria OH440-934-3355

MEDINA STADIUM 16
200 West Reagan Pkwy
Medina OH
330-721-7056   

To find a theater close to you or to view movie dates/times, click here.


Cleveland Cinemas FREE Summer Kids Fest *NEW* (Thanks, Rochelle!)
Select Cleveland Cinemas locations will be presenting a series of 6 FREE family films this summer. Seating is on a first-come first-served basis. Doors open at 9:30 AM. Films will play at 10AM at these locations on the following weekdays:

Plaza Cinemas at Chapel Hill - Tuesdays
Chagrin Cinemas - Wednesdays
Solon Cinemas - Thursdays
Capitol Theatre - Fridays

The films in the series are:
PUSS IN BOOTS (PG) - June 19 - 22
MONSTERS VS. ALIENS (PG) - June 26 - 29
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (PG) - July 3 - 6
THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (PG) - July 10 - 13
KUNG FU PANDA 2 (PG) - July 17 - 20
OVER THE HEDGE (PG) - July 24 - 17

**Pick up a Marquee Rewards Card at any Cleveland Cinemas location for FREE. Simply register your card online (earning a free 20 points when you do!) and immediately start earning points towards great rewards like free popcorn, fountain drinks, and movie tickets! Earn one Marquee Rewards Point for every dollar spent at the box office or concession stand. Click here for more details or to register your card. Rewards Cardholders also get a free 32 oz popcorn with paid admission on Tuesdays!

Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse

Fun films for kids, and all are rated G or PG. Get 10 shows for $5 if purchased in advance or $1/show at the door. Shows are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and start at 9:30am, and they run from June 12 & 13 through August 14 & 15. Local theaters include:

• Aurora, Cinemark 10
• Macedonia Cinemark
• North Canton Cinemark Movies 10
• Strongsville Southpark Cinemark

To find more information about the theater near your or to view movie schedule, click here!


Movies in the Park at Crocker Park
Movies will be shown every Thursday evening at 9pm starting June 7th through August 30th in the West Park, behind Game Stop. Movies will end around 10:30pm. The films will cover all ages and genres. There's something for everyone! And best of all, it's FREE!! Click here for the complete schedule.


Moonlight Movies at Legacy Village
Movies will be shown on the third Wednesday of each month during the summer from 9-11pm on the Lawn (located between Bar Louie and California Pizza Kitchen). They are FREE! The dates for the summer are:

• June 20th (feature presentation is The Muppets)
• July 18th
• August 15th

There will be movie-themed kids activities on the Lawn with Radio Disney from 7-9pm before the movie begins. If the event is cancelled due to weather, it will be rescheduled for June 27th. For more information, click here. 

Keep an eye out for local community movie nights, as well! If you know of any that aren't mentioned, please comment and let us know! Enjoy.

75 {Mostly} FREE Things to Do with Kids in the Summer!

Are you ever stuck wondering, "what should we do today?" during the summer?? Look no further! Below is a list courtesy of Freebies2Deals that will make any summer fun and full of memories!

Something that my kids and I like to do when the weather is nice is sit outside and play the "Car Game." This gives the kids (well, my husband and I play, too!) something to do when you're sitting in the front yard, riding bikes, or having a picnic. It goes like this:

• The object of the game is to correctly guess what color car will drive down the road next.
• Everyone gets a chance to pick a different color, and whoever guesses the color of the car correctly (by pure luck) gets to choose the color of their car first for the next round. 
• The colors can be as simple (red, blue, green, etc.) or as complicated (navy blue, teal, tan, etc.) as you'd like!
• Whoever guesses the most correctly, wins!

This is a game that can be played anywhere, anytime, and doesn't require anything but participation. Hopefully you will have better luck then my daughter, who always guesses pink... Bless her heart, but she never wins!!! 

Here's a link to the 75 Kids Activities for Spring and Summer, and have a safe and happy summer!!

FREE Outdoor Concert Series in Cleveland for Summer 2012

Here is a round-up of all the great, local outdoor concert series that are starting for the summer! They start THIS WEEKEND and most run through early September. Hopefully you will take time to enjoy some of them! :)

Concerts Over the Valley at Mapleside Farm

(Photo Credit: Mapleside Farms)

• Every Friday night from May 25-September 28, 6-9:30pm (gates open at 5pm)
• Concerts feature a wide variety of genres and styles
• Admission is FREE, with the exception of June 15th, July 20th, August 31st (these are Premium Concerts and cost $2/person or $5/Family of 3 or more)
• Wine, beer, and food are available for purchase
• Bring your own chair or blanket, relax, and enjoy the view! 
• For the complete concert schedule, click here. 

Legacy Live at Legacy Village

• Every Friday & Saturday night from May 25-September 15, 6-9:30pm
• Concerts feature a wide variety of genres and styles
• Concerts take place on the Lawn, located between California Pizza Kitchen and Bar Louie
• Subject to change/cancellation due to weather when applicable
• For the concert schedule through June 30th, click here.

Music in the Park at Crocker Park

(Photo Credit: Crocker Park)

• Every Friday & Saturday from May 25-September 1, 6-8:30pm
• Enjoy a variety of musical talents
• Concerts take place behind GameStop by the large grassy area (off the roundabout)
• For the complete concert schedule, click here. 

Rally in the Alley in Medina Square

(Photo Credit: Main Street Cafe)

• Every Friday night starting May 25th and ending with a large event the entire Labor Day Weekend (September 1 & 2)
• Admission is FREE with the exception of Saturday and Sunday Labor Day weekend
• Wine, beer, spirits, and food are available for purchase
• For the complete concert schedule and other details, click here. 

Summer Concert Series at Shaker Square

• Every Saturday night from June 23-August 18, 6-9pm
• Admission is FREE
• Bring a chair or blanket, or you can listen from a restaurant patio while you enjoy dinner!
• There is currently no concert schedule posted

First & Main Music Nights in Hudson

• This concert series takes place on the Green at First & Main in Hudson
• Concerts run from July-August on Fridays and Saturdays, 7-9pm
• Schedule and more details will be posted when they become available

FREE Fun in the Water at Splash Pads in Cleveland

(Photo Credit: Crocker Park)

There are several Splash Pads in the Greater Cleveland area, and they are a free, safe way to have fun in the water this summer! They are open for the season starting Memorial Day (when the temperature reaches 80 degrees) and close on Labor Day. These are the ones that I'm aware of, and the details are as follows:

North Ridgeville Splash Pad, located in South Central Park. This splash park is completely fenced in and good for small children. Open daily from 10am-9pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day. Click here for more details. As of this summer in 2012, this splash pad is now open only to residents of North Ridgeville.

Medina Splash Pad, located in Fred Greenwood Park on West Sturbridge Drive across from A.I. Root Middle School. Open 11am-8pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day. Click here for more details.

Lake Ridge Academy Splash Zone in Westlake, located in Crocker Park off the roundabout right behind Game Stop. Open Memorial Day to Labor Day, from 10am-4pm and again from 7pm-10pm every day (Sunday hours are 11am-4pm only). Children must wear shoes.

Old Brooklyn Splash Pad, located in Loew Park. Newly constructed in 2011. Splash pad and 3 ft. pool open daily at 12pm.

There are many other Splash Pads located in parks throughout the Cleveland area. They are open when the weather hits 80 degrees from 11am-6pm, Memorial Day thru Labor Day. The parks are listed below:

Arthur Johnston Park (E. 147th & Seville)
Carol McClendon (East 98 & Union)
Charles Orr (Ansel & Lamont)
Easton (E. 88th & Union)
Emery (West 130 & I - 71)
Fairview Park (W. 38th & Franklin)
Grant (E. 38th & Central)
Halloran Park (West 117th & Linnet)
Irma (E. 74th & Irma)
Lincoln Park (Tremont)
Mercedes Cotner (W. 95th & Maywood)
Moulton/Scoutway (E. 115th & Moulton)
R.J. Taylor (Melville Rd. & Nottingham)
Regent (E. 70th & Regent)
Roberto Clemente (West 38th & Seymour)
Rockefeller Park (East 105 & MLK Blvd)
Trent (W. 40th & Trent)
Village Green (Olmsted Falls)

Enjoy!

Customer Appreciation Week at Chick-fil-A=FREE Food!!

This week, August 15th-20th, is Customer Appreciation Week at Chick-fil-A in North Olmsted. Stop by and grab some FREE breakfast and participate in a variety of different activities throughout the week. The schedule is as follows:

Monday
2-5 pm, $5 All-you-can-eat Nuggets

Tuesday
6:30-10:30 am, Breakfast: FREE Yogurt Parfait
5:30-7:30 pm, Family Night: LUAU (kids eat FREE with purchase of an adult meal)

Wednesday
6:30-10:30 am, Breakfast: FREE Cinnamon Clusters
5:30-7:30 pm, Game Night

Thursday
6:30-10:30 am, Breakfast: FREE Small Fruit Cup
2-3 pm, Water Wars
2-5 pm, Snack Attack!

Friday
6:30-10:30 am, Breakfast: FREE Chicken Biscuit
2-5 pm, Ice Cream Social

Saturday
6:30-10:30 am, Breakfast: FREE Multigrain Oatmeal
National Lemonade Day: FREE Small Lemonade Day ALL DAY!

Chick-fil-A is located at 4779 Great Northern Blvd. in North Olmsted. Enjoy!

Enjoy FREE Outdoor Theater throughout Cleveland this Summer

The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival's 14th Season Opens at Notre Dame College in South Euclid this weekend. Come and enjoy FREE outdoor theater in parks and other locations around the Greater Cleveland area.

2011 Show dates:

Curtain for all shows is 7pm.

June 17th & 18th Othello at Notre Dame College

June 24th & 25th Love's Labour's Lost at Notre Dame CollegeJuly 2nd Othello
July 3rd Love's Labour's Lost at
The James A. Garfield National Historic Site

July 9th Othello
July 10th Love's Labour's Lost Lakewood Park

July 16th Othello
July 17th Love's Labour's Lost
Shaker Hts. Colonnade

July 23rd Othello
July 24th Love's Labour's Lost
Lorain County Community College Stocker Center for the Arts

July 30th Othello
July 31st Love's Labour's Lost
The Kulas Stage at Wade Oval

August 6th Othello
August 7th Love's Labour's Lost at Lincoln Park

Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and seat themselves prior to each outdoor performance. Rain spaces have been secured for every venue except Wade Oval, allowing performances to proceed, rain or shine. Visit http://www.cleveshakes.org/ for more details!

Thanks, Brian!

Watch a FREE Movie by Moonlight at Legacy Village

Enjoy a movie under the stars on Wednesday, June 23rd from 7-10 pm! Join us on The Lawn at dusk on select Wednesdays in June, July & August for cinema by moonlight. June's feature film is Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (PG) and will begin at dusk. There will also be fun pre-movie activities at The Lawn starting at 7 p.m. in partnership with Joseph-Beth Booksellers! Activities will include a special movie themed craft, Cloudy with A Chance of Meatballs Corn Hole, coloring sheets, trivia, raffle, face painting and more! In the event of rain, the movie will be shown on June 30th. See the link for more details! Enjoy!

http://www.legacy-village.com/events/2010/6/MoonlightMovies.html

Learn How to Throw a Boomerang for FREE

Come learn about boomerangs and how to throw them at Howe Meadow in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, located at 4040 Riverview Rd in Peninsula. Class dates are June 30th, 6-8pm; July 18th, 2-4pm; Aug 21st, 2-4pm; and Aug 22nd, 11am-4pm. Bring your own boomerang or use the ones provided.

Check out http://www.nps.gov/cuva/index.htm for other things to do and enjoy while spending time in the CVNP.

FREE Fun 4 Everyone at Lake Metroparks

See the link below for a large list of FREE nature-oriented programs available at Lake Metroparks in Kirtland during the months of June and July (August schedule to come). Lake County residents are allowed FREE admittance to the Farmpark on select days during the summer, too. Active military personnel and their families as well as children under 2 are always free at the Farmpark. For this and other information, see visit the website below! Enjoy!

http://www.lakemetroparks.com/programs/freefun4everyone.shtml#Home

Concerts Over the Valley at Mapleside Farms

This concert series at Mapleside Farms takes place on select Friday nights from 6-9 pm, June through October. Food and wine tents open at 5 pm. "Grab your lawn chair and come enjoy great music, delicious food, fine wine, cold beer and an amazing sunset!" Admission is FREE except on July 16th. See the link for the concert schedule.

http://www.mapleside.com/Concerts_over_the_valley_postrsm.pdf

Crocker Park Offers FREE Movies in the Park

Every Thursday night from June 3-September 2, Crocker Park in Westlake, Ohio will be showing a FREE movie from 9-11 pm. The movie selection is diverse, so there should be something for all audiences to appreciate. For the movie schedule, see the link below, and enjoy!

http://www.crockerpark.com/events.php?id=493

Legacy Live, a FREE Summer Concert Series, Begins Tonight!

Every weekend from now until September you can stop by Legacy Village in Lyndhurst, Ohio and enjoy some live music, family entertainment, and special events from 7-10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 3-6 pm on Sundays. The live music features a variety of genres, from Pop, Rock & Motown to Jazz, Swing and everything in between, so there's sure to be something for everyone to enjoy! See the link below for the concert schedule.

http://www.legacy-village.com/events/2010/5/LegacyLiveSummerConcertSeries.html

Regal Cinema's FREE Family Film Festival is Coming Soon!

The Regal Entertainment Group has "planned a fun-filled summer of select movies for kids and parents. Regal has proudly offered this free summer fun since 1991. Oh, did we mention that it’s FREE! Selected G or PG movies start at 10:00am every Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. Tickets and seating are first-come, first-served and are limited to theatre capacity. The Free Family Film Festival is safe, lots of fun and a great way for kids to spend a weekday morning in the summer. Tickets for our 2010 Free Family Film Festival are exclusively available at select theatres’ box office on the day of the show."
The festival starts at most theaters on June 15th. Click on the link below to see movie schedules and find a participating theater near you!

http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestivalschedule.aspx?state=OH

Kids Bowl FREE This Summer

"Select bowling centers and schools around the country are participating in the first ever “Kids Bowl Free” program. This program is designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time this summer. Children whose age does not exceed a limit by a participating bowling center are eligible to register for 2 free games a day, all summer long, courtesy of the particpating bowling centers along with the schools and organizations."
See the link below to register and find a participating bowling alley near you! Enjoy!

http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

Wade Oval Wednesdays, a Weekly FREE "Party in the Park"

Join thousands of others at the Wade Oval in University Circle for free live entertainment every Wednesday over the summer, from June 16th through August 25th, 6-9 pm. Gather with family, friends, chairs and blankets to enjoy concerts in a wide variety of genres. There will also be Movie Nights on June 30th, July 21st, and August 18th. See the link below for the concert lineup and information on other events in University Circle.

http://www.universitycircle.org/uci.aspx?page=84