Celebrate mom all weekend
Every day should be mother's day, but Sunday is the official celebration of mom, so important that we capitalize it — Mother's Day. Several Northeast Ohio cultural institutions will offer free admission: The Cleveland and Akron zoos, Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron and the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum in Canton. (The McKinley is also free for moms on Saturday). Look for special programming at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Baseball Heritage Museum at League Park, or reduced admission at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium.
A Hungarian party
Whether Hungarian or not, you can celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Cleveland Hungarian Heritage Society at their museum on Saturday. Starting at 2 p.m., enjoy music, folk dancing, sweet and savory treats plus Hungarian wine. There’s also an exhibit looking back at the institution’s history, from its founding to its current home at the Galleria at Erieview.
A birthday for the library
The Cleveland Public Library's main branch Downtown had a 60-year head start on the Hungarian museum. CPL celebrates the building's centennial on Saturday. The “Alice in Wonderland”-themed garden party includes the unveiling of a historic marker and the debut of a shop in the Arcade selling library-related merchandise. Festivities run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Celebrate John Brown in Akron
Anniversaries abound this week as the Summit County Historical Society marks the 225th birthday of abolitionist John Brown. On Friday at 3:30 p.m., learn about his life during a hike with renowned Akron historian Dave Lieberth. It starts at the John Brown Monument, accessible through the Akron Zoo’s main entrance. After the hike, visit the nearby John Brown House for cake and ice cream until 6:30 p.m. You can also see the exhibit, "Black History in Perkins Woods." On Saturday at the house, a ticketed Underground Railroad experience starts at 1 p.m.
Cleveland in song with the Cleveland Orchestra
“Grit. Grace. Glory.” It could be Cleveland’s slogan but it’s also the title of a piece debuting this weekend by the Cleveland Orchestra. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Severance Hall, hear the culmination of Allison Loggins-Hull’s three-year tenure as the orchestra’s composer in residence. The program also includes works by Mozart and Prokofiev.
