15th Annual Medina County Earth Day Celebration
Bring the family to Medina County Park District’s Buffalo Creek Retreat for a great day of fun with the family and learning about our environment.  The event is FREE!  There will be lots to see and do!  Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 10am to 4pm.  There will be kite flying demonstrations, live animals and entertainment, kids’ activities and crafts, build a bluebird house, fishing; the Bookmobile will be there and the Central Processing Facility Compost Sale and numerous earth friendly exhibits and displays!  Purchase raffle tickets: 1 for $1 or 6 for $5 for your chance at lots of great prizes!  Food will be available for purchase – sponsored by Friends of the Medina County Parks.

Would you like your family to be more aware of the EARTH and learn the importance of land and water stewardship?...Good! The Medina County Earth Day committee and the Medina County Soil and Water Conservation District will be hosting the 3rd Annual Earth Day Family Walk. Registration is 8:30am to 9:30am at Hubbard Valley Park, 8600 Hubbard Valley Road, Seville, Ohio 44273 at the north parking lot shelter.  The first 50 families to register and complete the walk will receive $10 Dairy Queen gift certificates.  After the walk, continue to spend quality, family time together at Medina County Earth Day at Buffalo Creek Retreat.

Buffalo Creek Retreat is located at 8708 Hubbard Valley Road, Seville, Ohio 44273 approximately one mile south of Blake Road or approximately one mile north of Greenwich Road.  The entrance drive is on the south side of the Hubbard Valley Lake dam on the west side of Hubbard Valley Road just north of the I-76 overpass.  The Medina County Park District office is located at 6364 Deerview Lane, Medina, 330.722.9364, www.medinacountyparks.com.
Courtesy of the Medina County Park District

“April Showers Bring May Flowers”
Spring is when we all begin to think about our gardens, both flower and vegetable.  We want to begin to layout new gardens or relook at gardens we already have.  We are looking at catalogs to get ideas but we need to take advantage of our local resources.  Medina County has a number of garden centers that can assist in planning as well as providing bedding plants and shrubs.  Many of the garden centers can tell you what works well in the area and what does not, offer suggestions and better ways of planting or find accessories, statues and garden art to make your yard a showcase.

Plan a day and visit the local garden centers, talk to the staff and be ready as the weather breaks to plan, create and enjoy your landscaping creation!

The following are members of the Bureau:  Gale’s Brunswick Garden Center, Daylilies and More, Boyert’s Greenhouse, Richardson Farms, Pine Crest Farms, Hill Haven Greenhouse and The GreenSmith Country Garden Center.  Check our web site www.visitmedinacounty.com for individual information.

Medina County Spring Home & Garden Tour
For all of the avid gardeners in Northeast Ohio, Medina County is a great place to spend a day purchasing flowers and vegetables to grow in home gardens and flower beds.

Start the morning off with a hearty breakfast at Yours Truly Restaurant to build up energy for a good day visiting Medina County Garden Centers. Then it’s off to Boyert’s Greenhouse where you will find various flowers, potted plants, herbs and vegetables, trees and bushes as well as a great gift shop.  During August thru November a stop at Geig’s Orchard is in store for homegrown apples and peaches and fresh pressed cider.  For the next stop, it’s back to Medina’s historic Square. Get out and visit a few shops, enjoy a spectacular light lunch at Dan’s Dogs, Marie’s Café, Cool Beans Café, The Bakery Shoppe, Main Street Café, House of Hunan or Sully’s Irish Pub.  Head up to Brunswick and Hinckley.  It’s off to Gale’s Brunswick Garden Center for flowers, plants, lawn and garden supplies, outdoor garden accents, birding supplies and pottery.  The GreenSmith Country Garden Center in Hinckley has a large assortment of hard-to-find annuals, perennials, nursery stock, pottery, fountains, statuary, Ohio-made craft and gift items.  In season at Hillside Orchard & Farm Market, is where you will find Ohio-grown vegetables and fruits, homemade bakery, fruit baskets and more. In Valley City, Hill Haven Greenhouse offers annuals, vegetables, berry and rhubarb plants and specializes in water lilies, fish, tadpoles and snails.  Beriswill’s Farm Market, also in Valley City, is open year round with produce, naturally-raised meats, dairy products and more.

There are many other stops to add to your day during the year at these seasonal locations.  For example, Daylilies and More is open May through August when you can purchase daylilies in every color and shape.  For the month of July, Martin’s Blueberry Farm in Spencer is the ideal place for blueberries.  Richardson Farms is where you find large selections of vegetable plants, spring flowers, hanging baskets, herbs, fruit trees, vines and much more.  Enjoy the fall festivities at Pine Crest Farms and The Apple Cabin.  Featuring farm markets, hayrides, pick-your-own apple and pumpkins, corn maze, hay maze, cider, caramel apples, chocolates and gifts.

Please visit our web site www.visitmedinacounty.com for information on individual  hours of operation, questions you have or to find out what is available at each location. 

Razzmatazz Productions presents The Mighty Wurlitzer Radio Hour
Razzmatazz Productions, Inc. is an independent record production and theatrical entertainment company founded in 1994.  Its mission has been to record the best of American popular music written over the past century, and to develop and promote live performances of this music in theaters and in concert halls.  Their featured artist is Larry Kass, who is equally at home at the keyboard of the Steinway Grand as he is at the console of the Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ. 

All of The Mighty Wurlitzer Radio House live broadcasts are recorded and each show features 25-30 songs performed by a large professional cast, as well as classical artists and dramatic performers in a recreation of musical variety shows of the Golden Age of Radio during the Thirties and Forties.

In 2000, Larry became founder and curator of the world famous John Milton Williams Museum of Radio Broadcasting History, a remarkable exhibit of rare microphones and one of a kind artifacts from Radio Yesteryear.  In 2001, he became musical director, script writer and producer of this nationally renowned show, featuring 15 performers. The show is broadcast four times each year on Cleveland’s WCLV 104.9 FM and coast to coast and around the world on wclv.com.

The schedule for 2011 is:  April 17, 2011 featuring The Best of Broadway; June 19, 2011 featuring The Story of Swing; September 25, 2011 featuring My Forever Autumn and December 28, 2011 featuring The Sights and Sounds of Christmas.  All shows are on Sundays at 3pm.  Tickets are $25.00 each and include the live performance, “Meet the Stars” after the show, a tour of the world class John Milton Williams Museum of Radio Broadcasting history, unlimited refreshments from the authentic soda fountain and complimentary valet parking. Seating is limited and all show are sold out well in advance. Subscription tickets for all four shows are available.

For more information, call 330.225.5364 or 1.877.590.4849 or visit www.razzmatazzproductions.net 

Folk Singer Jim Gill and Fiddler Cathy Miller Concert
Help the Homerville United Methodist Church celebrate their 150th anniversary with a celebratory concert on April 3, 2011 at 1pm. The church is located at 9097 Spencer Road, Homerville, Ohio.  Admission is $8.00 plus a canned good to help the needy during the Easter season.  Visit www.ormaco.com for details on how to purchase tickets.

Jim Gill shared the stage with John Gorka at The Village Folk Festival in 2005.  He has opened for international touring artist Peter Mulvey at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland as well as Nashville’s Mary Gautheir at a 2007 Six Strings Concert event staged in the Columbus Performing Arts Center in Ohio’s capitol.

Jim is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art. He is a versatile artist, writer and performing artist. He worked for American Greetings and has taught at the University of Akron, the Beck Center and is a roster artist for Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio.

Cathy Miller is performing exclusively with Jim Gill. They primarily play original music in the folk/rock vein and perform all across Northeast and Central Ohio.  She is a former member of the progressive rock band, Uzizi, combining centuries-old sacred harp singing with a modern 5-piece band.  She was a founding member of Los Angeles-based Pushing Air and played fiddle in the bluegrass bands Taproot and The Crooked River Fire Brigade.

Cathy is a versatile artist, able to teach and perform folk, classical, Irish, blues, bluegrass, Scottish and jazz styles. She has performed at all manner of functions including bookings with various bands, studio recording, ceilidhs, weddings, funerals, corporate functions, classical orchestral concerts and old-time ice cream socials.

Register Now for “Drawn to Art” Spring Classes
“Frogs and Toads, Oh My!” an April drawing class taught by Sue Delac, a Medina County resident and professional artist, will be the first of a series of four “Drawn to Art” classes sponsored by the Medina County Arts Council in 2011.  This class in mixed-media will be held at the Wolf Creek Environmental Center on Route 94 in Sharon Center and will meet on two Saturdays, April 2 and 9, from 10am to noon.  Delac has taught many years in the Akron City Schools where she was selected several times as “Teacher of the Year”.

Students in the class will create a mixed-media piece of art focusing on the resources of the location that will reflect the concepts of color theory, nature and the environment, including the habitats of frogs and toads, to make the experience fun and educational.  The class is for children in grades three through six.  Class size is limited to 16 students.  Registration forms and a brochure outlining all four classes and their scheduled times and locations may be found online and printed from the Arts Council website: www.medinacountyartscouncil.org.  You may also call 330.725.6443 to register.  The fee for the class is $40.  There is a 10% discount on fees for Medina County Arts Council members.

“Point, Click, Capture” is the second in the series of the 2011 fine arts classes sponsored by The Medina County Arts Council. This class is May 7, 2011 from 10am to noon at Wolf Creek Environmental Center with Bill Beuther as the instructor.  Students will learn to take better and more interesting nature photos using their “point and shoot” digital camera.  Instruction includes basic camera techniques, composition and individual guidance.  The fee is $20.00 per student and registration is through April 29th.

Medina Model Railroad & Toy Show
Mark your calendar for April 3, 2011 to come to the Medina Model Railroad & Toy Show.  If you are a kid at heart, or just want to walk around and reminisce about the toys and trains you played with, the Medina Model Railroad & Toy Show is a great show to attend.

The show offers over 350 displays of model trains, train memorabilia, train layout supplies, books or collectible toys.  There are working layouts, a train movie, popcorn or attend a seminar.  There is something for everyone!

Do you collect and build train layouts?  Come on down!
Do you want to interact with your kids?  Come on down!
Do you collect toys or trains?  Come on down!
to the Medina Model Railroad & Toy Show on April 3, 2011 from 10am to 4pm.  There is a $6.00 admission charge, children 12 and under are free.

The show is at the Community Center at the Fairgrounds, 735 West Lafayette Road, Medina, Ohio, 44256. The show’s sponsor is CJ Trains and hosted by Conrad & Dowdell Productions.

Monthly Events for April, 2011

1
One Minute Picasso, Brunswick Library, 10:30am-Noon, ages 2-7 w/adult, 330.273.4150.
Sky Dance of the American Woodcock, Wolf Creek Environmental Ctr, 7:30pm, ages 10+, 330.722.9364.
Annual Lenten Fish Fry, Spencer Town Hall, Spencer, 5-7pm, admission, 330.648.2677.

1-3
Anniversary Sale, Perfectly Charming, Medina, Fri-Sat 11am-5pm, Sun Noon-5pm, 330.723.5080.

2
Oberlin Brass Ensemble, Broadway Street Hall, Medina, 8pm, call 330.722.2541 for ticket information.
Egg-stra Special Egg Dying, Brunswick Library, 11am, ages 3+ w/adult, call 330.273.4150 to register.
Hiking for the Health of It, Buckeye Woods Park, meet at shelter by the pond, 9-11am, ages 10+, hike 4-6 miles at a brisk pace, 330.722.9364.
Frog Chorus, Wolf Creek Environmental Ctr, 8pm, hike and learn about different species of frogs, 330.722.9364.

2,3
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, Buckeye Elementary School, Medina, Sat 2pm & 7:30pm, Sun 2pm, presented by Buckeye Community Youth Theatre, admission, 330.725.7530.

3
Jim Gill and Cathy Miller Concert, Homerville UMC, Homerville, 1pm, presented by Ohio Regional Music Arts and Cultural Outreach, call 330.722.2541 for ticket information.
Medina Model Railroad & Toy Show, Community Ctr at the Fairgrounds, 10am-4pm, admission, 330.948.4400.
Intermediate Digital Photography: Beyond the Basics, Wolf Creek Environmental Ctr, 1-4pm, ages 16+, fee for program, call 330.722.9364 by Apr 1 to register.
Natural Discoveries Hiking Series: Small Mammals of Ohio, Allardale, 3pm, ages 7+, 330.722.9364.

5
Paint Me a Story Time, All Fired Up, Medina, 1pm, call 330.723.1112 to register.

6
Brunswick Art Works Monthly Meeting, Brunswick City Hall, 7:30pm, 330.225.8559.

7
Sushi Night, Cabinet-S-Top, Medina, 6pm, fee per person, 330.239.3630.

8
Medina County AARP Chapter #2095 Meeting, Golden Corral, Medina, 11:30am, fee, 330.722.5092.
DIVA Night, All Fired Up, Medina, 6-9pm, call 330.723.1112 to register.
Annual Lenten Fish Fry, Spencer Town Hall, Spencer, 5-7pm, admission, 330.648.2677.

9
Nature for Families: Salamanders, Wolf Creek Environmental Ctr, 1pm, 330.722.9364.

9,10
Medina Gun Show, Community Ctr at the Fairgrounds, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 9am-3pm, admission, 330.948.4400.
Ohio’s Splendid Spiders, Susan Hambley Nature Ctr, Noon-5pm, 330.722.9364.

10
Swiss Steak Dinner, Church at the Lake, Chippewa Lake, 4:30-7pm, admission, 330.769.2266.
Skunk Appreciation Day, Wolf Creek Environmental Ctr, 2pm, 330.722.9364.

12
Egg Drop, Medina Library, 6:30pm, ages 8-13, call 330.725.0588 to register.
Poetry Workshop, Medina Library, 6:30pm, ages 13-17, call 330.725.0588 to register.
Homeschoolers Outdoor Education: Searching for Salamanders, Plum Creek Park North, 10-11:30am or 1-2:30pm, ages 7-12, call 330.722.9364 to register.
Paint Me a Story Time, All Fired Up, Medina, 1pm, call 330.723.1112 to register.

14
Lodi Community Hospital Dr. Clarice E. Whitacre Auxiliary Meeting, Lodi Community Hospital, Lodi, 12:15-1pm, 330.948.1222 or 330.948.1027.
Easter Egg Hunt, Lodi Library, 1:30pm, ages 3-5 w/adult, call 330.948.1885 to register.
Bunnies and Baskets, Seville Library, 4pm, all ages w/adult, call 330.769.2852 to register.

15
$500 Scholarship for Vocational Student, Medina County Auditor’s Office, visit www.medinacountyauditor.org for rules and application, 330.725.9756
Annual Lenten Fish Fry, Spencer Town Hall, Spencer, 5-7pm, admission, 330.648.2677.

16
Easter Egg Hunt, 9170 Norwalk Rd, Litchfield, 11am, ages 3-7, 330.635.8249.
Easter Egg Hunt, Downtown Wadsworth, 330.335.9301.
East Egg Hunt, Medina Library, 11am and 1pm, ages 3+, call 330.725.0588 to register.
Math Madness, Brunswick Library, 11am-1pm, ages 3-8, call 330.273.4150 to register.
Hiking for the Health of It, River Styx Park, 9-11am, ages 10+, 330.722.9364.
Earth Day, Buffalo Creek Retreat, 10am-4pm, 330.722.9364.
Open Farm Day, One Fine Day Alpacas, Seville, Noon-5pm, 330.388.2506.
All You Can Eat wings, pasta, hot dogs, draft or soda, Sidelines, Brunswick, 7-10pm, fee per person to benefit the American Cancer Society, 330.421.5266 or 216.402.2548.

16,17
Northern Ohio Cup Boys Soccer Tournament, Northcoast Soccer Fields, Seville, 8:30am-7pm, 330.273.6308.

17
Medina Flea Market, Community Ctr at the Fairgrounds, 6am-3pm, admission, 330.948.4300.
The Mighty Wurlitzer Radio Hour, John Milton Williams Museum of Radio, Hinckley, 3pm, call 330.225.5364 for ticket information.
Natural Discoveries Hiking Series: Wildflowers of Spring, River Styx Park, 3pm, ages 7+, 330.722.9364.
Photographers of the Parks Club Meeting, Wolf Creek Environmental Ctr, 3pm, call 330.239.4814 for more information.

18-29
Spring Break Kid’s Workshops, All Fired Up, Medina, call 330.723.1112 for information and to register.

19
Brown Bag Concerts, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Medina, Noon, bring your lunch and enjoy the music, featuring Betty Meyers & Ginny Friend, 330.725.4131.

20
Egg Coloring, Highland Library, 4pm, ages 5+ w/adult, call 330.278.4271 to register.

21
Mother’s Day Workshop, All Fired Up, Medina, 2pm, call 330.723.1112 for information and to register.
Music Pups, Medina Library, 10am, ages 6 mos.-2yrs. w/adult, call 330.725.0588 to register.
Sunrise, Medina Library, 11am, ages 3-5, call 330.725.0588 to register.
Shakespeare Shorts: Shakespeare in 10 Minutes, Medina Library, 6:30pm, ages 6-12, call 330.725.0588 to register.
Kite Time, Brunswick Library, 4pm, ages 5+, call 330.273.4150 to register.
You Can Help Recycle, Lodi Library, 6:30pm, all ages, call 330.948.1885 to register.
Tales for Tots, Chippewa Lake, Krabill Shelter, 10am or 1pm, ages 3-6 w/adult, call 330.722.9364 between Mar 28 and Apr 20 to register.

22
Good Friday Service, First Baptist Church of Medina, 7pm, 330.725.5853.
Tales for Tots, Chippewa Lake, Krabill Shelter, 10am or 1pm, ages 3-6 w/adult, call 330.722.9364 between  Mar 28 and Apr 20 to register.

22,23
Earth Day Specials, All Fired Up, Medina, call 330.723.1112 for information and to register.
Green Thumb, Susan Hambley Nature Ctr, Noon-5pm, 330.722.9364.

23
Kookin’ with Miss Keni, Highland Library, 1pm, ages 6-11, call 330.278.4271 to register.
K9 Kapers, Allardale, 10am, 330.722.9364.
Growing Up Green, Wolf Creek Environmental Ctr, 1pm, 330.722.9364.

24
Easter Celebration Services, First Baptist Church of Medina, call 330.725.5853 for times.

26
Baseball Fever, Lodi Library, 11am, ages 3-5 w/adult, call 330.948.1885 to register.

27
Nature Through the Seasons, Hubbard Valley Park, 10am, ages 7+, 330.722.9364.
Garden and Field Journaling, Wolf Creek Environmental Ctr, 7pm, ages 16+, 330.722.9364.

28
Cloverleaf Relay for Life Meeting, Lodi Library, Lodi, 6-6:30pm committee, 6:30-7:30pm team captains, 330.625.3205.

29
Mother’s Day Workshop for Kids, All Fired Up, Medina, 6pm, call 330.723.1112 for information and to register.

29,30
Spring Open House, Valley City Gift Shop, Valley City, Fri-Sat 10am-6pm, also May 1, 330.421.2473.

30
Northern Ohio Cup Girls Soccer Tournament, Northcoast Soccer Fields, Seville, 8:30am-7pm, also May 1, 330.273.6308.
Shh…Don’t Tell Mom, Medina Library, 10:30am, ages 3+, call 330.725.0588 to register.
Babysitting Basics, Brunswick Library, 9am-12pm, ages 11-16, call 330.273.4150 to register.
Youth Fishing Derby, River Styx Park, 8am registration, 8:30-10:30am derby, ages 15 and under, 330.722.9364.
Basket Weaving 101: An Apple-a-Day Basket, Wolf Creek Environmental Ctr, 9:30am-Noon, ages 12+, fee per basket, call 330.336.5951 by Apr 23 to register.
Advanced Digital Photography, Wolf Creek Environmental Ctr, 1-4pm, ages 16+, fee for program, call 330.722.9364 by Apr 29 to register.
Fish Fry, Sharon Town Hall, Sharon Township, Noon-6pm, sponsored by Sharon Township Fire Fighter’s, admission, 330.239.4992.