(CLEVELAND) May 11, 2023 – The Holden Arboretum welcomes the summer season with a new exhibit Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects Made with LEGO® Bricks opening on Saturday, May 27^th at 10 a.m., a calendar filled with outdoor events and experiences, and gorgeous grounds for exploring. All season long, enjoy concerts in the forest, wine tastings, hikes in the forest with fireflies, and so much more. Purchase tickets at holdenfg.org.  

Summer 2023 Photographs – All photo credits are the Holden Arboretum  

OPENING Saturday, May 27^th – Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects Made with LEGO® Bricks  

Nature Connects will feature more than a dozen larger-than-life LEGO® Brick creations that will pop out of garden and trail landscapes creating a magical new world at the Arboretum. Giant sculptures including a Monarch butterfly, a Praying Mantis, a mother duck, and her babies will amaze and delight. Nature Connects runs through Monday, September 4, 2023. Tickets are available now at holdenfg.org. 

SUMMER NIGHTS AT THE HOLDEN ARBORETUM  

Each Wednesday from June 7th to August 30th, the Arboretum will be open until 8 p.m. Enjoy a golden hour on the Murch Canopy Walk and Kalberer Emergent Tower, your favorite Arboretum gardens and trails, and the special evening events. 

Concerts in the Forest select Wednesday evenings in June, July, and August 

Enjoy live music in a gorgeous setting, food trucks, a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and quality time with friends and family out in nature. Off the Griddle food truck and our Libations Station will be on site for each of our concert events. Food trucks will open at 5:30 p.m. and the concerts will be from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This year’s concert series will feature Northeast Ohio bands including Apollo’s Fire, Light of 2 Moons, Cleveland Wind Trio, and musicians from Roots of American Music. Concerts are included with admission with the exception of Apollo’s Fire.   

• Friday, Saturday, Sunday, June 9th, 10th, and 11th: Apollo’s Fire “The Fiddlers of Dublin” -An Irish American ensemble that you will adore! Dance and sing to the merry instrumentalists on cello, hammered dulcimer, flute, bagpipes, and fiddles!  
• Wednesday, June 14^th: Light of 2 Moons is a Cleveland-based group with a unique mix of music from island sounds to classic rock, blues, country, and maybe even an old folk tune! 
• Wednesday, July 12th: Cleveland Wind Trio from the Cleveland Institute of Music consists of an oboe, clarinet, and bassoon, Cleveland Wind Trio continuously looks to provide new and engaging chamber music experiences using an uncommon form: the reed trio.
• Roots of American Music provides arts-integrated programs to diverse communities while promoting and preserving traditional American music — old-time country, folk, gospel, blues, and early rock — to enhance educational outcomes and enrich people’s lives. Their performances will be:  
• Wednesday, July 26th: Roots of American Music featuring Sam Hopper 
• Wednesday, August 9th: Roots of American Music featuring Mo’ Mojo  
• Wednesday, August 30^th: Roots of American Music featuring Gruve Tonic  

Tails & Trails on Wednesday, June 7^th, Wednesday, July 5^th and Wednesday, August 2^nd  from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

The first Wednesday of each month this summer the first 100 pups through the gate will receive a Holden Forests & Gardens logo bandana. Enjoy plenty of water stations, dog treats and an opportunity to meet up with other dogs (and their owners).  

Bricks & Brews on Wednesday, June 28^th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. tour Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects with LEGO® Bricks, enjoy a summer brew outside on the patio and build a masterpiece with your own LEGO® bundle provided at check in. Tickets for this event are $35.  

Golden Hour, Wine & Butterflies on Wednesday, August 23^rd from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. spend time in one of the arboretum’s most beautiful gardens during golden hour. Enjoy a wine tasting and food stations, while listening to Columbus’ the Goldsberrys, a four-part vocal harmony group playing, banjo, guitar, fiddle and bass. 

Artisans at the Arboretum on Saturday, June 24th and Sunday, June 25^th at 9 a.m. and as long as marketplace items last! Enjoy a summer weekend at the Arboretum as we partner with Made Cleveland to present Artisans at the Arboretum – an outdoor marketplace. Discover amazing artisans, listen to local musicians and have a bite to eat at this open-air market. 

WHAT’S IN BLOOM?  

Immerse yourself in the Rhododendron Discovery Garden to see stunning Rhododendrons and Azaleas that are now in bloom into the month of June. See over 400 native plants in our Wildflower Garden which is filled with vibrant blooms all summer long. You can’t miss the fragrant lilacs in one of the arboretum’s most iconic attractions: The Display Garden. The Holden Butterfly Garden is a haven for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds—not to mention the visitors who are drawn to its soothing tranquility. Two placid ponds are surrounded by a lush garden, filled with summer blooming plants that attract vital pollinators. Visit holdenfg.org to see what’s blooming each month. 

SUMMER FAVORITES 

Kalberer Emergent Tower and Murch Canopy Walk  

Take your love of nature to new heights. The Emergent Tower is 120 feet or approximately 12 stories tall and provides a breathtaking view of the surrounding area all the way to Lake Erie. The Murch Canopy Walk invites guests on a 500-foot-long elevated walkway that is built 65 feet above the forest floor. This immersive experience takes guests in and out of the forest canopy to experience everything from the middle of a mature forest to a raised view of streams and the forest floor. 

Buckeye Buds Adventure Woods 

Tour our current exhibit, Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects with Lego Bricks, brave the zip lines at Buckeye Bud’s, the Arboretum’s children’s area, and build a new favorite masterpiece in our magical forest. Buckeye Bud’s is a wonderfully whimsical playground where kids can hop, jump, and limbo their way through the balance logs, put on a performance at the Nature Theater, or play a game or two of tic tac toe.  

Twilight at the Holden Arboretum – The Picnic of the Summer 

Save the date for our annual benefit picnic for the plants and trees. Twilight at the Holden Arboretum will take place Saturday, July 15^th, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Throughout the Arboretum grounds, the benefit will feature a picnic dinner by SPICE Catering, live music, activities for adults and kids including a craft station, and exclusive access to the Arboretum’s summer exhibit, Nature Connects. Purchase tickets at holdenfg.org. 

Tram Tours 

Tour the Holden Arboretum in a new way! These 45-minute tours will give guests an overview of the campus and gardens, with a focus on seasonal highlights. You may also learn a little history and information about the scientific work that happens behind the scenes.  Schedule and Pricing Information Here 

GET GROWING WITH SUMMER CLASSES 

First Friday Garden Tours | First Friday of the month, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.   On the first Friday of June, July, August and September, connect with a community of gardeners this summer! Bring your sense of wonder and join our staff on an informative, 75-minute tour through the gardens at the Arboretum. A different garden will be featured each month, highlighting the beauty of seasonal blooms throughout our plant collections, as well as new projects supporting our mission. After the tour, enjoy light refreshments and conversation with fellow plant-lovers before heading home to work in your own garden. Horticulture & Collections staff will be on hand during the refreshments to answer any gardening questions you have. Registration Link Here   

Mindfulness in Nature | Monday, June 12^th, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Take a break from the hectic pace of everyday life! Practicing mindfulness in nature can promote a sense of inner calm and enhance well-being. In this 2-session program, participants will learn the practice of Mindfulness Meditation and will experience the power of this technique to connect them with the natural world. Participants will develop a deeper appreciation of their interconnection with nature and learn new skills to reduce stress. Be prepared for getting “up close” to nature (sitting on the ground, getting hands dirty, hiking in the rain)! Cost: $75 per member, $90 per nonmember. Registration Link Here   

Firefly Foray | Saturday, June 17^th, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.  Experience fireflies like never before! While we are familiar with the variety that light up our lawns, there are so many more to be seen. Join Cleveland Metroparks Naturalist and firefly enthusiast Carly Martin as we take in the wonder of firefly diversity in a search for several different species. We’ll start off indoors with fun facts and identification techniques, then hit the trails and the Canopy Walk to explore different habitats in the increasing darkness. If we’re lucky, we’ll finish off the night by seeing a local population of synchronizing fireflies. Registration Link Here  

HAVE A PICNIC with SPICE GRAB AND GO CAFÉ

Fuel your forest + garden adventure from our Spice Grab + Go Café Cooler! Colorful, crave-able, nutrient-dense meals and snacks from Chef Ben Bebenroth and the team at Spice Hospitality Group are back for the sunny season. Stop by the Visitor Center to grab a satisfying salad or grain bowl, healthy snack, or just a beverage from our convenient self-serve cooler. Enjoy your picks in a beloved spot on our grounds for a Spiced-up picnic! Fresh salads and snacks from Spice Grab + Go Café Cooler are available Thursday-Sunday during Arboretum hours.   

SUMMER HOURS 

The Holden Arboretum is open Tuesday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission tickets can be purchased in person, or online at holdenfg.org. 

About the Holden Arboretum and Holden Forests & Gardens 

The Holden Arboretum, located east of Cleveland in Kirtland, Ohio, sprawls over an enchanting expanse of land in Lake and Geauga Counties and offers gardens, trails, lakes and meadows. The Holden Arboretum is part of Holden Forests & Gardens along with the Cleveland Botanical Garden in Cleveland’s University Circle cultural district. Holden Forests & Gardens is making a positive impact through urban greening and forestry initiatives, environmental research, educational programs, and world-class visitor experiences at its two campuses. Admission is FREE for members, $20 for adults, and $14 for children ages 2-12. For more information, visit holdenfg.org. 

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