CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Shaker Square will kick off its new “Summer on the Square” monthly series of free-to-attend, family-friendly events this Saturday (June 17).
Taking place on the third Saturday of each month through August and featuring local businesses, organizations, artists, authors and creators, the first installment will focus on health and wellness, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“The Summer on the Square series is an exciting opportunity to bring the community together and showcase the great amenities that Shaker Square has to offer,” said Joy D. Johnson, executive director of Burten, Bell, Carr, Inc., one of the new nonprofit owners.
“The layout and historic nature of Shaker Square makes it a fantastic place to bring people together in this way.”
This Saturday’s slate of community events and attractions will include:
• 9 to 9:45 a.m. -- Yoga class led by Abide Yoga Cleveland (All levels welcome. Attendees are asked to bring their own yoga mat or beach towel)
• 10 to 10:30 a.m. -- Taekwondo Demonstration & Mini Class, led by Master Marr’s Taekwondo
• 11 to 11:30 a.m. -- Healthy Cooking Demonstration by Chef Porsha Guobadia of The Vegan Club
• 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. -- Cleveland City Dance demonstration
• 1 to 2 p.m. -- Live music performance by Horns and Things (contemporary jazz)
The slate of attractions will also feature all-day activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that will include:
• Mobile rock-climbing wall (participation is limited to those ages 6 years or older. Closed-toe shoes are required. Participants must be 40 inches or taller and weigh between 40 and 250 pounds)
• Backyard fun and games (classic summer yard games, including cornhole, giant Jenga, etc.)
• Face painting
• Juneteenth stories presented by the Cleveland Association of Black Storytellers
• “Summer Sounds” 00 Music by DJ JetSet2one6 (DJ & Event MC)
• Complimentary frozen juice bars from Trikeable Treats (from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. while supplies last)
Then, on July 15, the overall theme of “Family Fun Time” will be featured, with a yoga class, yard games, mini-golf, a surfing simulator, a magic show, a Tai Chi demonstration, storytelling, an arts and crafts tent, a hip-hop dance performance, a bubble party and free popcorn and snow cones.
“Art, Community, and Anniversary” will be the theme on Aug. 19, also celebrating the first year of new ownership for the historic Shaker Square by BBC and its nonprofit partners Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and its subsidiary New Village Corp. (They avoided foreclosure on the property with the help of $12 million in low-interest loans approved by Cleveland City Council.)
Festivities on Aug. 19 will include yoga, a DJ, a fashion show, a sidewalk sale and pop-up market, face painting and henna artist stations, an arts and crafts tent and poetry.
“The Summer on the Square series is the latest initiative taken up by BBC and CNP -- who acquired ownership of the property in (August) 2022 -- to promote Shaker Square and attract visitors to the historic retail destination,” a press release noted.
Recently, a new website was launched for Shaker Square. It can be found at www.shakersquare.com.
Read more from the Sun Press.