I finally got around to taking my kids to Imagination Station in downtown Toledo today.  We had been there before when it was COSI, but had not gotten the chance to go back.  We went ahead and got the family membership – cannot beat it for $65 (they gave me $5 off since I am a resident of Lucas County) and I got a 13-month membership because they are adding a free month onto your membership  when you join now.(see details below).  As a family of 5, if we go just twice in the next 13 months we get our money’s worth!  Also with a membership, you do not feel like you have to stay all day to get your money’s worth.  If you have a couple hours to kill, take the kids to the museum, it will not cost you anything since you have a membership AND it will wear the kids out!

I have been searching this summer for something that is exciting for all 3 of my kids.  I have an 8 year old, a 5 year old, and a 3 year old and it is hard to find something that is fun for everyone!  It seems that most things are either too advanced for my younger two  or boring to my oldest son!  Well my search is over!  Imagination Station was a hit with all three.  They loved it and so did I.  It has so much to see and do, we will definitely be getting our money out of the membership!!

Special Membership Offer

Get an EXTRA 30 days of membership – FREE!
If you become a member of Imagination Station by August 2, 2010, you’ll receive an extra 30 days of membership absolutely Free! That’s 720 hours, or 43,200 minutes, or 2,592,000 seconds of unlimited admission to Toledo’s amazing hands-on science center.

Already a Member?
There’s an added bonus for you too!  If you recommend us to a friend and that friend becomes a member by August 2 – YOU get an extra 30 days added to your membership, too!

To activate your extra 30 days, join now!

Membership Benefits:
Being a member of Imagination Station unlocks a world of exploration and discovery. Along with unlimited admission to the science center, members also receive these basic membership benefits:

• Reciprocating membership benefits with over 350 science centers. Click here to access a full list of reciprocating science centers.
• Subscription to DISCOVER, the quarterly newsletter
• Subscription to the monthly electronic newsletter, Discover.e
• Sneak previews to special exhibitions
• 4 Members-Only events a year
• 10% discount to the Science 2 GO! Gift Shop
• 10% discount on all Educational Programs
• Free static sticker
• Free simulator rides
• Parking discounts

For more information about membership, or to apply by phone, please call John Hopkins, Membership Manager, at 419.244.2674 ext. 116 or email jhopkins@imaginationstationtoledo.org

Another busy weekend for the Toledo area.  What will you and your family be doing?  Why not hit a couple of these fun events!!  Am I missing your event?  Contact me at brandy@toledomomsblog.com  Thanks!

Our Lady of Lourdes Church Festival

July 29, 2010 – August 1, 2010 on
Thursday 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Friday 6:30 p.m. to Midnight
Saturday 3 p.m. to Midnight
Sunday 1:30 pm to 6 pm

Homemade Polish Food, Live Music Nightly Monte Carlo Nightly, Kids’ Games and Rides Sunday Polka Mass / www.olltoledo.com

Venue:
Our Lady of Lourdes Church

Address:
6149 Hill Ave., Toledo, OH

Smoke on the Water- Ribs for the Red Cross

Dates & Times:
July 30, 2010 – August 1, 2010 on
Friday 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am-7:00 pm

Price:

* contact the Presenting Organization listed below for ticketing information

Description

Come sample mouth-watering BBQ ribs from local and national vendors while helping to support the American Red Cross!

Visit www.ribs4redcross.com for more information!

Venue:
Promenade Park

Address:
Water St.
Downtown Toledo

Mt. Ararat 2nd Annual Gospel Festival

Dates & Times:
Saturday, July 31, 2010;  11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Mt. Ararat 2^nd Annual Gospel Festival

Saturday July 31, 2010
11:00 am – 4:00pm
918 Coburn Street
Toledo, Ohio 43609
Rev. John D. Walthall III, Pastor
· Free Food
· Clothing and Bicycle give-away
· Games and activities for the children
· Great Gospel music
Bring your family/friends and have fun in the sun, as we worship our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Venue:
Mt. Ararat Missionary Baptist Church

Toledo

The Kelly Miller Circus will once again be hosted by the Sylvania Sunrise Lions Club Friday, August 6, 2010. There will be 2 performances; the first at 4:30pm, and the second at 7:30pm. Tickets will be available at the Andersons on Monroe and Talmadge, the Andersons Market on Sylvania Ave, and Sautters Market on Main St. beginning Tuesday, July 6, 2010. Handicapped parking is available.

WHERE:  Corners of Brint and Centennial … Sylvania, Ohio

Cost: Payment required – Adults (in advance) $10 (at the door) $14 Children under 12 (in advance) $6 (at the door) $7

For more information on the Kelly Miller Circus, please click HERE or for information on the Sylvania Sunrise Lions club, please click HERE.

The PEANUTS pals are turning 60 this year and we’re throwing a big party!

Join us August 1 – 8 for a very special celebration. You can play a special scavenger hunt all week to win great prizes. And we’ll have a giant present on hand (which we’re opening on Aug. 8), a larger-than-life card for the kids to sign (on Aug. 8), character appearances and more.

Plus, you can save $10 on a Regular, one-day ticket* when you donate a new, unopened pet care item at the park! We’re looking for items like dog treats, cat food and more. Every "Helping Snoopy’s Friends" donation benefits the Humane Society of Erie County.

For complete details on the celebration, visit our Events Calendar online.

*Discount is only valid on the day of your donation. Donations accepted August 1 – 8, 2010 only. Cannot be used for Junior, Senior or multi-day tickets.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Races Into Cedar Point
Wheels of Thunder brings the excitement of racing right to Cedar Point, August 10 – 12. During this special event, check out racing simulators, show cars and more at the Michigan International Speedway’s interactive area near Dodgem.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will say hi to all his race fans on the WildCat Midway on Thursday, August 12. And you’ll have a chance to submit a question for Dale to answer!
Want to get even closer to Dale? You can purchase an admission/all-you-can-eat meal combo ticket for just $47.70 – and Dale will stop by this exclusive group for a personal appearance.
Plus, look to the skies above the park and see the world-famous Goodyear Blimp on Thursday, August 12.
For complete details on Wheels of Thunder, including how to purchase your combo ticket, visit our Events Calendar.

 Win FREE Cedar Point Tickets!
We’re teaming up with our friends at Red Gold, the Official Ketchup of Cedar Point, to give you a pair of one-day admission tickets.
Red Gold will be randomly selecting a total of five winners – each winner receives a pair of tickets, valid for a one-day visit to Cedar Point through September 6, 2010. Does not include Soak City.
The contest runs now through August 9th, so visit the contest page for instructions on how to enter, as well as the official rules & regs.
Good luck from Cedar Point and Red Gold!

Wow!  This is the week of fairs in the area.  Not only is the Lucas county fair going on, so is the Seneca county fair.  

The fair runs July 25-August 1 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., Seneca County Fairground, 100 Hopewell Avenue. The Seneca County Fair has something for everyone with livestock exhibits, arts and crafts, antique farm machinery, harness racing, entertainment, demolition derby, rodeo, tractor pull, rides, and more. Info: 419.447.7888For more information you can view the website but clicking HERE.

We have not visited the Toledo Speedway yet and if you have not either, why not take the whole family out for a great-priced family event this Friday, July 3oth.  Not only do kids 14 and under get in FREE, but can also get  FREE hot dogs, chips and a drink.  For more information or directions, please click HERE!  I believe the race starts at 7:30 pm.

Kid’s Night: Kids to age 14 Free, receive Free hot dogs, chips, drink. SP 50 Laps, F8, FS. Adults: $12.00. Kids 6-14: Free. Under 6: Free

Adults: $12.00. Kids 6-14: Free. Under 6: Free

Thanks so much to Dealseekingmom.com for this post!

Have you started shopping for school supplies yet? I’ve put together a roundup of the best available deals this week to help you stock up for less. Come back every week for a new list!

:: Pens, Pencils, Crayons & Markers

• Walgreens — Pilot Easytouch Pens, FREE after coupon
• OfficeMax — Sharpie Black Fine-Point Markers, FREE after MaxPerks (Limit 3)
• Staples — Bic Round Stic Ballpoint Pens, $0.01 (Limit 2 — through 7/28)
• Office Depot — Eraser Caps, $0.10
• Kmart — RoseArt Crayons (24 pk.), $0.25
• Staples — Zebra Sarasa Retractable Gel Pens (5 pk.), $0.25 (Limit 1)
• Staples — Hype! Pen-style Assorted Highlighters (6 pk.), $0.25 (Limit 2)
• OfficeMax — Just Basics Assorted Cap Erasers (25 ct.), $0.50
• Kmart — Paper Mate Write Bros Pens (10 pk.), $0.50 (Limit 4)
• Kmart — RoseArt Colored Pencils (12 pk.), $0.50
• Target — BIC Shimmer Mechanical Pencils (26 ct.), $0.75 after coupons
• Target — Crayola Colored Pencils, $0.88
• Walgreens — Papermate Mechanical Pencils (30 pk.), $0.99
• Staples — Ticonderoga #2 Pencils (12 pk.), $1 w/ in-ad coupon (Limit 2)
• Kmart — Crayola Crayons (48 pk.), $2
• Meijer — Expo Dry Erase Markers (4 pk.), 2/$5

:: Notebooks, Folders, Binders & Paper

• OfficeMax — Durable Non-View Binders, FREE after MaxPerks (Limit 3)
• OfficeMax — Hammermill Copy Plus Paper, FREE after MaxPerks (Limit 3)
• OfficeMax — Poly Notebooks, FREE after MaxPerks (Limit 6)\
• Staples — Multipurpose Paper (500 sheets), $0.01 after rebate (Limit 2)
• Walgreens — Penway 2 Pocket Folder with Prongs, $0.09 (Limit 5)
• Kmart — 2-Pocket, 3-Prong Folder, $0.15 (Limit 10)
• Meijer — 70-ct Wirebound Notebook, $0.15 (Limit 30)
• Walgreens — Memo or Mini Composition Books, $0.19 w/ in-ad coupon
• Rite Aid — Mead Notebook (1 Subject, College Rule, 70 sheets), $0.29
• Kmart — Wide or College Rule Filler Paper (150 sheets), $0.50 (Limit 4)
• Office Depot — Office Depot Brand Notebooks (6 pk.), $0.50
• Kroger — Top Flight Filler Paper (150 ct.), $0.75
• Target — Construction Paper, $0.88
• Office Depot — HP Office Paper, $0.95
• Kmart — Fashion or Licensed Notebooks, $1.50
• CVS — B1G1 Mead Index Cards, $1.99
• Target — Binder Bundle (1.5" Binder, Dividers, Zipper Pocket, & Ruler), $2.50

:: Glue & Tape

• Kmart — Elmer’s 4-oz. School Glue, $0.25 (Limit 4)
• Meijer — Elmer’s Glue Sticks (2 pk.), $0.25 (Limit 10)
• Rite Aid — White Glue (20 oz.), $0.29
• Staples — Scotch Magic Invisible Tape, $1 w/ in-ad coupon (Limit 2)

:: Rulers & Scissors

• Rite Aid — Harvard Square 12" Plastic or Wood Ruler, $0.29
• Office Depot — Office Depot Brand Acrylic Ruler, $0.50
• OfficeMax — Schoolio 12" Flexible or Shatterproof Ruler, $0.50
• Office Depot — Fiskars 7" Student Scissors, 2/$3
• Staples — Wescott 8″ Economy Scissors (3 pk.), $4 w/ in-ad coupon (Limit 2)

:: Other Deals

• OfficeMax, Staples — Any Backpack, FREE after rebate (Limit 2 at OfficeMax)
• Rite Aid — Pencil Box, $0.29
• Walgreens — Crayola Poster Board, $0.39 w/ in-ad coupon
• Target, Kmart, Meijer — Pencil Box, $0.50
• Kroger — Stretchable Fabric Book Cover, $1
• Walgreens — Corner Office Sheet Protectors (50 pk.), $1.99 w/ in-ad coupon

Caramel Apples, Cotton Candy, Popcorn, Peanuts, Elephant Ears, Rides, Games, and lots of fun exhibits….we all love the county fair!  For more information on the fair, please click HERE.  Don’t miss kids day this Wednesday, July 28th from 11 am – 3 pm.

The schedule of events are as follows:

Tuesday, July 27 2010

All Day: Chainsaw Woodcarving by Dennis Beach

11AM-4PM: DARE Day – various DARE officers will be on site; kids with DARE coupons will receive free admittance

7:30PM: Maumee Community Band Opening Ceremonies

Wednesday, July 28 2010

All Day: Chainsaw Woodcarving by Dennis Beach

11AM-3PM: Kid’s Day – free admission to the fair, plus $5 mechanical rides tickets

12PM: Open Dairy and Boer Goat Show

4PM: My Fair Lady Pageant

5PM: Placer’s Car Club Classic Car Show – all proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation

1,3,5PM: Jenkin’s Border Collie Show

Thursday, July 29 2010

All Day: Chainsaw Woodcarving by Dennis Beach

12-4PM: Veteran’s Day – free bean soup lunch available to all veteran’s families; entertainment starting at 1PM

6-8:30PM: Draft Horse Pulls

7:30PM: Pat Dailey

Friday, July 30 2010

All Day: Chainsaw Woodcarving by Dennis Beach

7:30PM: Brian Howe (former lead singer of Bad Company)

Saturday, July 31 2010

All Day: Chainsaw Woodcarving by Dennis Beach

4PM: Lawn Mower Races

7PM: Demolition Derby

Sunday, August 1 2010

All Day: Chainsaw Woodcarving by Dennis Beach auction

2PM: Cheerleading Competition – Entry form in Microsoft Word Format and PDF Format

4PM: Rough Truck Challenge by Roney Motorsports

This is definitely a “Can’t Miss” event for the little ones this weekend at the Toledo Zoo. 

Fisher-Price Play Weekend Returns to the Zoo

Toledo, Ohio—Both The Toledo Zoo and Fisher-Price have decades of experience in creating great memories for children, so it’s no surprise that they’ve joined forces! Your family won’t want to miss Fisher-Price Play Weekend, Saturday, July 31 and Sunday, August 1 in The Toledo Zoo’s Main Plaza.

All weekend long, children from six months to five years will explore the coolest new toys. The Fisher-Price Giant Play Space, set up from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Zoo’s Main Plaza, will give children plenty of room to try out some great new toys. In addition, they’ll find a giant inflatable Big Foot and a track where they can enjoy the new Power Wheels™, battery-operated ride-on cars.

On Saturday, July 31, they’ll also have a chance to meet Dora the Explorer, and on Sunday, August 1, they can meet Big Foot! These costumed characters will be meeting their fans from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., making 20-minute appearances at the top of each hour. The Fisher-Price Play Weekend is presented by Fisher-Price.

The Toledo Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located on the Anthony Wayne Trail (US 25), four miles south of downtown Toledo. For more information, please visit www.toledozoo.org or call (419) 385-4040. Lucas County residents are admitted free of charge each Monday from 10 a.m. to noon. ID showing proof of residency is required.

Have you been to Hero’s in Rossford yet?  End the week as a Hero to your kids. Come out tonight from 5:30-7:30 for only $5 per child for 2 hours of fun, games and food. $5 gets you admission and pizza for the kids with the attached coupon. DON’T FORGET TO PRINT THE COUPON, by clicking HERE.  Want to get coupons from Hero’s, check out their facebook page!

Save $5 On Any

Open Play

Every Friday

11am – 1pm

Every Sunday

5:30pm – 7:30pm

(always includes pizza for the kids!)

If you are anything like me you are already thinking about Back to School.  What all does Back to School mean to you?  It is nothing like when we were young and all we had to bring in was a pencil and a notebook and, of course, our Trapper Keeper.  For us the equation goes something like this:

new shoes + new backpacks + new lunchboxes + new school clothes + the mile-long list of school supplies = EMPTY WALLET FOR PARENTS! 

How on earth can we do all of this on a budget?  Many store offer GREAT deals on school supplies this time of year and the deals are already starting.  I got many of my son’s school supplies all for under $5 last week.  Walmart has glue sticks in a 2-pack for $.25, crayons for $.25, and markers for $.70.  Meijer also has a nice selection of school supplies for 5/$1.00 including erasers, pencil sharpeners, rulers, protractors and compasses.  Now is the time to stock up!

When it comes to school clothes, staying on a budget is much easier for younger kids who are not particular about brand names.  Always shop the clearance racks first.  Think ahead for different seasons and different sizes.  Almost all stores have sale racks!!  Also in order to make your school shopping trips enjoyable, why not break it up and buy them an outfit a week.  You still end up spending the same amount, but the trips may actually be more fun because they are much more like your child’s attention span, short and sweet!  Your wallet will feel a lot less strain too since you are spacing it out over multiple pay periods.  Does your child really need 6 new pairs of jeans before they start school if they are going to be wearing shorts for the first month or so?  You can buy jeans for them in late September/early October and just worry about the new shoes right now.

Speaking of shoes, new shoes are definitely not getting any cheaper either!  Sometimes you can spend $100 just on shoes alone.  Once again, the cost of shoes tends to go up as your child’s age goes up!  The school my son goes to requests that we bring in an extra pair of tennis shoes for his locker for gym class.  For this pair, I hit up Payless Shoes and get him a cheap pair of tennis shoes as he tends to not wear them that much and his feet are growing so quickly.  I actually purchased 3 pairs of shoes there today for just over $25.00.  I will also buy my son a good pair of tennis shoes later, but these shoes were cute and could not be passed up for $7 a pair!

Finally, on to backpacks and lunchboxes.  Right now Toy r Us has their special going on.  If you buy a backpack you get a lunchbox for free!  Great deal if you child is young enough for a character theme.  Walmart always has great deals too on their backpacks.  If your child still has a functioning backpack from last year and is willing to wait, I always get great clearance prices from Target about 1-2 months into the school year on backpack, lunchboxes, thermos’ and more!  They always have the best clearance prices, but also get picked over quickly.

Back to School can definitely be done on a budget!  Check the ads in the Sunday paper.  Start stocking up now and space it out over multiple weeks and you will notice much less of a strain on your wallet and your budget.  Also do not forget about stores like Once Upon a Child, Platos Closet and, of course, Craigslist and Ebay!

Have you gotten any great back to school deals?  Let me know by either leaving a comment or e-mailing me at brandy@toledomomsblog.com and I will pass them on to the other readers.  Thanks so much!

Wow!  A fun weekend full of festivals is upon us.  So much to do, so little time to do it.  Plan it just right and you can fit in a couple of these events or maybe even more!

Stony Ridge Summer Festival & Flea Market

Dates & Times:
July 23, 2010 – July 25, 2010 on
Friday 4 pm to Dark
Saturday 9 am to Dark
Sunday 9 am to 4 pm

Event Category:
Fairs / Festivals

Venue:
Stony Ridge
St. Rt. 20  5 miles east of I-75
Stony Ridge, OH 43463

42nd Annual Hamler Summerfest

Dates & Times:
July 23, 2010 – July 25, 2010 on
Friday 5 pm to 1 am
Saturday 5 pm to 11 pm
Sunday Noon to 8 pm

Description

Old-fashioned German festival complete with polka dancing, German food, and more. Parade at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Hours are 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Venue:
Hamler, OH 

Click here for more details

Tall Ship (Privateer Lynx)

Dates & Times:
July 23, 2010 – July 25, 2010 on
Friday See description for schedule
Saturday See description for schedule
Sunday See description for schedule

Description

A tall ship used for training the cast and crew of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie will be docked in the Port of Toledo and open for tours July 23-25.

The Privateer Lynx, a 122-foot, square top sail schooner, is to fire a salute of six-pounder carronades from the main battery upon entering the port and will be docked beside the Willis B. Boyer Museum Ship.
Tours will be available from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. July 23 and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 24 and 25. A public adventure sail is scheduled from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. July 24 and 25 at a cost of $65 for adults and $35 for children 12 and under.
For more information visit http://www.privateerlynx.com/.

Venue:
Downtown Toledo OH

All Saints Catholic Church Festival

Dates & Times:
July 23, 2010 – July 24, 2010 on
Friday 5:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Saturday 5:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Description

All Saints Festival has entertainment: Friday is Touch of Brass and Bonkers, on Saturday is Randy Krajewski and the Badinov’s and Sundelay. We have rides, games, poker, bingo, and plenty of ethinic foods. On Saturday we begin the festival at 4:00 p.m. with a polka mass in air-conditioned church. We will have a BBQ Chicken Dinner from 5 to 8 unless sold out. Bring the whole family for plenty of FUN!

Venue Information

Venue:
All Saints Catholic Church

Address:
628 Lime City Road, Rossford, OH

Name:
All Saints Catholic Church -Audrey Caligiuri

Pizza Palooza

Dates & Times:
July 23, 2010 – July 24, 2010 on
Friday 4 pm to Midnight
Saturday 4 pm to Midnight

Price:
Admission $5, kids 6-12: $3 and children 5 and under admitted for free

Description

Those already booked for the event include Aimee’s Pizza,
Andrew Z Pizzeria, Bennett’s Pizza, Charlie’s Pizza, Jets Pizza,
Jo Jo’s Pizza, Marco’s Pizza, Padrone’s Pizza, Rosie’s Pizza, The Original Gino’s Pizza, and Vito’s Pizza.

The Danger Brothers will be the featured musical act on July 23, along with Mas Fina and 56 Daze.

The Undeserving will be the July 24 headliners, performing in their northwest Ohio debut, joined by Johnny Rocker and the Hitmen and Madison Avenue Band.

Venue:
Centennial Terrace

Address:
5773 Centennial, Sylvania, OH

Presenting Organization – Sylvania Area Chamber of Commerce

Don’t miss this!  C’mon out, get some exercise and look at lots of art while doing so.  Tonight, Thursday, July 22, 2010;  6 pm to 9 pm

For the second installment in the 2010 Thursday Art Walk Series, the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo (ACGT) is pleased to announce the addition of new venues and street performing entertainment during the event. Art Walk will take place in Downtown Toledo on the fourth Thursday of each month through September, 6 – 9 p.m. Future dates are July 22, August 26, and September 23.

This summer series is presented by ACGT as a program of its Live Work Create Toledo initiative, which explores opportunities for economic development and revitalization through the arts.

Community members are encouraged to come out for the Art Walk, get some fresh air and exercise, and peruse and purchase the work of hundreds of local and regional artists. This month, sixteen venues will open their doors for the Art Walk.

Sit Down, Look Up

In addition to the venues, visitors are encouraged to view the ‘walking gallery’ of the Urban Forest Project (UFP), featuring the work of more than 50 local graphic designers, which features banners hung on light poles in and around the Arts Zone and Downtown. More info on the UFP is available via, www.ufp-toledo.com. Also featured in the Arts Zone are newly installed Art Benches, painted by the 2009 Young Artists at Work (YAAW) apprentices. YAAW is an award-winning program of ACGT that employs diverse and at-risk youth for the summer, offering job training, and an intense exposure to the arts. www.yaaw.org.

Street Performers

New this year to the Art Walk, ACGT is sponsoring Street Performer licenses for local performers. Each month, a small group of performers will be empowered with the ability to busk (street perform) legally, adding the ability to earn income from their craft, as well as flavor to our streets and sidewalks. In May, ACGT sponsored the folk duo Stately Mane, and in June, we will sponsor local indie-Hawaiian folk trio, The Fairly Handsome Band. Throughout the summer, ACGT will sponsor a broad variety of performers, from musicians, to dancers, and more in-between.

For more information, please contact Michelle Carlson at the ACGT at 419-254-2787 or visit www.acgt.org.

Venue Information

Downtown Toledo, Toledo OH 43604

Name:
Arts Commission of Greater Toledo

There are two great music concerts tomorrow, Thursday, July 22nd.  The good news is they are both FREE events, the bad news is you will have to choose one or the other and they run simultaneously. 

First, we have Music at the Market. Music to complement the Farmers’ Market. Bring a chair or blanket!Featured Performer: Whiskey Before Breakfast.  This concert runs from 7 – 8 pm and is located at Commodore Square 140 E. Indiana Ave., Perrysburg.

Second, we have Jazz in the Garden at the Toledo Botanical Garden.  Join us for great music and a whole lot of fun! More info on our jazz performers will be posted soon!  This concert runs from 6:30 – 8:30 pm and is located at Toledo Botanical Gardens, 5403 Elmer Drive, Toledo, OH 43615-2803.

Some of the biggest names in Christian music will converge upon Cedar Point on Saturday, September 18!

Come see Casting Crowns, FamilyForce5, Remedy Drive, David Nasser and the Skit Guys.

Don’t forget – you can also enjoy Cedar Point’s 75 rides just next door, including the new Shoot the Rapids water river adventure ride!

Admission Plan

$53.99 Gold Circle Early Bird For guests 48" & taller. Includes admission to Cedar Point and PointFest. Purchase by August 20, 2010.

$26.99 Passholder Gold Circle For Season Passholders 48" or taller

$45.99 General Admission Early Bird For guests 48" or taller. Includes admission to Cedar Point and PointFest. Purchase by August 20, 2010.

$21.99 Passholder General Admission For Season Passholders 48" or taller

$39.99 Junior/Senior General Admission For those under 48" tall OR age 62 & older

Purchase Tickets

Click here to purchase PointFest tickets

General Information

PointFest will take place in Cedar Point’s Soak City parking lot. Please bring lawn chairs and blankets for your comfort. Concert is held rain or shine.

Cedar Point is open Noon – Midnight on Saturday, September 18.

Cedar Point has several on-site hotel options. Click here for more information.

Food & drink will be available for purchase in the park. The parking fee is $10. All concert-goers must enter through a Cedar Point admission gate and go through the park to enter PointFest.

Group tickets (15+) are available. Please call 1.800.448.2428 (options 1, 1) to place an order. Group tickets are not available online.

Have you been to Hero’s in Rossford yet?  It is a lot of fun and they have GREAT pizza too.  Hero’s has open play hours on Friday from 11 am – 1 pm and also on Sunday from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm.  Admission is $10 per child and includes pizza and a drink.  Hero’s open play parties are organized events filled with 2 hours of non-stop actions!  Check it out today.  Hero’s is located at 9851 Meridian Ct., Rossford, Ohio 43460.

Come out to the Toledo Zoo later this week week to meet some of the zookeepers and see what their job actually entails!

National Zookeepers Week Celebrations

Come meet our zookeepers!
What does it take to be a zookeeper? How do The Toledo Zoo’s keepers take great care of animals? These questions and many more will be answered as The Toledo Zoo celebrates National Zookeeper Week from Friday, July 23 to Sunday, July 25. Established by the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK), National Zookeeper Week gives visitors a chance to talk to Toledo Zoo keepers about the care they provide for the Zoo’s animals each day. You’ll see that keepers do a lot more than pick up poop!

Too see a schedule of activities for each day, please click HERE.

WOW!  Do not miss out on this Special Membership Offer at Imagination Station! Get an EXTRA 30 days of membership – FREE!

If you become a member of Imagination Station by August 2, 2010, you’ll receive an extra 30 days of membership absolutely Free! That’s 720 hours, or 43,200 minutes, or 2,592,000 seconds of unlimited admission to Toledo’s amazing hands-on science center.

Already a Member?
There’s an added bonus for you too!  If you recommend us to a friend and that friend becomes a member by August 2 – YOU get an extra 30 days added to your membership, too!

To activate your extra 30 days, join now!

Membership Benefits:
Being a member of Imagination Station unlocks a world of exploration and discovery. Along with unlimited admission to the science center, members also receive these basic membership benefits:

• Reciprocating membership benefits with over 350 science centers. Click here to access a full list of reciprocating science centers.
• Subscription to DISCOVER, the quarterly newsletter
• Subscription to the monthly electronic newsletter, Discover.e
• Sneak previews to special exhibitions
• 4 Members-Only events a year
• 10% discount to the Science 2 GO! Gift Shop
• 10% discount on all Educational Programs
• Free static sticker
• Free simulator rides
• Parking discounts

For more information about membership, or to apply by phone, please call John Hopkins, Membership Manager, at 419.244.2674 ext. 116 or email jhopkins@imaginationstationtoledo.org

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to take my kids to Cedar Point!  How would you like to take your kids for FREE?  Win a family 4-pack of tickets to Cedar Point from Hansons’ (and that includes Halloweekends!).   The winner will be announced Wednesday, August 4.  The contest runs from July 15-30. One entry per household please. 

To enter this drawing, please click HERE!  Good luck and thank you for visiting Toledo Mom’s Blog!

For official rules to the contest, please click HERE!  Please note:  you may be contacted by a salesperson from Hansons if you enter this contest!