Page 30 - Leisure Living Magazine: May 2020 Edition

On Stage,In Concert
& Other Celebrations
Compiled by Catharine Hadley, Arts and Entertainment Editor, catharinehadley@gmail.com
Support Local Businesses!
I like to work ahead on this column. I write myself notes, and I keep a file of the things that I figure are sure to happen, so I’m never pressed when I get close to a deadline.
All those things that I thought were “sure to happen” are in limbo. Box offices and museums are temporarily closed. I’m not sure that the events
that I find won’t
be canceled. At a
moment in time when
many people have
real problems, I find
myself trying to figure
out how to write
an entertainment
column.
of Art, Toledo Museum of Art, and Toledo Zoo and Aquarium have online resources and videos. My favorite videos are of the penguins at the Shedd Aquarium when they get the chance to wander through the exhibits.
Streaming concerts are my new favorite thing. I recently attended a concert presented by The Listening Room in Port Clinton. I was
Outside is still
open. Even though I
have lived most of my
life in the area, there are places I have not yet explored. Maybe now is a good time to start doing things I have not done! Beaches, parks, the Marblehead Lighthouse, Water Works Park in Port Clinton, East Harbor State Park, the North Coast Inland Trail, Veterans Memorial Lake Park in Norwalk, Erie MetroParks, and other natural areas are, at the time I write this, open. Check ahead before going to a park. At some, the parks are open but the restrooms are closed – a good thing to know!
Of course, you can also go to the British Museum, the Louvre, the Smithsonian National Museum of National History, the Shedd Aquarium, the San Diego Zoo, and plenty of other destinations, all online. You can also watch Broadway shows and go to Walt Disney World, too. Virtual tours are a lot of fun, let alone safer and less expensive than the real thing. The Cleveland Museum
in my favorite pajamas sitting on the sofa eating take-out food. Viewers could use Venmo and PayPal
to tip the performer. The venue is planning to have more shows like that one. “Like” the venue’s Facebook to get advance
announcements of performances.
I try to support local artists and businesses when I can. It’s a little more challenging now, but certainly not impossible. Purchasing gift cards helps business owners get through these tough times. Consider purchasing season tickets from non-profit theater or musical groups, a zoo, or a museum, ahead of time. These can make great gifts! Many non-profits hold fundraisers each spring, and those could end up being canceled.
My social life at the moment is confined to talking to my neighbors from their front yards, and hanging out with Gov. Mike DeWine at 2 p.m. most days. Like most people, I’ve been trying to look on the bright side of things.
As we move through the Recovery Plan, we strongly suggest that you check ahead for open dates and times of local businesses and events who are hoping to welcome you soon.
Looking forward to summer on Lake Erie.
30 |LeisureLiving May 2020
www.LeisureLivingMagazine.com