The annual Holiday Tree Festival at the John S. Knight Center.
The annual Holiday Tree Festival at the John S. Knight Center. Credit: (Courtesy of Akron Children's Hospital)

Your weekend plans

Channel your inner artist Friday at the Akron Zoo’s Wine and Paint. Attendees can enjoy drinks and appetizers as they create a lemur-themed 11” x 14” painting to take home. Tickets are $35 for zoo members and $40 for nonmembers. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the event begins at 6 p.m. Please note, the zoo is not open for this event.

The annual Holiday Tree Festival kicks off Saturday at the John S. Knight Center. Now in its 43rd year, the event is the work of volunteers at Akron Children’s. The festival will feature 165 decorated trees as well as wreaths and holiday gifts (menorahs, nativity scenes, floral arrangements, gift baskets and more), plus live musical performances. All display items will be available for purchase. The free festival runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. all other days through Sunday. Nov. 24.

On Sunday, explore the site of the deepest lock on the Ohio & Erie Canal (Lock 28) at the Deep Lock History Hike. Sandstone from Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park, located in Peninsula, was used to construct structures in and around Akron. Today, the park is home to turtles, frogs and migratory birds — and boasts more Buckeye trees than any other Summit Metro Park. Attendees will join a naturalist for a 1.4-mile hike on the Quarry Trail. The free event begins at 2 p.m.

Culture & Arts Reporter (she/her)
Brittany is an accomplished journalist who’s passionate about the arts, civic engagement and great storytelling. She has more than a decade of experience covering culture and arts, both in Ohio and nationally. She previously served as the associate editor of Columbus Monthly, where she wrote community-focused stories about Central Ohio’s movers and shakers. A lifelong Ohioan, she grew up in Springfield and graduated from Kent State University.