Family Outings with Mom: Mother’s Day 2023 Events

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May 5, 2023

Looking for Mother’s Day celebration ideas? Our calendar is full of fun activities to share with mom, and we’ve listed some of our favorites below. Happy Mother’s Day!

FRIDAY MAY 5 – SUNDAY MAY 7
Mother’s Day Vendor Event at Franklin Place Mall
Vendors and crafters will be set up at Franklin Place Mall for your gift giving needs.

SATURDAY MAY 6

Mothers Day Shopping Event at Whiskey Bean Boutique
Shop over 30 small businesses, including a henna station and a tie-dye station. There will also be a food truck, photo booth, and door prizes.

Mother’s Day Floral Design Class with Beautiful Blooms by Jen
$45 a person gets you all materials, tools and instruction to design a beautiful spring arrangement to take home! Make a day of it and grab lunch in downtown Sylvania. Shopping at Beautiful Blooms will begin at 1:30 (You get 10% off anything you purchase!) and class will begin at 1:45pm.

SUNDAY MAY 7
Flower Arranging Workshop at Toledo Zoo
What better way to celebrate the mothers and grandmothers in our lives than by spending an afternoon creating beautiful memories and floral arrangements together. No previous floral arranging experience is necessary, just bring your creative spirit. Guided by a member of the Zoo’s horticulture department, each participant will be provided with the flowers and materials to craft their own florist quality arrangements valued at over $100.

MONDAY MAY 8
Mother’s Day Crafting at the Locke Branch Library
Kids and teens can make a photo craft and card to give to someone special.

FRIDAY MAY 12
Night Market in the Garden
Celebrate the opening of the annual Night Market season by strolling the beautiful grounds of the Toledo Botanical Garden, shopping with artisan sellers and exploring the Artist Village. The night market may be only one night but the Artist Village Spring Sale spans the entire Mother’s Day weekend.

SATURDAY MAY 13 and SUNDAY MAY 14
Motherhood ‘N’ Baked Goods
Motherhood ‘N’ Baked Goods is a bake sale fundraiser and outdoor event honoring mothers and daughters. The weekend is designed to provide your family and our community with an exciting and safe way to celebrate Mother’s Day! Generations of Her looks forward to offering treats, resources, and opportunities for all generations to enjoy and benefit from.

SATURDAY MAY 13
Mother’s Day at Callisto Terra
Celebrate your momma with glass candles, roses, and hearts. Make memories together with a gift that won’t wilt – time together! She’ll love the FREE gift she gets just for being your momma & taking our Mother’s Day Class; bring her in for a time of creativity, peace, & time together.

Mother’s Day Weekend Flower Arrangement Workshop
Create a lovely spring arrangement for (or with!) that special lady in your life. Attendees will be able to make an arrangement of their own unique style with the help of our team. Choose the size that fits your needs! Price is per arrangement/individual.

SUNDAY MAY 14
Mothers Day Brunch at The Heights
Join Chef Rigot and his amazing culinary team to celebrate Mothers Day! Adults $50 per person and children under 12 are $20 before tax and gratuity. Also offering a build your own bloody Mary and/or mimosa bar for $20 for two drinks! This is a pre-paid experience. Regular menu will not be available. Reservations can be made on Open Table!

Mother’s Day Buffet at Maumee Bay Brewing Co.
Salute all moms on their special day! There will be a great buffet spread complete with pastries, omelet and ham carving stations, sausage gravy & biscuits, fruit, fried chicken, assorted sides…something for EVERYONE!

Mother’s Day Buffet at Heather Downs Country Club
Enjoy Carved Roast Beef, Roast Chicken, Shrimp Scampi, Lemon Dill Salmon and much more during this Mother’s Day Buffet. Two seating times available: 11am and 1:30pm. Tickets can only be purchased through the Heather Downs Country Club website. All seats are pre-paid for this event as seating is limited.

Little Mermaid Jr., Mother’s Day Performances
Join Ariel, Sebastian, Flounder and the rest of the cast of Little Mermaid Jr. for Mother’s Day! Performances are being held at 1pm and 4pm. This is a condensed version of the full Broadway show, perfect for little ones!

Glass City Pearl Mother’s Day Cruise
BOGO tickets – Bring mom/grandmother out for a wonderful cruise on the river…ALL mothers/grandmothers are FREE with the purchase of another ticket. All food and drinks including alcoholic beverages are welcome and a small cooler to keep items cold.

FREE Toledo Area Events: May 2023

By

Shannon Merryman

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May 4, 2023

StoryTunes with TAPA

StoryTunes is TAPA’s take on story time for caregivers and children ages 0-3. During these 45-minute classes, Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) educator and Musically Me founder, Cheryl Freeman, and a special musical guest will bring stories to life. Here are the dates:

MAY 16
Holland Branch Library

MAY 18 and MAY 25
Oregon Branch Library

Free Comic Book Day

MAY 6

A promotional event organized by the North American comic book industry each year, Free Comic Book Day aims to attract new readers to independent comic book stores. Enjoy the day’s activities at the following locations:

Toledo Game Room

Monarch Comics

Main Library

Comic Book Day

Mini Comic and Zine Workshop

Tinkering Takeovers

Get excited about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) with Imagination Station. Tinkering Takeovers will take place at various Toledo Lucas County locations. There is no charge to attend; all you need to bring is your creativity. Find the event at the following locations:

East Toledo Family Center
MAY 3 & MAY 18

Walbridge Park
MAY 12

Soccer After School for Youth

MAY 15

After School soccer classes for youth ages 6-12 the first and third Monday of every month.

Heart and Mind – Mental Health Fair

MAY 10
The goal for this program is to provide hands-on education for pre-teens and hold a space for parents to advocate for themselves, their children, and peers when it comes to the struggles of day-to-day mental health.

2023 Sylvania Memorial Day Parade

May 29

Sylvania’s Memorial Day Celebration has become one of the largest and best attended in Northwest Ohio.

Summer Read Volunteen Program

The Toledo Lucas County Public Library is looking for responsible teen volunteers to assist with summer reading programs. Teens are required to apply and attend a training session.

Holland Branch Library
MAY 13, 15, & 27

Mott Branch Library
MAY 4 and 18

Birmingham Branch Library
MAY 8 and 31

Oregon Branch Library
MAY 10 and 13

Sylvania Branch Library
MAY 13, 16 and 30

Maumee Branch Library
MAY 18

Washington Branch Library
MAY 20

South Branch Library
MAY 23

Reynolds Corner Branch Library
MAY 24 and 31

Lagrange Branch Library
MAY 30

Waterville Branch Library
MAY 31

What’s the Best Advice Your Mom or Grandma Ever Gave You?

By

Riley Runnells

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May 4, 2023

A mother and grandmother — Celebrate Mother's Day with reminiscing on the best advice you were given.

Toledo Moms for Social Justice: Providing Community for Parents with Similar Values

By

Penny Tullis Meeker

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May 2, 2023

Facebook has been known to create division at times, especially on cultural and political issues. Facebook private groups that are thoughtfully moderated can also provide a space for those who share similar values and goals to find connection and learn from each other. When Erin Schoen Marsh co-founded a private Facebook group, Toledo Moms for Social Justice, she was hoping to provide such a space.

When the group started prior to COVID, Marsh observed that “people were excited to join because a lot of people felt like we did. They were looking for more like-minded individuals, so they could openly talk about things that were affecting them as parents and affecting their kids.”

Diverse communities
The online forum provided a community of support during tumultuous times. Making sense of racism, the pandemic, and social injustice can be challenging enough for adults, let alone children. Toledo Moms for Social Justice supports caregivers to become more informed about and engaged in social justice. The group aims to offer a place to explore when and how to have difficult conversations with children about what is happening in the world.

The group’s moderators and members are intentionally diverse. Marsh explains, “It’s not diversity for the sake of diversity, but having people with different lived experiences, whether that’s because you grew up with a disability like me, or because you’re Black or brown or Muslim or Christian or whatever. It’s that we can all benefit from those lived experiences and make us better people and better parents.”

Social justice movements
Learning together about social justice issues throughout the pandemic, George Floyd’s death, and now post-pandemic has meant that the group has evolved. In the beginning, the focus was mostly on becoming more educated. The community created a space where it was okay to make mistakes and to learn from others who have a different lived experiences and can offer a different perspective on language/word choices, issues, historic and current events.

While learning and education on social justice is still an important part of the group, the focus has shifted. Group members request and share referrals to local resources that are welcoming and inclusive. Referrals for community resources include anything from healthcare, schools, or kid-friendly activities. Group members also keep the group informed on opportunities for getting involved locally on social justice issues.

Goals of the Group

Inclusion, anti-racism, and community
Learning from each other and each other’s mistakes
Interacting with parents from diverse racial and religious backgrounds who have different lived experiences
Providing opportunities to get involved
Supporting our local community
Offering a safe space for other like-minded parents to share their questions and concerns

For Marsh, the most rewarding part of being a moderator for Toledo Moms for Social Justice has been the connection, and she has made new friends and deepened connections with others. “I’ve come to really respect and admire the opinions and points of view of the people in this group.”

The Facebook group is open to members who want to connect with and learn from a diverse group of followers who share similar goals. Being a mom or cisgender female is not required. Anyone who views themselves as a caregiver is welcome, as well as those who have students, nieces/nephews or other parenting roles.

The group has grown to 628 members, mostly by referral. Community members can request to join the group on Facebook and answer three questions to ensure a similar commitment to the group’s goals. Find their group here if you are interested in joining the community.

Letter from the Editor: Summer Road Trips and Toledo To-Dos

By

Erin Holden

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May 1, 2023

Summer in the City

Time to explore locally and beyond

Last June, my family and I had an epic road trip adventure to the Finger Lakes Region in upstate New York and then on to Maine before crossing into Canada to explore Quebec City and Montreal. It was such a beautiful experience, and one that is a yearly tradition for me and my husband since the early days of our relationship. The “summer road trip” has only become more fun since our son, Townes, was born two years ago!

Summer 2023 will involve a pitstop in Sioux Falls, SD to visit with a friend, then on to Missoula, MT to spend a whole month with my husband’s sister and her family. From there, we’ll also spend some time in Banff National Park, along with an excursion across the Idaho Panhandle to Spokane, WA, to see an old friend of mine. It’s such an exhilarating and educating experience to travel the country, reconnecting with the people you love along the way.

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That is all to say that late spring/summer means adventure to us, and not just when it involves traveling far from home. The warm weather brings about opportunities to get to know Toledo even more. I’ve lived here for five years now, and there are still so many new things to experience.

Our May/June issue outlines activities you and your family can enjoy in the Toledo area through our STEM and Summer Camp Guides. We’ve also included a documentary review, a food review about Perrysburg’s Rosaria’s on 3rd, news about local happenings and other resources to inspire your own summer adventures.

Happy Mother’s Day and Father’s Day to all our readers who are striving to be the best parents they can be. We see you, and we always love hearing from you! Please email me at [email protected] if you have story ideas. It’s a joy to hear from each one of you.

XOXO,

Erin Holden
Assignment Editor
Toledo Area Parent

My Favorite Things

Kodiak Ridge The Toledo Zoo’s newest exhibit features a male Kodiak bear (Dodge) and two female Grizzly bear sisters (Cody and Montana). This exhibit’s defining feature for me is the sensory log that allows young visitors to see (and smell) the bears up close. It’s the coolest.

You are Good This podcast is for anyone who enjoys a hilarious, heartfelt recap about iconic films, from more cerebral choices like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to 90s teen comedies like 10 Things I Hate about You. It brings me endless joy.

The Mohicans Treehouse Resort A few months ago, my family and I stayed in a vintage Airstream camper mounted on a platform in the trees. It’s called The Silver Bullet, and it is equipped with all the amenities you could ask for, including a luxurious steam shower. Stay tuned for a full story on our stay at toledoparent.com.

The Goodie Bar Dessert Shop and Boutique This place, located at 1335 S. Detroit Ave., has come through for me on two separate occasions. I ordered a Snickers cheesecake for my husband’s birthday, and he said it was the best he had ever had. Then I purchased a custom-made construction-themed cake for Townes’s second birthday. It was delicious AND so adorable.

May/June Mother’s Day Giveaway

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Digital Media

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