CLEVELAND, Ohio - Everything has a price.
Well, not exactly. Some things CAN be had for free, and we're not just talking intangibles. Cleveland has an array of free activities and events, movies and museums and concerts ... even free Indians tickets and donuts. And we know where they are.
Read on for 29 of the best deals in town.
1. Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7340, clevelandart.org: Picasso, Monet, Gauguin Caravaggio, Pollock, Kiefer, Warhol, Asian art, the Armor Court . . . it's all at CMA, and it's all free. Without question, it's the best deal in town. Current exhibits include "My Dakota: Photographs by Rebecca Norris Webb," "Fresh Prints: Nineties to Now" and "Gloria: Robert Rauschenberg and Rachel Harrison."
2. Arts in August, Tremont, tremontwest.org/index/arts-in-august: Music, dance, theater and opera are all on the bill for Tremont's annual August arts extravaganza, running Saturday, Aug. 1, to Saturday, Aug. 22. Performers include the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Cleveland Public Theatre, Verb Ballets, Cleveland Opera Theatre and Harmonia. Full schedule: http://tremontwest.org/index/arts-in-august.
3. Free movies in Coventry Village, Cleveland Heights, coventryvillage.org/: The Coventry Village neighborhood in Cleveland Heights is celebrating summer with a series of free events that include a knock-out selection of kids' movies and cult movies in Coventry P.E.A.C.E Park. The kids' movies screen Thursdays and include "Annie" (July 16); "Classic Cartoons Night" and the Annual Coventry Pie Fight (July 23); and "Big Hero 6" (July 30). Cult movies screen Fridays and include "American Splendor" (July 25) and "This Is Spinal Tap" (Aug. 7). Movies begin at dark.
4. Mondays at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, clemetzoo.com: Are you a resident of Cuyahoga County or Hinckley Township? Then add some animal attractions to your Monday, when it's free for residents of those areas. Save the usual $13.25 adult and $9.25 children's admission, plus get to see the new Penguin Shores exhibit and much more.
5. Edgewater LIVE concert series, http://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/Main/Aquatics1/Edgewater-Beach-2.aspx: Cleveland is going to the beach. Every Thursday through Aug. 20, Edgewater Beach hosts the Edgewater LIVE Thursday night happy hour series on the waterfront. The concerts take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. In addition to the weekly bands, the evening series will include food trucks, yoga, stand-up paddleboarding, cornhole, adult beverages at a cash bar and family activities - and of course, great beach and skyline views.
6. Lakewood Public Cinema at the Lakewood Public Library
, 15425 Detroit Ave., 216-226-8275,
: Do date night, or afternoon, on the cheap with Lakewood Public Library's stellar, long-running free Saturday evening movie series, from classics to cult favorites and more. Upcoming films include Ricky Gervais in "The Invention of Lying" at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 18; "Jude" at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 25; and the original "Planet of the Apes" at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8.
7. Free donuts at Krispy Kreme, 6907 Pearl Road, Middleburg Heights, 440-845-1111: Are you hip to the "Hot Light"? If not, you should be. If you happen to be driving by Krispy Kreme HQ at Southland Shopping Center in Middleburg Heights and the red "hot Krispy Kreme now" neon sign in the window is lit, it's time to park your car and get out. All patrons get a free glazed donut during hot light time. You never know when that might be, but I've had good luck finding it on in the early evening. Sweet!
8. Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland Learning Center and Money Museum: 1455 East Sixth St., 216-579-3188, clevelandfed.org: Isn't it ironic? The MONEY museum is free! Yes, free! For the cost of, well, nothing, you can teach your kids money doesn't grow on trees with the Fed Learning Center's 30-plus interactive exhibits.
9. Rockefeller Park Greenhouse, 750 East 88th St., Cleveland, 216-664-3103, facebook.com/RockefellerGreenhouse: Year-round, Clevelanders can visit this civic gem to see displays - from the cactus garden and tropical plants inside, to the rose garden, sprawling Japanese and Peace gardens and Betty Ott Talking Garden for sight-impaired visitors outside. On your way there, don't forget to look out the window for a glimpse of one of Cleveland's unique treasures, the ever-growing Cultural Gardens stretching over 250 acres of East Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
10. Free tickets from Cleveland Indians High Achievers Program, cleveland.indians.mlb.com/cle/fan_forum/highachievers.jsp: Is your little one a high achiever? She or he can turn those good grades into Indians tickets with the Tribe's High Achievers Program. Log on, submit your child's report card, and they will be eligible for vouchers for up to four tickets.
11. Metroparks Adventure Club membership, http://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/Main/Adventure-Club-Register.aspx: Help your kids get out and explore one of Cleveland's most wonderful assets, the Metroparks, with free membership in their Adventure Club. The club, open to children 12 and under, offers a full year-round schedule of family activities throughout its reservations. Free membership includes an official passport, access to activities and a newsletter. (A $30 annual premium membership adds in behind-the-scenes events including ranger talks and a free fall hayride.)
12. Take a Hike walking tours, clevelandgatewaydistrict.com/history/heritage-tourism/: Get to know your city better, with one of these fantastic free downtown walking tours offered by the Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corp. This year's tours explore the Gateway District, the Warehouse District, Playhouse Square, Canal Basin Park in the Flats and the Civic Center. Tours are offered once a week through Sunday, Sept. 16. See the website for a schedule.
13. Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, cleveshakes.com: Experience the Bard (with a blanket and bug spray) in a variety of unique outdoor settings around town this summer, as the CSF launches its free annual tour. This year's productions include "The Merchant of Venice," running through Sunday, Aug. 2, at venues all around town. See the website for a schedule.
14. A day at the beach: Clevelanders take our Great Lake for granted. We shouldn't. This summer, lie back, relax and soak in the sun at one of Northeast Ohio's beaches along Lake Erie.
15. Wade Oval Wednesdays, University Circle, universitycircle.org: WOW indeed! University Circle's free Wednesday parties are just about the best night in the city. From 6 to 9 p.m., Wade Oval will supply the music and picnic spots. You supply the food and drink (vendors are on site, too). This year's WOW series began on June 17 and runs through Aug. 26. The free weekly events feature one band per week, plus two movie nights, including a screening of "Paddington" on July 15 and "Big Hero 6" on Aug. 12. Special nights include a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 22.
16. International Women's Air and Space Museum, Burke Lakefront Airport, 1501 N. Marginal Road, Cleveland, 216-623-1111, iwasm.org: Did you know that the Wright Brothers' sister, Katharine, was very active in their success? Or that Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to orbit the Earth? You will, and then some, when you visit this excellent free museum dedicated to honoring the women who played an important role in the history of aviation.
17. Preston's H.O.P.E., at the Mandel Jewish Community Center, 26001 S. Woodland Road, Beachwood, prestonshope.com: There are playgrounds, and then there are playgrounds - and then there's Preston's H.O.P.E. This amazing Beachwood playground is the largest free playground accessible to children of all abilities in Ohio. The $3 million park opened in 2008 and is named for Preston Fisher, who was born with spinal muscular atrophy, which kept him in a wheelchair. He died in December 2008, but this wonderful park honors his life. It includes the 60,000-square-foot "Imagination Village" play area.
18. Cleveland Police Museum, Justice Center, 1300 Ontario St., 216-623-5055, clevelandpolicemuseum.org: See the death masks of the victims in the infamous Torso Murders! See artifacts from Eliot Ness! See exhibits on motorcycle and canine units! Learn about Cleveland policing in the 19th century! And see it all - and more - for free at this fascinating museum.
19. Rocky River Nature Center, 24000 Valley Parkway, North Olmsted, 440-734-6660, clevelandmetroparks.com: One of the Metroparks' true gems, the center offers over five miles of trails and gardens, including spectacular views of a 360-million-year-old shale cliff. Inside, the center's permanent exhibits include the giant fish of the Devonian sea, Dunkleosteus, and the Hideaway Hollow giant oak tree with lots of things to discover. Free events include hikes, lectures and family programming.
20. Cuyahoga County Public Library programs, cuyahogalibrary.org: There's a lot more than books here. Year round, CCPL plans a plethora of free programs that tour from branch to branch. Summer events include the annual summer reading contest; Comic Books 101 on Tuesday, July 21, at the Parma branch and Minecraft Mania the same day in Middleburg Heights; tween technology events throughout the summer; and a concert series that includes acoustic guitarist Victor Samalot at the Parma Snow branch on Monday, Aug 3. Registration required for most events, on the website or at your branch.
21. Cuyahoga Valley National Park activities, http://www.nps.gov/cuva/planyourvisit/index.htm: Free fun in this natural gem ranges from ranger-led hikes and explorations to free concerts and the Get Up, Get Out & Go! kids' program. Upcoming events include Yoga and Field Games at Boston Store Visitor Center, 1550 Boston Mills Road, east of Riverview Road, Peninsula, from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 15; and the HeartBEAT Afrika concert from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, in Howe Meadow. Preceded by family activities at 5:30 p.m.
22. Tremont Art Walk, tremontartwalk.com: Every second Friday, Tremont transforms into a huge art party as art lovers and plain old party lovers gallery hop through the monthly art openings at the many galleries. It's one of the best Friday nights in town, especially in warm weather. And of course, while looking is free - and many galleries even have complimentary nibbles - they'd love it if you bought some art, too.
23. CMA Ohio City Stages concerts, clevelandart.org: The Cleveland Museum of Art is bringing the world to Ohio City on Wednesdays in July. For the second year, their world-class free concert series of acclaimed global musicians will set up stage on the block surrounding the Transformer Station on West 29th Street. The concerts start at 7:30 p.m.; the bill on Wednesday, July 15, will feature Colombian performer Ondatropica. Tamikrest, "the spearhead of the new Tuareg generation," from Mali, performs July 22.
24. NASA Glenn Research Center tours, 216-433-9653, https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/events/tours.html: Get a sneak peek at the latest NASA technologies (well, as much as the government will reveal). From April through October, the Glenn Research Center offers free public tours of its research facilities. The tours are open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents with a government-issued photo identification or a permanent resident card. Individuals without proper ID will not be admitted. Reservations required. The next tour is Saturday, Aug. 1, and will focus on NASA's Virtual Reality lab.
25. Cleveland Public Library programs, www.cpl.org: CPL offers a bevy of free family events and classes at its main campus and branches. Among them: the Music at Main concerts; free GED and ESL classes; free tutoring and craft-making for kids; a summer reading club; even free lunches for those who qualify. Upcoming free events include a talk with writer/actor LeVar Burton at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 30, and a concert by Nashville singer Lacy Green at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug 1. See the website or visit your local branch. Both events are at the library's Main Branch, 325 Superior Ave. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 216-623-2800 or go to http://www.cpl.org/Home.aspx.
26. Donation-based yoga, Yoga Walden - Om Studio, 1119 Aurora Hudson Road, Aurora, 330-995-9772: Take your yoga practice to a deeper level with Yoga Walden's donation-based ongoing classes that include Yoga Alliance's Certified 200-hour Teacher Training Program, plus self-practice for all levels. Classes are appropriate for any level yogi. Class schedule: http://www.yourwalden.com/wellness/event-calendar/.
27. Stearns Homestead, 6975 Ridge Road, Parma, 440-845-9770, stearnshomestead.com: Yep, that's a farm in the middle of the city. Explore more than 48 acres at this working farm, smack-dab in the middle of busy Parma. Animals include horses, cows, goats, pigs, chickens and turkeys. There is also a country store and two historic museum houses. There is a small fee of less than $1 to buy food to feed the animals. The experience is priceless.
28. Birthday clubs: Several local restaurants and retailers offer birthday clubs, including two of my favorites: East Coast Custard (eastcoastcustard.com/) and Johnny Mango World Cafe and Bar (jmango.com), which gives you a $7 off coupon your birthday month.
29. Lake Erie Nature and Science Center, 28728 Wolf Road, Bay Village, 440-871-2900, www.lensc.org/: Admission is always free at this educational facility where the wonders of plant and animal life can be explored by all ages. There are nominal fees for the planetarium and some activities, but visiting the wildlife is free. Animals include a red fox, bald eagle, 9-foot boa constrictor and many other creatures.
Honorable mention: The $1 Family Films Series at Cleveland Cinemas, clevelandcinemas.com: OK, it's not FREE, but $1 for movies is such a good deal we couldn't help but mention Cleveland Cinemas' series - especially when it usually costs a small fortune to take the family to the movies. Through July 29, the Capitol Theatre (1390 West 65th St., Cleveland), Chagrin Cinemas (8200 E. Washington St., Bainbridge Township), Shaker Square Cinemas (13116 Shaker Square, Cleveland) and the Apollo Theatre in Oberlin are showing family films including "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb" (July 15), "Penguins of Madagascar" (July 22) and "Jumanji" (July 29).