Cider presses will spin, beehives will hum, and a three-acre corn maze will swallow up families at Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Kirtland when the Apple & Honey Harvest Weekend takes over the 235-acre grounds Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20. The event runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at the farm's address on Euclid Chardon Road, mixing hands-on demonstrations with animal encounters.
The weekend, reported by Cleveland.com reporter Paris Wolfe, packs in apple cider-making demonstrations, apple-butter-making demonstrations, and beekeeping demonstrations, alongside a themed Johnny Appleseed Trail that walks visitors through the man behind the region's apple-growing legacy. Visitors can also shop for fresh produce from local farms and grab an apple slushie for a small fee, per that same report. Beyond the seasonal programming, guests can visit Farmpark's resident animals, try their hand at cow milking in the dairy parlor, and take part in horse grooming inside the equine center arena.
Why Kirtland's Working Farm Draws Crowds Year-Round
Lake Metroparks Farmpark traces back to land first purchased for agriculture by Christopher G. Crary in 1831, later used by Dr. Leonard T. Skeggs to raise Polish Arabian horses under the name Locust Farms, according to Lake Metroparks. Today, Farmpark is an educational farm and public showcase for farming heritage. The site welcomes students from regional schools and was named one of the top ten educational farming sites in the country by USA Today, per Destination Cleveland.
Farmpark sits within the larger Lake Metroparks system in Lake County, Ohio, which encompasses parks and trails.
What It Costs to Get In
General admission runs $7 to $9 depending on age, with members admitted free, according to Wolfe's Cleveland.com report. Lake Metroparks lists standard admission at $9 for adults ages 12 to 59, $8 for seniors 60 and older, and $7 for children ages 2 to 11, with free entry for active U.S. military personnel and for Lake County residents on the first Sunday and third Tuesday of each month.
The Bigger Harvest Behind the Festival
The apple and honey themes tap into industries that carry real weight statewide. Ohio is among the top 10 apple-producing states nationally, according to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. That same research group credits John Chapman, the historical figure known as Johnny Appleseed, with extensive apple-tree plantings in the Midwest during 19th-century westward expansion, laying early groundwork for the region's apple trade.
Honey production carries its own scale. Ohio's apiary program tracks honeybee colonies, according to information from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. The department's apiary program includes registration and bee-health efforts across Ohio. Ohio's apiary-registration program also covers the 2026 renewal cycle.
Local Partners Fill Out the Weekend
The 2026 event is presented by Renewal by Andersen. Between the corn maze, the animal barns, and the cider presses, Farmpark's harvest weekend gives Kirtland families a hands-on look at the agricultural traditions still shaping Northeast Ohio's fields and orchards.
