May 20, 2008 04:15 pm
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If a trip to Mars sounds as out-of-this-world as today’s gas and food prices, it doesn’t have to be. That’s because Butler County (home to quaint and quirky towns like Mars, Harmony, Saxonburg, Slippery Rock, Zelienople and Butler) is celebrating summer with lots of fantastic freebies that will give any budget-conscience vacationer tons of summer fun.
Take advantage of these free things to do in Butler County this summer:
Take a hike
Butler County’s great outdoors offers a great escape. Moraine State Park, Jennings Environmental Education Center, Succop Conservancy and the Audobon Society’s Todd Sanctuary are just a few of the places where you can enjoy a day of happy trails for free.
Area trails include:
• Moraine State Park: Jump on the North Country Trail, part of a multi-state trail system, or spot butterflies and wildflowers on the Butterfly Trail at McDanels Launch;
• Succop Conservancy: Stroll around the loop trail on the Conservancy grounds. Pack a picnic and enjoy a scenic snack on the peninsula in the middle of the lake;
• Jennings: Don’t miss the prairie trail in July and August where an array of wildflowers, including the rare blazing star, bring the prairie to life with their brilliant colors.
Enjoy a concert
Many of Butler County’s quaint small towns host free concert series during the summer days and evenings. The communities of Butler, Cranberry Township and Harmony present a diverse schedule of music acts for all ages. The Succop Theater at Butler County Community College also offers a free concert series. From the symphony and jazz to country and soul, grab a lawn chair and come out to enjoy Butler County’s free sounds of summer.
Have a drink
Try some free wine samples at Winfield Winery or Rustic Acres Winery. If learning how to make your favorite beverage sounds nearly as fun as drinking it, check out the free wine and beer making classes held monthly at Porter House Brew Shop.
Ride a bike
The Butler Freeport Community Trail, Butler County’s one and only rails-to-trails trail, features a crushed limestone surface that is perfect for bike riders of all ages to enjoy. In addition to biking, the trail is open for walking, birdwatching and wildflower viewing. Moraine State Park also features a paved loop trail (7.5 miles each way) that winds through the park and along the shoreline.
Play some golf
Trade in your clubs for some discs and head out to Moraine State Park to try your hand on the 18-hole disc golf course. The game is played similar to traditional golf, but you won’t have to hand over any “green” to get on the greens
Get out and play
Zoom over to Butler County’s most unique toy store located in a structure shaped like a shiny silver stealth bomber. At Playthings, Etc., kids of all ages are invited to play with hundreds of toys inside the store and in the shop’s parking lot. Set off an air- powered rocket, learn how to throw a boomerang, test drive a 70-mph remote control car, use a pogo stick and more Playthings, Etc. offers hours of free fun for big kids and their kids.
Watch a glass demo
The Glass Blowing Center gives free demonstrations for visitors who want to learn more about blowing glass.
Stay in touch with nature
A full slate of free nature and discovery programs are offered all summer long at Moraine State Park, Jennings Environmental Education Center and Butler County Parks and Recreation. Learn about animals, try your hand at kayaking and more.
Get back to the future
Stop by the Associated Artists of Butler County’s Art Center on Main Street in Butler and enjoy the arts! Admission is always free and The Art Center is featuring a “Futuristic Art” exhibition from June 13 through July 11. See artistic interpretations of what life will be like 10, 100, 1,000 or a million years from now. The Center also features exhibitions in their other galleries.
Shoot a space ship
We don’t know if aliens actually landed in the town square in Mars, Pa., but a shiny silver space ship makes a perfect photo opportunity. This tiny town is famous the world over for its name and the space ship is a fun, quirky place to see. Be sure to mail a letter to your friends from the Mars Post Office so they can get mail from Mars.
Get pumped
Free demonstrations at the historic oil well pump house at Moraine State Park showcase the region’s oil heritage.
Push a one-ton gate
This unique stone gate (perhaps the heaviest in America) marks the entrance to the Harmony Society Cemetary that is surrounded by a stone wall. See if you can push open the gate and walk into the cemetery where 100 members of the Society are buried in unmarked graves.
Get your summer savings
Several Butler County shops are offering a free coupon packet to folks staying at select Butler County B&Bs and campgrounds. At Nicolette’s Tailor and Gift Shoppe, customers can enjoy a free beverage and relax on the front porch. Plus, those who buy one Sandstone Candle will get one free.
Catch a cartoon
The Butler Penn Theater is hosting City Kids Cinema this summer, a free workshop featuring classic cartoons and workshops for kids on select Thursdays in June and July.
Geocach with GPS
Bring your GPS and enjoy some fun geocaching with your family. Moraine State Park has about two dozen sites within the park borders. Bring the family to set out on your own free, fun-filled exploration.
Enjoy a fest or parade
Summer festivals are always a fun treat and most local events offer free admission. Horse Trading Days, North Washington Rodeo Parade, Saxonburg Carnival, Regatta at Lake Arthur and the Moraine Park Summer Festival with Steve Wingfield are just of few of the summer’s free events. One of the region’s largest fall festivals, The Penn’s Colony festival held in September, is offering a special buy-one-get-one-free ticket sale from June 1 until July 31.
Take a cruise
If checking out some sets of wheels are up your alley, you won’t have to look hard to find free car cruises on warm summer nights and weekends. Rod Fathers’ Cruis-a-palooza and Mopars in the Park are some big cruise events, and Meridian Station offers cruises too.
Get free family fun card
The free Butler County Family Fun Card features special offers and many freebies at several Butler County businesses and organizations. The card is found inside the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau’s 2008 Official Visitor’s Guide. Request a free copy at www.visitbutlercounty.com or by calling 866-856-8444.
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