Amazing fun fact: There was no single epic Cuyahoga River conflagration. In 1969 Time magazine reprinted a photo from 10 years earlier of debris burning beneath a Flats railroad trestle; an image/idea was seized on by folks who like kicking around Cleveland (who doesn't?); and the legend was born. But it gave a name to the annual Burning River Fest, at Whiskey Island's Wendy Park from 1-9:30 p.m. today. It combines the best features of a food show, music carnival and eco-awareness rally, with events, entertainment and activities for all ages. Ten local music acts perform, local restaurants have samples; Great Lakes Brewery brings its beers; and presentations on ways to protect the environment take place continuously. Tickets: $5 advance, $7 at gate; kids under 10 free. For info go online to burningriverfest.org.

- Charles Cassady Jr.

Thursday, August 9

Coventry Street Arts Fair

The last '07 Coventry Street Fair takes place from 6-9 p.m. on storied Coventry Road in Cleveland Heights, between Mayfield Road and Euclid Heights Blvd. The dirty-movie theater, hippie "head" shops and free newspapers full of sex ads in the back (hey, why are you all staring at us like that?) may be a thing of the counterculture past, but Coventry still knows how to throw a party, with the improv comedy troupe Something Dada doing a one-hour set at 7 p.m., music by Reuben's Train, Porch and the duo of Brent Hopper and Brittany Reilly, and the film Raiders of the Lost Ark shown outside by the Coventry Library at dusk. There will also be merchant specials, sidewalk sales and dining treats by area restaurants. It's free. For info check out coventryvillage.org. - CC

Friday, August 10

Run, Jane, Run

For 21 years, the Women's Center of Greater Cleveland has offered a range of programs to help women in crisis get their lives back on track. For the past 19 years, it's raised money through a weekend-long participatory sports festival called Run, Jane, Run. It starts at 7:30 a.m. today with a women's golf tournament at the Briarwood Golf Course in Broadview Heights, continues tomorrow with co-ed sand and grass volleyball at Edgewater Park and concludes Sunday with a 10K and 5K walk/run, also at Edgewater Park. For info and to register for any of the events, go to womensctr.org or call 216.651.1450. - Anastasia Pantsios

Saturday, August 11

Bugfest

You think bugs are annoying? Bet your kids think they're fascinating! So take them to the Cleveland Metroparks Bugfest and maybe you'll change your mind. It's a day's worth (11 a.m.-4 p.m.) of bug-related activities including music, exhibits, contests and races, a hunt for Kenny the Caterpillar, learning activity stations, crafts, "bug cooking demonstrations" (don't ask) and gardening information from OSU master gardeners so you can learn which bugs are friends and which are foes. It's at the Garfield Park Nature Center off Broadway. Call 216.341.3152 for info. It's free. - AP

Creature Comforts at the Zoo

Crafty critters - Learn how the zoo keeps them amused.

The animals at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (3900 Wildlife Way) have a pretty sweet deal. Protection from predators and poachers, food and shelter provided year-round, free health care, no shortage of admirers, no chance of their jobs being outsourced to cheaper slave-animals in China or replaced with telecommuters from India. Still, life in captivity can induce torpor for our vicious-beast friends, and that's why the zoo holds Creature Comforts Day to demonstrate the hands-on techniques used by zookeepers to keep the critters lively and engaged, from simulated prey for the big cats to puzzle-solving for the octopus to painting lessons for the elephants. Animal enrichment hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with Dr. ZooLittle's Wild Animal Enrichment Show in the amphitheater at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., putting the spotlight on these training techniques in a fun way. Visitors can participate in making special food treats and playthings for the fauna and even get pointers on ways to keep their own household pets amused. It's included with zoo admission: $10 adults, $5 kids 2 -11. To learn more, visit clemetzoo.com or call 216.661.6500. - CC

Coit Road Market Corn Roast

One of the multitude of problems faced by impoverished communities is access to healthy food, as full-service supermarkets move out and corner convenience stores are heavy on junk food. East Cleveland's 75-year-old Coit Road Farmer's Market (corner of Coit and Woodworth roads, off Noble Road, 216.531.3230, coitmarket.com) has a mission to bring fresh, healthy, locally grown foods to its struggling East Side community. It's open from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays year-round. This week during its regular hours, it celebrates the second annual Cliff Schultz Memorial Corn Roast as the peak of the corn harvest hits. Come get an ear of roasted corn while you stock up on fresh fruits and veggies. There'll also be samples, cooking demonstrations and activities for the kids, so bring them to the market too and get them excited about eating healthy. - AP

Perseid Meteor Shower

When Earth intersects the debris cloud surrounding the Comet Swift-Tuttle each summer, that debris appears to us as a spectacular blaze of streaks called the Perseid Meteor Shower. This weekend the Cleveland Metroparks is offering opportunities to gather and watch the show and learn a little more about it. From 10 p.m.-midnight today, there's the Perseid Meteor Watch at the Meadows Picnic Area of the Brecksville Reservation off Meadows Drive, with naturalists John Miller and Sharon Hosko providing info and a telescope so visitors can scan the skies. Registration required; call 440.526.1012. Across town from 9-11 p.m. another group will be toting their lawn chairs and blankets out to Squire's Castle off Chagrin River Road, in the North Chagrin Reservation, to sky-watch. Call 440.473.3370 for info. And from 10 p.m.-midnight tomorrow at the Hinckley Lake Boathouse of the Hinckley Reservation, off West Dr., visitors can join naturalists Hosko and Kelly McGinnis to watch the shower from a pontoon boat. Reservations a must; call 440.526.1012. All programs are free.

- AP

Tuesday, August 14

Lake County Fair

August is the peak of the county fair season, coinciding with the peak of the harvest. This week our neighbors out east in Lake County get their crack at the 4-H exhibits and judging, fair food, rides, country music, demolition derbies, harness racing, tractor pulls, dog frisbee and all the other traditional fair delights. The Lake County Fair opens at the Lake County Fairgrounds (1301 Mentor Ave., Painesville) at 9 a.m. today and runs through Sunday, August 19. Highlights include the demolition derbies at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow and 7 p.m. Sunday ($4 tomorrow, $5 Sunday) and a Keith Anderson concert at 8 p.m. Friday ($5 and $10), all in the grandstand. Admission: $6, kids under 12 free. Go to lakecountyfair.com for more info. - AP

Wednesday, August 15

Atma Center 10th anniversary

In the last decade, the Atma Center in Cleveland Heights (2319 Lee Rd., 216.371.9760, atmacenter.com), founded by nurse anesthetist and yoga enthusiast Beverly Singh, has expanded and grown into a major hub for the region's yoga community, in addition to being the only Satyananda Yoga study and training location in North America, graduating more than 30 teachers from its professional course. With 30 classes and over 250 students a week, it's a bustling hive of activity with a retail center as well as studios. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Atma Center is having an all-day open house from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. with introductory classes, demonstrations, food, music, discounts in the stores and hourly raffles. It's free and open to all, whether you've ever tried yoga or not. - AP