Leaf viewing, covered bridges, wine tasting, local spirits, and a trip to a farm stand to pick apples and pumpkins — must-have fall: Valley Views

CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio — Summer may be over, but fun fall activities are just beginning. The YMCA is organizing a bus trip Wednesday, Oct. 9, to explore scenic Ashtabula County, with its covered bridges and vibrant fall colors, and visit wine tasting, chocolate tasting and an apple farm along the way. A local tour guide will share the culture and secrets of the covered bridges, a unique part of the area’s heritage. You’ll see the shortest bridge in Ohio, the longest in the U.S. and the one on land, not water. Bring your camera, as the scenes will be set with nature’s fall colors. The trip continues to Grand River Cellars Winery for a wine tasting and chicken dinner. Then, for dessert, head to a chocolate shop in Austinburg. The fall adventure includes a stop at Patterson’s Fruit Farm to visit a family-run business that offers fresh apples, pumpkins, baked goods, cheese and fresh apple cider, as well as stunning hilltop views.

The bus departs from the West Warrensville YMCA at 8 a.m. and the Hillcrest YMCA at 8:30 a.m. The cost is $119 for YMCA members and $129 for non-members. Reserve your spot today with a $25 non-refundable deposit. Contact your YMCA or call Loni Beverly at 803-318-4324.

Experience a vibrant adventure: The Chagrin History Center is hosting its 7th annual half-hour Spirits Alive! Evergreen Hill Cemetery tours on Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13 from 3:30-4:30 PM. Guides will be taken to several cemeteries to meet the cemetery spirits who will tell you their true stories. This year, you will hear stories from some of the well-known residents of Chagrin Falls and some of the people who played a significant role in the early years of the Chagrin Falls Historical Society. Light refreshments will be served. This event is proudly sponsored by Murphy Funeral Home. It will be held rain or shine and there will be no refunds.

Evergreen Hill Cemetery is the second cemetery established in Chagrin Falls. The first burial occurred in 1863. You may encounter older headstones, as some families moved the remains of their loved ones from Grove Hill Cemetery.

Entry fee is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. RSVP required. Purchase online chagrinhistory.orgBy phone at 440.247.4695 or by mail at PO Box 515, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022.

Bras for a Purpose: Don’t burn it, decorate it. University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center will honor breast cancer survivors at the 9th annual Bras for a Cause fundraising tea luncheon on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Guests will create embellished bras for patients currently battling the disease and remember loved ones they have lost. The event, organized by the UH Geauga Medical Center Auxiliary, will be held at the Sisters of Notre Dame Community Hall, 1300 Auburn Rd. in Chardon. The event, last held in 2019, raised more than $35,000 for local cancer care. Tickets are $15. Call or visit the Wish-U-Well gift shop at 440-285-6039. Register soon. Decorated items must be dropped off at the gift shop by Oct. 7. Proceeds will go toward the needs of patients at the UH Seidman Cancer Center at UH Geauga Medical Center.

We Have Reached the End of Reason: Chagrin Valley Little Theatre knows the feeling. This weekend, Friday and Saturday, September 27-28, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, September 29, at 2 p.m., see the one-woman show Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End. The play is based on the musings of a syndicated columnist from Dayton who writes about her daily struggles with suburban motherhood and marriage. Directed by Mark Seven, the play stars Paula Kline-Messner.

The comedy was written by Allison and Margaret Engel, identical twins who grew up reading Bombeck’s column in Chagrin Falls. They were approached by Bombeck’s agent to write the play after they wrote a play about journalist and humorist Molly Ivins. Kline-Messner has appeared in many productions in Ohio, including Menopause, The Musical, and national tours. She is a former television host and nationally syndicated program producer, and has won four Emmy Awards for her work as a television writer, producer and on-camera talent. Tickets are $23 for adults and $20 for seniors and students. The theater is located at 40 River St. in Chagrin Falls. Contact cvlt.org or 440-247-8977.

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