CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio - Who's ready? Bring on spring with pancake breakfasts, maple syrup and St. Patrick's Day celebrations.

Geauga Park District Naturalist John Kolar leads a group of maple syrup to collect maple sap in Swine Creek Reservation's sugarbush.

You can enjoy fresh pancakes, Geauga County maple syrup and local art beginning 8 a.m. Sunday, March 17 at the West Geauga High School, 13401 Chillicothe Rd. in Chester Township during the Kiwanis Club's 66th annual pancake breakfast.

Participating Avant-Garde Art & Craft show artisans will offer woodwork, apparel, bath and body products home decor, jewelry and other items for sale. Along with supporting the artists, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Kiwanis Club.

Admission to the art show is $3 for age 12 and older. Children younger than 12 are admitted to the art show free of charge. Admission to the classic all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast is $8 for adults, $4.50 for children age six to 11, and younger children are admitted free of charge. The pancake breakfast runs through 1:30 p.m. and the art show runs through 3 p.m.

About 30 Avant-Garde Art & Craft shows are held annually throughout the Midwest. Contact avantgardeshows.com. A portion of the proceeds of each show benefit the local community that hosts it.

Celebrate St. Pat's a wee bit early: Is it ever too early for this holiday? The Chagrin Documentary Film Festival is offering a 7 p.m. March 8 screening of "A Proper Pint" and a party with traditional Irish music, a potato bar and beer at Chagrin Falls Township Hall. The film shows how a rural Irish pub is a welcoming beacon in an age where technology and lifestyles have diminished interpersonal communication. Tickets are $25. Tickets are $25. Contact chagrinfilmfest.org.

Taste the maple: Geauga Park District is hosting a few options for celebrating the maple sugar season. From noon to 4 p.m. on three Sundays, including March 3, 10 and 17 you can watch sap-gathering in the forest, a horse-drawn sap sled, and processing at a sugar house, along with tasting samples at the Swine Creek Reservation, 16004 Hayes Rd. in Middlefield.

Costumed interpreters provide historical information on sugaring methods from prehistoric times to modern day processing. Inside the lodge visitors can enjoy a warm fireplace, maple treats and live music by The Real Deal String Band on March 3, Mr. Haney String Band on March 10 and The Woodpeckers on March 17.

Go mad for maple sugaring: The Swine Creek Reservation is also a stop on two different drive-it-yourself tours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 3 and 10. These include Ohio Maple Producers' Maple Madness Tour and the Maple Producers of Northeast Ohio's How Sweet It Is tour. For a full list of locations and participating sugar houses, contact ohiomaple.org and mpneoh.com.

Have a ball: Or, attend one. The 31st annual Tree Tapper's Ball will be held 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. Saturday, March 9 at Parkman Community House. It is a popular, free old-fashioned square dance with instruction and old-time string band music. The Swine Creek Sapsuckers will perform and Lynn Frederick will be calling the moves. The dress is casual, and it is suitable for families. Registration is required. Contact geaugaparkdistrict.org or 440-286-9516.

Timbertots maple program: Young maple lovers, age three to five, can help collect sap from trees and learn about the process 1-2 p.m. Wednesday, March 6 at the Swine Creek Reservation. Registration is required for this popular event that fills up quickly. Contact geaugaparkdistrict.org or 440-286-9516.

Maple for seniors: A special "Elderberries" program for seniors on Geauga County's maple sugar heritage will be held11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, March 21 at the Century Village Bond Building in Burton. A pancake lunch, sap bucket craft and tours of the Maple Museum are included. The program is presented by Geauga Park District, the Geauga County Dept. on Aging and University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center. Registration is required at geaugaparkdistrict.org or 440-286-9516.

CVLT presents "Dead Certain:" If you enjoy the suspense of a psychological thriller, The River Street Playhouse presents Marcus Lloyd's play "Dead Certain" 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays March 8-23, with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee March 17 at 56 River St. in Chagrin Falls.

Directed by Kourtney Highland, the two-character play includes Christian Achkar as an alcoholic, out of work actor and Jen Justice as a paralyzed former dancer turned playwright. But, all is not as it appears to be in this dark but fascinating journey. Due to adult language and situations, the play is recommended for adults. Tickets are $13 and are available at cvlt.org or by calling 440-247-8955.

To post your news and events, contact Rusek at jcooperrusek@gmail.com.