Children enjoy the monkey bars at the Kids Zone playground at Alameda Park in Butler Township. The Butler County Parks and Recreation Department sponsors many summer events, including Camp Alameda Theme Weeks and free Thursday night family programs.

Here are some of the activities scheduled this summer at parks in and around Butler County.

• Camp Alameda Theme Weeks: All camps are $110 per child per week and $95 for each additional sibling registered that week. Camps run 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Schedule are:• June 8 to 12: SuperStar Sports• June 15 to 19: Sherlock Safety• June 22 to 16: Animal Adventures• June 29 to July 3: Stars and Stripes• July 6 to 10: Skits and Sounds• July 13 to 17: Back to Nature• July 20 to 24: The Incredible Edible Week• July 27 to 31: Hopping Holiday Happenings• Aug. 3 to 7: Hobby Hoopla• Aug. 10 to 14: Alameda Olympians• Aug. 17 to 21: Sensational Seasons• Thursday night family programs are free and begin at 7 p.m. at the Carousel Shelter, unless otherwise noted. For information, call 724-284-5383.• June 18: Animal Traces• June 25: The Magic of Kevin Cramer• July 2: All About Bees• July 9: Playthings Etc. at the Masonic Shelter• July 16: Turtle Talk• July 23: Birds of Prey• July 30: Let There Be Slime• Aug. 6: ATA Martial Art at the Masonic Shelter4 Aug. 13: Whitetail Deer• Alameda pool is open noon to 7 p.m. May 31 to Aug. 24, weather permitting, except June 12, June 19, June 26, and July 7, when it will close at 5 p.m. for swim meets.• Today — A Sand Volleyball League informational and rules meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Pine Shelter by the sand volleyball courts in Alameda Park. All games, including playoffs, will take place at those courts. A minimum of six teams and maximum of 12 teams apply at $80 per five- to 10-person team. League Registration begins on April 1 at the Butler County Parks and Recreation Office. League play will begin at 5:30 p.m. June 3.• June 4 — Ultimate Frisbee. An informational meeting for all interested parties will be held at 6 p.m. at the Pine Shelter in Alameda Park. League fees are $60 per team. League play will begin at 5:30 p.m. June 11. For information and league details, call the park office.

• June 12 — 6 to 8 p.m., Ride, Rock and Roll with the Radio Disney Road Crew for sports-filled evening at the AE Ride Skatepark behind township Municipal Center.• Thursdays from June 25 to Aug. 13 — Thursdays Concerts in the Park, 7 p.m. at the Cranberry Rotary Amphitheater in the Community Park, free.• Fridays and Saturdays beginning June 12 — Farmer's Market, 1:30 to 6 p.m. Fridays behind the Cranberry Township Municipal Center and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at Community Park Fire Station.• July 4 — Seventh annual Race for Virginia and Friends 5K Run/Walk, 8 a.m., Jaycees Shelter at the Cranberry Community Park. Registration information is available at: www.raceforvirginia.org.• July 9 to 11 — Cranberry Community Days 2009, events hosted throughout three days including carnival. For information, call www.ctcchest.org.• July 19 to 20 — Cranberry Township, American Cancer Society Relay for Life, North Boundary Park. For information, call www.relayforlife.org/pacranberry.• July 22 — 1 to 4 p.m., Summer Soakin' Celebration to get soaked with music, fun and prizes at the community Waterpark at North Boundary Park.• Fridays July 24 to Aug. 14 — Friday Lunchtime Concerts, noon at the Garden Gazebo at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center, free.• July 31 to Aug. 2 — The 10th annual Cranberry CUP (Community Uniting People) charity softball tournament. Contact Cathy Cortazzo at 724-612-5663 or softball@zbzoom.net to volunteer or contribute.• Aug 12 — Open Garden Day, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Master Gardener's demonstration garden on the township Municipal Center grounds next to the Sample Schoolhouse, free.• Aug. 22 — Cranberry Township Jackie Kalleel Memorial Aquathlong and 5K Run, 8:30 a.m., North Boundary Park to benefit Butler County Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.• Sept. 12 — Puppy Plunge, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Cranberry Township Community Waterpark in North Boundary Park, $5. To preregister, call the parks and recreation at 724-776-4806, Ext. 1129.

The park is off Route 422 in Muddy Creek, Worth, Brady and Franklin townships. The park office can be reached at 724-368-8811.For all kayaking events, participants must bring their own kayak or borrow one from the park. Those under 18 must be accompanied by adult. Those using park kayaks must be 12 or older. To reserve a kayak or register for a kayak event, call the park office.• June 7 — Fish For Free Days, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fish for Free Days allows any resident or nonresident to legally fish without a fishing license. All other fishing regulations still apply.• June 13 — National Get Outdoors Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kayaking, fly fishing and disc golf fill a day of outdoor activity for the whole family. Call the park office for schedule of events.• June 26, July 10, July 17 — DiscoverE Day Camps, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Programs for children ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 12 exploring healthy living through outdoor adventures and running concurrently at Moraine and McConnells Mill state parks. Cost is $15 per child for all three days and includes games, crafts, hiking and activities. Bring a lunch. Parent volunteers welcome. Call the park office or e-mail moraineenvedsp@state.pa.us for information or to register.• Aug. 1 and Aug. 2 — Lake Arthur Regatta starts at 10 a.m. This annual, two-day event is staged in the Lakeview area. Entertainment, canoe and kayak races, children's activities, a classic car cruise, fishing tournament, hot air balloons, fishing, swimming and the annual "Whatever Floats Your Boat" race are all part of the festivities. Food vendors and Saturday night fireworks round out the fun. Visit www.regatta-at-lake-artthur.com for a complete schedule.n Aug. 21 — Star Gazing Party, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Join the park naturalist and members of the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh, www.3ap.org/, for a star gazing party at the bike rental station on the North Shore of Moraine State Park. AAAP will provide several telescopes and a presentation of pictures from the cosmos.

The park is west of the Butler County line off Route 422 near its intersection with Route 19 in Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence County. The park office can be reached at 724-368-8091.• The old mill will be open from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Fridays and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Labor Day. Interpretive tours of the mill will be at 1 and 2 p.m. Fridays and 1 and 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.• June 26, July 10, July 17 — DiscoverE Day Camps, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Programs for children ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 12 exploring healthy living through outdoor adventures and running concurrently at Moraine and McConnells Mill state parks. Cost is $15 per child for all three days and includes games, crafts, hiking and activities. Take a lunch. Parent volunteers welcome. Call the park office or e-mail moraineenvedsp@state.pa.us for information or to register.• July 4 — iConserve Hike, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn ways to take conservation personally while hiking the North Country Trail in Hell's Hollow. Meet at the Hell's Hollow parking lot, and take a sack lunch and drink. Visit the iConserve website at www.iConservePA.org for information.• Aug. 29 — Art in Nature, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Whether for scrap booking, stamping or wildflower collecting, join the park naturalist for a look at collecting and pressing flowers. Meet at Kildoo Picnic Area to learn environmentally responsible techniques for plant collection.• Sept. 26 and 27 — McConnells Mill 17th annual Heritage Festival. This two-day event celebrates the operational time of the old gristmill from 1852 to 1928. Costumed vendors, crafts from the era, a Civil War encampment and live Bluegrass music contribute to its historic appeal. Admission and parking are free. Call 724-368-9320 for information.

The center is 12 miles north of Butler on Route 528, just off Route 8. The grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset.• DiscoverE: Hide-N-Seekers programs are for children ages 4 to 5. They meet for 1½ hours each Tuesday beginning June 16 through July 14. Cost of the program is $2 per child per program. The theme of the program is "Let's Take A Look," and includes activities, stories, crafts and outdoor fun. Registration for all programs is first come first served. Contact the center at 724-794-6011 to register or for information.• DiscoverE: Outdoor Explorers programs are for children ages 6 to 8. Activities, hikes, crafts and games highlight each week. Cost of the program is $5 per child per program or all five programs for $20. Registration is required. Call the Center at 724-794-6011 for information.• June 14 — The Good, the Bad and the Bugly. Presentation offering a sampling of common insects encountered during the growing season. Master Gardener T.C. Conner will discuss measures to keep pest invasions to a minimum. The lecture will include a discussion of integrated pest management to awareness of the safe use of pesticides.• July 26 and Aug. 2 — Prairie Bloom, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Explore the unique prairie ecosystem at the Jennings Environmental Education Center with a guided, 90-minute walk discussing the plants, animals, history and geology of the prairie.• June 13, July 11, Aug. l and Aug. 22 — Family Hike — Butterflies at Jennings, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Discover which "flying jewels" frequent the prairie while you learn about their magical metamorphosis and how to attract these insects to your backyard.