Sun 7/28-Sun 8/4 @ 10AM-5PM
There’s some about sharks that perennially fascinates people. Their menacing appearance and the sense of danger around their presence have made shark-attack stories in the news prime clickbait and turned the 1975 film Jaws into one of the highest-grossing films of all time and a cultural phenomenon.
“Popular culture has given sharks a menacing mythology, but in reality there’s much more to revere than fear when it comes to these jaw-some creatures,” says the Greater Cleveland Aquarium in introducing its weeklong Fin Fest.
During the week there will be a variety of both educational and fun events — and some that are both. They include storytelling, crafts, scavenger hunts, a shark tooth ID game and an interactive art installation, as well as informative talks about the role sharks playing in the marine ecosystem — and how humans are the real menace, killing approximately 100 million sharks annually, compared to the five people killed by sharks last year.
“As the top predator, their disappearance would throw the whole ocean ecosystem into chaos,” says Aquarium general manager Tami Brown in the event press release. “Four hundred million plus years ago when humans weren’t even a blip on Earth’s biological timeline, sharks ruled the blue planet from the deep. How can we let them go the way of the dinosaurs?”
All activities are included with admission: $19.95 for adults, $13/95 ages 2-12.
Cleveland, OH 44113