A couple of days after snow returned to blanket parts of Northeast Ohio, Lake Metroparks’ Penitentiary Glen Reservation brought back an annual holiday tradition with the opening of “Candy Land: It’s Wild in Ohio” on Nov. 23. The event features a life-sized Candy Land board, including a colorful path flanked by wildlife-themed displays. “This year’s theme brings a whole new group of wildlife to the game,” said Metroparks Deputy Outdoor Connections Chief Caitlin Ambrose. “We will have mammals, reptiles, insects and more throughout the experience for visitors to discover and find while playing the fun interactive game of Candy Land.” “It’s Wild in Ohio” replaces the bird-centric theme from the past few years. “We wanted to expand on the bird theme to include more native Ohio wildlife,” she said. “There are so many species that people may or may not be familiar with and it was a neat opportunity to bring this to life for visitors at the holidays.” Upon walking into the game room, visitors will pass through the green “Woodpecker Woods” and see examples of the types of animals that live in that environment. As they go on, Ambrose said that they will find fields, swamps and a nocturnal area. A woodland-themed display lines the first section of Lake Metroparks' life-sized Candy Land board at Penitentiary Glen Reservation. The "Candy Land: It's Wild in Ohio" attraction will run every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Jan. 1, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. (Bryson Durst -- The News-Herald)The "Woodpecker Woods" display lines part of Lake Metroparks' life-sized Candy Land board at Penitentiary Glen Reservation. The "Candy Land: It's Wild in Ohio" attraction will run every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Jan. 1, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. (Bryson Durst -- The News-Herald)The "Woodpecker Woods" display lines part of Lake Metroparks' life-sized Candy Land board at Penitentiary Glen Reservation. The "Candy Land: It's Wild in Ohio" attraction will run every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Jan. 1, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. (Bryson Durst -- The News-Herald)The "Heron Swamp" lines part of Lake Metroparks' life-sized Candy Land board at Penitentiary Glen Reservation. The "Candy Land: It's Wild in Ohio" attraction will run every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Jan. 1, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. (Bryson Durst -- The News-Herald)A research station display lines part of Lake Metroparks' life-sized Candy Land board at Penitentiary Glen Reservation. The "Candy Land: It's Wild in Ohio" attraction will run every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Jan. 1, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. (Bryson Durst -- The News-Herald)A snowy woodland-themed display lines part of Lake Metroparks' life-sized Candy Land board at Penitentiary Glen Reservation. The "Candy Land: It's Wild in Ohio" attraction will run every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Jan. 1, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. (Bryson Durst -- The News-Herald)Holiday-themed decorations greet visitors to "Candy Land: It's Wild in Ohio" at Lake Metroparks' Penitentiary Glen Reservation on Nov. 23. (Bryson Durst -- The News-Herald)Show Caption1 of 7A woodland-themed display lines the first section of Lake Metroparks' life-sized Candy Land board at Penitentiary Glen Reservation. The "Candy Land: It's Wild in Ohio" attraction will run every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Jan. 1, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. (Bryson Durst -- The News-Herald)Expand The game board also includes a Wild Animal Clinic, where visitors can care for stuffed animals, and a research station-themed area. Visitors can also look for the “raspberry mutterfly,” which will be hidden somewhere on the board. A children’s slide and play area is available at the end. “Candy Land: It’s Wild in Ohio” offers more than the namesake game board. Visitors can also have hot chocolate, conduct indoor and outdoor scavenger hunts, create a fox-themed craft, color and tour the park’s Nature Center and Wildlife Center yard. If weather allows, visitors can also play in the outdoor play area or use snowshoes. Extra activities are scheduled for weekend visitors, weather permitting. A campfire and s’mores will be offered from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturdays when Candy Land is open. Train rides will be available from 1 to 3 p.m. on Dec. 7, weather permitting. Visitors on Saturdays can also attend an animal chat with one of the animals residing at the Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. On Sundays, visitors can attend “meet-the-keeper chats” in the Wildlife Center yard at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Lake Metroparks Wildlife Care Assistant Manager Traci Keller shows off peregrine falcon Cliff during a Nov. 23 animal chat, which was scheduled as part of the “Candy Land: It’s Wild in Ohio” attraction at Penitentiary Glen Reservation. Cliff is one of the animal ambassadors at the park district’s nearby Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center. (Bryson Durst — The News-Herald) Tyler and Chelsea McTigue brought their kids for the opening weekend. They came in the past few years as well. “It’s a great, interactive, free holiday event for kids in the local Cleveland area, and we’re so lucky that the Metroparks have resources like this for our community,” said Chelsea McTigue. Tyler McTigue described Candy Land as “a full-day event.” “Candy Land: It’s Wild in Ohio” is free and runs every day until Jan. 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except when it is closed on Nov. 28 for Thanksgiving and Dec. 25 for Christmas. The game is set up in the Nature Center at Penitentiary Glen Reservation, 8668 Kirtland-Chardon Road, Kirtland. “We look to offer a fun filled holiday event that is free for all ages,” Ambrose said. “There is something for everyone and memories are made each year by families and friends who attend the event.”