MLK Day

It’s the start of a holiday weekend. Not for me, but for most students and some workers. Here in Greater Cleveland, we’re bracing for a winter storm that could bring significant snow and temperatures in the teens by Monday, which is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

What good is a snowstorm if it hits when you already have the day off? Anyway, people who don’t have to be anywhere this weekend might be ready to get out by Monday, regardless of the weather.

University Circle sounds like the place to be. All the museums are offering special programming and free admission. They include the Cleveland Museum of Art, which normally is closed on Monday.

Take your pick among the museums you can visit for free, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in the Uptown neighborhood and the Baseball Heritage Museum at East 66th Street and Lexington Avenue.

King’s namesake library in the Circle is putting on a commemorative program featuring speakers and music in the afternoon. The Cleveland Orchestra will give a free performance at Severance Hall, where visitors also can enjoy line dancing and various family-friendly activities all afternoon.

Hardy souls can hit the Rink at Wade Oval, which is offering free admission from noon to 7 p.m. Ice skates can be rented for a small fee.

This photo shows the Sassys (pictured above), the “snow family” available for free photo ops outside Merwin’s Wharf on the Cuyahoga River’s Irishtown Bend. FYI, the restaurant is not open Monday, but you can still visit and photograph the Sassys.

Enjoy the weekend, however you spend it. But given the forecast, I recommend checking the road conditions before you head out and calling ahead to make sure the place you plan to visit is open.