Sweet!

Walk through a lollipop forest and cross over a gumdrop mountain this afternoon, when Lake Metroparks patrons become tokens on a giant Candy Wonder Land playing board. You won't be alone; the depiction of the popular children's game has attracted more than 20,000 players in the past couple years. "We pretty much had no choice but to bring it back," says parks spokesman John Venen. "People don't readily imagine being able to play along with the family on an actual recreated board."If you're not a fan of the game, you can rent a pair of showshoes to hike the park's seven acres (7.5 miles of trails?--the reversation is 424 acres) of wilderness circling the Penitentiary Glen reserve. Or you can enter a contest to build a humongous gingerbread man. But don't think it's a kids-only gig. "Tapping into people's inner child has been really fun," says Venen. "Watching adults remember Candy Land is even more fun." Play along from noon to 5 today at the Penitentiary Glen Nature Center, 8668 Kirtland-Chardon Road in Kirtland. Admission is free. Call 440-256-1404 or visit www.lakemetroparks.com.
Mon., Dec. 24, 12-5 p.m., 2007