Bay Village, Ohio
Summer just started and the Fourth of July is right around the corner. Area communities in the Westshore coverage area have a host of events planned. Enjoy the summer and be safe. Below is a listing of holiday events in each community.
Fireworks will take place in Bay Village and Westlake on July 4.Julie A Short
Bay Village
It wouldn’t be summer without Bay Days. The annual festival, presented by Kiwanis Club of Bay Village, takes place July 1-4 at Bay Village Cahoon Memorial Park (Lake and Cahoon roads) and features carnival rides, food, games, music and fireworks.
Daily schedule of events includes:
July 1
Noon to 10:30 p.m. Booths and rides open
Noon to 4 p.m. $25 one ticket price for all rides
7 p.m. Live music at the Gazebo featuring the Bay Village Community Band playing summertime classics and patriotic songs
July 2
Noon to 10:30 p.m. Booths and rides open
Noon to 4 p.m. $25 one ticket price for all rides
7 p.m. Live music at the Gazebo featuring Masterpiece playing a mix of Motown, disco, funk, R&B, and pop
July 3
Noon to 10:30 p.m. Booths and rides open
Noon to 4 p.m. $25 one ticket price for all rides
5 p.m. Classic Car Cruise-in at Cahoon Memorial Park with DJ Chad
7 p.m. Live music at the Gazebo the Diamond Project playing Neil Diamond tunes
July 4
8:30 a.m. Bay Days 5 mile and kids 1 mile fun run at Bay High School. For more information, email [email protected] or contact Rich at 440-463-4031
11:30 a.m. Children’s Bike, Trike and Wagon Parade (meet at the Gazebo)
Noon to 10:30 p.m. Booths and rides open
Noon to 4 p.m. $25 one ticket price for all rides
1:30 p.m. Vintage Baseball game at Cahoon Memorial Park. South Bay Men’s Club Villagers vs. Whiskey Island Shamrocks
1:30 p.m. Live music at the Gazebo with Serious Nature featuring 80′s Synth Pop
7 p.m. Live music at the Gazebo featuring Hubb’s Groove playing soul, jazz, R&B and Gospel
9:45 p.m. Fireworks
Rocky River
The Rocky River Senior Center, 21014 Hilliard Blvd., is offering a free concert at 1:30 p.m. July 3 featuring Ernie Krivida. He has played with the Quincy Jones orchestra and other artists ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to Jackie Wilson. Guests are invited to a picnic lunch which will be grilled outside, but served inside. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. while supplies last; standard lunch fees apply. Lunch features hamburgers or cheeseburgers, baked beans, potato salad or coleslaw. Homemade ice cream or pie is available for dessert.
Westlake
It’s an exciting time in Westlake celebrating the holiday July 4. The day kicks off at 10 a.m. with the annual parade beginning on Dover Center Road at Lee Burneson Middle School and concludes at Clague Park.
Clague Park events include:
10 a.m. Annual Classic Car Show, face painters, balloon twisters, and food vendors set up at the park
11:30 a.m. is the Introduction of Mayor Dennis M. Clough and the City Council on the main stage
Noon the Westlake Aquatic Center and Peterson Pool are open to pool members and Westlake residents (closing at 5 p.m.).
1 p.m. DJ from Rock the House will play music at the Westlake Aquatic Center until dusk.
2 p.m. the Westlake Lions Club will conduct the traditional ringing of the Liberty Bell.
2:30 p.m. is the Classic Car Show awards ceremony.
Dusk: The day will conclude with a fireworks display lighting up the night sky.
The Westlake Historical Society, 1371 A Clague Road, is also hosting an open house from noon to 2 p.m. July 4.
BAY VILLAGE
Nature center renovations: Renovations are set to begin this week to the outdoor Wildlife Gardens at the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center. To make the upgrades possible, the sidewalk along the western portion of the Nature Center (28728 Wolf Road) will be temporarily closed for up to 90 days. Please use caution when visiting and driving in the area. The Lake Erie Nature & Science Center will continue to be open for free general admission, nature-based programs, and wildlife assistance seven days a week.
The Wildlife Gardens Education and Renovation Project will create more engaging learning experiences about native animals, provide ample space for students to learn alongside wildlife specialists, and raise visibility of our wildlife rehabilitation program, according to information posted on social media.
The Project will be the Nature Center’s largest capital investment in free offerings for the public, at a cost of $1.9 million made possible with donations and grants from the community. For more information, go to lensc.org/wildlife-gardens-project.
Electronic aggregation program: Beginning this week, residents and small businesses enrolled in the city’s electric aggregation program will receive letters from Dynegy and FirstEnergy. This is due to a billing system change by Dynegy, the current electricity supplier for aggregation customers.
According to city officials, information included in the letters includes Dynegy transitioning to a new billing system. This change will automatically trigger letters from FirstEnergy, which cannot be suppressed. You will likely receive two letters from FirstEnergy. Please ignore these letters. No action is needed on your part to remain in the Bay Village aggregation program and continue receiving electricity from Dynegy at your current rate. Dynegy will also send you a letter confirming that no action is necessary to stay in the aggregation program.
Residents/businesses may receive up to three letters (two from FirstEnergy and one from Dynegy). These letters are informational only and do not require any action. Your electricity supply with Dynegy will remain unchanged. If you have questions, contact John Rostash at 440-899-3412 or the city’s consultant, Sustainable Energy Services Customer Support at 833-737-4674.
BAYarts upcoming events: Spend your Thursdays this summer at BAYarts, 28795 Lake Road, from 4 to 7 p.m. now through Sept. 12 for local art, food, and live music. Admission and parking are free. Friendly dogs on leash are welcome. For more information, email [email protected]
The annual Mini Moondance fundraiser takes place from 3 to 6 p.m. June 30 at BAYarts. The family-friendly afternoon features music, crafts, and activities including a kids dance party led by DJ Mark, live music on the gazebo with Small Craft Advisory, balloon twisting by The Balloon Vibe, raffles, and a cash bar.
Tickets are $15 per person and include kids’ drinks and desserts, crafts, and activities! Kids under 2 are free. Food from Cafe Melissa and adult beverages will be available for purchase. Tickets are limited and are expected to sell out. Proceeds from the event benefit the Friends of BAYarts Scholarship Fund and community programming. For more information, go to bayarts.net.
ROCKY RIVER
Best suburb: Cleveland Magazine’s June issue features the annual “Rating the Suburbs.” Congratulations to Rocky River for earning the top spot this year. The editors noted that “On a nice day, it’s difficult to drive through the city’s residential areas and not see children on bicycles or playing in their families’ often well-manicured front yards. There’s no shortage of things to do in Rocky River. The lakefront city boasts 10 public parks for residents to enjoy nature, with some of them giving terrific views of Lake Erie. Most of the parks also feature playground equipment, a welcome sight for those raising families in the area. This includes the newly renovated Bradstreet’s Landing, with a pier that goes out into Lake Erie.” The school system also ranks among best in the Greater Cleveland area coming in at No. 3.
Bay Village is ranked as the No. 4 best community and Westlake is listed as No. 13 within the Top 20 Best Suburbs. Bay Village is also listed as the No. 5 top school district.
For more information, go to clevelandmagazine.com.
Car show: The annual Rocky River Car Show is back and will be chaired by the Rocky River United Methodist Church as part of the Rocky River Summer Nights Event Series. The event will take place at 3 p.m. July 14 at Rocky River City Hall, 21012 Hilliard Boulevard, and features vendors, food trucks and a free summer concert in City Hall Park. Registration fee is $10 (cash on site). For more information and/or to register, go to rrcity.com/carshow.
WESTLAKE
Walkway bricks displayed: The final 36 bricks in the walkway around the Friends Pavilion at Westlake Porter Public Library, 27333 Center Ridge Road, were installed last month. The Friends of Porter Public Library began brick sales in November 2022, at the organization’s 50th Anniversary party. The first round of pavers was installed after the completion of the Friends Pavilion, with other rounds being placed in May, June and September 2023.
The project resulted in sales of over 300 bricks, many in memory or honor of loved ones, with some thanking veterans for their service, proposing marriage, or celebrating reading and the library, according to library officials. In addition, the project netted over $22,000 which will support library programs and services, such as the Summer Library Challenge.
While the formal brick sale is over, the Friends are still accepting orders at ezengraver.com/westlakeporterlibrary/order.
The Friends Pavilion is available for public use for group meetings and other activities. For more information, contact Andrea Tarolli, the library’s group services specialist, at 440-250-5449 or email [email protected].
In addition, the Friends are planning several events coming up later this year including Magician Rick Smith Jr. performing at the Pavilion from 3 to 3:45 p.m. Aug. 11. The Kona Ice Truck will be onsite from 2:45 to 5 p.m.
Upcoming library events: Suma’s Scavenger Hunt begins in July for students in grades K-4. Pick up Suma’s Scavenger Hunt game at the Youth Services Desk during the month and win completion prizes.
Learn how to turn on a computer, use a mouse, go online, and access Northstar Digital Literacy during a self-paced online learning event from 10 to 11:30 a.m. July 2. Registration begins June 25. To register, go to westlakelibrary.org/events.
Beautification competition: Get your landscaping ready and enter the Westlake in Bloom Community Beautification Competition. To enter, pick up an application at City Hall, the recreation center, community services center, Porter Library, or local garden centers including Cahoon Nursery and Gale’s Westlake Garden Center. Submit the form via online entry, email to [email protected], or mail it to Westlake in Bloom, 27700 Hilliard Blvd., Westlake, OH 44145, by June 28 at 4 p.m. Judging will take place from July 8 to 12. There is no entry fee, and winners will receive invitations to the awards ceremony on Aug. 13 at the Westlake Community Services Center auditorium.
Summer concerts: The annual Summer Concert Series is underway at the Recreation Center, 28955 Hilliard Boulevard. Concerts take place June 30, July 14, July 21, July 28, and the final concert is Aug. 4 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets Refreshments will be sold benefiting the local Boy Scouts.
Community police academy: Experience the inner workings of the Westlake Police Department by attending the free Community Police Academy. Open to residents, the academy runs every Wednesday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., from Aug. 28 to Nov. 20. Explore topics such as SWAT, drones, and more through interactive sessions. Class is limited to 20 participants. Deadline to apply is Aug. 25. For more information, go to tinyurl.com/r7yv5cst.
Leaf humus, wood chips: The city offers leaf humus and wood chips for sale to both residents and non-residents. The cost for leaf humus is $15 per cubic yard, and wood chips are available at $10 per cubic yard. Delivery can be arranged exclusively for Westlake residents for a fee of $25 per truckload. Purchases can be made at City Hall, 27700 Hilliard Boulevard, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Shout-out: Four school resource officers (SROs) from the police department recently participated in the annual Ohio School Resource Officer Association Conference. Congratulations as three earned the designation of Professional SRO Accreditation while Patrolman Keenan Cook was awarded the title of Master SRO.
SHORT TAKES
Thank you for taking the time to read the first Short Takes on the Westshore column which appears on both cleveland.com and the Westshore Sun newspaper. My name is Julie Short and I also write a Short Takes column that covers Avon, Avon Lake and North Ridgeville. I have been a freelance writer for cleveland.com for more than 25 years covering a variety of communities in the area. I also write the police blotters for Bay Village, Fairview Park and Rocky River. Freelance writing is something I do in my spare time in addition to working full-time in communications. I look forward to sharing the amazing things happening in the area. Community journalism works best when reporters live in the area they cover; and work, shop and attend events that make our communities thrive.
If my last name sounds familiar, some of you may know my husband, Jeff Short. He was a long-time teacher and coach for the Westlake City Schools. We have lived in Avon for 25 years. We have a 13-year-old son, Jason, who attends Avon Middle School.
If you have news/information or a story idea you’d like to share or a ‘shout-out’, please send an email to [email protected]. Read Short Takes online at https://www.cleveland.com/topic/westlake. Follow me on X (Twitter) @jshortavon.