Mentor-on-the-Lake Fall Festival bids farewell to summer season – News-Herald

Another weekend, one other Lake County political subdivision saluting the summer season with an “unofficial” seasonal sendoff.

After, for instance, Concord Township’s Community Day, Last Stop Willoughby and Mentor CityFest, tiny however mighty Mentor-on-the-Lake seized the highlight Sept. 12 to host its ninth Annual Fall Festival, though the season doesn’t actually begin for 9 days.

Mayor Dave Eva described the soirée as town’s largest occasion of the yr, noting that the timing doesn’t damage.

“The appeal is that it happens every year the weekend after Labor Day,” he mentioned. “Most look at Labor Day as the end of summer. We know the weather can be unpredictable after Labor Day, but we’ve usually had good luck with good weather on the Saturday after. And most families still enjoy getting out and enjoying this free event from all of Lake County.”

Of course, family-friendly occasions dominated the day, together with animal displays, a magic present, inflatable points of interest, pony rides and yard video games, significantly a USA 250-themed pong contest with a patriotic prize package deal.

Photo alternatives, that includes a backdrop with a semiquincentennial banner, have been additionally an enormous hit.

Attendees additionally loved quite a lot of meals vehicles and a modest menagerie of group distributors.

Eva famous that Vivander Cookie Mobile, a renovated 1977 GMC motorhome making ready candy treats on-site, made its debut.

Follow the Sun, a well-liked Cleveland-based band overlaying quite a lot of genres, additionally carried out on the fest for the primary time.

Though the celebration ran six hours, Eva emphasised that metropolis employees spend a lot of the yr planning it, an concerned course of that’s not precisely mild.

“And we appreciate all of our community sponsors,” he mentioned. “Without our sponsors, we could not have a successful event.”

Mentor-on-the-Lake Director of Administration and Finance Jaclyn Valentine echoed Eva’s sentiments.

“The Fall Festival has become a tradition that brings together residents, visitors, local businesses and community organizations,” she mentioned. “And we’re proud to proceed providing an occasion that’s enjoyable, reasonably priced and centered on bringing the group collectively, with steadily elevated attendance every year.

“What sets our festival apart from many larger community events is that all of the family entertainment is free — we want families to be able to come out and enjoy the day regardless of their budget.”