Kids In The Commons Coming August 11

The weekend of August 10-12 is huge in the city. At 7 p.m. Friday, August 10, the Ohio Flags of Honor opening ceremony will take place at the Gazebo in the Greenbrier Commons complex at 6200 Pearl Road. The Ohio Flags of Honor was founded to honor Ohioans who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedom in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Flags will be on display until the closing ceremony at 2 p.m. Sunday, August 12. If you have never attended this event, it is definitely worth your time to do so. It is moving and meaningful. We must never forget those who are part of our military service.

Saturday, August 11 is the day for the third annual “Kids in the Commons” which will keep the Greenbrier Commons complex very busy from Noon to at least 10 p.m. The pool and waterpark will be open at Noon. There will be all kinds of fun activities for everyone from young to old, including balloon twisting, airbrush tattoos, strolling magic and juggling, Bubblepalooza and the Kona Ice truck. The Parma Heights branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library will once again reprise their “Green Screen,” where children can have special effect selfies taken, and their popular Treasure box, as well as a rock painting craft project. There will be old fashioned games and treats at the Historic Toll House (next to the library) with the support of the Parma Heights Historical Society.

You can take a hike in the Metroparks, led by a Metroparks Naturalist, from 1-2 p.m. (The hike group will meet at the N.E.O. soccer facility). The University Hospitals Parma Medical Center Med-E-Vac Helicopter will touch down at 2 p.m. in the N.E.O. Soccer parking lot, and will be available until 3 p.m. The popular sand volleyball game, “Nuke ‘Em” will be played at the sand volleyball court at 3 p.m. Bocce ball, pickleball, tennis and cornhole will also be available to play throughout the day. Poolside, there will be a disc jockey with music and free admission to the city’s pool and waterpark.

Also on hand will be the Cleveland Metroparks “Nature Tracks” vehicle (from 1-2 p.m.), demonstrations from the North Royalton Family YMCA, the NOPEC “Energy Bike,” representatives from the Cleveland Water Department and the Parma Heights Police and Fire Department will have safety vehicles at the event. The Greenbrier Art League will offer an “Elegant Writer” watercolor craft project. A new component to the day-long event this year is a “Rising Stars Showcase,” presented by the Cassidy Youth Theatre on the Theatre’s main stage from 7-8 p.m. Capping off the evening will be the family movie “Sherlock Gnomes,” shown behind the municipal tennis courts. The best part of all – it’s all free.

For more information, contact Erin Sullivan Lally in the Mayor’s Office at 440.884.9604, or via email at mayorsoffice@parmaheightsoh.gov.

ON THE RUN – The annual “Gazebo Gallop,” 5K Run and 1-Mile Walk sponsored by the city of Parma Heights, the Stano Law Firm, and Dick’s Sporting Goods will begin at 9 a.m. Sunday, August 5 at the Greenbrier Commons Gazebo.

You can register online at www.hermescleveland.com.

Online registration will close at 9 a.m. Friday, August 3.

Registration and packet pick-up begins at 7:30 a.m. day of race.

You can save $5 off the registration fee with a donation to the Parma Heights Food Pantry before race day.  The Food Pantry is located behind Samosky’s Bakery on Pearl Road.  Call them at 440.842.6491.

All race participants will receive a free ice cream cone from East Coast Custard.

There will be various awards presented for top runners in the 5K.

Cost for the race is $20 for adults if you register before race day; $25 day of race; $15 for those age 12 and under.

ST. JOHN BOSCO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL -- St. John Bosco Catholic Church will host its 14th annual International Festival with the Home Family Italian Club Thursday through Sunday, August 16-19 on the grounds of the parish at 6480 Pearl Road, Parma Heights.

On Thursday, August 16, festival hours will be 6-10 p.m. Featured entertainment will be Ace Molar from 7-9:30 p.m. An on-site casino will be open from 4-10 p.m.

On Friday, August 17, festival hours are 6-11 p.m. with entertainment from Cavalieri Reale from 7:30 until 10 p.m.  On this day, the casino will be open from 4-11 p.m.  Fireworks by “Lite the Night Pyrotechnics,” and sponsored by KPM, Ltd. – Joe and Sheila Kavalec and Jim and Cathy Kavalec will begin at dusk.

Festival hours on Saturday, August 18 are 5-11 p.m. with Tony Quarles & the Discovery Band entertaining from 7-10 p.m.  Casino hours are 5-11 p.m.

On Sunday, August 19, the fun continues from 2-9 p.m. with entertainment from New Barleycorn from 2-5 p.m. and Shout! From 6:30-9 p.m.  A main drawing for a raffle grand prize of $10,000 will take place at 9 p.m.  Casino hours will be Noon to 8 p.m. as the festival concludes.

Don’t miss the fun!  There will be ethnic foods, rides for children and adults throughout all four days.

PLAZA SUITE ON STAGE – The Cassidy Theatre will present the Neil Simon classic, “Plaza Suite” August 3-26.

Hilarity abounds in Simon’s portrait of three couples successively occupying a suite at the Plaza. A suburban couple take the suite while their house is being painted and it turns out to be the one in which they honeymooned years before.

This wry tale of a marriage in tatters is followed by the exploits of a Hollywood producer who, after three marriages, is looking for fresh fields. He calls a childhood sweetheart, now a suburban housewife, for a little diversion. Over the years she has idolized him from afar and is now more than the match he bargained for.

The last couple is a mother and father fighting about the best way to get their daughter out of the bathroom and down to the ballroom where guests await her or as Mother yells, "I want you to come out of that bathroom and get married!"

For tickets or more information, call the Cassidy Box Office at 440.842.4600.  There are no performances scheduled the weekend of August 10-12 because of the aforementioned “Kids in the Commons” event.

GETTING INK – In case you did not see it, the city was featured in the May/June edition of Business View North America magazine entitled, “Parma Heights – A Great Place to Live.”  Visit the home page of the city website – www.parmaheightsoh.gov.

DON’T FORGET – The city’s Service Department will host a “Recycle Your Computer” event from 9 a.m. to Noon on Saturday, August 11 at the Service Garage on Pearl Road.

Residents can recycle unwanted home computer equipment including CPU’s, monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, terminals, modems, cables, software, and ink printer cartridges.  Cell phones and their accessories are also accepted.

SUMMER BAND CONCERTS – You’ll want to be at the Gazebo in the Greenbrier Commons Sunday evenings in August for the annual Summer Band Concert Series the city presents in conjunction with the City of Parma and Cox Communications.

On the Bandstand:  Sunday, August 5 – Wayne Tomsic; Sunday, August 12 – The Erie Heights Brass Ensemble; Sunday, August 19 – Logan Wells.

All concerts are free and begin at 6:30 p.m.

INFORMATION, PLEASE – If you have information you’d like included in this column, send it to Rick Haase at rick.haase@sbcglobal.net.