Parma Begins Preparing For 2026 Bicentennial Celebration!

Established in 1826, the City of Parma is gearing up for a year of celebrating in 2026 when it turns 200.

The nonprofit organization We Are Parma Proud and the City of Parma will start planning in 2025 with community partners, organizations and local businesses to determine the various ways the city will celebrate the milestone anniversary.

“We have several ideas on the table,” said Parma Mayor Tim DeGeeter. “We will add a bicentennial theme to our current annual citywide events in 2026, get our community partners involved and include some new activities on our calendar. One idea under consideration is citywide decorating, maybe as a contest held in the summer. Our residents go all out for the annual Halloween and Christmas decorating competitions in the city. I imagine they will do the same for the bicentennial. I would anticipate seeing a lot of pink and flamingos because the flamingo is our city mascot.”

In addition to events, the city will have a ceremony when it digs up a time capsule in 2026 that former Mayor John Petruska and Proud of Parma buried in front of Parma City Hall in 1976. “It was buried 50 years ago when the city marked its golden anniversary, and the nation celebrated its bicentennial. I am looking forward to finally seeing what’s in that capsule. I’m sure it will reflect what was important to Parma and our nation at that time,” DeGeeter said.

We Are Parma Proud Spokesperson Chris Leo said, “We are excited about what 2026 holds for the entire community. While we already have certain annual events like Frosty’s Fest and the Picnic in the Park that carry over from year to year, we expect to ramp up engagement and involvement starting in 2025 to make these events and others even better as we sprint toward 2026. 

“We would like to see float competitions in the Independence Day Parade on July 4th, special golf outings at Ridgewood Golf Course, new commemorative merchandise and apparel, a new Visitor’s Guide and more. Most importantly, we’re looking forward to connecting with residents, businesses and nonprofits to make this year-long jubilee the best initiative the city has ever seen,” Leo added. 

The city will update residents about bicentennial events through its city newsletter, social media platforms and city website. We Are Parma Proud will also provide more details as they become available on its We Are Parma Proud Facebook page. 

“There is a tremendous amount of pride in Parma. We are the seventh largest city in Ohio and largest Cleveland suburb. Many residents have lived here their entire lives. We want this year-long celebration to reflect our city pride and rich history,” DeGeeter said.