April 27, 2026
Avon
Garden party: Residents can test out their green thumbs in the city’s new Jameson Homestead Community Garden on the grounds of the former Jameson Homestead Antiques, 36675 Detroit Road. The city’s Recreation Department will be moving into the building in a few months once renovations are complete.
Residents can learn and share gardening skills with other families, and grow their own food. A limited number of plots are currently available online. The deadline to register is April 30.
Historical society meeting: The Avon Historical Society will meet at 7 p.m. May 7 at the Avon Olde Town Hall, corner of Detroit and Stoney Ridge roads.
This month’s program entitled, “A Lightning Fast Look at Lorain County,” features
Bette Lou Higgins from Eden Valley Enterprises. The meeting is open to the public.
Mother’s Day: Treat mom to a special Mother’s Day Tea from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 10 at Miller Nature Preserve, 2739 Center Road.
Register online or call 440-937-0764. Cost is $15 per person by May 3. All mothers will receive free admission to the Conservatory on Mother's Day. Admission for all others (3 and older) is $4.
Drafted: Hundreds of baseball players recently participated in the Frontier League Draft ForeFront Field following the Frontier League Tryout Camp. The Lake Erie Crushers selected two local players from the area: Owen Gerba, a left-handed pitcher from Westlake; and Aidan Grabowski, a shortstop from Avon Lake.
The Lake Erie Crushers open their 17th season at ForeFront Field May 8.
In other ForeFront Field news…After celebrating 25 years of Christian music and faith in Wickliffe, The FEST is moving to Avon. The event will take place at ForeFront Field Aug. 15.
Tickets are currently available online and cost $10 per person.
Seeds available: The Lorain Public Library System (Avon and North Ridgeville branches included) are currently offering seed packets.
Stop by a library, fill out a form and you can pick up five free organic, non-GMO seed packets per month to start planting (while supplies last).
Also available at the libraries are free bikes to check out with your library card, and get a little fresh air and exercise.
Beautiful music: For the third consecutive year the Avon Local Schools has been recognized as one of the Best Communities for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation.
Avon Lake
Leave a legacy: City officials recently released information regarding the Plant a Tree, Grow a Legacy program. Trees can be planted to honor a special person or milestone that shaped the community.
Donation envelopes and a secure donation box are available at Avon Lake Public Library, 32649 Electric Blvd., for residents who would like to contribute to the program. Cash and checks are accepted.
Residents who donate to the program can write a dedication in honor of a loved one or special moment in a commemorative book located at the library. All donations are tax deductible (as permissible by law).
Avon Lake has received recognition as a Tree City USA from the Arbor Day Foundation for 33 consecutive years for its commitment to planting, growing, and maintaining trees to benefit the community.
Checkmate: Avon Lake High School sophomores and twin sisters Olivia and Sophia Panciu recently competed in the 2026 Ohio All-Girls State Chess Championship in Lewis Center (outside Columbus).
They competed in the Championship section against top female scholastic chess players from across the state. Sophia tied for first place in the Championship section, earning the title of 2026 Ohio State Co-Champion. Olivia finished in fourth place individually in the same section.
Competing together as a team representing Avon Lake High School, the twins also finished in first place in the team competition.
The 2026 Ohio All-Girls State Championship is a statewide scholastic tournament open to girls in grades K-12 across Ohio, played in a five-round Swiss format and awarding both individual and team trophies.
Memorial Day Parade: It’s time to register your local organization, school group, or a veteran’s association to participate in the city’s annual Memorial Day Parade.
Parade application deadline is May 11. The Memorial Day Parade starts at 10 a.m. May 25.
Bay Village
Grand trees: Arbor Day was last week, but the city is still celebrating as nominations are now being accepted for this year's Grand and Glorious Tree Program. The goal of the program is to ‘engage the community in identifying and celebrating exceptional specimen trees throughout the city, while raising awareness of the importance of protecting, maintaining, and strengthening our urban tree canopy.’
Submissions will be reviewed and a gallery of the trees will be posted for residents to vote on their favorite. The winner will be recognized by the city during the fall Arbor Day celebration in October.
The nomination form is available online.
Clean audit: The Bay Village City School District recently received the Auditor of State Award for its clean audit reports for the fiscal year ended 2025. Less than 10% of government entities in the state receive this award. Bay Village Schools has received the Ohio Auditor of State Award 11 of the last 12 years.
On the road again: The Bay Village City Schools Bike to School Challenge was inspired by a student car boycott to protest high gas prices back in 2007, and to encourage more bicycling to school in order to help the environment, get more physical activity, improve health and just have fun, according to district officials.
Last year, roughly 60% of Bay Middle School students (grades 5-8) participated.
Bay Middle School students (grades 5-8) will be riding May 4-22 and Westerly Elementary School (grades 3-4) will have their Bike to School Challenge May 11- 22.
Please use extra caution in the mornings and afternoons when driving through town as bikers will be traveling to and from school.
Plan review: The city’s Planning Commission is set to review the two new additions to Bay High School - one at the main entrance and the other at the event space entrance. The meeting takes place at 7:30 p.m. May 6 at City Hall, 350 Dover Center Road.
A Public Hearing will take place. Residents unable to attend can email comments to loley@cityofbayvillage.com by 2 p.m. the Monday prior to the meeting, for inclusion in the audience portion of the meeting.
North Ridgeville
Chat update: During the Mayor Kevin Corcoran’s recent Coffee and Conversation, the mayor provided updates from around the city including:
The next coffee chat is from 8:30 to 9: 30 a.m. May 15 at City Hall.
Go fish: The annual Fishing Derby takes place from 7:30 to 11 a.m. May 2 at South Central Park, 7565 Avon Belden Road. Bring your own bait and fishing rod. If you don’t have one, there will be extra provided.
Bike donation: Kudos to the Kiwanis Club for recently donating a Path Line model Amtryke to North Ridgeville Academic Center fifth-grader James Shuleva.
Amtrykes are customizable adaptive tricycles designed to promote mobility, strength, coordination and confidence. Each unit is tailored to meet the unique needs of the rider, making them an important therapeutic and recreational tool for individuals with varying abilities, according to the press release. Shuleva doesn’t let Down syndrome stop him from participating in many of the same activities and sports as his peers.
Plant sale: Support the North Ridgeville Garden Club and give back to the Olde Towne Hall and school gardens during the club’s annual Plant and Bake Sale (cash, check, and Venmo accepted) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 16 at South Central Park Pavilion #1, 7565 Avon Belden Road.
The perennial plants are dug from members’ gardens and are ready to plant. All plants will be marked for their best garden location, such as shade, part-shade or sun.
Military honors: The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce recently announced that 304 Ohio schools received Purple Star designations as members of the Purple Star Class of 2026. Purple Star schools are committed to serving students and families connected to the armed forces.
Locally Lake Ridge Academy, North Ridgeville High School, North Ridgeville Academic Center and the Early Childhood Learning Community received Purple Star honors.
Painting party: Arts in Action students from North Ridgeville High School are at it again. As part of their selection for Murals Across Ohio, the state’s official America 250 initiative showcasing art from all 88 counties, the students have been painting murals in various businesses around town.
Another mural is set to be unveiled at 6 p.m. April 29 at Between the Bun, 34445 Center Ridge Road.
Rocky River
Military honors: Every school in the Rocky River City School district earned the Purple Star designation as part of the Class of 2026. The honor is given to schools that demonstrate a significant commitment to serving students and families connected to the nation’s armed forces.
New concept: Char Whiskey Bar & Grille, 19337 Detroit Road, is now Avo Rocky River offering modern Mexican cuisine. Don’t worry, the owners will be keeping a couple of the Char favorites including the Char Burger, Mac or Lobster Rolls, as well as some Char favorite cocktails.
Untouchable presentation: College Club West’s next general meeting will take place at 7 p.m. May 13 at the Umerley Civic Center, 21016 Hilliard Blvd.
The program, “Elliot Ness and the Untouchables,” will be presented by Betty McFarland. Dessert will be provided.
College Club West is a non-profit organization for women on the Westside college degrees or RNs. For more information, email revclawrence@gmail.com.
Westlake
Walk this way: World Labyrinth Day is May 2. The community is invited to join the largest outdoor labyrinth in Ohio at 12:40 p.m. May 2 at Unity Spiritual Center, 23855 Detroit Ave, to Walk as 1 at 1.
Free comic books: Celebrate Comic Book Day May 2 at the Westlake Porter Public Library, 27333 Center Ridge Road. Visitors can pick up free comic books in the lobby (while supplies last) and participate in activities throughout the day, including taking selfies with popular comic book figures.
Local creator Mel Maurer lends his character creations to the library annually for a month every spring for guests to enjoy.
Aspiring comic book artists can learn how to create their own comic books during a drop- in session from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition, participants can enter to win 3D-printed characters courtesy of the library’s Makerspace. Those who come in comic-themed costumes will score an additional raffle entry.
