At Mentor Parks & Recreation Department, we’re always working on a new program, special event or fun family activity. Check this section often to find out what’s new, what’s coming up and when to mark your calendar for our next exciting activity.

Celebrating the City: Mentor’s 50th Anniversary Free Lecture Series
Wildwood Cultural Center
On Thursday evenings in April and May, guests will be delighted by a variety of guest speakers who will inform and entertain with this historical look back at Mentor’s past-from 1963 to the present and a look to the future in this FREE lecture series moderated by local celebrity Frank Krupa. Interesting and informative historical facts from Mentor, Ohio, the country and the world will be in a special commemorative handout that will be given to all who attend this program. Seating is limited. Registration is required for these free lectures; call (440) 974-5720 or (440) 974-5735 to register. Get an event flyer with dates and lecture titles here.

Wildwood Singers Present: Spring to Life
Friday, May 3, 7:30 p.m., Mentor Senior Center
The Wildwood Singers Concert will feature a broad variety of music dealing with nature, new beginnings, romance, family, freedom, self-discovery and much more. Styles will include popular, classical, Broadway, sacred, folk, rock and light jazz. Come enjoy a fun evening of inspiring, thought-provoking music. Light refreshments will be served. Tickets are $5 and available at Wildwood, Recreation Department, and the Mentor Senior Center.

Mother’s Day Mom’s Play Free
Sunday, May 12, All Day, Black Brook Golf Course
This Mother’s Day, treat your favorite mother to a free round of golf at Black Brook Golf Course. All ladies play free when accompanied by another player. Call Black Brook Golf Course for tee times today (440) 951-0010. Cart not included. Offer valid Sunday, May 12 only.

Wildwood Garden Club’s 29th Annual Spring Plant & Flower Sale
Saturday, May 18, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Wildwood Cultural Center
The Garden Club will have a great selection of outdoor plants and flowers at reasonable prices for your summer garden. All proceeds benefit the Wildwood Garden Club. The plant sale is held rain or shine!

Memorial Day Walking Parade & Ceremony
Monday, May 27
Parade units gather in the Heinen’s parking lot at 9 a.m. with step-off to Mentor Cemetery at 9:30 a.m. for this solemn processional. Groups wishing to participate in the parade and/or memorial services should call the Recreation Department at (440) 974-5720 before May 10.

Just Kids Stuff Garage Sale
Thursday, May 30, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Garfield Park Pavilion
Clean out the toy boxes, closets, and attics, and get ready for one of our biggest events of the year – the Just Kids’ Stuff Garage Sale. Mentor residents can begin reserving city-owned tables on April 29; nonresidents on May 1 or set up your own table on a 10’ x 10’ space for the same fee, collected the morning of the sale. Please keep the following rules in mind when planning your sale: You may not sell out of your car, or hang items on clotheslines from the trees or pavilion. An adult must be present at each table. Residents should be prepared to show a currently utility bill and driver’s license to receive the resident rate. Space rental fee is $20 for residents and $25 for nonresidents.

Mentor Farmers Market
Fridays, 3 – 7 p.m., May 31 – September 6, Civic Center Park (new location)
The market with a festival feel has evolved from a few growers and a few local artists and musicians to attracting more than 1,000 visitors a week on the grounds of the James A Garfield National Historic Site. This year, the market grows again to it’s new home at Civic Center Park and will include 15 weeks of fresh produce sales. We’ve also added a new element – Final Fridays, featured the last Friday of each month to include live music, arts and crafts vendors, food, facepainting, balloon artists and lots of entertainment for kids. Final Fridays will take place May 31, June 28, July 26 and August 30. Get All The Details Here.

Produce vendors are being contacted now. A discounted rate is offered to those that register and pay before May 6. 2013 Mentor Farmers Market Vendor Application * 2013 Final Fridays Application For more information, contact Marcey Bryant at (440) 974-5735 or by email.

Father and Son Best Ball
Saturday, June 15, Tee times begin at 8 a.m.
Fathers may play with as many as 3 sons. Greens fee paid at Black Brook the day of the event. Divisions are determined by the age of the son. Divisions 10 & 11 and 12 & 13 play 9 holes. Divisions 14 & 15, 16 & 17 and 18 & up play 18 holes. Registration Required – deadline is June 8. Call (440) 974-5720 to register.

New Date!
Take Pride in America
Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 7:30 p.m.
Jerome T. Osborne Sr. Memorial Stadium, Mentor High School
This FREE concert features the United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, Silent Drill Platoon and the Marine Corps color Guard from Marine Barracks at 8th & I street in Washington, D.C. For more information, please call (440) 974-5735.  Get a Flyer

City of Mentor’s 2013 Concerts in the Park Presented by Dollar Bank
Tuesdays, June 25 – July 30, 7 – 9 p.m.Civic Center Amphitheatre
Come enjoy a summer evening enjoying some great music! We continue our summer tradition by bringing some impressive local bands to the City of Mentor. Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets: no chairs are provided. The concerts are FREE to the public. For more information, please call (440) 974-5735.
Get A Concert Flyer Here

June 25 – Contraband – Motown and Classic Rock
July 2 – Coalies Run – Country
July 9 – Custard Pie – Classic Rock & 70’s Music
July 16 – The Belairs – 50’s Music
July 23 – Evil Ways – Santana Tribute Band
July 30 – Rumours – Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band

Thanks to our Concert Sponsors!
Aqua Ohio, Inc.; Brunner Sanden Deitrick Funeral Home and Cremation Center; Buyers Products Company; Center-Tyler Auto Body & Service, Inc.; Component Repair Technologies, Inc.; Crossroads Hospice; Dollar Bank; FirstMerit Bank; Fredon Corporation; Governor’s Pointe Assisted Living; Great Lakes Dental Arts; Holiday Inn of Mentor; HRC Manor Care – Heartland of Mentor; Lennon Realty; Lintern Corporation Worldwide; Manhattan Deli; Mentor Area Chamber of Commerce; Mentor Hardware Store; Mentor Public Library; Professional Answering Service, Inc.; Royal Plastics, Inc.; The Calvetta Bros. Floor Show; The Lincoln Electric Company

33rd Wildwood Fine Arts Festival
Sunday, June 30, 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Wildwood Cultural Center
Sponsored by the Creative Artists Association, The City of Mentor’s Wildwood Cultural Center and the Community Arts Commission, the 33rd annual juried Wildwood Fine Arts Festival features over 65 artists with original and unique art of the highest quality, along with live music, refreshments and children’s activities. This event is held on the beautiful grounds of the Wildwood Cultural Center. Event proceeds benefit Wildwood Cultural Center and support college scholarships for students from Lake and Geauga counties planning to study art. For more information, contact the festival committee at wildwoodfestival@gmail.com, or Wildwood Cultural Center at wildwood@cityofmentor.com, or by calling (440) 974-5735.

July 4th Fireworks Display
Thursday, July 4 , Fireworks at 9:50 p.m., Civic Center Park
Come see a spectacular fireworks display at approximately 9:50 p.m.! The display can be viewed from Civic Center Park and Mentor High School. Continue the summer tradition with your family and spend an enjoyable evening at Civic Center Park. FREE!

Mentor’s Got Talent – Kids!
Tuesday, July 9, 10 – 11:30 a.m., Civic Center Amphitheater
Calling all Stars!! Can you sing~ tell some jokes~ dance~ maybe know a couple magic tricks? If so, then this is the show for YOU! Join us at the Amphitheater to show off your talent. Small prizes will be awarded to each age group. Please pre-register by July 8 . Contest is for children ages 4 – 17. FREE! This is a free event but each child must registered before July 3. Call (440) 974-572- to register.

Family Campout
Friday, July 12 – Check in & tent setup – 5 p.m.
Saturday, July 13 – Pack up & go home! – 10 a.m.
Civic Center Park & Amphitheater
No need to travel far this summer when you and your family can have a great time at our Family Campout right in Civic Center Park! Families will provide their own tents, sleeping bags, flashlights and personal items. We’ll have a campfire, games and crafts, snacks, swim time at Civic Center Pool and a movie before zipping up your tent! A light breakfast will be provided Saturday morning. Only one tent per family, please. Advanced registration is required. Register early, space is limited.

Christmas in July
Thursday, July 25, 1 – 4 p.m., Garfield Pool
Come and celebrate Christmas in July with water games, contests, giveaways and visit from Santa! Use your pool pass or pay regular daily admission to get in on the fun!

Junk-In-Your-Trunk Sale
Friday, July 26, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Civic Center Parking Lot (new location)
Pack up all of your treasured junk and bring it to the phenomenal, Junk-in-your-Trunk sale. Vendors must pre-register, reserving two parking spaces in the Mentor High School parking lot.; one spot for your car, the other for your “stuff”. No oversized vehicles will be permitted. Everything must fit into your assigned parking place. Vendors supply their own bags, change, tables, racks, etc. All spaces must be reserved in advance. No spaces will be sold the day of the sale. Spaces are available for rental beginning April 29 for residents and May 1 for nonresidents. Space rental is $20 for residents and $25 for nonresidents.

Headland’s Beachfest
11 a.m. – 7 p.m., Headlands Beach State Park
Imagine our mile-long lakefront filled with colorful flying kites, amazing sand sculptures, beach music, strolling performers, kayaking, dancing and tents filled with children’s activities, arts vendors, and food. This is what we envision for Headland’s Beachfest as the first event of this type comes to Ohio’s north coast. This free, family-friendly, outdoor celebration will incorporate the arts with the elements of sand, water and wind to create an interactive event on Ohio’s longest natural beach. Activities include kite flying, kite making classes, sand castle building, scavenger hunts, kayaking, sailing and paddle boarding, boat parade, a variety of art projects, face painting, strolling performers from Parade the Circle, live music, food and vendors selling beach-related items. Get All The Details Here

Children’s Pet Show
Tuesday, July 30, 10 a.m., Civic Center Amphitheater
The annual Children’s Pet Show is open to all Mentor youth age 12 and under. Bring your cat, dog, goldfish, bird, or other favorite pet to be judged in some of the following categories: smallest, largest, tallest, longest ears, most spots, best behaved, most colorful, best trick and more. Children may enter their pet in 2 categories. Please, only 1 pet per child. Contestants must be in total control of their pets at all times. Winners will receive prizes and all participants are eligible for door prizes.

Chalk Art Contest
Tuesday, August 13, 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., Civic Center Park Bike Path
Students living in the Mentor School District are invited to share their artistic talents with the community in this annual art contest. Contestants will be given a section of the bike path that is approximately 4’ x 5’ to create their masterpiece. Prizes will be awarded in four age groups: 5- 7, 8-10, 11-12, and 13-16. Judging and awards follow the completion of the contest… Chalk will be provided, but if you want special colors, bring them. Registration begins at 9:15 a.m. for this free event. The rain date is August 15. This year’s theme is “Happy Birthday, City of Mentor!.” So mark your calendars and see you at the Chalk Art Contest!

Mentor CityFest
Friday, August 23, 4 – 11 p.m. and Saturday, August 24, 12 – 11 p.m.
Civic Center Park
Mentor’s favorite festival is back with a new look, new date, and new name. It’s Two Days – One Big Event!  Get All The Details Here

In celebration of Mentor’s 50th anniversary, we’ve saved the best from previous festivals, like a parade and festival food, live music and local exhibitors, and we’ve added local food and many new, exciting attractions and activities for everyone.

We’ll welcome the Cincinnati Circus Company with its flying trapeze show, stilt walkers, acrobats, flame throwers and more.

We’re hosting a huge concert Saturday night with our featured Chicago-based musical group BritBeat, a Beatles cover band, with fireworks as the finale! And don’t miss our other musical big act, Disco Inferno, a local favorite sure to get the crowd dancing on Friday night!

Join us and you’ll have a chance to swing through the air on a flying trapeze and help us pick a winner in our high school Battle of the Bands! See innovative displays from Mentor’s largest manufacturers in our Business Expo tent, ride a trackless train through Civic Center Park, grab your friends for a game of indoor laser tag, climb a 20’ rock wall, stop by the arcade tent, and try out more than a dozen reasonably priced community-run games, and a big assortment of giant inflatables. The entire grounds of Civic Center Park will be filled with something for everyone. To get involved, please visit www.MentorCityFest.com for details or call (440) 974-5728.

12th Mentor Cruise-In
Sunday, August 25, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Civic Center Park
Come and check out all the autos that cruise into Mentor! Enjoy music & refreshments while strolling the grounds and taking a look at the classic vehicles. No pets, alcohol, rollerblades or bicycles. For more information call (440) 974-5735. Vehicles may set up beginning at 8 a.m. Musical Entertainment & refreshments. Vehicle registration begins at 9 a.m. Day of the event questions? Call (440) 255-1100.

Doggie Dip Day
Monday, August 26, 5 – 7 p.m., Civic Center Pool
Civic Center Pool will officially be going to the dogs! Bring your favorite four-legged pal for a dip and enjoy some good family fun! Dogs must be licensed and vaccinated, leashed when not in the pool, and owners must be prepared for clean up duty (we’ll have extra bags). You are welcome to bring dog toys. The cost is $3 per dog with fees going to dog park improvements.