LAKEWOOD, Ohio – LakewoodAlive’s Spooky Pooch Parade returns for the 15th year 12:30-3:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at Madison Park in Lakewood’s Birdtown neighborhood. Pet owners can sign up their canine friends for the family-friendly day of fun.
Ken Ganley Subaru of Bedford will sponsor the event this year.
“We’re excited for Spooky Pooch Parade to return to Madison Park for its second consecutive year,” said Ian Andrews, LakewoodAlive executive director. “There are so many great neighborhoods in Lakewood and Birdtown is one of our favorites. We are thrilled to celebrate canines and community at Madison Park while embracing park investments made over the past couple of years. This family-friendly community event is a really fun time for everyone who participates,” he added.
The Spooky Pooch Parade consists of a free festival at Madison Park, a parade along Madison Avenue and surrounding streets and an awards presentation. The event has become a favorite Halloween tradition for Northeast Ohio dog lovers and their families. The festival is unique in the region and provides a good time for canine participants and human guests. Last year’s Spooky Pooch Parade drew 350 canines and an estimated crowd of 3,000 people.
Pre-registration for the parade is $10 per dog and day-of registration is $15 per dog. Multiple dog discounts are available with pre-registration only.
The event takes place rain or shine and proceeds benefit LakewoodAlive, a community-centered nonprofit organization that works to foster and sustain vibrant neighborhoods in Lakewood.
Festivities will get underway with the Spooky Pooch Festival beginning at 12:30 p.m. There will be entertainment, kids’ games and dog-related vendors, including rescue groups and other nonprofits offering canine-oriented goods and services. All participants – human and canine – are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes to get into the spirit of the event.
The much-anticipated dog parade steps off at 2 p.m. with dogs of all shapes parading through the park, onto Madison Avenue and some of the nearby streets before returning to the park. Judges will award prizes beginning at 3:15 p.m. in a number of categories, including Best Pooch and Child, Best Pooch and Adult, Best Pooch and Group, Spookiest Pooch and Best in Show. Contestants must participate in the parade in order to be eligible to win a prize.
For more information or to register a dog for the event, visit lakewoodalive.org/spookypooch. More information also is available there for vendors and volunteers.
Celebrating 70: Lakewood Historical Society invites history lovers to take “A Peek Into the Past” 1-4 pm. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 9 at the Nicholson House, 13335 Detroit Ave., Lakewood as LHS celebrates its 70th anniversary with a special exhibit featuring items from its permanent collection.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for children ages 3-12 and can be purchased in advance at tickettailor.com/events/lakewoodhistoricalsociety or on the day of the event at the Nicholson House.
Pumpkinville returns: Pumpkinville in the Valley at Frostville Museum, a fall family fun day, will be 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 2 at Frostville, 24101 Cedar Point Road, North Olmsted, in the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks.
Admission is $1, free for children younger than 2. Horse-drawn wagon rides are $7 for adults, $5 for children. Pony rides are $3. The event also includes an obstacle course, castle/slid for toddlers, music, games, a magician, fall train layout, food, a pumpkin patch, balloon twisters, corn roast, food, bake sale and crafters. The historic homes and the church will be open for tours.
Access to Frostville is available via Columbia Road to Cedar Point Road or Lewis Road.
Olmsted Historical Society invites the public to like them on Facebook. More information is available at olmstedhistoricalsociety.org.
PERI meeting: Chapter 91 of Public Employee Retirees, Inc. will meet at 11 a.m. Oct. 4 on the lower level of the Fairview Park Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, 21255 Lorain Road, Fairview Park.
Guest speaker will be Sarah Florimonte, community liaison for the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program. She will give a Medicare 101 presentation and talk about the different Medicare options as well as the upcoming changes for 2023. Medicare Open enrollment runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7.
PERI, established in 1948, has more than 40,000 members throughout the state. Chapter 91 includes members from the northwestern suburbs surrounding Cleveland. The group meets every other month to discuss topics of interest and keep updated on proposed legislation. Public sector retirees are welcome to attend the meetings. Light refreshments are served.
Meals on Wheels needs help: West Shore Rocky River/Lakewood Meals on Wheels needs substitute volunteers for its kitchen. Operation hours are 8:30-11:45 a.m. Monday through Friday.
Substitutes are contacted by email with dates help is needed to staff the kitchen with volunteers. For more information, contact Kathy Blackwell, volunteer/community outreach coordinator, at 440-333-6298 or by email at rrlwcoordinator@westshoremow.org.
Pet blessing: Clague Road United Church of Christ invites everyone to attend the annual blessing of the animals at 11 a.m. Oct 8 at Clague Road UCC, 3650 Clague Road, North Olmsted.
Meet in the pavilion at the rear of the church. The service will honor all types of pets for the love and joy they bring to people’s lives. Dogs must be on leashes and cats should be in carriers. All pets will be blessed.
Community meeting: The Cleveland Police First District/Community Relations meeting will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 6 at in the cafeteria at St. Ignatius of Antioch School, 10205 Lorain Ave., Cleveland. The First District encompasses the city’s West Park neighborhood.
Those unable to attend the meeting in person can view the session live on Facebook at facebook.com/District1CDP. For more information, call Tammy Hanna of the Community Relations Board, 216-664-6634.
Information, please: Readers are invited to share information about themselves, their families and friends, organizations, church events, etc. in Fairview Park, Lakewood, North Olmsted and West Park for the A Place in the Sun column, which I write on a freelance basis. Awards, honors, milestone birthdays or anniversaries and other items are welcome. Submit information at least 10 days before the requested publication date to carolkovach@hotmail.com.
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