Concord Community Day marks 46th year

Concord Township is cordially inviting everyone to come out and enjoy its staple summer event, Concord Community Day. The annual community-wide celebration of everything Concord Township, in its 46th year, takes place on Aug. 12.

The event will begin at 8 a.m. with the annual 5K run and Fire Department’s Pancake Breakfast. At 10 a.m. Kids World opens with a bungee trampoline, rock climbing wall, giant inflatable slide and obstacle course, bounce houses and a variety of games and activities.

Kids of all ages can enter a Wiffle Ball home run derby from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the ball field, and then join in a frog jump competition. Yes, frogs are provided.

A Chinese raffle returns with 25 big beautiful prize baskets. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. The drawing will take place around 8 p.m. Winners do not need to be present at the drawing, as they will be notified by phone and email.

The community parade steps off at noon from the lineup location in the Quail Hollow neighborhood. The parade heads east down Concord Hambden Road and then south on Ravenna Road, ending at the Town Hall Campus.

A pizza-eating contest begins at 1 p.m. along with more kids’ activities, including interactive toy trains where kids become engineers navigating the trains along the winding tracks. The Family Dog band will play folksy family-friendly music from 1-3 p.m. and during the hot dog-eating contest at 2 p.m. Outback Ray is back this year with his live animal show at 2 p.m., and the Old Stone School is open for tours from 2-4 p.m.

At 3:30 p.m., Concord Township Trustee Connie Luhta will host the Community Day Awards Ceremony honoring Concord’s Citizen of the Year, Dan Maxson, and Parade Marshal Edith Kelley. Luhta also will award certificates to the four Community Day Scholarship winners: Matias Malkamaki, Shannah Byrnes, Nicole Wahlstrom and Brianna Ferdinando. Immediately following the awards ceremony, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office will kick off its Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.

At 4 p.m., Uncorked, the annual wine tasting event, begins. Guests can enjoy local wines and craft beers while listening to Gaetano’s Jazz Trio. Guests also may take a tethered hot air balloon ride from 6-10 p.m.

The band Sumrada takes the main stage at 7 p.m., with a grand fireworks display concluding the community celebration.

Concord Township Recreation Director Debra Bechel-Esker said the highly anticipated event is planned all year around.

“This day remains a beloved community tradition. We’re expecting close to 1,000 people. It’s so funfilled, with so much to see and do. We are eternally grateful to the recreation staff and our many sponsors that make this event possible. This day makes all of Concord proud.”