Perry Fall Festival will return in 2019

An annual event that temporarily dropped off of the Perry area’s community calendar this year will return in 2019.

The Perry Fall Festival is slated for 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sept. 7, at Lee Lydic Park on Call Road in Perry Village. The event took a hiatus this year to help accommodate a smooth transition in leadership at the Perry Area Joint Recreation District, which sponsors the festival.

In early 2018, Perry Recreation Director David Sarosy resigned to become the city of Willoughby’s program coordinator of parks and recreation. The Perry Area Joint Recreation District Board launched a search for Sarosy’s replacement, and on June 6 hired Mike Smith as full-time director and David Whittaker as part-time assistant director.

Although Whittaker began his duties in the district in early June, Smith couldn’t start working as director until Aug. 1.

So, the Recreation Board decided to cancel the 2018 Fall Festival to allow the two leaders sufficient time to settle into their new jobs.

At the same time, the board commissioned a steering committee to re-evaluate the festival and bring it back in 2019. One notable change that the committee decided to institute is making the Perry Fall Festival a one-day event.

“Traditionally, the festival has taken place over two days, on Saturday and Sunday. We’ve decided to try a new approach,” said committee member Phil Cassella, who also serves as a member of Perry Village Council.

So for 2019, the Perry Fall Festival is scheduled on a single day that will focus on enhancing activities for children during the day and adults at night.

To add more fun for kids, the committee is looking into possibly securing mechanical rides for the festival, or at least expanding “bouncy type rides,” Cassella said. Another tradition that will continue in 2019 is holding a youth fishing derby at the park starting at 9 a.m. on the day of the festival.

During the festival’s evening hours, the committee is hoping to conduct a reserve raffle outside under a tent, and combine it with the Chinese auction that is usually held at the event.

Other festival attractions likely will include food vendors; booths featuring local retailers and community groups; a performance by the Perry High School Marching Band; a display by the Perry Joint Fire District of vehicles and equipment; and entertainment ranging from music to balloon artists and face painters.

One possible new activity, which hasn’t been finalized yet, might be some sort of competition between groups, such as police vs. firefighters, Cassella said.

Proceeds from the Perry Fall Festival benefit Perry Area Joint Recreation District’s youth and senior community programs.

The eight-member steering committee working to reestablish the festival consists of representatives from all areas served by the joint recreation district — Perry Village, Perry Township, North Perry Village and Perry Schools.