View as Webpage

Lakewood Residents,

What a summer it has been so far! Thank you to everyone that played a part in our annual Fourth of July Celebration. It was great to see so many people out on Lake Avenue for the parade in the morning, and then enjoying the evening concert, activities, and fireworks at Lakewood Park.

I want to welcome and introduce the City of Lakewood's new Finance Director, Renee Mahoney! Renee is a Lakewood resident and experienced finance leader in the public sector, and has already been a great addition to the team at City Hall since her start on July 8.

This month, we have also added a Sustainability Spotlight section to the newsletter with tips on greener living, brought to us by the City's new Climate Action and Sustainability Coordinator, Jill Bartolotta.

August brings a full slate of events beginning with the renowned Lakewood Arts Festival this weekend, so be sure to get out and enjoy the last few weeks before school starts back up!

Lakewood Arts Festival Returns August 3

The 47th Annual Lakewood Arts Festival will take place on Saturday, August 3, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Detroit Avenue between Arthur and Belle Avenues. 

This year’s festival is a juried exhibition of all media in fine arts and will feature 164 artists from across the country and over 30 additional booths operated by various not-for-profit organizations and offering food, beverages, and activities for children. In addition, live music will be performed throughout the day at City Center Park, located at Cook and Detroit Avenues and in front of the Lakewood Masonic Temple.

Detroit Avenue will be closed to traffic from 5:30 AM to approximately 9:00 PM between Arthur and Belle Avenues and Warren Road will be closed to through traffic at Detroit.

The festival will take place rain or shine and there is no admission fee.

For more information, visit http://lakewoodartsfest.org/.

August 2

Cleveland Shakespeare Festival: King Lear



7:00 PM

Lakewood Park Bandstand

August 3

Lakewood Arts Festival

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Detroit Ave. between Belle and Arthur

August 4

Concert in the Park: Cats on Holiday



7:00 PM

Lakewood Park Bandstand

August 6

Council Community Conversation: Ward 2

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Lakewood Public Library - Main Branch

August 9

Friday Night Flick:

Wonka (PG)

Begins at Dusk

Madison Park

August 10

Lakewood Area Collaborative's Summer Resource Fair



10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Cove Community Center

August 11

Concert in the Park: Lakewood Hometown Band

7:00 PM

Lakewood Park Bandstand

August 13

Summer Safety Days (Registration Required)

10:00 AM and 1:00 PM

Madison Park

August 14

Coffee With A Cop/Firefighter



10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Cleveland Vegan

August 20

Council Community Conversation: Ward 4

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Lakewood Public Library - Madison Branch

September 7

Lakewood Community Festival

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Madison Park

Click below to view the City of Lakewood's full events calendar.

Hi Everyone! 

I am Jill Bartolotta, the new Climate Action and Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Lakewood. My role focuses on implementing the actions of the Climate Action Plan and developing and supporting other sustainability initiatives. My main focuses will be reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the City’s carbon footprint, working to reduce waste, supporting ecological improvements, and conducting outreach and education.

Serving in this position is a dream come true and I am so excited to be in Lakewood! The dedication of the community to sustainability is impressive and so much is being done already to improve human and environmental health. I look forward to collaborating with local organizations, City departments, and the people of Lakewood to implement the Climate Action Plan.

In my free time you can find me hiking with my rescue pup Luna, growing vegetables and pollinator plants in my garden, trying new recipes, or paddling on Lake Erie. Each month I will share information on simple things we can do to lead a more sustainable life in this new Sustainability Section of the newsletter. 

Sustainability Tip!

August is National Water Quality Month. Did you know that Lake Erie provides drinking water for over 11 million people… including everyone in Lakewood?

Below are three simple things you can do to protect our drinking water:

Think before you flick! Dispose of cigarettes in a smoking receptacle. Cigarette filters are made of plastic fibers and are the number one item found on litter cleanups. Plastic fibers are the top microplastic found in water samples.

Pick up after your pet.

Cat and dog waste is not fertilizer, and it contains high levels of bacteria which contaminate our water.

Be sure to bring your bags along when walking your pet, and don't leave waste out in the yard for long periods of time.

Avoid fertilizing your lawn. Runoff from fertilized lawns can wind up in Lake Erie leading to harmful algal blooms. Consider a fertilizer-free lawn or mulch your leaves or grass clippings into your lawn.

Read more about the benefits of lawn clippings.

Amenity Closures for Skatepark Phase II Construction

Due to the construction at the Lakewood Park Skatepark that is set to begin soon after Labor Day, the following Lakewood Park amenities will be closed:

• Skatepark
• Tennis Courts
• Basketball Courts
• Parking spaces adjacent to basketball courts/skatepark.

Tennis players seeking an alternate place to play can visit the tennis courts at Lakewood High School located next to the stadium, Kaufmann Park, Webb Park, and Merl-Bunts Park.

Alternate basketball court options include Madison Park and Wagar Park.

The skatepark construction is expected to be complete in the Spring of 2025.

We are pleased to introduce Renee Mahoney, the new Finance Director for the City. Renee officially started at City Hall on July 8, 2024.

A long-time resident of Lakewood, Renee has comprehensive executive-level experience in municipal finance, public service, and strategic financial management. She has spent most of her career serving local municipalities, including the City of Shaker Heights, and most recently served as the Finance Director at the City of Bay Village.

Welcome Renee—we are glad to have you with us!

City of Lakewood | lakewoodoh.gov