About the Summer in the City Festival

In Middleburg Heights, Ohio, the ‘Summer in the City’ festival is just that, a centerpiece of community collaboration, cooperation and pride.

In 2007, the founding members of the City Club of Middleburg Heights, including Anthony Ripepi of A. Ripepi and Sons Funeral Home, Anthony Crea of Assad and Crea Realty Group, City Council President Alan Budney, Director of Economic Development Chuck Bichara, Assistant to the Mayor Jeff Minch, Recreation Director Carl Guarnieri, Kathy Jennings of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, and Jim Mihu of Cleveland Garage Door, met with Middleburg Heights Mayor Gary W. Starr to discuss the Club’s vision for a grand new community celebration.

In the past, the Middleburg Heights annual Home Days Celebration was a quaint summer gathering on the City Hall grounds that attracted a thousand or so visitors. The City Club, with a mission of bringing together businesses, residents and civic groups in a community celebration to foster an appreciation of everything that Middleburg Heights has to offer, organized the first ‘Summer in the City’ festival.  With the support of Mayor Starr and City Council, ‘Summer in the City’ was born.  

In 2008 more than 20,000 visitors walked the one-thousand foot long midway on Smith Road in Southland Shopping Center to enjoy live music, great food, rides, games, and the opportunity to share time with friends and neighbors.  The event also served as the community grand opening of the new 87,000 square-foot Giant Eagle store which anchored the $14 million dollar redevelopment of Southland Shopping Center.

In 2009 more than 25,000 people enjoyed ‘Summer in the City.’  Led by Chuck Bichara, the Summer in the City Sponsorship Chairman, Giant Eagle, Southland Shopping Center, Southwest General Health Center and more than a dozen other sponsors stepped up to continue the ‘Summer in the City’ community festival.  The planning, operations and logistics of the event were expertly lead by Co Chairs Anthony Ripepi and Anthony Crea and City Club Board Members Carl Guarnieri, Jeff Minch, Jim Mihu and Kathy Jennings.  Council President Alan Budney coordinated efforts between Mayor Starr and City Council to get the community involved.  The end result was a community gathering that celebrated one of the most successful and respected suburbs in the Cleveland and Northeast Ohio region: Middleburg Heights!

Community response to the event was, and continues to be, overwhelmingly positive and a source of civic pride. In 2010, the festival eclipsed former attendance records, drawing over 26,000 attendees. To keep the ball rolling, the City of Middleburg Heights and the Middleburg Heights City Club will present the 2011 ‘Summer in the City’ festival on June 23rd, 24th, and 25th at Southland Shopping Center.

Visitors from Middleburg Heights and surrounding Northeast Ohio communities will attend the event to enjoy the largest parade in Middleburg Heights history, live music from top bands, games and entertaining contests, a classic car show, and a spectacular thirty-minute fireworks show.

For 2011, the event will feature more concerts from top entertainers, more rides and events, and special attractions not found at any other community event in Northeast Ohio.

Once again, the midway for the festival will be a 1,000-foot section Smith Road which bisects Southland Shopping Center.  The event will feature the following:

The midway for the festival will be a 1,000-foot section Smith Road which bisects Southland Shopping Center.  The event will feature the following:

• Parade with over 100 participants on Friday evening
• Rides, games and great food for the entire family to enjoy
• Live entertainment and music throughout the event
• Classic car show
• Fireworks show by the world-renowned Zambelli Internationale
• Contests, educational displays, and safety demonstrations and community activities

Following is the tentative itinerary for the festival:

SUMMER IN THE CITY FESTIVAL

Smith Road between West 130th & Pearl

Thursday, June 23, 2011 - 5:00 - 10:00 PM
Friday, June 24, 2011 - 7:00 - 11:00 PM
Saturday, June 25, 2011 – 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Thursday, June 23, 2011 – Family Discount Night

• Southwest General LifeWorks Dance Exhibition on Main Stage from 7:00-8:00PM
• Kid’s FunZone with TKO Entertainment from 7:00–9:00PM
• Grace Church Classic and Collector Car Show at 5:30PM
• Cleveland's Breakfast Club - 80's Cover Band from 9:00 PM-10:30PM

Friday, June 24, 2011 – Island Fun Night

• Parade Staging at 6:00 PM with Step-off at 7:00PM
• Midway Formally Opens with Ribbon Cutting at 8:00PM
• Kid’s FunZone with Face Painting and Petting Zoo
• Tom Watt and the Fruitcakes Jimmy Buffett Tribute Band from 8:00-11:00PM

Saturday, June 25, 2011 – Rock ‘n’ Roll Night

• Midway Rides, Games, Booths, and Events
• Kid’s FunZone with Balloon Sculpting, Petting Zoo, Magic Show and Rock City Dance, Music and Entertainment from 3:00-8:00 PM
• Pasta and Doughnut Eating Contests
• Cleveland Sports Teams Mascots and Cheerleaders at 3:00 PM
• Miss Middleburg Heights Pageant (Community Center) at 3:00 PM
• 1964 . . . The Beatles Tribute Band from 7:00-9:30 PM
• Miss Middleburg Heights Pageant Winner Announced (Main Stage) at 9:30 PM
• Fireworks at Dark at 10:00 PM

Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing you at the best ‘Summer in the City’ ever!