Mayfield Heights Community Unity Days Festival Starts Thursday

Four days of food, entertainment and rides will get started at 5 p.m. Thursday at the on Marsol Road.

"We're sticking with a lot of the old standards," Mayor Gregory Costabile said. "We do have something special for the city's 60th anniversary as a charter city. We have some people who go way back and they can enter their photos in a historical photo contest."

Entries for that contest are due by 4:30 p.m. today and may be submitted at , 6154 Mayfield Road, or the Ross DeJohn Community Center, 6306 Marsol Road. Winners will be announced on Saturday.

New this year is a LEGO building contest. Entries must be original designs, not a LEGO-designed kit or a project found online or in a magazine. Prizes will be awarded for ages 8 and younger, 9-12 and 13 and older. Completed projects must be delivered between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday at the Ross DeJohn Community Center. Winners will be announced on Saturday.

Festival highlights include a parade at 1 p.m. Sunday from the Greens of Lyndhurst to Golden Gate Plaza. Parade grand marshal will be Tony Philiou, owner of the Mayfield Road McDonald's, which celebrated 50 years in business this spring.

will again sponsor a kids craft program, from 3-4 p.m. Saturday.

"That's proven to be a lot of fun. We noticed it was a little slower on Saturday afternoon, so we turned that into a time for the little kids and it's been popular," Costabile said.

Teens are not forgotten, either. Costabile said that a Teen Tent with a disc jockey proved successful in the past and will be back from 8:30-10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Rides will be open from 5-11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 1-11 p.m. on Saturday and 2-7 p.m. Sunday.

"What we've done this year too is that we worked with the carnival group to make it more affordable for families. People can buy wristbands in advance and ride all day for $10," Costabile said.

All-day passes are $10 any day if purchased by 4:30 p.m. today at the Recreation Department at City Hall. Otherwise, they are $10 on Thursday, $15 on Friday and Sunday and $20 on Saturday.

Other events include a karaoke contest from 7:30-10 p.m. Thursday, a wing eating competition at 8:45 p.m. Thursday, Jungle Terry at 7 p.m. Friday, a police K-9 and bomb squad demonstration at 2:40 p.m. Sunday and the Mayor's Cup softball game at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

Food vendors will include Arrabiata's, Corbo's Bakery, DiBella's Old Fashioned Submarines, Master Pizza, Otani's, Panini's Mayfield and Tucky's.

The festival will close with a raffle drawing at 7 p.m. Sunday. Grand prize is $2,500. Other prizes are a trip for two to Atlantic City, two round-trip airline tickets, an evening on the town for two and a New Year's Eve celebration package.