Sat 7/16 @ 11AM-7PM
Not that anyone needs encouragement at this time of year to go out and spend the day at Mentor Headlands Beach, the longest beach in Ohio with plenty of room for stretching out and doing what you want: swimming, wind surfing, building sand castles, practicing yoga.
But Headlands BeachFest, which launched in 2014, returns to present event more activities to draw a crowd on a nice (hopefully) July Saturday. They’re wheeling out nearly a dozen food trucks with pizza, tacos, chicken, custard, kettle corn and more; bringing arts & crafts vendors with beach-themed items; providing hands-on activities; and offering all types of entertainment at this family-oriented event including DJ Stray, the Jasmine Dragons acrobatic team and Art Acts Parade of Color.
There’ll be face painting for the kids, apparently a legal requirement for festivals, and a 30-foot inflatable slip-and-slide. And the first 500 kids get a free kite — anyone who’s spent any time at Mentor Headlands knows it’s prime kite-flying territory. Moana will be there from noon-3pm for photos.
A big highlight is the Ohio Master Sand Sculpting competition, with three world champion sand sculptors building their huge works of sand art, starting Thursday July 14 if you want to go down early and see the works in progress. They’ll be completed and judged the afternoon of BeachFest by attendees. There’s also a Family Sandcastle Building contest for amateurs: kids and families.
Admission is free.