Annual Home Days features food, music, entertainment and sports

Residents took part in a variety of activities during Home Days weekend on Friday, Aug. 2, and Saturday, Aug. 3.

After a rainy start on Friday, residents persevered to enjoy carnival rides, performances from live dance groups and musicians and a whole host of food truck options.

On Saturday, a parade marched through Elmwood Park. On the sporty side of the park, athletic residents took part in cornhole, volleyball and pickleball tournaments.

Community groups and nonprofits lined the sidewalks selling food or offering raffle tickets.

The Independence Historical Society held a “Jail and Bail” fundraiser, in which community members were “in jail” and people donated money to the historical society as bail.

The 107th Home Days came to a close on Saturday with the announcement of various raffle winners. ∞

The St. Helen Unicycle Drill Team from Newbury, Ohio, rode down the street in Elmwood Park.

Brothers Santino and Anthony Rizk have their caricatures drawn. Photos by Kim Scott Sowinski.

Singer Alex Bevan performed Saturday.
He is known for the hit, “Skinny Little
Boy from Cleveland Ohio.” Photos by
Kim Scott Sowinski.

Staking a good spot to watch the Home Days parade in the shade are the Day and Hill
families.

On our cover (photos): An overhead photo of Elmwood Park taken by drone shows the Home Days site on Aug. 2 and 3. Carnival rides were running for children and the Courter family took advantage of the many food truck options. Pickleball players (l-r) Steve Paffilas, Judy Paffilas and Chris Duxbury, all from Independence, and Rich Ranallo from North Royalton competed in the Home Days’ pickleball tournament. Photos by Kim Scott Sowinski. Drone photo submitted.