Mayfield Village Lunch Series at the Gazebo set to return

Jun. 3—Mayfield Village's annual lunchtime tradition will be starting once again — every other Wednesday from June 5 until September music will stream from the village's stark white and brick gazebo, 6635 Wilson Mills Road.

Different music will be played from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m, including Hit List Duo Cleveland who perform classic dance, country and rock hits, Island Troy blasting tropically themed music, Still Standing R&B and with many other bands who will be playing over the next four months.

On June 12, in addition to music a small Father's Day celebration will also be held. Fathers will be able to eat for free, and activities for kids and families will be provided.

Parks and Recreation Director Shane McAvinew said that although there normally isn't food provided at the event he hopes that having an event during lunchtime hours will offer some relief for the many office, business and medical staff that work in the area.

"If people on their lunch breaks, if they wanted to do something, bring food and sit on the lawn for a half-hour or 45 minutes however long their lunch break is, we wanted to be able to offer that," McAvinew said on why he started the every other week event. "And we gear a lot of the music in the '50's, '60's, '70's styles for our older adults at home. We wanted to give them something to get out of the house and keep them active, so that's why we do that."

He wanted to help bring the community together even during times when there normally wouldn't be events. He said relationships that are formed through these events might have a lasting benefit for the village and sees it as his department's job to continue to help foster those relationships.

"We encourage you to go out and get lunch and sit on the lawn," McAvinew said. "And you'll see that's the whole thing. You will see them packing their little picnic lunches or picking up pizza and sitting in the grass and enjoying a few hours of music in the middle of the day.

"It's kind of neat. You can leave a restaurant and be listening to music in the middle of the day in Mayfield Village," he added. "I always think recreation is about bringing people together, bringing residents and the community together...it's about us all coming together to enjoy something and getting together with our fellow neighbors, and I think recreation as a whole, it's our goal to try and achieve that- the concept of community."

More information on the schedule of bands can be found at www.recreation.mayfieldvillage.com/gazebo/