06/06/2026
From the Mayor’s Office:
Good afternoon everyone, I hope you're enjoying your weekend!
I'm attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting. It's a great opportunity to meet with mayors from communities like ours from across the country. We've been talking about the challenges we're facing, sharing ideas, and learning about solutions that are working in other cities. I'm looking forward to bringing some of those ideas and best practices back home.
Summer is here! School is out, the parks are busy, and there is a lot happening across Elyria this season. I thought today would be a good time to highlight a few of those things and make sure they're on your radar.
First, I want to thank everyone who helped make this year's Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade such a success. We had an incredible turnout. Most importantly, it was an opportunity to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Thank you to our veterans, volunteers, city employees, safety forces, community organizations, and everyone who helped make the day fantastic.
Now, on to summer!
Our pools and splash pads are officially open for the season. This year we're using a new pool badge system to help make entry faster and more efficient for both residents and staff. The badges are completely free for Elyria residents. If you haven't registered for your badge yet, it's a simple process. You can click the following link to get started: www.cityofelyria.org/department/parks-and-recreation/pools/
The Rec Wagon is also back for the summer. The program continues to grow in popularity each year. Elyria Parks & Recreation Department staff bring games, crafts, sports, and all kinds of fun activities directly to children throughout our community. A huge thank you to our Parks and Recreation Department for continuing to provide these great programs. I'll post the June schedule below.
For our residents 55 and older, TAP (The Active People) continues to offer a great lineup of activities throughout the summer. Walking groups, fitness classes, pickleball, line dancing, and more are available. Each year TAP seems to get more popular. I'll leave the schedule in the photos below.
Summer concerts are back! This past week we kicked off our Thursday Afternoon Concert Series in Ely Square with Mike Grega. Next Thursday's concert will feature Bakers Basement. Our Saturday Evening Concert Series kicks off June 13 with Good Vibes, Better People. These concerts are a great opportunity to enjoy live music, support local food vendors, and spend time with family and friends downtown.
Third Thursdays are back, too. The Elyria Community Partnership is kicking off the first event of the season on June 18th in Ely Square with a Throwback Thursday theme. There will be live entertainment from the Winnie Cooper Project, food trucks, vendors, activities, and plenty to do throughout downtown.
And if you can believe it, our Independence Day Celebration is less than a month away. Join us July 2nd at West Park for live music, family activities, food and craft vendors, and of course fireworks. As always, the following day will serve as the rain date if needed.
One thing I always like to mention this time of year: with school out and families spending more time outdoors, please slow down and stay alert when you're driving across the city. Keep an eye out for children biking and playing in our neighborhoods. Let's do our part to help keep our younger Elyrians safe this summer.
In case you missed it, Elyria's new ladder truck has arrived. This is a major investment in public safety that will serve Elyrians for years to come. Thank you to Chief Vargo and the entire Elyria Fire Department for everything they do for our city.
If you've made it this far, thanks for reading! As always, we welcome your comments and questions below, or feel free to send us a message directly here on Facebook.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and happy summer!
Take care,
Mayor Brubaker
