Bay Days is 2026 Bay Village Project of the Year & Ohio District Kiwanis Signature Project Winner!

The Kiwanis Club of Bay Village was pleased to learn in February that Bay Days, proudly sponsored by Kiwanis, has been named the Bay Village 2026 Project of the Year! This is the 25th Project of the Year that has been awarded by the Bay Village Community Council, a group of representatives from Bay’s clubs, service groups, and non profit organizations, and is based on community impact and the involvement of volunteers and organizations. A reception recognizing this award and the Citizen of the Year recipient, Bob Priccirilli, is being planned by the Community Council for a later date.

Additionally, in March, the Ohio District Kiwanis named Bay Days as the 1st place winner of the Signature Project Contest for a club of 28 members or more! This award recognizes a club that has a project that is recurring, enhances the Kiwanis image, demonstrates significant impact on the community in terms of monies raised or children served, and strengthens membership and partnership opportunities. As a first place winner, this project will be submitted to the International level for competition in June in Manila.

The annual Bay Days four-day July 4th celebration has been a long-standing tradition in Bay Village that brings intergenerational members of our community together to celebrate, not only on July 4th, but the outstanding community in which we live! The Kiwanis Club of Bay Village is proud to have led Bay Days since 1952, marking 2026 Bays Days as Kiwanis 75th year of overseeing this community event as well as our country’s 250th birthday! The past couple years the Kiwanis Club of Bay Village has worked hard to update and revitalize the event, to bring new dimensions that focus on the newly stated goals, and to strengthen the foundation of Bay Days to ensure success well into the future.

Those goals include to provide a safe and fun environment for our community to celebrate July 4th and our Bay Village community, to provide local groups and organizations an opportunity to fundraise, educate and engage the community to support their mission, and to provide interactive activities, entertainment and cuisine to encourage past, present, and future community members to gather to create and refresh memories.

The Bay Village community has been impacted by Bay Days in several ways. The event brings people together. Whether you are a current or past resident, were raised in Bay Village and returned or reside elsewhere, everyone knows “Bay Days!” It is an event people mark on their calendar well in advance and make plans to come meet old or new friends and/or bring their own children to experience the magic of the lakeshore family friendly carnival. It has become a destination! Experiences like Bay Days help to build relationships and create the warm, caring, and vibrant community we all enjoy.

Kiwanis takes pride in prioritizing opportunities at Bay Days for community groups and organizations to raise money, educate and engage with our community. An example would be the Music Boosters were able to help families whose children were going on the Disney World Band Trip by providing funding from their Carnival Ride Ticket Sales that they raised at Bay Days! Other fundraising efforts include the Fairytale Foundation, BHS Senior Parents, American Legion, Bay Men’s Club, Boy Scouts, and Cub Scouts.

Bay Days is a time for local individuals and families to take pause from their busy lives to hear a band (whether a teen start up garage band or a tribute band); win a gold fish (that seems to live forever!); enjoy some curly fries (that are oh so yummy); ride that patriotic decorated bike in the Bike, Trike, and Wagon Parade to get those bubbles and meet the Bay BMX superstar; display that cool car you worked on with your father for others to admire; or ride the Ferris wheel to see the beautiful sunset! Bay Days creates and refreshes memories!

Bay Days has quite a history! One of the most notable events is the community-wide Bay Days celebration around the Fourth of July. The Annual “Fourth of July Community Celebration” existed prior to 1950 when BV Kiwanis Club began participating as a newly founded Club in Bay Village. Bay Days was originally run by the Recreation Department. The Bay Kiwanis 1952 Annual Achievement Report stated In July 10,1952, “Took complete charge of Fourth of July Celebration, a tradition in Bay Village which was to be discontinued. Provided opportunities for all organizations to participate. Provided games and prizes for children, contests for adults. Fireworks for everyone. Duration of program 1 P.M. until midnight.” (Source: BV Kiwanis 1952 Annual Club Achievement Report, pg 6; C6)

From the July 10, 1952 Kiwanis Club of Bay Village Weekly Bulletin with the headline “415 CHILDREN RODE THE ELECTRIC HORSE IN CAHOON PARK ON JULY 4TH.” The article continues … “Now that the Fourth of July is just a memory, the Kiwanis Club of Bay Village can justly take credit for seeing that our towns had a real community celebration. The kids had fun (and that was our first interest), 6000 people saw an excellent display of fireworks, many contestants in the games and races have worthwhile prizes to remind them of their ability. Over a quarter of a mile of bicycles and tricycles were lined up for the judges to view. Concessionaires worked hard to provide good things to eat at moderate prices. All in all, it was a wonderful day. The weatherman was with us all the way, and the First Aid station reported only a few minor scratches and bruises required attention. The important thing, however, is that here is another example of the power of Kiwanis. Twenty-six Kiwanians banded together with one purpose in mind – to make the day a howling success through service to Bay Village. No one individual was responsible – the results were the results of a team and throw who participated know now what we are capable of doing. The members who were unable to participate missed the ‘thrill of a lifetime’. YES, KIWANIS CAN BE TRULY PROUD OF A JOB WELL DONE!” (Source: BV Kiwanis Weekly Bulletin, July 10, 1952)

Later the one-day celebration expanded to two days and then eventually to our current four days. The name changed over the years from “Bay Day” to “Stay in Bay” to “Bay Days.” In the early days of the event, Kiwanians went door to door asking for donations for the July 4th fireworks. Later, the city underwrote the display, then funded by civic donations, and now funded by the City of Bay Village.

Kiwanian, Tony Dostal, along with his wife, Judy, were honored at the 2025 Bay Days for their pivotal role as Bay Days chairs and for their support for the past 50 years, (since 1976) Today, the annual four-day event features carnival rides, food stands, games of chance (only on the street, not in the park!), a Car Show, Bike, Trike & Wagon Parade, Vintage Baseball Game, Patriotic Pooch Parade, and much more.

This year Bay Days, which is a registered event with America 250 Ohio, will be adding a few new elements to the festival to celebrate the 250th celebration of American, Kiwanis 75th year of organizing and the awards this event has received. The week will start off with the Akrion Symphonic Wind Ensemble who will walk us through America’s history through music on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and end with the fireworks on Saturday, July 4th at 9:45 p.m. We will also be offering a limited edition of a 2026 Bay Days tee shirt. For an updated and complete list of events visit www.bayvillagekiwanis.org or use the QR code.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time. The Bay Village Club celebrated their 75th anniversary in 2025 and was recognized as the fastest growing club in Ohio last year by doubling their membership from 35 to 70 members. Just last year the club donated over $75,000 to our community for various projects including the Public Library, Village Green, bayARTS Sensory Garden, Village Project, Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, Bay Community Caring & Sharing, Community Cupboard, Bay Schools Kindness Fund, and Wireless Mics for the Thespians to name a few. This does not include countess hours of service as well. The club raises funds through Bay Days and our annual Christmas Tree Sale with the support of Bay High Key Clubbers and distributes those funds through its sponsorship of the BHS Scholarship & Academic Awards Night, Buckeye Girls State, HOBY, Youth Baseball and Softball, Bay Schools Kindness Fund, Safety Town, and Cahoon Christmas to name a few. Tax deductible donations can be made to the Bay Village Kiwanis Foundation, or if you are interested in learning more about Kiwanis or becoming a member of this civic minded organization visit our website at www.bayvillagekiwanis.org.

Hope to see everyone at Bay Days 2026 July 1st – 4th from noon to 10:30 p.m. at Cahoon Park!