After years of our beautiful lakefront going unused and unappreciated, the Cleveland Metroparks has brought life back to lower Edgewater Park at the Lakefront Reservation. The Cleveland Metroparks took over the reservation about a year ago and the changes to that area are visible. The beach is so much cleaner now, with new volleyball courts and beach umbrellas. A bike box has been added to the park, as well as a refreshment stand near the beach. Now every time that I go to Edgewater, it is full of Clevelanders enjoying the beautiful views of the city skyline and beach.
People are starting to take advantage of the newest event to come to Cleveland – Edgewater LIVE. Each Thursday throughout the summer from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the Lakefront Reservation is hosting a party on the beach. Clevelanders can enjoy live bands, food trucks, a cold brew and (hopefully) a beautiful sunset. Looking to relax in other ways? Stand-up paddleboarding, yoga, footgolf and cornhole are also available.
Last Thursday was the official kick-off of Edgewater Live. A few friends and I headed down to check it out and see if it was all it was hyped up to be. While I expected there to be a lot of people, I was not prepared for how many were actually there. They had 3,000 people in attendance! And while that may seem like a huge crowd, there was a ton of space for everyone so you never felt too crowded. Many people brought lawn chairs and blankets, while others milled around the beach listening to the band and sipping a cold Leinenkugel.
We were afraid the lines to get drinks would take forever, but we barely waited ten minutes to get our beers. The lines for the food trucks seemed longer, but food prep takes more time than pouring a drink. You could tell that everyone there was so excited to be out at the beach, enjoying the event. The lakefront is such an under-utilized part of our city, and such a precious resource that it’s nice to have an excuse to head down there and take advantage of it.
I’m already looking forward to the rest of the Thursdays this summer, as I plan on taking advantage of the half hour yoga class and stand-up paddleboarding the next time I go! This event is free to the public, although bring money if you plan on grabbing some grub or drinks! Hope to see you there one of these Thursdays though August 14th!
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