Westlake Rain and Garden Show focuses on local watershed priorities

The City of Westlake and the Westlake Watershed Group are hosting the eighth annual Rain and Garden Show on Saturday, April 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Market Square in Crocker Park, 239 Market Street. The event is free and open to the public.

Families of all ages will enjoy a variety of vendors, demonstrations and exhibitors. The robust list of more than 40 vendors and exhibitors include Drink Local, Drink Tap; the Lorain County Beekeepers Association; Aqua Doc; Don Mould’s Plantation; Good Nature Organic Lawn Care and more.

The Kid Zone is open from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and includes a face painter, balloon clown and special guest star, Michael Roy of Cirque du Papier. Additionally, the first 100 kids will receive free gift totes.

The purpose of the Rain and Garden Show is to raise awareness within the local community about the importance of keeping our waterways clean and sustainable. All storm water flows directly into Lake Erie untreated.

“We’re proud to offer such an important event to the Northeast Ohio community,” said Robert Kelly, Westlake's Director of Engineering. “Clean and sustainable waterways are everyone’s responsibility. The Rain and Garden Show provides a great opportunity for education and dialogue about our local ecosystem.”

The city of Westlake’s storm drainage watershed consists of seven major streams and creeks that eventually discharge to Lake Erie: Cahoon, Porter, Schwartz, Sperry, Wilhelmy, Wischmeyer and Wolf. These creeks have about 150 miles of storm sewers that collect rain from developed areas like parking lots, roadways and buildings.

The Westlake Rain and Garden Show is presented by the Westlake Engineering Department and the Westlake Watershed Group, a volunteer citizen committee that includes Westlake residents, members of local businesses and City employees. The Westlake Watershed Group is looking for new members. Learn more about the group or the Rain and Garden Show at www.cityofwestlake.org/Go-Green.