Captain Brady Day will return in July 2026

Captain Brady Day is back. Last held in 2007, it was a small neighborhood festival: local residents selling homemade crafts from card tables, a grainy slideshow of the village’s heyday as a tourist destination and other low-key attractions.

Brady Lake residents still identify themselves as Brady Lakers even though the Village of Brady Lake disbanded in 2017 and was absorbed into Franklin Township. One such Brady Laker is Annette McMullen, who, with a small group of friends, is working to revive the festival as a child-centered celebration.

Save the date: Captain Brady Day 2026 will be held July 25 at the village ballfields along Brady Lake Road.

A morning parade that will circle the lake is set for 10 a.m. Parade organizer Charlie Hall says marching groups, bicyclists and safe vehicles are welcome: think hot rods, floats and safety force vehicles. To participate, contact Hall at 330-431-6494 by July 24 or email CaptainBradyDay@gmail.com. A $10 registration fee is meant to help cover event costs, which McMullen estimates at $5,000 to $6,000.

The parade will end at the Brady Lake Road ballfields, which will be packed with food trucks, neighborhood vendors offering homemade crafts and kid-centered games and attractions, including a dunk tank and bounce house. Emceeing the event will be WNIR personality John “Couch Burner” Denning, also a Brady Laker.

Instead of live bands, McMullen said a sound system will feature recorded kid-appropriate music.

A kayak race from the lake’s shallow area near Lakeview and Leonard roads will see contestants race to the flagpole and back. There will be age brackets: McMullen said adults will not compete against kids.

Attendees may also bid on raffle baskets, some containing historic Brady Lake photos.

The event will wind down at 4 p.m.

Prospective vendors or anyone interested in providing additional children’s activities should contact McMullen at 330-221-4788. 

The planners are also eager to involve the community in a free T-shirt design contest. Entries are due by Jan. 10, 2026. The designs must incorporate the phrase Captain Brady Day 2026. Interested artists should submit their designs to CaptainBradyDay@gmail.com. All entries must be accompanied by the designer’s name, contact information and a short explanation of the design.

The winning design will be featured on official Captain Brady Day T-shirts, which will be for sale prior to and during the event.

To raise funds for Captain Brady Day 2026 and future years, the group is planning a Jan. 29 Sip ‘n Paint at the Kent Elks Lodge at 2265 Erie St., behind Twin Star Lanes. Cost is $35 for prepaid tickets or $40 at the door.

Also at the club, The Blaming Amy Band rock/pop band will perform March 28, 2026. Tickets are $10. The Kent Elks will also host a rummage sale April 25.