WILLOWICK, Ohio — A popular church festival is back in 2023 with some changes after a chaotic scene in its final day in 2022.
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St. Mary Magdalene Church’s 31st Homecoming Festival is suspending carnival rides, requiring children to be accompanied by an adult inside the church building, including a police booth and closing an hour earlier than in previous years.
Church and Willowick city leaders agreed to make the changes after a series of disturbances ended the event early on its last day of the weekend in 2022.
“We’re all about opening our church to the community, and we’re all about welcoming them to the parish. And that’s not what we’re about; We’re not about what happened last year,” said Rosemarie Sisler, the festival co-chair.
Willowick Police took 10 juveniles into custody on June 5, 2022, after large groups of unaccompanied minors began fighting and causing disturbances. The department used pepper balls and mutual aid from neighboring agencies to disperse the crowd. According to police, one young person was found with a handgun, but it was not displayed, and no shots were fired.
Festival volunteer Charles DiFranco added, “It really caught everybody off guard.”
The Homecoming Festival is St. Mary Magdalene’s largest fundraiser each year, generating money for the church, youth programs and a food pantry. It features live music, games, an auction and food vendors.
“They like the entertainment; they just like the atmosphere of the festival,” said Sisler. “We’re one of the first festivals of the season, and it’s a good community. We’re a welcoming community; we’re a welcoming church.”
Sisler said the church received an outpouring of community support after last year’s incident, including other donations to help fill fundraising gaps. This year, hundreds of volunteers returned, and extra sponsors stepped up to help make up for lost revenue from suspending rides.
Some newcomers to the event said the changes did not discourage them from attending.
“I was driving with the kids, and they said they wanted to stop over, so we came out to get some food and hopefully enjoy some activities,” said Bryant Bradford.
Other longtime festival attendees told News 5 they missed the rides but appreciate the attention to safety.
“I have a small kid, so we don’t need any trouble,” said Val Champagne.
Festival organizers said though the changes may cause a hit to revenue, their goal is safety.
“If we can have four fun, safe days and we make some money for the parish, we will have run a successful festival,” Sisler said.
The Homecoming Festival is from Thursday to June 4, with live music each night and a classic car show Saturday morning. Find a full schedule by clicking here.
