North Royalton to run Home Days in 2026; committee adopts Chamber fee schedule for this year

The North Royalton Finance Committee on May 19 recommended that the city assume leadership of Home Days for 2026 and adopt the vendor and exhibitor fee structure previously used by the North Royalton Chamber of Commerce.

Mayor Paul Marnecheck told the committee the city will operate Home Days this year and evaluate the festival for 2027. The ordinance forwarded to Council includes a $25,000 contingency intended to cover worst-case expenses (rides, entertainment and vendor costs) if event revenues are insufficient; fireworks were noted as already budgeted separately. The committee recommended Ordinance 26-95 (adding Community Business Events and Community Days Festival to city-sponsored events) and Ordinance 26-96 (codifying fees) to Council, with Yeas: Two (Petrusky, Gorjanc).

The fee schedule adopted for 2026 mirrors the Chamber's structure: base food-vendor fee of $450 with $225 for each additional food item; goods-vendor spaces at $450; exhibitor spaces at $250 for non-sales information tables; and a $200 fee for service organizations. Mayor Marnecheck said some vendors have already paid under the Chamber schedule and the city needs authority to accept and properly book those funds.

Committee members and the administration discussed operational questions including whether food trucks are treated differently (Fire Chief and administration involvement due to electrical and safety considerations) and how Police and Fire overtime will be accounted for; Finance Director Jenny Esarey clarified overtime costs remain in departmental budgets and would not automatically be reimbursed from event revenues if a profit occurs.

The ordinance and fee schedule will go to Council for final action; staff were directed to transfer or assume existing vendor contracts and to track revenue and expenses for a post-event evaluation.