If you want a case of dog envy, check out the All-Around Dog Agility Championships, July 4-7 at Cleveland Metroparks Polo Field in Chagrin Falls.
The free event brings in more than 200 dogs and their handlers who will cajole, encourage and coax their canine charges to jump, climb, run, see-saw and weave their way through agility challenges.
No, your dog probably can’t do what they do. And, yes, it’s perfectly fine if yours takes power naps and begs for treats. Stop by anyway. Well-behaved dogs are welcome to watch as long as they’re on a leash. See how yours stacks up. You can test their agility aptitude on Saturday and Sunday in the Agility 101 ring for a $5 donation. Proceeds benefit Geauga County Humane Society’s Rescue Village.
To learn more about what your dog probably can’t do, but could if either of you really tried, go to usdaa.com
Tall Order
Ship Shape
You can enjoy the thrill of tall ships this summer without swabbing a deck or hoisting a sail.
The Tall Ships Challenge returns to Cleveland’s waterfront on July 11 for a four-day festival of live entertainment, historical exhibits, food and tours of the traditionally rigged sailing ships.
The event starts with a dramatic Parade of Sail at 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 11 with 10 ships from Canada, the United States and New Zealand. The Captain’s Reception and Opening Ceremony are at 7 p.m.
Gates open at 9:30 a.m. July 12, 13 and 14 with festival activities, exhibits and public ships boarding from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily. Ninety-minute excursions aboard the Appledore IV, Appledore V and Inland Seas ships are available for an extra charge over regular admission.
You’ll find the Tall Ships Challenge just north of FirstEnergy Stadium. Buy discounted presale tickets at tallshipscle.com.
And More Boats…
When the Cuyahoga River caught fire 50 years ago on June 22, it wasn’t the first time the then-polluted waterway burned, but it was the most notable, leading to passage of the Clean Water Act and the eventual cleanup of the misused river.
See what nearly 50 years of environmental regulations can do for a polluted waterway. Dozens of organizations are holding celebrations this summer, heralding the renewal of the Cuyahoga River, now a destination for kayakers, fishermen, swimmers and other water enthusiasts.
Why not join in the fun and celebrate the cleanup? One is the Cuyahoga 50 Lighted Boat Parade, June 22 from 9:30-11 p.m. Twinkle light-decorated boats will gather near Whiskey Island at 8:30 p.m. and head up the river at dusk. Enjoy a river by twinkle light, not firelight.
To see what else is planned for the river, go to rockthelake.com
Moving Day Cleveland
Parkinson’s Walk Set for June 22
Well-known Northeast Ohio radio and TV personality Les Levine is the honorary chair of the fourth annual Moving Day Cleveland Walk for Parkinson’s on June 22.
The event is from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Wade Oval in University Circle. Last year’s event drew more than 850 people.
Levine, 72, has been a fixture in NEO media since 1970. A graduate of Brush High School, he grew up in South Euclid and graduated from The Ohio State University. He eventually landed in Kent, where he became local sales manager and sports director of what later became WNIR.
Levine covered more than 100 games a year on radio until 1979, when he moved to WSLR and WKDD. During that time, he covered Kent State basketball and football games and Cleveland Crusader hockey on Akron Cable TV. He hosted More Sports & Les Levine on WERE, and then moved to WHK, where he anchored the new sports station.
When WHK changed format, he moved the show to Fox Sports Ohio. Since 1996, MS&LL has been seen on six different cable stations, and now on Cleveland.com. Levine also is on the sports talk lineup of 92.3 The Fan.
Levine says he went to a physician for back issues in December 2017. The doctor asked him how long he had Parkinson’s — a diagnosis he had never received. After more appointments, the diagnosis was confirmed in April 2018.
Levine said that with a combination of medications and exercises, including boxing, his Parkinson’s symptoms are in check. While Levine has noticed that he has slowed down a bit, he compensates by giving himself more time to get ready for his day. He has no plans to retire. He and his wife, Allison, have been married for 20 years. Between them, they have four children and five grandchildren.
Each year, about 60,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Moving Day events include a movement tent with demonstrations on physical therapy techniques, rock steady boxing and Reiki. The mission tent offers information and handouts about Parkinson’s. Children can enjoy the Kid Zone and walk around the Oval with friends and family.
To get involved and to register a team, go to movingdaycleveland.org.
