A special report by The Tremonster
The chilly, 45-degree Saturday night (the last night of Daylight Savings Time) came as a shock after being spoiled by the warm beginning to March, but that didn’t seem to deter a large turnout for the 2024 Towpath Trail Lantern Parade.
The annual event is produced by Canalway Partners, and according to their director of communications, Meghan Tinker Paynter, this year’s turnout was a record-breaker.
“This was our third year putting on this event, and we were so excited to see our largest crowd yet. We estimate that about 350 people walked along the trail with us this year,” said Meghan.
The group made for a spectacular sight as they illuminated their way with their handmade lanterns of all shapes and sizes at dusk, winding along the already beautifully lit Towpath Trail.
“Canalway’s mission is to connect people to place, and the Towpath Trail is such a unique and important place in Cuyahoga County,” Meghan explained. “We want people to know that this trail is an all-season asset that’s not just for runners or cyclists. This trail is for everyone, in every season, and the Towpath Trail Lantern Parade is a great, unique way for people to connect to the trail and to other people and artists in the community.”
If Tremonsters missed this first, immersive opportunity of the spring to interact with the Towpath Trail, the next Canalway Partners free community event is a big one: RiverSweep on May 19.
“We’ll be celebrating 35 years of this one-day litter cleanup in areas throughout Cleveland and the Cuyahoga River watershed,” said Meghan.
Meghan shared data on the impact of the Towpath Trail on the communities it touches:
“In 2023, more than 12,000 people came to our community events that help connect people to the Towpath Trail, the Cuyahoga River, and other places of historic importance throughout Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.”
Meghan wanted to tell Tremont community members that, if they like what they see from Canalway Partners, the organization could use their support in a number of ways.
She said, “Our work of putting on free community events would not be possible without community support.” Please check out the Canalway Partners website at canalwaypartners.com to learn more about our events and find out how you can support their worthy organization.
