Check Out the Fun at the It's Better In Mentor Festival

The It's Better In Mentor Festival returns to the city for its 35th year this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The festivities include rides, games, food, clowns, a parade, music, ballroom dancing, a pair of pancake breakfasts, a karate demonstration, a 5-mile run and and so much more.

• Check out photos from last year's festival here.

The parade steps off at 10 a.m. Saturday from Shore Middle School on Hopkins Road and continues south to Civic Center Boulevard. This year's them is "35 Years of Fun."

The annual pancake breakfasts will be held 7 a.m. to noon both Saturday and Sunday.

Registration for the 5-mile race/2-mile walk begins 7:30 a.m. Sunday.

The run then starts 8:30 a.m., followed by the walk at 8:45 a.m.

People who register for the run/walk today only need to pay $18. However, the registration fee will be $20 the day of the race.

People can download the registration form here and mail entries, along with entry fee to Ron Traub c/o City of Mentor, 8500 Civic Center Boulevard, Mentor, OH 44060.

Checks should be made payable to City of Mentor.

Here is the full schedule of the festival's events:

Friday, September 21

Civic Center Stage
7-11 PM            Festives

Entertainment Tent
7-11 PM            Dave’s Planet

Festival Grounds
5-8 PM             Sparkles the Clown

Saturday, September 22

Civic Center Stage
12:30-1 PM        Mentor Dance Team
1:30-2 PM          Savelli Triple Threat
2:30-3 PM          Family Karate
3:30-4 PM          Show Stoppers
4-4:30 PM          Karate Institute
7-11 PM               Revolution Pie

Entertainment Tent
2-4 PM            USA Dance Chapter – Ballroom Dancing
7-11 PM            Pieces of Eight

Festival Grounds
2-5 PM            Sparkles the Clown
3-4 PM            Jungle Terry

Amphitheater
8-10 PM         Jaded Muse 

Sunday, September 23

Civic Center Stage
12-12:30 PM     Fit Group
1-1:30 PM         Rock Cola Twirlers
3-7 PM              Sumrada

Amphitheater
1-1:30 PM            Shoreline Singers
2-2:30 PM           Mannheim Orchestra
3-3:30 PM           Mentor Top 25

Festival Grounds
2-5 PM            Sparkles the Clown
3-4 PM            Jungle Terry

Entertainment Tent
5-8 PM              1 Too Young