Polka Fest Officials Say Pending Solon Township Parks Ordinance Could ‘Kill’ The Festival

The Solon Township Board will consider adopting a new parks ordinance at their December meeting, scheduled for this evening (Thursday, December 11) at 6pm. The ordinance, which was drafted by the township’s board-appointed parks committee, purports “to secure the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Solon Township...by regulating the use of the Parks in Solon Township.” But Lisa Rossi-Brett, executive director for the Polka Fest Foundation, tells The Ticker that the ordinance would likely “kill” the Cedar Polka Fest if adopted as written.

The Polka Fest Foundation has clashed with the Solon Township Board in the past, most notably during the lead-up to its 2024 festival. That skirmish followed recommendations from the parks committee for the board to require new deposits, fees, and inspections before agreeing to lease the tennis courts at Cedar Community Park to the Polka Fest. Fee structures discussed at the time included 10 percent of the festival’s gross profits, $300 per day, and a $5,000 flat fee. For reference, the township has historically charged the Polka Fest just $1 a day to lease the parkland.

The board ultimately opted not to implement any changes that year, after Rossi-Brett threatened to cancel the festival due to the last-minute nature of the deliberations. The issue reared its head again last winter, leading to a new deal where the Polka Fest agreed to pay the township $225 per day during the 2025 festival for use of the tennis courts.

Now, Rossi-Brett is sounding the alarm bells again, over elements of the newly-drafted parks ordinance.

“In that parks ordinance, it says every event will pay [fees], so it's not just Polka Fest, but also other events like the Brian Nachazel Memorial Snowball Tournament, and even the little league,” Rossi-Brett tells The Ticker. “It also says there will be no motorized vehicles allowed on the tennis courts – which, if that passes, that'll kill the Polka Fest, because we can't put the tents up without [motorized vehicles].”

As written, the draft ordinance states that: “No motorized apparatuses such as vehicles excluding motorized wheelchairs shall be allowed on any of the tennis courts at any time for any purposes. Tennis courts may only be used for their intended purposes.”

Tonight’s Solon Township Board meeting will include a public hearing for the new ordinance, which can be read in full here. The meeting is scheduled for 6pm at Solon Township Hall in Cedar.