FAIRBORN — The air is warm, the days are long, the sun causes burns and the bugs create bumps to scratch. Yes, summer is here. Well, not officially, but the City of Fairborn is marching on anyway with its planned summer events, hosting Friday, June 2 the first of season-long family-oriented (and free) events.

Kicking off the evening is the official grand opening of the much-anticipated dog park at 6 p.m., followed by the first Community Movie Night of the season as the sun sinks below the horizon.

Dog park opening

The second dog park in Greene County and the first in the city, “The Wag Pad” will officially open for public use 6 p.m. Friday, June 2 at Sandhill Park, 229 Sandhill Road. Locals and their canine friends are invited to be the first feet (and paws) on the grounds. Sandhill Park is now divided down the center with the parking lot, with a grassy area, shelter and playground equipment on one side and the fenced-in dog park on the other.

The dog park is separated to welcome both large and small dogs with fencing that climbs as high as seven feet with one foot of the fencing being buried underground. Both sides include a shelter and a continuously-filled water bowl that sprays for eight seconds at a time with the push of a button. Both sides of the dog park are accessible from the other through a gate in the fence. It includes a handicap-accessible opening as well.

Community Movie Night

Individuals without dogs still have an opportunity to enjoy entertainment without leaving the community as the city’s parks and recreation division is hosting Community Movie Night and a number of additional activities happening in conjunction with the event to kickoff Fairborn’s annual Free-on-Friday series.

Locals are invited to participate in free children activities, including playing in a bounce house and getting their face painted. While the following Free-on-Friday will specifically host concerts, live music fans can still delight as Jim McCutcheon is slated to take the stage beginning at 7 p.m.

Community Movie Night and its additional activities will take place at Central Park, 222 S. Central Avenue, where the city’s sprayground is located. Citizens are welcome to pack dry clothes for Community Movie Night as the sprayground will remain open until the movie begins at dusk. Free popcorn is included. To see the movie title, visit the City of Fairborn Parks and Recreation Division website at http://bit.ly/2rROBIw.