Maureen Kelly and I cooked up the idea of a  Passport Fair at a wine tasting one recent evening and now it's ready to take place from 2 to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 at The News-Herald, 7085 Mentor Ave. in Willoughby.
Staff from her Lake County Clerk of Courts will issue and process the paperwork and a photographer will be on hand to shoot the required photo. That photo will cost $11, but photos can also be secured in advance at area drug stores. The Fair is for new passports only, but her staff will be able to tell you how you can renew an expired passport or get a passport card for land travel into Canada.
A birth certificate also is needed. 
The information will be submitted to the U.S. State Department which will issue the passport and mail it back to the applicant in about four weeks. Kelly's crew will even tell applicants how they can track the processing of their passport. The government shut-down has not affected this process, according to  Kelly.
An adult passport, for those 16 and older, is $110 and good for 10 years. A child passport, for those 15 and younger, is $80 and good for five years.
Those wishing information about renewal of passports, or land travel into Canada also can get information at the Passport Fair.
A headcount is needed to determine staffing, so call me at 440-954-7199.
I'll be there handing out October travel sections, and talking travel with those looking for inspiration. As anyone who knows me already knows, I live and breathe travel.
 Hope to see you there.