Put-in-Bay | September 18

St. Patrick’s Day is a beloved party day all over America. Don’t you wish it came more than once a year? Well at Put-in-Bay Ohio it does! Reserve a house or condo and join us the third weekend of September for Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day! There is a parade with a marching band and bagpipes, everyone dresses in green, it’s just like the original St. Patrick’s day in March, just spreading the love to September! Hooligans Irish Pub sponsors the parade and is also the headquarters for the St. Patrick’s Day festivities! Hooligans is the place to be for food and drinks, and a big chunk of the faux St. Patty’s fun. Other bars and restaurants will get in on the fun too including Mr. Ed’s Bar downtown!

Once the Halfway to St. Patrick’s day festivities are complete, and you’ve had your fill of corned beef and whiskey, enjoy the rest of what Put-in-Bay has to offer. Hop onto the Tour Train and relax while you see a lot of what’s going on on the island. The tour, approximately one hour in length, gives you a taste of all of the major Put-in-Bay attractions. Stop by the Downtown Bus terminal at the corner of Delaware and Toledo to pick up a ticket. You’ll be riding in an eye-popping yellow open-air trolley tugged along by a Jeep. You’ll get the scoop about the main Put-in-Bay attractions from your knowledgeable tour guide, both entertaining and informative! You’ll both enjoy the tour and have an idea of what sites you’ll want to check out in a little more detail later on during your stay. Some of the stops include:

Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial
Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center
Heineman’s Winery
Lake Erie Island Nature and Wildlife Center

PUT-IN-BAY MUSIC FESTIVAL

After a COVID year of peace and quiet, the FREE Put-in-Bay Music Festival returns September 18th and is sponsored by Miller Ferry. The music fest is back and ready to rock in a big way. Hosted by the Boathouse Bar and Grill with help from the National Park Service, Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce, Lake Erie Shores and Islands and the Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center, this years Put-in-Bay Music Fest has an amazing line up of five rockin’ bands.

Put-in-Bay’s “biggest day at the bay” features great live from noon to 6 p.m.. Enjoy Hooligan’s St Patty’s Day parade then settle in for some great music from The Flyin’ Jays, AJ and the Woods, Amelia Airharts, Allie and the Rockers and this year we’re featuring the great Irish rock sounds of Mary’s Lane.

There will be non-stop music because our second stage includes the great Irish folk sounds of “Guinness Bill” Krejci and Dick McCarthy and the Ukulele All Stars. Special guest host emcee Bob Gatewood will lead us all day long and take us out with a great group sing-along of “Friends of the Bay.” After the concert enjoy our New Year’s Eve celebration out on Delaware Avenue.

But that’s not all. Have you been dreaming of being a “rock star”? Our festival kicks off at 10 a.m. with a ukulele workshop under the Perry Group tent on the NPS lawn. The ukulele workshop, hosted by Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial, is open to kids of all ages. Just show up, we will loan you a ukulele and teach you how to strum 3-cord rock with our great ukulele instructors led by Dick McCarthy. The Put-in-Bay Music Fest is a family-friendly event that helps benefit the Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center. For more information, go to facebook.com/putinbaymusicfest.