12 Months of Fun Around Lake Erie
Discover ways to celebrate our Great Lake during any season.
January
Get a jump on the season at the annual Cleveland Boat Show at the I-X Center in Cleveland. clevelandboatshow.com
February
Check out ice sculptures — and see them being carved — at Ice A Fair in Vermilion, Ohio. Bundle up and stay to enjoy the food and entertainment. mainstreetvermilion.org/ice
March
Head to Buffalo — where 11% of the population is Irish — to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with two parades, plenty of Irish pubs and classic foods like Beef on Weck. visitbuffaloniagara.com
April
Plan the perfect spot to experience the total solar eclipse on April 8. With Lake Erie being a prime viewing location, there will be no shortage of viewing areas and destinations to experience the magic of this special event.
May
Take flight with Festival of the Birds at Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pennsylvania, where more than 320 species of birds have been recorded. presqueisleaudubon.org
June
Join the pirates in downtown Put-in-Bay for live entertainment, a parade, reenactments and more at the annual —and family-friendly — Pyrate Fest. Costumes are encouraged. pyratefest.org
July
Head to Kelleys Island in Ohio for Island Fest to enjoy family entertainment, a parade, fireworks, crafters, street dances, games, great food and a beer tent.
kelleysislandchamber.com
August
Laugh at the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, featuring more than 50 events and 30 artists in Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, New York. comedycenter.org
September
Celebrate the harvest at Grape Jamboree in Geneva, Ohio, with a grape-stomping contest, a parade, rides, great food, entertainment, grape juice and local wine. grapejamboree.com
October
Embrace fall at the Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival, where you’ll find pumpkin-decorating, a pie contest, live music, hayrides and tours of the iconic Ohio lighthouse. lakesideohio.com
November
Join hunters from all over the world to participate in the Pelee Island Pheasant Hunt, which has been happening on this 10,000-acre island in Ontario for more than 90 years. pelee.org/pheasant-hunts
December
Marvel at more than a million twinkling lights at the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium’s annual Lights Before Christmas, which has been voted best zoo lights by USA Today. toledozoo.org/lights
