Lake Erie September / October 2025 Events

Embrace the magic of fall on Lake Erie, where high-spirited tunes and laughter echo through charming and lively waterfront towns, and every moment is a celebration of our Great Lake.

SEPTEMBER EVENTS
Thunder on the Strip | Sept. 4-7
Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio
Rev up an appetite for the daredevil Harley-Davidson Contraband Stunt Team, line up for the Founder’s Parade and work your way around dives and other destinations to earn a shirt. Food, bike games and unrelenting live music. This event is cruising into its 18th year.

Cleveland Oktoberfest | Sept. 5-6
Berea, Ohio
Celebrate German culture with this annual festival complete with German beer, German and Polish food, live entertainment, wiener dog races, fireworks, Bavarian shopping village, a 5K Bier Run, art market and the largest glockenspiel in the country.

Greek-American Festival | Sept. 5-7
Toledo, Ohio
Enjoy authentic Greek food, pastries and dancing. Browse the Greek boutique, culture, language and religious education booths and tour the beautiful Byzantine Cathedral.  Plus attend the free Greek language and culture presentations and Greek cooking demonstrations.

Treasure Island Day | Sept. 6
Kelleys Island
This local garage/yard sale is an adventure for the whole family! You are bound to find some unique treasures at great prices. Treasure Island Day begins at 9 a.m and winds down around 3 p.m. Treasure seekers can stop by the Chamber of Commerce office at 9 a.m. to pick up the Treasure Island Day map. Maps are also available at the Island Market.

The Erie Marathon | Sept. 7
Erie, Pennsylvania
Hit the ground running on this flat-and-fast course which loops around Presque Isle State Park twice, passing miles of pristine beaches, marshes and trees. Overnight on the Erie Bayfront where you can refuel with post-race dining and drinking.

Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day | Sept. 13
Put-in-Bay
Celebrate the luck of the Irish for a second time this year! Don’t miss the parade with a marching band and bagpipes and a weekend filled with fun, festivities and visitors decked out in green and enjoying Irish drinks and food!

Toledo Lighthouse Waterfront Festival | Sept. 13-14
Toledo, Ohio
Take a boat ride from Maumee Bay State Park in Oregon, Ohio to the Toledo Lighthouse and see if you can spot Sarah, the resident ghost, peering out the third-story window. Return to land for live music, art, lighthouse merch, kids’ games and better-than-fair food, including crab cakes, walleye, Mexican and burgers. 

3rd Thursdays | Sept. 18
Vermilion, Ohio
Enjoy free live music brought to you by the Vermilion Chamber of Commerce in downtown Vermilion. Stroll the sidewalks and browse the shops while listening to many wonderful genres of music from 5 p.m. to sunset. Do some shopping, grab something to eat or enjoy some great ice cream and be a part of this fantastic event. There’s plenty of parking, lots of flowers to enjoy, artwork to browse and a sunset over Lake Erie that is sure to please.

Westfield Grape & Wine Festival | Sept. 19-20
Westfield, New York
Explore the rich history of the region’s vineyards and learn about the science of grape cultivation in Westfield, New York. Better yet, try the award-winning wine! While you sip, let the kids enjoy bounce houses, hay wagon rides, face painting and more.

Erie Irish Festival | Sept. 19-21
Erie, Pennsylvania
Get your taste of Ireland with luck of the Irish games of chance, clothing, purses, trinkets, brews, pub grub and other delicious foods — including Reubens, Irish stew and shepherd’s pie — and Irish sweet treats. The weekend also is filled with a variety of Irish entertainment, including bands, arts and crafts activities and a wide array of vendors.

Sept. 19-21
Amherstburg Uncommon Festival | Sept. 19-21
Amherstburg, Ontario
Step into a world where steampunk meets magic. Gears, gadgets and enchantments abound at this extraordinary event. Dress up in your favorite wizardry or steampunk cosplay costume and enjoy a weekend filled with fun. Expect more buskers, live performances, games, vendors and downtown businesses open to serve you and wackier than ever fun-filled days. You will want to return every single day so you don’t miss a thing.

Headlands Birding Festival | Sept. 19-21
Mentor, Ohio
Celebrate the fall migration of bird species as they travel to their wintering grounds as far away as South Africa. Bird experts will lead field trips to some of the region’s best migratory bird hot spots, as well as boating ‘pelagic’ on Lake Erie. Special events include presentations on bird identification, migrations and related topic, as well as keynote speeches by author and photographer Jim McCormac and Greg Miller, who is known for breaking the record for most bird species seen in North America in a single year.

FireFish Festival | Sept. 20
Lorain, Ohio
Watch as a bigger-than-ever crafted fish is set on fire under a September full moon in Lorain, Ohio. You’ll find art installations, immersive performances and loads of live music. The day concludes with drummers, fire dancers and jugglers, and handcrafted lanterns leading the way to the flaming finale.

Osborn Fall Fest | Sept. 20
Huron, Ohio
Discover one of Erie Metroparks largest events featuring dozens of activity stations and exhibits, live animals and entertainment for the entire family, plus local shopping vendors and food. This year’s event also coincides with the grand reopening of the Roger Johnson Nature Center.

Wine Fest | Sept. 26-28
Erie, Pennsylvania
Enjoy thousands of acres of grapes, along with more than 100 varieties of award-winning wine hand-crafted by local wine makers. Wine Fest offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to taste and try white, red, blush, bubbly, fruity, ice and innovative options — all in one place. Tasting passes can be purchased for a single day or the whole weekend and include a souvenir wine glass along with unlimited tastings. The pass also includes a token to purchase a bottle of wine to drink on-site while enjoying live music and strolling entertainment, fabulous food and more than 60 artisan and craft vendors.

Geneva Area Grape Jamboree | Sept. 27-28
Geneva, Ohio
Discover an entire weekend filled with joy, entertainment and an abundance of grapes. Activities include an arts and crafts show, grape stomping, pie eating and rides to a 5K run, parade, cornhole tournament, a variety of food vendors and more.

Ruthven Apple Festival | Sept. 27-28
Kingsville, Ontario
Kick back and relax with live music, children's activities, more than 100 craft and food vendors, a farmers market and classic car show.

OCTOBER

Woollybear Festival | Oct. 5
Vermilion, Ohio
The Woollybear Festival, the brainchild of the late, great Fox 8 Meteorologist Dick Goddard, has grown from a small-town celebration to one of the largest one-day festivals in the state. Visitors can look forward to a day filled with fun, including a parade complete with creative floats, marking bands and the beloved woollybear caterpillars, family-friendly activities, live entertainment and food and craft vendors.

Harvest Fest/KIPD Pig Roast | Oct. 11
Kelleys Island
Make your way to the island for a variety of family-friendly fall activities, including cookie baking contests, crafts, games and a pig roast.

Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival | Oct. 11
Lakeside, Ohio
This free, peninsula-wide event includes fun for the whole family, including tours of the Marblehead Lighthouse and the Wolcott Keeper’s House, live entertainment, children’s games and crafts, a pumpkin-decorating contest, over 100 arts & crafts vendors, a farmers’ market, hayrides and much more in Lakeside Chautauqua and the village of Marblehead.

Oak Harbor Apple Festival | Oct. 11-12
Oak Harbor, Ohio
Celebrate one of the most beloved flavors of the season during a fun-filled weekend featuring apple-themed food and drinks, more than 100 craft vendors, live music and family-friendly activities, including a classic car show, 5K, Kids' Fun Run, baking content, parade and more.

Oktoberfest | Oct. 11-12
Put-in-Bay, Ohio
Grab a ferry to the Ohio island of Put-in-Bay to load up on brats, pierogis, potato pancakes and apple dumplings — all washed down by cold beer or hot spiced wine. Then, dance those calories off as a polka band plays.

Ashtabula Covered Bridge Festival | Oct. 11-12
Jefferson, Ohio
Take a self-guided driving tour of 19 covered bridges in Jefferson, Ohio, including the longest covered bridge in the country (Smolen Gulf) and the shortest one open to traffic (West Liberty Street). Then head to downtown Jefferson to eat, shop, listen to live music, see antique cars and watch the parade.

Fall Fest | Oct. 11-12 & 18-19
Clymer, New York
One weekend isn't enough for this fabulous fall festival, boasting brilliant foliage, a juried craft show with more than 100 vendors, a farmers' market, pumpkin cannon, children's games, live entertainment, pony rides, ski lift rides, classic car cruise-in and an annual snowsports equipment swap. 

Fall Festival | Oct. 11-12
Ellicottville, New York
Make your way to Holiday Valley for a delightful weekend complete with live music, scenic chairlift rides, mountaintop cookouts, a Fall Scramble Off Road Run and much more.

Great Lakes Beach Glass & Coastal Arts Festival | Oct. 11-12
Erie, Pennsylvania
Don’t miss this exciting biannual event filled with arts and craft vendors, speakers and educational information regarding beach glass, sea glass and all things beachy and coastal.

Adult Halloween | Oct. 17-20
Kelleys Island
All island establishments will be welcoming revelers costumed and un-costumed alike. Check with bars and restaurants for special prizes, costume contests and more. The Kelleys Island Ferry will offer extended service to make sure you get home.

Windsor International Film Festival | Oct. 23-Nov. 2
Windsor, Ontario
The Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF) is a cultural, charitable organization that celebrates the art of cinema by showcasing Canadian and international film and filmmakers. Delivering exceptional experiences through film, WIFF strengthens and enriches community while promoting the creative economy.

Halloween Boo Bash at the Bay | Oct. 25
Put-in-Bay
Local taverns decorate for Halloween and people in costumes flood the downtown streets of Put-in-Bay. This is one of the island's final weekends of the season — and one of the last chances for island fun till spring.