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Moss on the Rock
Grand Reopening Of the Aquatic Visitor Center
On Wednesday, August 6th, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, ODNR Director Mary Mertz and Division of Wildlife Chief Kendra Wecker will be at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the reopening of the historic State Fish Hatchery at the new Put-in-Bay Aquatic Visitor Center located at 360 W. Shore Blvd. on Peach Point. The welcome presentation will begin at 11 a.m. Everyone will then have an opportunity to explore the facility.
Hotel Victory Tour Of What’s Left!
South Bass Island State Park will host a tour of the infamous Hotel Victory Grounds in the park on Sunday, August 3rd, at 7:30 p.m. The Hotel Victory was one of the largest wood-structured, summer resort hotels in the world, but unfortunately burned to the ground in August 1919. This free family event will start with a beautiful sunset at South Bass Island State Park and end at the Hotel Victory Swimming Pool Pavilion. The tour will highlight various still-existing features of the Hotel Victory, a history of the grounds and exciting facts about life at the Hotel. The tour will be provided by Naturalist and Island Resident Renee Market.
See The World’s Largest Rubber Duck
The Perry Group and Miller Boat Line invite you to celebrate the 2025 season by viewing the World’s Largest Rubber Duck on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The duck measures 61-feet tall, 64-feet wide and 74 feet-long, making for a “once-in-a-lifetime” photo opportunity for visitors to check out for free. The Duck will be on display at the corner of Langram and Meechen out by the PIB Airport.
Learn About Archery
Join ODNR’s mobile archery unit on Wednesday, August 6th, from 10 a.m. to noon at the South Bass Island State Park for this fun event learning how to safely shoot a bow and arrow. Equipment is provided, anyone in line by noon will get to shoot. This event is free and open to all ages!
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13th Annual Pig Roast at the Goat
Join us at Das Lokal, Goat Beer Garden, for a delicious slow-roasted pig along with tasty sides donated by local restaurants while enjoying live music by Lucas Guy on Wednesday, August 6th, starting at 6 p.m. We have a lot of great raffle prizes this year including gift certificates and great gift items! Tickets are available over the phone (419-285-3037) or in person at the Nature & Wildlife Center starting in July. Cost: $25 Pre-purchase, $30 day of. Everyone is welcome. Sponsored by Shores & Islands Ohio. The pig roast benefits the Lake Erie Islands Nature & Wildlife Center.
Miller Boat Line 5K
Put an island in your life on Saturday, September 20th, for the Miller Boat Line 5K at Put-in-Bay & Family Fun Run, the most scenic 5K in Ohio. This race starts in the Village of Put-in-Bay by the downtown docks and winds through the streets of our island. On your journey you’ll enjoy the scenic lake front, marinas and beautiful vineyards. This race benefits the Mother of Sorrows Church. Registration is now open at (https://www.5katputinbay.com) and https://www.hermescleveland.com.
Case Dismissed
Judge James R. Knepp of the United States District Court for the Norther District of Ohio Western Division recently dismissed Dionte Wade’s case against the PIBPD and several of its members. The case stemmed from a 2022 incident where PIB Police were called to the BayShore Resort where Wade worked security. Among the officers named in the suit were current PIBPD officers Yuri Linetsky, Eric Seitz, Ashley McMicheaux and David Fenstermaker who have waited three years for a final verdict in the case.
Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s 240th Birthday Party
Mark August 23rd, 2025, on your calendars! It’s Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s 240th Birthday Party! You’re invited to join us in celebrating Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s 240th birthday. We will have a cocktail Party at the Put-inBay Yacht Club from 5-7 p.m., featuring cocktails, heavy hors d’oeuvres, birthday cake, and ice cream. We will also have a historical presentation by Thomas Sheppard, Ph.D., Professor of Military History at Marine Corps University and Staff College, Quantico, VA. Dr. Sheppart, author of “Commanding Petty Despots: American Navy in the Early Republic,” will speak on the additional history of Oliver Hazard Perry beyond his victory at Put-in-Bay. $60 for Members and $75 for Non-members. Visit ThePerryGroup.org for tickets!
Channel 8 Visits PIB
New Day Cleveland from Channel 8 visited the island recently to showcase things to do on a day trip. They visited Duff Homestead and Bayfront Preserve among other spots. Watch for the segment to air on August 7th. The Lake Erie Islands Conservancy and the Put-in-Bay Park District are grateful for the coverage of our island preserves.
2025 putinbayohio.com’s Best Places To Stay!
- Island Club Rentals (islandclub.com) – 216-898-9951
- Commodore Resort (commodoreresort.com) – 419-285-3101
- Bird’s Nest Resort (birdsnestresort.com) – 419-285-6119
- Put-in-Bay Condos (putinbaycondos.com) 216-898-1105
- Victory Station Hotel (putinbayvictorystation.com) 419-285-0120
Golf Outing At Saunders Golf Course
There will be a PIBYC golf outing on Saturday, August 9th. Check in is at 9:30 a.m. and then the shotgun start at 10 a.m. It’s $25 per person, and if you need to rent a club and ball that’s only $5. You do NOT need to be a golfer to play!
Thank You!
Thanks to all who came out and enjoyed the music, art, food and drink at the Middle Bass Music Festival on Saturday, July 19th ! And to all of our sponsors and volunteers who made it possible. Festival Manager Colleen Kerkay personally held off the rain for a great day of fun! If you missed the festival, but would still like to get some swag, contact Lisa Brohl (419-366-2087) or Colleen Kerkay (440-570-2132) to purchase festival t-shirts, hats, koozies, or flying discs.
Art in the Park
Join the fun on Saturday, September 6th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a day full of creativity and community at DeRivera Park! Explore a mix of original works including photography, watercolor, acrylic, pottery, glass and more!
Watch live artist demonstrations and connect with the makers behind the masterpieces! Vendor registrations are due by Saturday, August 23, 2025. For more information, go to visitputinbay.com.
Text A Buoy
Did you know you can pick up your smartphone and text a smart buoy off Kelleys Island and get real-time updates on lake conditions, water temperature, air temperature, wind speed, wave height, pH levels, toxins and dissolved oxygen. To check lake conditions at this buoy, text 866-218-9973 with the five-digit buoy ID of 45201
Stuff You Need To Know From The Internet
A combination of lakefront scenery and secluded setting makes Put-in-Bay one of the best small towns in Ohio for a crowd-free summer. This comes with plenty of fun for all ages at Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center. The remarkable venue offers a fair share of exciting activities, including gem mining and rock climbing, with access to a rare underground lake. A refreshing glass of wine from Heineman Winery puts you in the perfect vacation mode while in town. The facility crafts over 20 different grape wines for outstanding tasting tours.
Meanwhile, guests can savor a scrumptious seafood menu at The Boardwalk, which serves shrimp and lobsters in a romantic waterfront destination overlooking the glistening waters of Lake Erie. Finally, the annual Bash on the Bay Music Festival entertains guests with two days of nonstop performances by famous headliners in an electric outdoor extravaganza.
New Plaza Entryway At Mother Of Sorrows
Thanks to the generous contribution of Mack McCann, Mother of Sorrows now features a new ADA-compliant front entryway. The gently sloped plaza provides improved accessibility for individuals using wheelchairs, walkers, or those with mobility challenges. Its increased width allows for comfortable gathering on paved surfaces rather than grass. This donation was made in memory of Mack’s brother, Ted McCann, who passed away in February 2024. Construction was completed by Kenny Fox.
PIB Science Days In August
Put-in-Bay Science Days with Stone Lab showcase live fish, wildlife, and other creatures that call Lake Erie home. Each week during the summer, the public can learn from Stone Lab experts all about the Lake Erie ecosystem and why it is so important to protect Ohio’s great lake. The events are free and will occur at the South Bass Lighthouse grounds from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Aug. 1: Lake Erie Non-game Fishes
Aug. 8-9: Harmful Algal Blooms
Aug. 15-16: Reptiles and Amphibians
Aug. 22-23: Fossils of Lake Erie
Aug. 29: Monarch Butterfly Migration
Benson Ford Shiphouse Tours
This is the last call for 2025 for your opportunity to tour one of America’s most unique homes! The Benson Ford Ship House is opening its doors on August 17th for tours of this home made out of the forecastle of Henry Ford’s lakefreighter! For info and to get tickets go to https://putinbay.com/tour/.
Vacation Bible School
Vacation Bible School, Camp Firelight, will take place from Monday, August 4th through Friday, August 8th, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The program will be held at both Mother of Sorrows Church and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and is open to children ages 6 to 12. Registration will be available at Mother of Sorrows Cornerstone on Monday, August 4th, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
A Recent Post From St. Paul’s
We have had an eventful few months. In February, we joined a coalition of interfaith partners to sue the federal government on the grounds that the threat of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in houses of worship is a violation of our religious freedom. In May, we ended our four-decade participation in the federal refugee resettlement program over the current administration’s demand that we resettle white Afrikaners designated as refugees. We are now assessing how to respond to the travel ban, which prevents us from gathering and worshipping freely with the people of our churches in Venezuela, Haiti and Cuba, and may limit entry for our members in several other of the 22 countries and territories where The Episcopal Church is found. These challenges to our ability to practice our faith have strained the comfortable intermingling of church and state that our institution has enjoyed for nearly 250 years.
Attend the GLIA Islands Summit 2025
Mark your calendars for the 2025 Great Lakes Islands Summit, happening September 21-24 on Beaver Island! An immersive event for island community leaders, residents, and advocates, the Summit provides a unique platform for networking, exchanging ideas, and engaging in meaningful discussions on a range of topics that impact our island communities. Sessions will cover challenges and opportunities facing islands across the Great Lakes, including education, economy, housing, environment, and more. Check out https://glialliance.org/summit-2025/ for all you need to know.
Traveling
Rose Kahler from East Point took many of the Kahler family to Europe where they visited Italy, France and Spain. Gabiela Kaplan from PIB Airport visited her native land Ecuador and visited her childhood pet (See article on Page 14). Ted and Betsy McCann from Sybil Blvd. were out west where they visited Zion National Park among other scenic destinations. Terry Jenkins and his bride Lesa enjoyed a great birthday weekend at Ceasar’s Casino in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. PIB School’s science teacher Missi Kowalski was in Iceland with a teacher group. Ralph and Tracey Geiss from the airport visited Mackinac Island. Paul Jeris was in Greenland and Denmark. Simona Michael enjoyed Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes in Michigan with her daughter Emma and son Emil.
Rogue Smallmouth Bass
In 2023, the team of researchers tagged smallmouth bass in the Bass Islands, and in the spring of 2024, they tagged more. Preliminary results show that smallmouth bass don’t move very far, with the majority of tagged fish sticking to the same small area near where they were captured. One roque bass, however, tagged near North Bass Island migrated up the Detroit River to Lake St. Clair and back — twice.
Happy 140th Anniversary to I-LYA
The Inter-Lake Yachting Association (I-LYA) was founded in 1885 & has been hosted on Put-in-Bay nearly every year since. Each summer the I-LYA holds several sailing races including the regatta, Junior Race Week & Powerboat Regattas. The Put-in-Bay Yacht Club was founded in 1886, and has served as the host of the I-LYA’s annual Regatta for more than 100 years.
Attention Power Washers!
Companies that power wash need to be aware of the environmental regulations that apply to them. Small businesses can be involved in different activities such as power washing vehicles, equipment, buildings, etc. Search Google for “Mobile Power Washing and Environmental Regulations for Ohio” to make sure you understand these important environmental laws.
Articles About The Islands
We hope you’re enjoying summer! Here are some of our favorite articles about the islands for June and July from Katrina Reed from Miller Boat Line. Please check them out and share the positivity if you’re able.
World’s largest rubber duck headed to Put-in-Bay Cleveland.com
Put-in-Bay harbor marks 5 anniversaries in 2025 Toledo Blade
2025’S 10 Most Scenic Ohio Towns World Atlas
Lake Erie Island Getaway Ideas Lake Erie Living
Photostream: A Rainy Trip to Put-in-Bay by Anastasia Pantsios Cool Cleveland
6 Idyllic Getaways That You Won’t Believe Are in the Midwest Parade Magazine
Miller Boat Line celebrates 120 years of impact on Lake Erie The Beacon
12 Coolest Ohio Towns For A Summer Vacation In 2025 World Atlas
World’s Largest Rubber Duck coming to Put-in-Bay The Beacon
The previous piece is published in this month’s Put-in-Bay Gazette. The Gazette has been producing incredible independent Put-in-Bay island news for over 40 years. If you have any interest at all in what is happening on South Bass Island, we urge you strongly to subscribe to the Put-in-Bay Gazette. One-year online subscriptions are only $15, and print subscriptions are available as well. To subscribe please visit the Put-in-Bay Gazette subscription form. This piece of Put-in-Bay journalism has been provided to putinbayohio.com courtesy of the Put-in-Bay Gazette, Put-in-Bay’s only local newspaper. Visit their website putinbay.news for more information and to subscribe!
