A Great New Put-in-Bay Tradition Makes For A Great Reason To Visit!
Put-in-Bay is gearing up for one of its newest traditions. This Saturday is the Big Day at the Bay! A day with great events happening on the island from morning until night makes this one of the best autumn days to spend on South Bass Island.
Most of these events aren’t new. The Miller Boat Line 5k has been held annually for a long time. This is the 49th annual Fire Department Clambake, and the Island Wide Garage Sale has been a fixture as well. But lumping them all into one day, and creating some new traditions aside, makes this an occasion that we hope lasts long into the future. So what’s going on this Saturday? Read on and find out!
The Festivities Start With The Miller Boat Line 5K
The Miller Boat Line 5k starts at the Boathouse Restaurant and weaves through the most beautiful parts of South Bass Island. Proceeds from the race benefit the Mother of Sorrows Parish, the island’s Catholic church.
If you want to participate, it’s not too late! Head here to sign up! Check-in begins at 8:00AM the morning of the run, and the run itself begins at 9:30AM
The Fire Department’s Annual Clambake Starts Serving At 11AM
I’m not much of a runner, but this event is way more my speed! Head on over to the Chicken Patio on Delaware Ave. starting at 11AM and enjoy a delicious clam and chicken meal to benefit the Put-in-Bay Volunteer Fire Department.
The listed hours are 11AM-7PM, but it’s more accurate to say 11AM-While Supplies Last, and it may not last that late into the evening, especially with all the activity around Delaware Ave., so at the first sign of a rumbly tummy, head on over and get a plate so you don’t miss out!
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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
The Entire Island Hosts A Garage Sale, Or More Accurately, Many Garages!
It’s not quite as easy to hold a garage sale when you live on an island. Not many cars driving around to pop in and impulse buy. But there’s strength in numbers! That’s why everyone that wants to have a garage sale on the island does it on the same day! It’s called Sale Away, and there’s enough on offer for sale that it might be worth a trip from the mainland for this alone!
Businesses will also be offering end-of-season specials. You can click here for a map of the businesses participating in Sale Away, and as for the houses having garage sales, that should be apparent, but it makes for a great reason to do a big lap of the less traveled parts of the island!
DeRivera Park Hosts A Carnival For The Kids
Miller Boat Line, the Jet Express, Shores & Islands Ohio and more are teaming up to sponsor a great event in DeRivera Park during the Big Day at the Bay, this is brand new for 2025! It’s a Kid’s Carnival, with activities for young people, a bouncy house, games, giveaways and more. It’s $5/person to get in, or if you’re a family of more than three, $15 will cover the whole crew. A portion of proceeds will be going to the Scott Pugh Foundation.
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Monte Carlo Takes Over Delaware Avenue In The Afternoon
Dice games and prize wheels will take over Delaware Ave. starting at 2PM, it’s great fun and proceeds from the games will be going back into the Put-in-Bay community, so there’s plenty of reason for one more roll of the dice!
The Third Annual Mrs. Roper Romp Serves As The Night Cap
Three’s Company’s Mrs. Roper is the “guest of honor” at the Round House to cap off Big Day at the Bay. But there won’t be just one of her! Dozens of people are going to show up dressed as Mrs. Roper for a 70’s themed night at the Round House that is quickly becoming one of the most beloved party events of the year for islanders and staff.
Big Day At The Bay Marks One Of The Last Great Occasions Of The Season
We all know of course that things really slow down at the Bay after Labor Day. But the last two months of the season are a great time to visit, as the weather remains pretty warm typically and there aren’t quite the crowds that there are in the summer season. Plus, you can save big on lodging vs. June-August.
So it’s really great to have a day like this with a ton going on, to create a good reason to trek up to the Bay this time of year. This is one of the last big events of the season, the other being Fall Ball on October 3-4, so if you don’t have plans yet, check out our top lodging picks and come on up and spend Saturday night with us at Put-in-Bay!