Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival

The 27th Annual Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival, always held on the second Saturday in October, will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on October 14.  

This free, peninsula-wide event includes fun for the whole family: 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. The Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival is organized by Lakeside Chautauqua and the Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.

Admission, Parking & Shuttles

Admission and parking for the festival in Lakeside are free. For Lakeside activities, guests are encouraged to park in the South Gate Parking Lot off Route 163, near the Lakeside Schoolhouse along Seventh Street, the Bradley Temple parking lot on Cedar Avenue, and along streets that do not have designated parking. Parking at Hotel Lakeside and the Fountain Inn lots are reserved for hotel guests only. 

Complimentary golf cart shuttles will be available from the South Gate Parking Lot near the Welcome Center and throughout the Lakeside grounds. Shuttle stops are located at the Welcome Center, Lakeside Schoolhouse (Farmers’ Market), Sixth St. & Central Ave., Fifth St. & Central Ave., Third St. & Central Ave., Orchestra Hall, Hotel Lakeside and Fifth St. & Walnut Ave.

Book a Fall Weekend Getaway

Book a weekend escape to Lakeside! Rooms are available at the Fountain Inn, located within walking distance of Lighthouse Festival activities in Lakeside. Standard rooms start at $159 (+tax) for one night and $295 for two nights on Friday, Oct. 13 and Saturday, Oct. 14.

To make a reservation, call (419) 798-4461, ext. 230 and ask for the ‘Fall Weekend Getaway Hotel Package.’ Reservations include breakfast.

Please note: $159 and $295 room rates are before tax. A 25% deposit is due at booking; $50 cancelation fee if canceled outside 72 hours. A deposit of 25% is forfeited if canceled within 72 hours of arrival. No refunds, no exceptions, no exchanges and no rain dates. Limited availability. Current reservations are transferrable for Oct. 13 and Oct. 14 only. Room exclusions apply. This offer cannot be combined with any other discounts, offers or special promotions. 

Pumpkin-Decorating Contest in Lakeside 

Pumpkin Drop Off
9:30-11 a.m. | Hoover Auditorium Lobby | Free
Enter an already carved, painted or decorated pumpkin to receive one 2024 (one-day) Daily Chautauqua Pass. Prizes will be awarded to Best Child Design (ages 8 & under), Best Youth Design (ages 9-12), Best Teen Design (ages 13-17), Best Painted Design, Best Lakeside-Inspired Design, Best Design Using Pumpkin/Natural Materials and Best Use of Props. The Most Creative Design Overall will be chosen from the above categories.  

Awards Presentation
1-1:30 p.m. | Outside Hoover Auditorium/Third Street Tent | Free
View the Pumpkin-Decorating Contest entries displayed in front of Hoover Auditorium starting at 12:45 p.m. The winners will be announced at 1 p.m.  

The child and youth winners will each receive two (one-game) miniature golf vouchers. Winners of the other categories will receive one 2024 (one-day) Daily Chautauqua Pass, including one 2024 (one-day) Auto Pass. The Most Creative Design Overall winner will receive two 2024 (one-day) Daily Chautauqua Passes, including one 2024 (one-day) Auto Pass. All pumpkin entries may be picked up after 2 p.m. Rain location: Hoover Auditorium. 

Festival Activities & Events in Lakeside 

Pickleball 
8 a.m.-dusk | Hubbard Pickleball Center | Free 
The Hubbard Pickleball Center is open for play 8 a.m. until dusk, weather permitting. There are no staff on site. Please bring your own equipment, as limited equipment is available. 

Tennis  
8 a.m.-dusk | Williams Tennis Campus | Free 
The Williams Tennis Campus is open for play 8 a.m. until dusk, weather permitting. There are no staff on site. Please bring your own equipment and drag the courts with the drag broom after 

Community Forum 
9 a.m. | Orchestra Hall (corner of Second St. & Walnut Ave.)
Stay informed and join Lakeside staff, Task Force members and the Board of Directors for a Community Forum. All are invited. Pre-registration is recommended. 

Arts & Crafts Vendors
9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Wesley Lodge, Wo-Ho-Mis Lodge & South Auditorium
Celebrate the arts at this one-day event featuring more than 100 arts & craft vendors in both indoor and outdoor marketplaces. Organized by the Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. If you’re interested in being a vendor, contact the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce at info@themarbleheadpeninsula.com or (419) 702-7492.

Farmers’ Market
9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Lakeside Schoolhouse (near Seventh St. & Walnut Ave.)
Local farmers and bakers will sell fresh produce, honey, herbs, spices, flowers, seasonal fruit, homemade pies, jams, artisan breads and homemade baked goods. 

Lakeside Chautauqua Administration Office Open
9 a.m.-4 p.m. | 236 Walnut Ave.
The office will be open for questions and comments.  

Lakeside Golf Cart Shuttle Service
9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Lakeside Chautauqua Grounds | Free
Complimentary golf cart shuttles will be provided throughout the Lakeside grounds. Shuttle stops: the Welcome Center, Wo-Ho-Mis Lodge, Third Street/Central Avenue, Orchestra Hall, Hotel Lakeside and Fifth Street/Walnut Avenue.  

Family Yoga
10-10:45 a.m. | Hotel Lakeside Lawn | Free
Bring a sibling, parent or friend and join us for some fun, interactive yoga poses and movements for all ages, as well as relaxing techniques to assist loved ones in finding a sense of calmness. Mats will be provided. Rain location: Pavilion Upper Room.

Chair Yoga
10-11 a.m. | Wellness Center Drackett Hall | $10 drop-in fee (cash) or included in $45 Fall Wellness Class Pass
Join instructor Linda Green for a gentle form of yoga where all exercises are performed seated in a chair or standing using the chair to aid with support and balance. This class offers a variety of yoga poses, breathwork and relaxation techniques designed to leave you with a sense of well-being.

To participate, purchase a Class Pass for $45/person for five classes at the Lakeside Chautauqua Administration Office, located at 236 Walnut Ave., or pay a $10/class drop-in fee (cash only) to the instructor at the start of the class.  

Family Lawn Games
10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Bettinger Park | Free
All ages are welcome to participate in yard games, such as cornhole, croquet and checkers.

Archives & Heritage Hall Museum Open
10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Archives, 210 Walnut Ave. | Free
10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Heritage Hall Museum, 238 Maple Ave. | Free
The unique history of Lakeside and Marblehead is preserved and exhibited in the museum. Displays include photographs, memorabilia and antiques. Scavenger hunts for children of all ages are available, followed by a stop at the treasure chest. The museum gift shop will also be open, and the Archives will be available from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Lakeside Heritage Society will be selling popcorn at the corner of Walnut Ave. and Third St. from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or until they sell out. Additionally, copies of the 150th Anniversary book on Lakeside’s history and the Lakeside-Opoly game may be purchased at the Museum and Archives. 

Hayrides  
10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Departs from Hotel Lakeside | Cost TBD  
Hayrides throughout Lakeside will be provided by the Bergman family of Bergman Orchards, a local farmers’ market vendor. 

Miniature Golf & Shuffleboard
10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Bettinger Park | $4/Mini Golf Game (ages 5 & under are free); Free Shuffleboard
Enjoy a game of miniature golf ($4/game; ages 5 & under are free) at our lakefront course or play a free game of shuffleboard in Bettinger Park.  

RW Magic Show
11 a.m.-12:45 p.m. | Third Street tent in front of Hoover Auditorium | Free

Wooden Boat Rides on Amazing Grace
11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Lakeside Dock | $25/adult, $15/youth (ages 4-12)
These 50-minute wooden boat rides, provided by the Lakeside Wooden Boat Society, begin at 11 a.m. with the last ride departing at 3 p.m., weather permitting. Children ages 3 & under are not permitted. Reservations (credit cards and cash) and payment can be made at the Lakeside Dock, near the L-Dock. In the case of inclement weather, these rides will be canceled.

Children’s Arts & Crafts (ages 3-10, but all welcome)
12-2 p.m. l Hoover Auditorium West Lawn (along Walnut Avenue) | $5/person
Children will have the opportunity to create three different arts and crafts projects for a $5 fee per person. Rain location: Hoover Auditorium. We also welcome all to create art using sidewalk chalk, which is free. 

• Scarecrow Paper Bag Puppet: Make art you can play with. Transform a standard brown paper bag into a scarecrow puppet by cutting and gluing fabric, paper, yarn and googly eyes to create a fun puppet.

Rhein Center Art Classes
Time TBD | Fountain Inn Aigler Room or Train Station | Class fees vary
From harvest- and nautical-themed crafts to ceramics and watercolor classes, the Rhein Center has many ways for you to get creative. Prices vary. Classes require advance registration; visit lakesideohio.com/registration for a complete list of classes and to register.

Live Music: Lance Horwedel
1:30-3 p.m. | Third Street tent in front of Hoover Auditorium
Lance Horwedel will play acoustic rock music from the 1960s, 1970s and today. He has been playing music in North Central Ohio for nearly 30 years and is a Lakeside favorite. Rain location: Hoover Auditorium.

Dance Jam
3-3:45 p.m. | Hoover Auditorium Porch | Free
Let loose, groove to the beat and meet new friends. There will be a variety of repetitive, choreographed movements from various music genres led by Hannah Fidler.

Movie: “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 3”
7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 & 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14 | Orchestra Hall (corner of Second St. & Walnut Ave.) | Suggested donation for admission
Orchestra Hall will feature the movie “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3” over the weekend. This movie is free of charge, but Lakeside Chautauqua values donations to support these types of extended season programs.

The beloved band of misfits is back but looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them. (PG-13, 2h 30m)

Community Worship Service
10:30 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 15 | Lakeside United Methodist Church (450 Central Ave.)
Led by the Rev. Karen Graham and organized by the Lakeside United Methodist Church (UMC), this service offers a vibrant style of worship using inspirational song and motivational words. All are invited to attend. Rain Location: Lakeside UMC).

Festival Activities & Events in Marblehead 

Marblehead Lighthouse Tours
9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Marblehead Lighthouse State Park (110 Lighthouse Dr., Marblehead)
The onsite Keeper’s House, Lifesaving Station, Gift Shop and Marblehead Lighthouse will be open during the festival. Tours of the 200-year-old Marblehead Lighthouse are available 9 a.m.-4 p.m. for $3/person (cash only); children ages 6 & under are free.

The Marblehead Lighthouse is the second oldest lighthouse on the Great Lakes and the oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the Great Lakes. A total of 15 keepers have tended the light. The tower’s history boasts the first female lighthouse keeper in the U.S., Rachel Miller Wolcott.

Wolcott Keeper’s House Tours & Civil War Encampment
11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Keeper’s House (999 E. Bayshore Rd., Marblehead)
The Ottawa County Historical Society presents a Civil War-era camp, presented by members of the 14th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The 73rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment Band will give hourly performances of period military music. 

Docents will provide tours of the historic house that once belonged to Benajah Wolcott, the first keeper of the Lighthouse. Period fare, including hot bean soup and cornbread, will be available as well as hearth-cooking demonstrations.  

The Wolcott House is one of the oldest surviving homes in Ottawa County and a home to the first three Marblehead Lighthouse keepers. The Ottawa County Historical Society will offer free docent-guided tours on the day of the festival, as well as have Ohio 14th Volunteer Infantry (OVI) re-enactors and the 73rd OVI Regiment Band onsite. The gift shop and museum will be open.    

Shopping & Dining 

Businesses will be open throughout Lakeside and Marblehead, offering sales and specials. In addition to local restaurants being open, food will be served at various locations in Lakeside.  

Visit restaurants, shops, services and additional lodging locations in Lakeside, including Coffee & Cream, the Farmers’ Market, The Patio (serving donuts from carryout window), Ooh La La, Lakeside PIzzeria, SmoothieSide, The Kite Shop, Miss Mercedes, The Fine Print Bookstore, Gifts That Give Back, Heritage Hall Museum & Gift Shop, Marilyn’s, Marilyn’s Two, Wise Woman Boutique, the Art Gallery in the Fountain Inn, Lakeside Heritage Society Archives, Lakeside Salon & Spa, Sypherd’s Cycles, Evening Song Cottage Bed & Breakfast, Idlewyld Bed & Breakfast, Maxwell’s Hospitality House, Rainbow Guest House & Tea Room and Same Time Next Year. View hours of operation. 

Lakeside United Methodist Church Lunch
10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. | Lakeside UMC (450 Central Ave.)
This year, the Lakeside United Methodist Church is bringing back its hot soup lunch during the Lighthouse Festival. A bowl of soup is $6 per bowl and an apple dumpling with ice cream is $5.

Lakeside United Methodist Church Dumplings
The church will once again be selling apple dumplings during the Lighthouse Festival. Dumplings will be sold in packages of 2 for $8 and can be picked up beginning Wednesday, Oct. 11-Friday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 14 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Order forms are available in the church lobby and will be accepted through Oct. 13 at 2 p.m.

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers are needed for part of the day from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on the day of the festival. Volunteer opportunities include children’s games and crafts. Sign up here! 

Arts & Crafts Vendor Information

If you are interested in being a vendor for the Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival on Oct. 14, please contact the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce at info@themarbleheadpeninsula.com or (419) 702-7492.