Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival

Rain or shine, the 28th Annual Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival, held on the second Saturday in Oct., will take place from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 12, with extended hours this year. 

This free, peninsula-wide event includes fun for the whole family with tours of the Marblehead Lighthouse and the Wolcott Keeper’s House, children’s crafts, bounce houses, a pumpkin-decorating contest, over 100 arts & crafts vendors, a farmers’ market, hayrides, two concerts with country singer John Berry 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 is 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 fall weekend getaway to Lakeside! We’re offering a discount on standard rooms at the Fountain Inn starting at $119 per night, per room from Oct. 11-13, 2024. Fountain Inn is located within walking distance of the festival activities. Reserve online and use promocode: LighthouseFest or call (419) 798-4461, ext. 230.

A two-night minimum is required. Suites are excluded. This offer cannot be combined with any other discounts.

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 2025 Miniature Golf Voucher. 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. | Hoover Auditorium Porch | 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 one 2025 (one-day) Daily Chautauqua Pass. Winners of the other categories will receive one 2025 (one-day) Daily Chautauqua Pass, including one 2025 (one-day) Auto Pass. The Most Creative Design Overall winner will receive two 2025 (one-day) Daily Chautauqua Passes, including one 2025 (one-day) Auto Pass.

All pumpkin entries may be picked up after 1:30 p.m. Rain location: Hoover Auditorium.

Festival Activities & Events in Lakeside 

Pickleball & Tennis
8 a.m.-dusk | Hubbard Pickleball Center & Williams Tennis Campus | Free
Pickleball and Tennis are open for free play from 8 a.m. until dusk, weather permitting. There are no staff on site. Please bring your own equipment, as limited equipment is available, and drag the tennis courts with the drag broom after.

Lakeside Golf Cart Shuttle Service
8:30 a.m.-10 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. Shuttles will drive rain or shine.  

Arts & Crafts Vendors
9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Wesley Lodge, Wo-Ho-Mis Lodge, South Auditorium & Outdoors
Celebrate the arts at this one-day event featuring more than 100 arts & craft vendors in both indoor and outdoor marketplaces. The vendors are 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. The Farmers’ Market will occur rain or shine.  

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

“Precious Objects” Photography Exhibit
9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Hoover Auditorium Lobby | Free
Lakeside Chautauqua will host a special photography exhibit titled “Precious Objects,” which features work of Chuck Mintz. One hundred and seventy-two people were photographed in eight locations with something that has special meaning. Each person was asked to handwrite why they chose that object. The exhibit is about these people, their values, how they presented themselves and the stories they tell.

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, weather permitting.

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 sell popcorn at the corner of Walnut Ave. and Third St. from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or while supplies last. 

Hayrides 
10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Departs from Hotel Lakeside | $2/person (cash)
Hayrides throughout Lakeside will be provided by the Bergman family of Bergman Orchards, a local farmers’ market vendor. In the case of inclement weather, the hayrides will be canceled. 

Children’s Crafts & Facepainting (all ages)
10 a.m.-4 p.m. l Hoover Auditorium West Lawn (along Walnut Avenue) | Included in $15 activity bracelet
Children will have the opportunity to create a bracelet and have their face painted. Rain location: Hoover Auditorium. 

Miniature Golf & Shuffleboard
10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Bettinger Park | Mini Golf included in $15 activity bracelet | Shuffleboard free
Enjoy a game of miniature golf at our lakefront course or play a free game of shuffleboard in Bettinger Park, weather permitting.

Wooden Boat Rides on Miss Muffet
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.

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. Rain location: Hoover Auditorium.

An Evening with John Berry
6 & 8 p.m. | Orchestra Hall | $25/ticket
Grammy-nominated country music artist John Berry will perform two shows in Orchestra Hall following the Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival. Because space is limited in the historic theater, two concert times will be offered at 6 and 8 p.m.

The singer-songwriter first rose to stardom on the country music charts in the 1990s with Grammy-nominated hits “Your Love Amazes Me” and “Standing on the Edge of Goodbye,” as well as “She’s Taken a Shine.” During his star-making decade, Berry placed 20 singles on the charts, six of which reached the Top 5. Buy tickets now!

Community Worship Service
10:30 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 13 | Lakeside United Methodist Church
Led by Rev. Richard Thewlis, this traditional service offers meaningful worship with a biblical focus and great music. All are invited to attend.

Festival Activities & Events in Marblehead 

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

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 encampment, presented by members of the 14th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, weather permitting. The 73rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment Band will give 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. Apples, cider and cornbread will be available.

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. New this year, food trucks will be set up along Walnut Plaza. 

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, SmoothieSide, The Kite Shop, Miss Mercedes, The Fine Print Bookstore, Gifts That Give Back, Heritage Hall Museum & Gift Shop, Marilyn’s, Wise Woman Boutique, the Art Gallery in the Fountain Inn, Lakeside Heritage Society Archives, Lakeside Salon & Spa (by appointment), 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.)
The Lakeside United Methodist Church is bringing back its hot soup lunch during the Lighthouse Festival. A variety of soups will be available for $5 per bowl. The church will also be selling brats with chips for $6 and an apple dumpling with ice cream for $6.

Lakeside United Methodist Church Dumplings
Dumplings will be sold in packages of 2 for $10 and can be picked up beginning Wednesday, Oct. 9-Friday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Order forms are available in the church lobby and will be accepted through Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. or while supplies last.

Kansha Hibachi Express Food Truck
11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Walnut Plaza
This vibrant and dynamic food truck serves up the finest in Japanese cuisine, specializing in hibachi-style dishes. Available while supplies last.

Manny’s Mobile Catering
11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Walnut Plaza
This food truck offers a combination of Hispanic food favorites and BBQ. Available while supplies last. 

Rotary Club of Port Clinton Perch Wagon
11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Walnut Plaza
This food truck offers perch dinner, sandwiches and fries. Available while supplies last. 

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. To volunteer, email karyn@lakesideohio.com. 

Arts & Crafts Vendor Information

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