Put-in-Bay & the Lake Erie Islands in October 2026
Put-in-Bay has three event Saturdays left in 2026: Oktoberfest on October 10, The Wake on October 17 and Halloween at the Bay on October 24. The Jet Express now runs weekends only and makes its last trip of the year on October 25, so plan the ride home before the party.
October 2026 on the islands, date by date
Every date below comes from the organizer or the regional tourism bureau, linked at the bottom of the page. Bar and restaurant schedules on the islands change late in the season, so treat anything not listed here as unconfirmed until you call.
| Date | Where | What |
|---|---|---|
| Thu–Sun through Nov 1 | Cedar Point, Sandusky | HalloWeekends, daytime family activities and haunted mazes at night. Tickets and hotels on our Cedar Point guide. |
| Fri–Sat, Oct 2–3 | Twin Oast Brewery, Catawba | Oastoberfest, with guest breweries and live music, in the Miller Ferry's mainland town. |
| Sat, Oct 3 | West Bay Tiki Bar & Grill, Kelleys Island | Octoberfest from 11 am. The bar posts details on its Facebook page. |
| Wed, Oct 7 | Lake Erie Islands Historical Society, Put-in-Bay | Free Brown Bag Lunch talk at 11:45 am: Paul Ladd on the history of the island mailboats. Lunch is provided. |
| Sat, Oct 10 | Lakeside and Marblehead | 30th Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival, 9 am–4 pm, free admission and parking. Lighthouse tours $3 cash. |
| Sat–Sun, Oct 10–11 | DeRivera Park, Put-in-Bay | Oktoberfest. Sat 11 am–7 pm, Sun noon–5 pm. $6 one day, $9 both days (listed as subject to change). |
| Sat, Oct 10 | The Casino, Kelleys Island | Annual Clam Bake from 11 am; details on the Casino's Facebook page. |
| Fri–Sun, Oct 16–18 | Kelleys Island | Kids Halloween Weekend. Saturday has trunk-or-treat at Kelleys Island Wine Co. (1:30 pm) and the KILA hayride at the 4-H Camp (3–5 pm). |
| Sat, Oct 17 | Put-in-Bay | The Wake, the 37th end-of-season send-off at the Round House Bar (dress in black), plus the Skelly Hunt: 50 numbered skeletons hidden around the island. |
| Sat, Oct 17 | Downtown Sandusky | Sandusky Witches Walk main event, with a parade and costume contests. |
| Fri–Sun, Oct 23–25 | Kelleys Island | Adult Halloween Weekend. The Groove's Boo Bash with The Drop Downs is Saturday at 9 pm. |
| Sat, Oct 24 | Downtown Put-in-Bay | Halloween at the Bay: costumes, decorated bars and live music downtown. |
| Sun, Oct 25 | Port Clinton – Put-in-Bay | Last Jet Express day of 2026, and last day of Miller's 6:00 pm island boat. |
| Sat, Oct 31 | The Casino, Kelleys Island | End of Season Fireworks at dusk. |
| Sun, Nov 1 | Kelleys Island | Run the Rock Half Marathon & 5K. Also the last day of HalloWeekends. |
Which boats still run in October
The ferries matter more in October than in July, because the late boats drop away week by week. Here is what each operator's current timetable shows. Every line runs weather permitting, and a windy day can cut trips; see the Lake Erie wave forecast before you drive to the dock.
| Boat | October pattern | Last boat off the island |
|---|---|---|
| Miller Ferry Catawba ↔ Lime Kiln Dock | Daily, hourly. Fall block runs September 21 to November 1. Adult fare $9 each way. | 6:00 pm daily through Oct 25; 7:00 pm Fri & Sat through Oct 10; 5:00 pm from Oct 26 to Nov 1. |
| Jet Express Port Clinton ↔ downtown | Friday to Sunday only since September 21. No weekday boats. Final day Sunday, Oct 25. | 11:00 pm Fri & Sat; 6:30 pm Sun. |
| Jet Express Sandusky ↔ Kelleys ↔ Put-in-Bay | Not running. The Sandusky season ended Labor Day, September 7. | None |
| Kelleys Island Ferry Marblehead ↔ Kelleys | Hourly from 7:00 am, Sept 28 to Oct 25. From Oct 26 to Nov 29: seven set trips Mon–Thu, hourly Fri–Sun. Adult fare $13 each way. | Through Oct 25: 5:30 pm Mon–Wed, 7:30 pm Thu, 9:30 pm Fri & Sat, 8:30 pm Sun. From Oct 26: 5:30 pm Mon–Thu, 6:30 pm Fri–Sun. |
Miller has two fall rules for cars. You cannot take a car over and back on the same day on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday. And in the fall schedule a vehicle leaving the island has to be in line before 5:00 pm Monday to Saturday, or 4:00 pm on Sundays and holidays, to be guaranteed a spot. Full timetables and fares are in the Put-in-Bay ferry guide.
Halloween weekend: the 11 pm problem
Halloween at the Bay on Saturday, October 24 is a night event, and the Miller Ferry stops early. Its last island boat that night is 6:00 pm, because the Saturday 7:00 pm run ends October 10. If you are coming for the costumes and not staying on the island, the Jet Express is the only ferry home: it leaves downtown at 11:00 pm and lands in Port Clinton, not Catawba. Park at the Jet lot if that is your plan.
Event listing sites warn that rooms go fast for this weekend. If the 11:00 pm boat feels tight, book a Put-in-Bay hotel for Saturday night and ride home Sunday (Jet 6:30 pm, Miller 6:00 pm). The same sites put the cash-prize costume contests at Mr. Ed's Bar & Grille; the tourism bureau page does not publish a schedule.
Staying for the Wake or Halloween?
After October 10 the last Saturday Miller boat off the island is 6:00 pm, and the last Jet is 11:00 pm. A room on the island means the last boat stops mattering.
Check Put-in-Bay hotel pricesOctober 10: three events on one Saturday
Oktoberfest at Put-in-Bay, the Lighthouse Festival in Marblehead and the Casino Clam Bake on Kelleys all land on Saturday, October 10. You can do two of them, but not by hopping between islands: the inter-island Jet trips ran on the Sandusky route, which is finished for the year. The workable pairing is Oktoberfest when it opens at 11 am, a Miller boat back to Catawba in the early afternoon, then the short drive to Marblehead for the festival before it closes at 4 pm. You can also run it the other way, festival first and island second, but the last Miller off the island that night leaves Lime Kiln at 7:00 pm, two miles from DeRivera Park, and Oktoberfest runs until 7 pm.
At the festival, park at the South Gate lot off State Route 163 and use the free golf cart shuttles, which run 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The lighthouse tower, keeper's house and lifesaving station are open that day, which matters because regular tower tours ended on Labor Day. More on the peninsula in our Marblehead and Lakeside guide.
What is different on the island in October
Perry's Victory visitor center switches to four days a week on September 29: 10 am to 5 pm, Friday through Monday, until October 26. The observation deck is closed for all of 2026 and 2027 for the upper plaza rehabilitation, so the grounds and the film are what you get. Cart rental hours follow the ferry, and several fleets close about a half hour before the last boat, per our golf cart rental guide.
The tourism bureau describes The Wake on October 17 as the last chance to see Put-in-Bay before it winds down for the year. It is also Homecoming Weekend, when past seasonal workers come back. After that date, call ahead before you plan a meal or a room. For a month-by-month view of crowds and prices, see the best time to visit Put-in-Bay. For the quieter island, Kelleys Island keeps events going through its October 31 fireworks.
Pick your Saturday, then book a room
Match the event to a boat you can actually catch home: the Miller Ferry for daytime trips and a car, the Jet Express for a late Friday or Saturday. Staying over? Compare Put-in-Bay hotels or the Port Clinton and Marblehead options.
Check Put-in-Bay hotel pricesSources
Event dates and prices: Oktoberfest, The Wake, Skelly Hunt and Halloween at the Bay (Put-in-Bay tourism bureau); Shores & Islands Ohio October events (September 14, 2026); Lakeside Chautauqua festival page; Kelleys Island Chamber events; Put-in-Bay Gazette, September 2026. Boats and hours: Miller Ferry schedule, Jet Express 2026 schedules, Kelleys Island Ferry schedule, NPS Perry's Victory hours, Marblehead Lighthouse State Park. Checked September 24, 2026.
Put-in-Bay in October FAQ
What is happening at Put-in-Bay in October 2026?
Three island events on the tourism bureau calendar: Oktoberfest in DeRivera Park on October 10-11, The Wake at the Round House Bar and the Skelly Hunt on October 17, and Halloween at the Bay on October 24. The Lake Erie Islands Historical Society also has a free lunch talk on the history of the island mailboats on October 7 at 11:45 a.m.
When does the Jet Express stop running in 2026?
The 2026 Port Clinton calendar shows the last trips on Sunday, October 25. Since September 21 the boat has run Friday to Sunday only, and there are no trips October 26-31. The Sandusky boat to Kelleys Island, Put-in-Bay and Cedar Point already ended on Labor Day, September 7. Jet Express says trip times can change without notice.
What time is the last boat off Put-in-Bay on Halloween weekend?
On Saturday, October 24 the last Jet Express leaves downtown Put-in-Bay for Port Clinton at 11:00 p.m. The last Miller Ferry leaves Lime Kiln Dock for Catawba at 6:00 p.m.; the Saturday 7:00 p.m. Miller boat ends October 10. On Sunday, October 25 the last Jet leaves the island at 6:30 p.m. and the last Miller at 6:00 p.m.
How much does Put-in-Bay Oktoberfest cost?
The Put-in-Bay tourism bureau lists $6 for a one-day pass and $9 for a two-day pass, both marked subject to change. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 10 and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, October 11, in DeRivera Park.
Is Put-in-Bay open in October?
Yes, with a thinner island. Miller Ferry runs daily through the fall, and Jet Express runs weekends until October 25. The Perry's Victory visitor center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Monday from September 29 to October 26, and the monument observation deck is closed for all of 2026. The tourism bureau calls The Wake on October 17 the last chance to see the island before it winds down, so check hours with any restaurant or hotel before you book a late-October trip.
Can you climb the Marblehead Lighthouse in October?
Only on festival day. Regular Ohio State Parks tower tours ran Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. During the Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival on Saturday, October 10, the lighthouse is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $3 per person, cash only, with kids 6 and under free, weather permitting.
Can you visit Put-in-Bay and Kelleys Island on the same day in October?
Not by boat between the islands. The Jet Express inter-island trips ran on the Sandusky route, which ended September 7. In October you would ride Miller back to Catawba, drive to the Kelleys Island Ferry dock in Marblehead, and cross from there. On a Saturday the last Kelleys boat back to Marblehead is 9:30 p.m. through October 24.