Staff Blogger: Alexandrea Stelzer, Director of Marketing
Even though the summer has come and gone, Lakeside Chautauqua is still bustling. In the off-season, from early-September to late-May, Lakeside offers many events and activities, even though most of the shops, restaurants, services and bed & breakfasts/guest houses have closed until next summer.
We invite you to take some time this fall, winter and spring to visit Lakeside and explore the community during the off-season.
Upcoming Events…
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- Orchestra Hall Movies: Movies are shown on weekends through the fall. For upcoming movies and show times, visit the Movies page on our website.
- Quilt Workshop: Anyone with a passion for quilting is invited to join Sharon McConnell, a pattern designer and teacher, for a two-day “Classic Curved Quilts” Workshop in Lakeside from Friday, Sept. 8-Saturday, Sept. 9.
Photography Workshop: A special fall program will take place Wednesday, Sept. 20-Friday, Sept. 22 in Lakeside. Join Sigma Pro photographer David FitzSimmons and naturalist-photographer Jim McCormac, for an exciting workshop that will include both classroom and field experience. More than $1,000 in door prizes will also be offered throughout the three days.- Lakeside Property Owners Association (LPOA) Meetings: The LPOA holds a meeting for homeowners in October and May, as well as in the summer. For more information, visit the LPOA page on our website.
- Historic Preservation & Design Review Board (HP&DRB) Meetings: The HP&DRB holds several meetings during the off-season and throughout the summer. For more information, visit the HP&DRB page on our website.
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- Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival: The 22nd Annual Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14 in Lakeside and throughout the Marblehead Peninsula. This free event will include tours of the Marblehead Lighthouse, live entertainment, children’s crafts, a pumpkin-decorating contest, arts & crafts vendors, farmers’ market, hayrides, and much more.
- Stein Hospice 5k Run/Walk in Honor of Patricia King Munn: You’re invited to participate in Stein Hospice’s 5k Run/Walk in honor of Lakesider Patricia King Munn at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 15. Meet in front of the Lakeside Chautauqua Administration Office.
- #GivingTuesday: This global day of giving, on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, is the official start of the holiday giving season. Hot on the heels of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday is a chance for people to give back by making a donation to their favorite non-profits. Check our #GivingTuesday page over the next few weeks to see how you can join the movement.
- A Lakeside Christmas: On Saturday, Dec. 9, Lakeside is expanding its annual Christmas Dinner to include kids’ activities, hot chocolate in Santa’s Workshop, family-friendly concert with Chip Richter and Christmas Dinner in Wesley Lodge. A holiday movie festival with four movies will also be held in Orchestra Hall over the weekend.
- Monthly Community Potlucks: To see familiar faces during the off-season, Lakeside hosts Monthly Community Potlucks from January-May. Mark your calendars for the third Thursday of every month, unless otherwise noted. Join fellow Lakesiders in Wesley Lodge for a lunch event filled with good food and fellowship.
Spring Cleanup Day: In April, many Lakesiders return to volunteer their time to help beautify the community at the annual Spring Cleanup Day. These special volunteers help prepare the grounds and several facilities for the upcoming summer season. Check lakesideohio.com/calendar for details closer to the event.- Mother’s Day Brunch: Lakeside hosts a Mother’s Day Brunch each May in the Hotel Lakeside Dining Room & Café. A buffet-style menu is prepared to celebrate the special occasion. Check lakesideohio.com/calendar for details closer to the event.
- Calendar of Events Brochure: Start planning your Lakeside summer vacation, and join our Calendar of Events mailing list. Simply email your name and home address to ma*******@la**********.com with ‘Annual Brochure’ in the subject line. Our annual brochure is free!
- Book Your Cottage Rental: Lakeside Chautauqua Realty, the community’s largest cottage rental provider, will begin taking reservations in early-February. Check lakesideohio.com/accommodations/to view availability and pictures of each cottage rental. Street Sotheby’s International Realty also offers summer cottage rentals.
- Birding: During the past three decades, birdwatching has grown in popularity with about 50 million Americans taking part in the hobby. With Lakeside’s ideal location in northwest Ohio along Lake Erie, it is one of the best places to experience the spring and fall migrations.
- Fishing: Reel in the fun and experience great fishing on one of the Great Lakes. Catching a Lake Erie perch, walleye or other freshwater fish from our dock is sure to make your fishing trip to Lakeside memorable. All anglers in Ohio, age 16 and older, require a valid fishing license.
- Plan a Wedding, Family Reunion, Girls’ Getaway or Business Meeting: Lakeside Chautauqua has long been a special destination for groups to gather for weddings, family reunions, youth retreats, conferences, girlfriend getaways and business meetings. Plan a memorable gathering at Lakeside any time of year.
- Volunteer: Do you like to volunteer? Lakeside offers several volunteer opportunities throughout the calendar year. Volunteers are needed at special events during the off-season, including the Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival, A Lakeside Christmas and Spring Cleanup Day. Or if you like to write, consider volunteering as a guest blogger, email ma*******@la**********.com for more information.
Announcements for the Off-Season…
- Gates: During the off-season, a Chautauqua Pass isn’t required to enter the grounds of Lakeside. You’re welcome to explore Lakeside at your leisure during the fall, winter and spring months. Please note that most of the gates close by 9 p.m. and open at 6 a.m., however the Fifth Street Gate is accessible 24 hours per day.
- Parking: During the off-season, park at one of Lakeside’s various parking lots: South Gate parking lot, in the grass near the Lakeside Schoolhouse, Bradley Temple parking lot, Fountain Inn and Hotel Lakeside parking lots, as well as along streets that don’t have designated parking. During the off-season, an Auto Pass isn’t required to enter Lakeside.
- Recreational activities: Recreational activities, including shuffleboard, miniature golf, tennis and the supervised playground, are available to Lakesiders during the Chautauqua summer season only. These activities aren’t available during the off-season, with the exception of shuffleboard and miniature golf during the Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival.
- Waterfront activities: Lakeside’s waterfront is in full swing every summer, offering sailing lessons, kayak and sailboat rentals, swimming, standup paddleboarding, Children’s Pool hours, Splash Park hours and Grindley Aquatic & Wellness Campus hours. However, after Labor Day weekend, the waterfront activities aren’t available until Memorial Day weekend. But, the dock and Pavilion are still accessible for fishing, relaxing and viewing sunsets.
- Architectural beauty & Ohio’s Most Beautiful Mile: As mentioned earlier, a Chautauqua Pass isn’t required during the off-season, which makes it the perfect time to explore the beauty of Lakeside. Stop by to admire the architectural detail and character of Lakeside’s historic cottages or walk Ohio’s Most Beautiful Mile during each season.
- Self-guided tree walks: Thanks to the efforts of the Lakeside Environmental Stewardship Society, Lakeside has been recognized as a Tree City USA community for the past six years. To experience the community’s treescape year-round, pick up a self-guided tree walk brochure at the Lakeside Chautauqua Administration Office.
- Read a book or pack a picnic in the park: Now that the mayflies have gone and the temps have cooled, it’s the perfect time to head outdoors. Bring along your favorite book to read on a bench overlooking Lake Erie, or take your family to Central Park to enjoy a picnic full of seasonal produce, like apples, blueberries, carrots, peaches and sweet corn.
- Business district: A limited number of shops, restaurants, services and bed & breakfasts/guest houses are open on fall weekends until the Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
- Connect with Lakeside year-round: Stay up-to-date on the latest news and pictures at Lakeside Chautauqua. Sign up to receive our monthly e-newsletter, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to our blog, The Front Porch.
- Homeowner/Campground announcements: Lakeside homeowners and Campground residents are encouraged to check the Homeowners & Campground Updates page on our website throughout the year. During the off-season, we include information about gates, our House Watch program, trash and recycling services and leaf pick up schedules.
These are just a few of the many ways to spend time with family and friends during the off-season at Lakeside. How do you spend time at Lakeside during the fall, winter and spring months? Do you plan a visit back to Lakeside to attend any of our upcoming events? Tell us in the comments below.
