About Put-in-Bay Pride
Put-in-Bay Pride is a full-day Pride celebration on South Bass Island in Lake Erie. The 2026 program included a morning 5K, a Pride scavenger hunt, a comedy show and an evening drag show.
The event is sponsored by Shores and Islands Ohio. The day opens with the Colorful 5K Run, Walk and Jog at 10 a.m. behind the Round House Bar, where participants pass through bursts of rainbow powder, and in 2026 the race opened with remarks from Jim Obergefell, the plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges. Visitors from the mainland can take the 8:30 a.m. Jet Express or the 9 a.m. Miller Ferry to make the start.
From 1 to 3 p.m., an all-ages scavenger hunt sends participants around the island to find the hidden letters in P-R-I-D-E, finishing at Mojito Bay for a prize. The 2026 comedy show at The Boathouse featured Molly Kearney of Saturday Night Live and CBS's DMV, with $25 general admission tickets sold during the day and first-come seating for guests 21 and older.
The evening ends at 9 p.m. with the annual drag show at the Round House Bar, where island employees perform in drag and compete for the crown. The drag show requires no ticket but is limited to guests 21 and older.
Summarized from the organizer's own website.
What to expect
Pride events celebrate LGBTQ+ people and mark the Stonewall uprising of June 1969. Most combine a parade or march with a festival of performers, community groups, vendors and food.
Put-in-Bay Pride has included 5k, scavenger hunt, comedy show and drag show.
The organizer has not announced dates for 2027 yet. In 2026 it was held June 8, 2026. It usually falls early June.
- 5K
- Scavenger hunt
- Comedy show
- Drag show
Where it happens
Put-in-Bay Pride is held at Downtown Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island in Put-in-Bay, Ohio. It is one of 86 Prides in Ohio on this calendar.
Other nearby Pride festivals
Questions about Put-in-Bay Pride
- When is Put-in-Bay Pride 2027?
- The organizer has not announced 2027 dates yet. In 2026 it was held June 8, 2026. It is usually held early June.
- Where is Put-in-Bay Pride held?
- Put-in-Bay Pride takes place at Downtown Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island in Put-in-Bay, Ohio.
- What happens at Put-in-Bay Pride?
- Events have included: 5k, scavenger hunt, comedy show, drag show.
- Who organizes Put-in-Bay Pride?
- Put-in-Bay Pride is organized by Put-in-Bay Official Tourism Bureau. Their official site is visitputinbay.com/events/put-in-bay-pride.
- What other Prides are near Put-in-Bay?
- The closest others on this calendar are Shoreline Pride Sandusky in Sandusky, OH (about 15 miles); Fremont Pride in Fremont, OH (about 26 miles); Huron County Pride in Norwalk, OH (about 30 miles).
LGBTQ-owned businesses in Ohio
See allNone are listed in Put-in-Bay yet, so these are elsewhere in Ohio. Eat, stay and shop with LGBTQ-owned businesses while you are in town. Ownership on every listing is sourced, never guessed.
