KITES, CHRISTMAS AND FUN

SUMMER EVENTS FOR 2008 ON LAKE ERIE'S ISLANDS

LAKE ERIE ISLANDS -- Put-In-Bay on South Bass Island has lined up a fund of fun things to do over the summer. Here are just a few.
JULY 4 -- Naturalization Ceremony at the Perry Victory Visitor Center. And in the evening, fireworks over the downtown harbor.

JULY 5 -- Firelands Symphony Orchestra will perform the Freedom Concert at 7 p.m. at the Perry Victory Visitor Center.

JULY 25-27 -- Jingle bells, jingle bells ... All the halls, bars, hotels, restaurants and lamp posts will be decked out for Christmas in July. Ho, ho, ho and a boat decorating contest too.

JULY 30-31 -- Powerboat Regatta.

JULY 31 - AUGUST 3 -- The I-LYA Senior Sailboat Regatta.

AUGUST 7 -- The 5th Annual North Bass Island Historical Tour. For boat reservations and such, call 1-419-285-2804.

AUGUST 8 -- Twenty barbershop quartets will be harmonizing their hearts out at the Perry Victory Visitor Center Plaza at 7 p.m.

AUGUST 9 -- These same 20 quartets will be performing on Middle Bass Island for the island's 61st such event at the Town Hall.

AUGUST 12 -- The Roundhouse Bar once again will run the hilarious Bartenders Olympics on Put-In-Bay's Delaware Avenue and inside the bar. A parade at 7 p.m. and the lighting of the Olympic torch.

AUGUST 22-23 -- Key West Days at Put-in-Bay. Ahh, think Hawaiian shirts and Land Shark beer while the performers show off who typically work Key West in the winter and Put-In-Bay in the summer. They include Mike "Mad Dog" Adams, Pete and Wayne, Ray Fogg and the irrepressible Patrick Huston Dailey.

For details, contact Put-In-Bay.
PELEE ISLAND -- This southernmost place in Canada is usually pretty laid back, but a couple of events have cropped out that could spark your summer.

JUNE 28 -- The Grand Opening of the island's Kite Museum with kites from just about everywhere, including Japan, China, Germany, Guatemala, India, England, France, Malaysia, Korea, the United States and, of course, Canada. And its not just about seeing bright colors in the sky. You can do your own kite sailing from a 10-acre field behind the museum that is dedicated just for kite flying.

JULY 12 -- The 14th Annual Pelee Island Regatta.
For details, contact Pelee Island.