Golf carts and humans filled every corner of Put-in-Bay Village on Saturday. To assist the Put-in-Bay Police Department in crowd control, state and federal law enforcement officers arrived on Friday evening and Saturday morning.
“Christmas in July” is no longer an officially sanctioned event at Put-in-Bay–although some businesses still encourage attention to the faux holiday. Nonetheless, droves of visitors arrived on the Jet Express and Miller Ferry to partake of South Bass Island’s offerings. Many of the visitors were members of a special tour group organized in Detroit, Michigan, by Tamika Williams. The Chamber of Commerce previously (2017) requested that Ms. Williams spread tour participants out over several weeks in order for the island infrastructure to accommodate visitors.
During the 9 July 2018 Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce Meeting, it was reported that a strong visual police presence should reduce issues generated by overcrowding. Put-in-Bay Police Chief Steve Riddle announced at the meeting that Highway Patrol and Homeland Security would be present. Perry’s Monument Superintendent Barbara Fearon indicated federal officers would be on monument grounds. Police radio monitoring on Friday night revealed incidents involving public urination, marijuana possession, head-on automobile crash (LifeFlight called), disorderly conduct, and combative subjects in police custody.