PUT-IN-BAY, Ohio – Tickets are available for the Summer Solstice Sunset Tour on the 317-foot tall open-air Observation Deck of Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial on Friday, June 21. NASA Solar System Ambassador Gene Zajac will give a program and be available for questions during the tour which begins at 8:30 pm and ends at 10 pm on the Observation Deck. The doors open at 8 pm.
The special event is one of three evening National Park programs on the Observation Deck in 2019. There is also a sunset tour scheduled for July 17 and a night sky tour scheduled for August 14. “It’s a rarity that the general public has access to the Memorial’s Observation Deck in the evening hours,” said Superintendent Barbara Rowles. “Even staff is prohibited from accessing the Memorial Column after hours.” Superintendent Rowles said the idea of doing evening programs on the Observation Deck began in 2016 during the National Park Service’s Centennial Celebration. “It’s become much more popular in the past few years,” she said, “as more people learn about the programs.”
Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children 5 to 15. Senior Pass holders and Access Pass holders can also purchase a ticket for $10 by showing their pass. Tickets can be purchased online at recreation.gov up to 48 hours prior to the event. After that, tickets must be purchased at the Ticket Desk inside the Memorial Column the night of the event.
Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial opened Saturday, May 18 for the 2019 season. The Memorial Column and Observation Deck, and the park’s Visitor Center, are open 10 am to 6 pm daily through September 8. Hours are 10 am to 5 pm September 9 through September 30, and weekends in October (Friday through Monday) until October 21.