Daisy Day is Saturday, May 10

As the Lakeside Daisy blooms only in one location in the United States, the limestone of the Marblehead Peninsula, the village of Marblehead in partnership with ODNR, Lafarge North America, The Marblehead Bank, the Ottawa County Visitors Bureau and other local organizations and volunteers have joined together to present a day filled with local history, family fun and entertainment and a chance to see the Lakeside Daisy in bloom.

Lafarge North America, owners of the Marblehead quarry operations, serves as the lead sponsor for the event. Being a good neighbor, the quarry has donated funds for festival operations and provided services to insure the success of Daisy Day. For the last three years, Lafarge has opened up their business operations in Marblehead for quarry tours led by their own Ted Dress. Tours run on the hour from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and give visitors not only a close-up look of the quarry operations in Marblehead, but provide a chance to see the best display of the Lakeside Daisy. Seating is limited as a Danbury Local Schools bus provides the means of transportation into the quarry. Tour tickets are free and are available in advance at the Daisy Day Information Booth located in James Park. All tours of the quarry and historical sites are free on Daisy Day, but donations will fund the James Park Restroom project.

The Information Booth will open at 8 a.m. on May 10. While the booth has been moved to James Park, parking for the day's events is still available in the Lafarge Auxiliary Parking Lot off Main Street. At the booth pickup the current schedule of events as well as information on other local attractions and lodging. Information Booth hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. This is the location to purchase Lakeside Daisy shirts, 50/50 raffle tickets and tickets for the Ben Richmond oil painting. Remember all proceeds from the print raffle and the Daisy Day celebration will be donated to the James Park Restroom Project.

From the quarry parking lot, you will also be able to hop the shuttle to the Daisy Preserve. The bus will be making stops in downtown Marblehead and Lakeside, the Chautauqua on Lake Erie from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. At the preserve take the time to tour the area with representatives of ODNR available for questions. Downtown businesses will be running Daisy Day specials and their shops offer a variety of choices for shopping and dining.

Lakeside is the site of the annual plant sale at Hoover Auditorium from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The Daisy Day speakers' series will be held in James Park this year with speakers to be announced later. The speakers' series will run from 1-3 p.m. Check out Heritage Hall Museum on Third and Maple streets in Lakeside for the history of the Lakeside Chautauqua and the Peninsula. The museum will be open 1-3 p.m. that day.

Local historical sites will be open to the public from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Daisy Day. Tours will be given at the Marblehead Lighthouse with the Lighthouse House Historical Museum open during the tours. The Lighthouse Historical Society will be participating in the vendors' fair also with gift shop items available for sale as well as a children's duck pond game. At the Wolcott House on Bayshore Road, visit the home of the first keeper of the Marblehead Lighthouse, Benajah Wolcott. Members of the Ottawa County Historical Society will be on hand to provide the history of the house and Wolcott. Continue your historical tour on Johnson's Island at the Confederate Cemetery. The Johnson's Island Historical Society Museum is located on Main Street in Marblehead.

This year the Lakeside Daisy schedule of events will include an opening ceremony at James Park with Marblehead Mayor Jackie Bird presiding. After the opening ceremonies, the Little Miss Daisy Pageant will begin at 11 a.m. This is the second annual Little Miss Daisy contest. Girls ages four to six whose parents live or work on the Peninsula are eligible for entry. Last year's Little Miss Daisy, Addison Barna, will crown the 2008 winner. Contestants will answer one question from a panel of three judges, their answers will be used to select Little Miss Daisy and second and third place winners. Contestants should arrive at 10:45 a.m. to receive their instructions for the pageant.

James Park will be the center of activity from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with a vendors' fair in progress during that time. Vendors will include service organizations, area attractions, suppliers and crafters. During the day a children's activity tent will be available for $1 per child. The committee looks to add a series of gardening and horticultural speakers to the James Park lineup. During those same hours, food will be available at the shelter house.

Visit the Daisy Day website at www.lakesidedaisy.com for details and other events.

For more information on this event, please call the Ottawa County Visitors' Bureau locally 419-798-4074 or toll free 800-441-1271. Visit the website at www.lakesidedaisy.com. If you would like more information on Marblehead's Daisy Day, contact Councilwoman Reba Bishoff at 419-798-8120.