Dr. Seuss Poker Run

The Dr. Seuss Poker Run will bring boaters to the western Lake Erie and Maumee River area Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, for two recreational poker runs departing from Bay View Yacht Club in Toledo, Ohio.

The event will feature separate departure times for different types of boats, allowing a wide range of recreational boaters to participate. The Any Boat Poker Run will leave Bay View Yacht Club at 11 a.m., followed by a second run for go-fast and performance boats at noon.

Both groups will follow a five-stop route through the Toledo-area waterways while collecting cards toward their final poker hands. The run begins at Bay View Yacht Club before heading to the Maumee/Perrysburg Sand Bar, Toledo Sailing Club, Maumee Bay State Park and the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse. Participants will then return to Bay View Yacht Club for the final stop.

The Toledo Sailing Club will serve as the lunch stop, with hot dogs and hamburgers available, while the Maumee Bay State Park stop will take participating boats to the water in front of the beach.

Registration is $50 per boat and includes the captain, one additional rider and a steak or chicken dinner. Additional passengers may participate for $20 each.

Each registered boat receives a poker hand as part of the run. Additional poker hands may be purchased for $5 each at the final stop, giving participants another opportunity to compete for the day's best hand.

The event follows a traditional five-card poker-run format, with the best completed hand determining the winner. Boat speed does not determine the results, and the separate performance-boat departure is intended to accommodate the different types of vessels participating in the event rather than create a racing competition.

Proceeds from the Dr. Seuss Poker Run will help purchase Dr. Seuss books to be given to children during the Downtown Parade, adding a charitable component to the afternoon on the water.