Fast Eddie's gets festive

PORTAGE TWP. — There's nothing miniature about this massive holiday lighting display completely consuming a putting-friendly golf course. Fast Eddie's Sports Park, on Southeast Catawba Road (Ohio 53) in the Catawba Island-Port Clinton area, just debuted its Eddie's Winter Wonderland area for the 2025 holiday season. It's located off the Ohio 2 exit near the Erie-Ottawa International Airport. This marks the second year in which Fast Eddie's management team, led by owner Jeremy Fitzgerald, undertook this effort. "I have three young kids, and we're always looking for fun holiday activities," Fitzgerald said. "One day, the idea just clicked, and I knew it would be something families would love." For 2025, Fitzgerald went all-in, displaying more than 500,000 lights on the 18-hole mini golf course alone. This complements other festive decorations found throughout the property, including: • On a backdoor patio, doubling as a walkway leading to the golf course, filled with a wide array of sponsored Christmas trees • Inside the arcade • Throughout the restaurant; Whether the decor or menu, many items are themed to Christmas and the holiday season. Fitzgerald credits Christmas Lights 419 for bringing his vision to reality. The company installed lights to cover trees, bushes and several golf course obstacles, such as the mill, waterfall, cave and more. Even the holes themselves light up in neon colors. "I wanted to bring something special to the area during the winter," said Fitzgerald, who took over this longstanding restaurant and entertainment center back in 2022. "The region is always busy in the summer but winter is much slower," Fitzgerald added. "Employees often worry about hours and tips, so I wanted to create something that would help support the business and keep staff working year-round." People can either walk through or even play a round of golf to check out each display up close. And who knows: They might even run into a "real-life" Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the Grinch and Frosty the Snowman. "There's nothing else like this in all of Ohio," Fitzgerald said. "Families can make an entire night of it: have dinner at Fast Eddie's and then walk through Eddie's Winter Wonderland to experience the lights, activities and atmosphere." For the rest of November, people can traverse through the wonderland beginning at 5 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Beginning in December, however, it'll open every night at 5 p.m. There is a cost to walk through. People can receive updates on hours of operation by visiting facebook.com/cameopizzacatawba. "Eddie's Winter Wonderland includes visits from Santa on Saturdays in December, holiday characters, craft tables, s'mores, fire pits, holiday drinks and of course, mini golf surrounded by over 500,000 Christmas lights," Fitzgerald said. Following in his father's footsteps Fitzgerald took over the business, formerly known as Crosswinds, nearly four full years ago. "I grew up in the industry," he said. "My father (Ed Fitzgerald) owns multiple businesses on Put-in-Bay, including Mr. Ed's, Mist, Commodore Resorts, Dock's Beach House (in Port Clinton) and several others across the island." Fitzgerald wanted to follow a similar path first taken by his father. "I earned my hospitality business degree from BGSU in 2004," he said. "Since then, I've opened and operated several businesses of my own, including the Subway on Put-in-Bay, Bar 145, Reset, Cameo Pizza and other concepts in the Toledo area." When he took over Crosswinds, known as more of a higher-end restaurant, "I completely remodeled the restaurant and turned it into Fast Eddie's, but I kept Cameo Pizza on the menu," Fitzgerald said. "The sports park remained the same as well, continuing to offer go-karts, mini golf, bumper boats and more." Within the restaurant, also decked out in holiday decor this season, Fitzgerald also pursued a full-on, top-to-bottom renovation into, what he considers "the area's premier sports bar." "The space was opened up, significantly, and we now offer over 30 TVs, fresh wings, chicken chunks, salads, smash burgers and more." Fitzgerald classifies Fast Eddie's as "a top-tier sports bar located within a full family-friendly entertainment complex," he said, adding how the name Fast Eddie's pays homage to his dad. "Most people know him today as 'Mr. Ed,' but his original nickname, back in the early years in Fremont, was 'Fast Eddie.'" Whether for the food, drinks, entertainment or holiday displays, Fitzgerald welcomes people to stop by and check out what Fast Eddie's is all about. "Fast Eddie's is one of the few true family-friendly destination spots in the area." People can learn more by visiting fasteddiescatawba.com/putt-putt.