The 1st Annual FireFish Festival

This year was the first annual FireFish Festival in Lorain. The festival was held on Broadway in the historic center of Lorain. It filled alleys with music and performances, vacant businesses with artwork and the streets with fire. At the center of it all was the Fire Fish, a giant paper mache structure that housed about 8 people inside to make the fish come to life.

The festival is put on by the founder of the Ingenuity Festival in Cleveland, James Levin. According to the website the mission of tie FireFish is to expand upon Lorain County's "Follow the Fish" program. Follow the Fish was started in 2012 at the Stocker Arts Building of Lorain County Community College. 87 fish sculptures were created by 33 artists from all over the county to celebrate our greatest natural resource, Lake Erie. The sculptures were places around the county in front of local businesses as sort of a showcase. This was all brought together for the first time this year as a festival.

So here are some pictures that I snapped while Sarah and I explored the FireFish Festival. Once again I apologize for the phone camera in low light.

Latin band up by the entrance on Broadway back dropped by firetrucks.

Lit up building and clothing vendors. Palace Theater in the background.

Sidewalk chalk art.

The Fire Fish himself awaiting his destruction.

Art displayed in a vacant business.

What you lookin' at?

Another band was closing down here in an alley.

Plenty of street food to be found.

Another building had a ton of vintage items on display.

After we checked out all of the stands and displays we returned to where the Fire Fish was resting. It was time for him to make good on his name.

Flaming batons.

A tall green man on stilts usher the fish forward.

It made it's way north on Broadway.

Then headed through a narrow alley toward the Black River.

While the fish slowly made its way to the sacrificial pyre we were entertain by some fire dancers.

Selfie!

The fish finally was placed on the pyre, surrounded by performers of all kinds.

A brief show took place and then finally the tall green man brought out the torch.

  

Fireworks began shooting off all around the fish as it met its demise.

  

The remains.

Spectators and performers alike stared in awe at the wreckage of the great Fire Fish.

  

After we watched the remaining fire die down a little (and the feeble attempts to extinguish flames encroaching on the crowd) we returned to Broadway to finish up exploring.

The alley the fish traveled through to the river. You could see the flames from Broadway.

All in all I feel like the festival was a huge success. This brought something positive to a city trying to make a rebound. It was something different and never before seen on the banks of the Black River and I hope it continues in the future.

Bonus pic of me reppin' the Bascule Brewery. Soon to be opened. Not sure why my hand is like that...

As always, thanks for reading!