FireFish Festival

 By: Laila Schwin and Valery Warner

September 16, 2021

Despite the continuation of the pandemic and the struggles that it has caused, the arts have found a way to persevere within the circumstances. One example of this is the FireFish Arts Festival. 

The FireFish Festival is an annual arts festival in downtown Lorain, featuring and highlighting artists from Ohio. The artists range across various mediums including visual arts, comedy, music, and fashion. 

This year, the festival took on a new form and was extended across four weekends between August 29 and September 18.  While the festival is nearly over, there is still a chance to see all of the art that it has to offer.

This Saturday (September 18) marks the end of the FireFish festival, and with this comes the burning of the fish, the namesake of the event. This is accompanied by a pyrotechnic show, as well.

The FireFish Festival does not have an extensive history; it only started in 2015, but it has grown immensely in the few years that it has been around. Within the first year, the festival brought together over 10,000 people, and it has only grown since then, both within the community and outside of it. 

The FireFish Festival has also enhanced the Lorain community, giving small businesses the opportunity to grow and expand. It has filled downtown Lorain store fronts by bringing people to the area. Lorain is truly emerging as a city re-imagined. The creativity, energy, and resources all work together to create an exciting downtown for community and surrounding areas.

This weekend’s closing events are an after-party featuring the Sammy DeLeon Band.  Additional performances, art installations, art vendors, and family-friendly activities will take place on the sidewalks and outdoor spaces throughout downtown Lorain, along with Lorain County Community College’s City Center campus.

This weekend is sure to be a great end to the festival. Hopefully, within the next few years, it will continue to expand and grow within the community and Ohio itself. 

September 18 is quickly approaching, so get out to the FireFish Festival! You will not be disappointed.