Cleveland Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the historic Cuyahoga River Fire

More than 25 clean water-focused events will mark the 50th anniversary of the historic Cuyahoga River fire, which sparked a movement around protecting waterways in the USA. The lead event of the Cuyahoga50 celebration will be the 2019 Great Lakes Burning River Fest, which takes place June 21 and 22 in Cleveland, Ohio. The music and craft beer festival takes place at a historic Coast Guard station on the Lake Erie shore with three stages of music, scenic views, and refreshing brews.

Cleveland-grown indie rock band Cloud Nothings will headline the Burning River Fest’s Great Lakes on Saturday night, supported by Cleveland hip-hop duo FreshProduce. Nashville-based Arlie top Friday night’s bill with energetic rock grooves, following Columbus’ Angela Perley with her blend of cosmic country and indie rock. A diverse mix of artists and genres will be represented on Burning River Fest’s two stages, including stripped-down sets with sunset views on the Acoustic Stage. The fest’s popular Silent Disco returns to the PNC Boathouse, with rotating sets from DJ Red I, Candi Fresca, and DJ MIMO all weekend long.

Great Lakes Brewing Company, Cleveland’s original craft brewery, will offer a fresh line-up of beers, including Turntable Pils, Great Lakes IPA, Mexican Lager with Lime, Rally Drum Red Ale, and a new Burning River Fest exclusive, Citrus Burning River Pale Ale. Great Lakes beers will be complemented by a selection of wines, and a delicious mix of eats from local food trucks.

Other activities throughout the anniversary weekend include several art immersions such as the colour-changing light exhibition designed by U.K.-based Squidsoup on what used to be the streetcar level of one of Cleveland’s iconic bridges. Additionally, there will be a lighted boat parade, stand-up paddle board races, and family-friendly eventsThe last fire on the Cuyahoga took place on 22 June 1969 and started the clean-up of the river, although the river actually burned 13 times. This fire wasn’t the worst of the Cuyahoga River fires, but it was the one that attracted the most attention and served as the catalyst for the modern environmental movement.

Fifty years on, the river is used for recreation by rowers, paddlers and paddle-boarders in addition to its use as an industrial shipping channel. The river and its surrounding land has seen the reintroduction of fish, otters and even bald eagles. The organisation American Rivers recently named the Cuyahoga River as the "River of the Year" to highlight the hard work and collaboration by so many in Cleveland to improve the Cuyahoga’s health and turn it into a true asset for the city’s residents and visitors.

For more information go to www.Cuyahoga50.org or www.burningriverfest.org.

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For further information on Cleveland, please contact Fiona Pettitt at Cellet Marketing & Public Relations on 01295 722816