Wine, Dine and Walleye Festival provides a bit of color on a gray Saturday | Local News

ASHTABULA — With umbrellas in hand, people put up with a drizzle, short downpour and then sunshine Saturday afternoon to peruse about 25 vendors, maybe taste a little wine and enjoy a walleye sandwich for dinner.

The 2021 Wine, Dine and Walleye Festival — a hybrid of years past Wine and Walleye Festival — initially drew a small crowd to Bridge Street. But as the day progressed, vendors’ hopes that more people would come once the rain stopped came true.

In the meantime, Mitch Larson and Melissa Harvey, known professionally as Melissa and Mitch Acoustic Duo, or MMAD, entertained faithful festival-goers with a variety of songs.

The festival got off to a good start, according to Gayle Michel, the Lift Bridge Community Association’s membership chairperson. 

“People started coming at 11 a.m.,” she said. “Everyone was anxious to get out.”

The COVID-19 pandemic canceled last year’s festival.

Melody Shiflet, owner of Hearmade Boutique on Bridge Street, was optimistic that “the crowds will pick up as the day goes on.”

Amy and Phyllis Housel, sisters and owners of Savvy Sisters Designs of Ashtabula, said the festival was their first in 16 months. The women sell necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets and lanyards, as well as gift baskets.

“We are eager to share our sparkle,” Amy Housel said. 

Lynna Kashay of 1147 Bridge Street said the festival is the perfect opportunity to get some stuff out and sell it.

Susan Rastetter at the Lake Erie Beach Glass [by Cheryl Snyder] booth said the rain dampened the festival for a bit and then when the rain stopped, more folks came out to shop and eat. 

“We put everything away and then we put everything out again,” she said. “Now we know how to prepare for rain.”

Music, shopping and outdoor dining kicked off the event Friday evening on Bridge Street in the historic Ashtabula Harbor.

The festival was slated to continue to 9 p.m. Saturday with more live music, outdoor dining, sidewalk sales and 25 vendors and artisans. Even in the rain, hungry festival-goers lined up for a walleye sandwich or fish platter with fries.

City Manager Jim Timonere said based on the overwhelming popularity of last month’s Beach Glass Festival on Bridge Street, organizers planned for a big crowd.

 “A lot of planning goes into the festival,” he said. “A year’s worth of planning and no one knew how COVID was going to affect it, so it’s a little different this year.”

Lower Bridge Street was closed for the festival. Golf cart shuttle services transported attendees who wished to park at Save-a-Lot grocery store on Lake Avenue.