August: Burning River Fest

Some people mock Cleveland because our river caught on fire. But we see it as an opportunity to educate and empower our community and guests on how it helped to create environmental protection laws and what we can continue to do for the environment. Oh, and as an excellent excuse to party.

Yes, our beloved Cuyahoga River caught on fire way back before most of us were even born. So, yes, we’ve heard all the jokes. The good news is that today we’re proud of the fact that our river is still on fire — not with flames — but thanks to its status as a healthy, vibrant waterway that serves as the backdrop to some incredible events.

Which brings us to Cleveland’s annual Burning River Fest. Held each year in August to commemorate the fateful day of the fire, this popular end-of-summer bash celebrates the city’s commitment to drawing awareness to the environmental issues affecting both the Cuyahoga River — now a popular spot for boating and watersports enthusiasts — and Lake Erie.

What To Do There

• Burning River Fest is a summer music festival worthy of a place that is known for rock ‘n’ roll. The event typically features dozens of local acts on multiple stages over two nights on Cleveland’s Whiskey Island.
• Burning River Fest has long been sponsored by Cleveland’s famed Great Lakes Brewing Company, so there will be beer. Plenty of it. In fact, keep an eye out for one of the brewery’s most popular brands … wait for it … Burning River Pale Ale.

What Else To Do

• Whiskey Island itself is worth a visit, even more so with the promise of great food, music and beer. This sliver of a peninsula at the nexus of Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga is a window into Cleveland’s historic past as a port city. It’s home to a historic U.S. Coast Guard station that has been restored and is now the site of one of the festival’s main stages, as well a converted marina that has been preserved as an urban greenspace called Wendy Park.