By WARREN DILLAWAY - warren@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon
ASHTABULA —
Wine flowed freely Saturday as thousands of people descended on the city to try the latest from area vineyards and enjoy all that Bridge Street has to offer.
They came from West Virginia, Indiana, Pennsylvania and southern Ohio to name just a few of the homes represented by people roaming Bridge Street Saturday afternoon.
Jim Timonere, president of the Ashtabula Area Chamber of Commerce, said there was an estimated 5,000 people in the area by late afternoon. He said the turn-out was tremendous.
“The on-line sales we had more than doubled what we had last year. We are very, very pleased,” Timonere said.
Many activities surrounded the event including a fishing tournament that included 150 entries a 5K run and a kid’s half mile in addition to dozens of vendors selling a variety of food, other goods and services.
The wine tasting area is located on the north side of Bridge Street near the Ashtabula Lift Bridge. Tickets must be purchased to enter the area where a variety of bands played Saturday and will continue to perform today.
The rest of the activities are open to the public without cost ranging from food stands to booths detailing the activities of local service organizations.
A new area of booths opened this year on the south side of Bridge Street along Goodwill Avenue. A variety of options are available for those seeking fresh fish.
More than 85 people took part in the Wine and Walleye 5K and Guppy Run early Saturday morning. The event started near the Lift Bridge and ended on the sand of Walnut Beach.
Scott Gill, a Harbor High School graduate and resident of Concord Township, won the overall 5K race in a time of 19:14 including a grueling quarter mile on the beach. Christina Powers won the female division in a time of 23:00.
In the Guppy run Frankie Olivarez, 10, won the event in a time 1:23 and Elizabeth Nicholas, 8, led the ladies in a time of 1:37.
Organizers designed the event to get people fired up about the community, Timonere said. “We want to show what Ashtabula has to offer,” he said.
Area residents also enjoyed the event. “It’s neat, absolutely delightful. This is how Bridge Street should be all the time,” said Sybil Cochran of Ashtabula.
Jon Gaines and Leanne Lordi, both of Erie, said they enjoyed the event and became aware of it by happenstance.
“We were passing through on the way to Geneva (earlier in the summer) and saw the sign and made plans to comeback,” Lordi said.
Many people relaxed in the shade of a tent listening to Blown Cover knock out a few tunes.
Erica Ulrich, of Niles, said she really enjoyed the wine and jewelry that was offered for sale in the area. Many people wondered in and out of the businesses located along Bridge Street.
Early morning visitors to the Ashtabula Lift Bridge area were treated to an up close look at the Maumee which was unloading cargo at Sidley’s dock adjacent to the Ashtabula Lift Bridge.
“It’s been wonderful. It started a little slow but picked up,” said Eileen Froelich, owner of Old Mill Winery on South Broadway in Geneva. “We get our word out. A lot of people don’t know we are out there,” she said.
Bridget Corrigan, manager of Emerine Estates Winery in Jefferson, said the event helps the winery get their name out to the public. “We meet a lot of new people,” she said.
Corrigan said the winery also introduced a new wine to the public.
