Historic Ashtabula Harbor

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Ashtabula, OH
Historic Ashtabula Harbor

Sponsored by the Lift Bridge Community Association. A regional destination for Tourism & Recreation
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In the late 19th Century, Ashtabula Harbor became the busiest port on the Great Lakes, handling huge quantities of iron ore and coal. With the completion of a rail spur in 1873, Ashtabula Harbor became the most direct source of iron ore to feed the booming steel mills in Youngstown and Pittsburgh. Unloading ships of iron ore and re-filling them with coal was a labor-intensive business: it took 150 men to unload a typical vessel. Thousands of immigrants - Finns, Swedes, Italians, English, Irish, Scots and Portuguese - flocked to the Harbor, competing aggressively and often violently for work. During this 30 year Boom Period, Ashtabula Harbor was considered, along with Calcutta and Shanghai, one of the three roughest ports in the world. Many of the historic buildings on lower Bridge Street today served as bars and bordellos. Now at the beginning of the 21st Century, Historic Ashtabula Harbor is evolving into a popular attraction for both locals and visitors. With nearby beaches and parks on Lake Erie, marinas and boat clubs, the cleanest river on Lake Erie, local museums and a growing list of unique shops, as well as good places to dine and drink, the Harbor is poised to become a regional destination for Tourism, Recreation and Entertainment.

09/15/2026

Dogs and their humans are invited to welcome the spooky season by participating in the first annual Haunted Harbor Pooch Parade, hosted by the LBCA. Dressed in their most festive Halloween costumes, dogs and owners will parade in the Historic Ashtabula Harbor, and judges will award prizes for the best costumes in five different categories. This promises to be a tail-wagging good time for canine and human guests alike!

The Grand Prize, given to the Best in Show winner, is a complimentary night at the Riverbend Hotel, a pet-friendly hotel in the Historic Ashtabula Harbor!

REGISTER YOUR PET: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/haunted-harbor-pooch-parade

Event schedule:
10:30 AM: Haunted Harbor Pooch Festival opens – registration for parade participants in the Goodwill grassy lot (across from the Goodwill store).
11:30 AM: Registration closes, parade participants line up for parade
12:00 PM: Parade of dogs and owners in Halloween costumes
1:00 PM: Awards presentation to the best-dressed dogs and their owners at the Goodwill grassy lot

Parade Route: Leave registration area -> Henry St -> right on Goodwill Dr -> left on Bridge St -> parade ends at Franklin & Bridge St

Categories for awards:
Best Pooch and Child
Best Pooch and Adult
Best Pooch and Group
Spookiest Pooch
Best in Show

Registration:
Registration is required to enter the costume contest and to march in the parade; entry numbers for the costume contest will be given to registrants
Pricing: $10.00 per dog for pre-registration; $15.00 per dog on the day of the event. A maximum of three dogs allowed per registrant. Registration is limited to 100 dogs
Humans are free to attend
Proceeds will benefit Walking With Memphis Dog Rescue in Ashtabula and the ACAPL
REGISTER YOUR PET: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/haunted-harbor-pooch-parade

09/14/2026

We have a packed weekend of events in the Historic Ashtabula Harbor and we're kicking it off with our September Harbor Night Market! Friday, September 18 Bridge Street stays open late!

The Harbor Night Market IS BACK in the Historic Ashtabula Harbor from 5 to 8 PM, and here's what's waiting for you:

LIVE MUSIC: Tyler Gancos
FOOD TRUCKS: Berry Sweet Boba and Fruit Kabob, Squeez'd, Porchlight Kitchen
SHOPPING: Harbor merchants are staying open until 8 PM, and many are offering evening specials you won't find any other night. Plus, browse street vendors Rusty Needle Creations, A Maker's Boutique, Harbor Hobby, Treasures in Bloom, Danielle's Confections, Fern & Hare Studio, Lift Bridge Community Association, NC Sweets, October Moon Farm, Vamp Girls Pens, Honest Origins Farms, Wild Ones Hat Co, Myers Family Farm

Grab dinner, catch the music, shop late, and enjoy a summer evening on the waterfront!

Interested in a vendor spot for future Night Markets? Contact LaDonna at [email protected]

09/13/2026

American Courage at work in the Historic Ashtabula Harbor!

09/10/2026

Meet Jay Stalnaker, owner of The Bum Boat, a unique experience in the Historic Ashtabula Harbor! A bar and restaurant located in a moored boat on the Ashtabula River has become a destination for locals and tourists alike.

Jay was born and raised in Conneaut and visited the Bum Boat for the first time nearly 30 years ago. Intrigued by it then, Jay visited often and struck up a friendly relationship with the previous owner, Mike Parker. Eventually, due to age and illness, Mike decided it was time to try selling the boat and business to another person. Sadly, Mike passed away in 2019, leaving his wife to sell it. In 2020, The Bum Boat was put up for sale on Facebook Marketplace and Jay immediately called to set up an appointment to see it. Jay could see the untapped potential of The Bum Boat, and put in an offer on the boat. And the rest is history!

The Bum Boat has quite the history itself. Built in 1959 here in town, The Bum Boat was one of the first electrically welded boats on the Great Lakes and operated on the water for decades, ending its service in 1992. Eventually, The Bum Boat was declared a permanently moored vessel, sitting on the river waiting for people who come aboard for a bite to eat or a drink at sunset. Originally known as The Sonny 2, The Bum Boat has a sister ship named The Sonny 1. Built by the same people, The Sonny 1 still operates on Middle Bass Island as a ferry.

Reopening The Bum Boat in the summer of 2021, Jay has spent the last several years putting in effort to improve the business and bring in more people. One of the major projects Jay undertook was upgrading the infrastructure, particularly increasing power to the boat and burying the lines to not disturb the perfect river view. Jay purchased a cruise boat to provide an option for dining out on the river, which he is currently ramping up for bookings. Future plans include adding seating and a bar-in-the-round in the historic 1910 wheelhouse from a 500ft steam ship that sits on the property.

Serving food, drinks, and incredible atmosphere, The Bum Boat is open seasonally from May to the end of October, 7 days a week, from 11am-close. Contact them at 440-289-8608 for more information.

09/09/2026

Autumn has arrived in the Historic Ashtabula Harbor and it’s time to bring fall flowers to Bridge Street! Please join us on Tuesday, September 15 at 9am for a cleanup day as we take down the hanging baskets, clean out the pots, and plant mums. If you have tools, please bring ladders, pliers, hand shovels, and a smile! We couldn’t do this without our incredible group of volunteers - your support is greatly appreciated!🩵

09/08/2026

Thank you to all who came out and made the 4th annual Ashtabula Local Food Festival: Harvest in the Harbor one to remember!!!

This event is a true celebration of everything Ashtabula County has to offer. Thank you to our local farmers, food producers, and small businesses who filled Bridge Street with delicious food and even better energy!🌻🥗🍰

09/06/2026

Ashtabula Local Food Festival: Harvest in the Harbor is TODAY 9/6 from 10-4pm!

09/05/2026

Celebrating 100+ local growers at Ashtabula Local Food Festival TOMORROW Sunday, 9/6 in the Historic Ashtabula Harbor!

Start by shopping the expanded Ashtabula Farmers Market beginning at 10am! Then make your way down Bridge Street with a Taste of Bula passport. Collect stamps at Three Sisters Cafe, Harbor Halcyon, Harbor Gardens, Hil-Mak Seafoods Restaurant (at the Farmers Market), Nights & Weekends, and Phooey Farms. Every stamp supports the growers and restaurants behind the food, and buying a passport enters you to win a day at Kosicek Vineyard's Treehouse. It also gets you 3 tickets to vote in the Salsa and Flower Bouquet Competitions at Riverbend Hotel. The competitors are locked in...your job is to taste, judge, and crown a winner!

Bridge Street will be packed 10a to 4p with food trucks, live music at Carlisle Pavilion, vendors, sidewalk chalk art, gourd painting, goats that want to be petted, and yes, Jungle Terry! Rain or shine. Tomorrow, 10a to 4p, Historic Ashtabula Harbor.

Grab a passport today:
https://www.historicashtabulaharbor.org/ashtabula-local-food-festival

Address

Bridge Street
Ashtabula, OH
44004

Website

http://www.historicashtabulaharbor.org/

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