"Broadway in Bloom" mural moves to downtown Lorain

LORAIN — Downtown Lorain is "in bloom" ahead of the city's annual art festival this fall. FireFish Arts hosted a pop-up event at Broadway Mary's, 939 Broadway, to unveil its "Broadway in Bloom" mural by local artist Carida Cira Diaz and invite community members to create art ahead of the festival 2-11 p.m. Sept 17. Marketing and Program Manager Candice Pettigrew said the event Friday evening at Broadway Mary's was a way to bring art into the community — with a kid-friendly mural option for Lorain's littlest artists to sponge flowers, butterflies and bees onto — and celebrate nature in the city. In addition to the bright teal mural on the side of the restaurant, and the remaining flower murals down the street from last year's festival, FireFish is placing pollinator boxes in front of its supporting businesses on Broadway. FireFish co-founder Joan Perch said when they started the festival, many people thought it was about fish, but the fish sculpture represents the natural beauty in the world. Last year was the first time a "Broadway in Bloom" mural popped up, on the side of a shipping container at the LoCo Yaks' former offices on Alabama Avenue. The new mural on Broadway Mary's is the same design, Pettigrew said. Broadway Mary's owner Mary Fields said they're excited to host the mural and the pop-up event. "When you drive by, you just smile," she said. With downtown Lorain on the rise, the mural and other projects like it match the eclectic, vibrant neighborhood the residents and business owners have worked to beautify, she said. FireFish will be out again at Main Street Lorain's Broadway Block Party from 4-7 p.m. Aug. 5 throughout downtown Broadway, and at Art in the Park from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 6 at Samuel L. Felton Jr. Central Park. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.