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Charity events to fill Austintown Plaza tent

Craft Beer Fest proceeds to go to Every Dog Matters

Two events benefiting two charities will fill the heated tent in the parking lot at Austintown Plaza this weekend.

The Fourth Youngstown Craft Beer Fest will feature more than 60 brews, ciders and other adult beverages from more than 25 businesses on Friday, with proceeds going to Every Dog Matters.

On Saturday, dozens of area residents will get their heads shaved to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which collects money to fund research for cancers that affect children.

Both events take advantage of the tent, which will be used the following weekend for the St. Patrick’s Day party at O’Donolds Irish Pub & Grill.

Christian Rinehart, director of operations for O’Donolds and the Justice League Restaurant Group, said, “Craft beers are one of my favorite things in the world. The tent’s up. The facility’s there. It’s a chance to do a little charity work and have a relaxed, fun time before St. Patrick’s Day.”

Rinehart opened his first bar / restaurant 16 years ago, and the interest in craft beers has increased significantly during that time.

“When I started, I was buying 200 cases of Bud Light a week,” Rinehart said.

Now more customers are ordering IPAs, porters, stouts and other craft brews, and local brewmasters occupy about half the taps and Rinehart’s restaurants.

“We have some really good ones right here,” he said. “Modern Methods (in Warren) is one of my favorites. Noble Creature (Youngstown) is too. Birdfish (Columbiana) is great. Paladin (Austintown) is very consistent, very good. Numbers (Lisbon) is very good too, and a great seller for us is Biker Brewhouse (Austintown).

“The local guys are cutting into the national (brewers). That’s great to see because the money stays here.”

Food will be available from O’Donolds and food trucks, and Graphic Pink will perform in the tasting tent.

More than $105,000 has been raised during the first seven years of the local St. Baldrick’s event, and volunteer event organizer Eric Broz said some of the money raised has gone toward research donations locally to Mercy Health and Akron Children’s Hospital.

The closing of the General Motors plant in Lordstown and the ripple effect from it seems to have slowed early donations but they’ve set a goal of $15,000 for this year’s event.

About a dozen acts will perform inside the tent and at O’Donolds, and all of the performers are donating their time. Broz said he put together the lineup with Brian McCale, who books acts for Rinehart’s Suzie’s Dogs & Drafts locations.

“We met a couple times and kicked around who we wanted to have,” Broz said. “Every single person we asked said absolutely.”

Participants collect pledges / donations before getting their heads shaved, and money also will be raised through the admission fee, basket raffles and other features.

This year’s festivities also will include an appearance by Melissa Leigh Loudon from the national St. Baldrick’s organization, who will “knight” volunteers into the Knights of the Bald Table, reserved for those who’ve participated at least seven years in the fundraiser (those who’ve participated at least three years are designated as Squires of Hope).

Among those who will be knighted on Saturday is Marek Stevens, a 9-year-old from Ellsworth who will be getting his head shaved for the seventh time on Saturday. Broz said he will be one of the youngest people ever knighted by St. Baldrick’s.

“It’s a way for the foundation to say thanks to those who have been here and taken over,” Broz said. “It’ a neat way to do things.”

Band lineup

TENT:

• 1 p.m. — Rock U

• 3 p.m. — No Funk No Justice

• 4 p.m. — Knights of the Bald Table honors ceremony

• 4:30 p.m. — Black Wolf & the Thief

• 5:30 p.m. — Hayden Brooke

• 6:30 p.m. — Shultz and the IC

• 7:30 p.m. — The Super Babes

O’DONOLD’S MAIN STAGE:

• 1 p.m. — Leo D’Angelo

• 2 p.m. — HR Department

• 4 p.m. — County Mayo

• 7 p.m. — Juliet

• 8 p.m. — Schaffer

Brothers

• 11 p.m. — DJ

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