2009 Smoke on the Water Ribs for the Red Cross

What: Smoke on the Water – Ribs for the Red Cross

Where: Promenade Park in downtown Toledo.

When: Friday, July 31 though Sunday, August 2, 2009.

Cost: Admission remains just $3, with kids 12 and under free. Admission is free on Friday before 5 p.m.

Web site: http://www.ribs4redcross.com

Rib Vendors

Rib Vendor Space is Sold Out for 2009 Smoke on the Water – Ribs for the Red Cross Event

Smoke on the Water – Ribs for the Red Cross is excited to announce that booth space for rib vendors at the downtown Toledo event has sold out. A dozen rib vendors, heavy on local flavor, will fill Promenade Park, an increase of 50-percent over last year’s participants.

The 2009 Smoke on the Water – Ribs for the Red Cross vendors include:

• AJ Doolittle’s – Lambertville, Michigan
• Bad Bob’s BBQ – Rossford, Ohio
• Big Moe’s BBQ – Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Black Kettle BarBeQue – Toledo, Ohio
• Chicago BBQ Company – Burr Ridge, Illinois
• Famous Dave's - Toledo, Ohio
• Johnson’s BBQ – Chesapeake, Virginia
• Po Mo's - Toledo, Ohio
• Sidelines – Toledo, Ohio
• Texas Roadhouse – Holland, Ohio
• Texas Thunder – Euless, Texas
• Tom’s BBQ and Grill – Toledo, Ohio

“This is a great mix of local and national ribbers, which gives our guests the opportunity to try the best ribs from across northwest Ohio, as well as the mid-west,” says event Chairman Chris Kozak. “Considering the state of the economy, we are encouraged that we’ve sold out early. It shows that word of the large crowds spread amongst vendors and they see this as a première event they need to be part of.”

Limited vendor space is still available for non-rib food vendors and non-food vendors. For more information, please call 419-329-2619.

Music and Politics

Smoke on the Water – Ribs for the Red Cross Entertainment Headlined By Presidents of the United State of America and Chuck Wicks

Song of Toledo Winners and Mayoral Candidates Part of the Event

The largest ribs event in northwest Ohio, the 2009 Columbia Gas Smoke on the Water – Ribs for the Red Cross, proudly announces their full entertainment schedule.

In addition to national headliners Presidents of the United States of America and Chuck Wicks, Smoke on the Water features Toledo’s Mayoral candidates on Saturday afternoon starting at 3 p.m. Each candidate will have 15 minutes to speak to the crowd. (See full schedule below)

Smoke on the Water is also proud to feature Song of Toledo winner Empire Drift who will open for Chuck Wicks; and ‘Song of Toledo – Peoples Choice’ winner Buck 69, who will open for Presidents of the United States of America. The full line-up includes:

Friday, July 31

• Noon to 1:30 p.m. - Toledo Jazz Orchestra Quartet
• 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – TBA
• 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. – Rodney Parker & Liberty Beach
• 8:45 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. – Haywire

Saturday, August 1

• 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. – TBA
• 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. – Mayoral candidates (Times were randomly selected)
  • 3 p.m.: D. Michael Collins
  • 3:15 p.m.: Keith Wilkowski
  • 3:30 p.m.: Jim Moody
  • 3:45 p.m.: Mike Bell
  • 4 p.m.: Ben Konop
• 4:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. – Song of Toledo winner Empire Drift (Acoustic set)
• 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. - Stop Don’t Stop
• 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Famous Dave’s Pulled Pork Eating Contest

• 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. – Song of Toledo - People’s Choice winner Buck 69
  • With more then 120,000 votes, Buck 69’s “I Am Toledo” was the winner of the Song of Toledo People’s Choice award. This Toledo-based band mixes blues rock band mixing together the old and the new to create electric contemporary blues.

• 8:45 p.m. to 10 p.m. – Presidents of the United States of America
  • A twice Grammy-nominated alternative rock band from Seattle, best known for their songs “Lump” and “Peaches” from their 1993 triple-platinum self-titled debut CD. Presidents of the United States of America have released six studio albums, including their most recent, “These Are the Good Times People.”

Sunday, August 2

• 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Mojoe Boes & His Noble Jones
• 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Song of Toledo winners Empire Drift
  • Their entry, “A Good Place to Call Home” was voted ‘Song of the Year’ in the inaugural FOX Toledo/Toledo Free Press "Song of Toledo" contest. The song has been declared the 2009 ‘Song of Toledo’ by the Lucas County Commissioners and Toledo City Council. Empire Drift is a Toledo based quintet.

• 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. - Rib awards presentation

• 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Chuck Wicks
  • This ‘Dancing with the Stars’ performer exploded on the Country music scene in 2007 with his debut single “Stealing Cinderella” with reached #4 on the Country Charts. Wicks first album, “Starting Now” peaked at #7 and spawned two additional top 40 tracks with “All I Ever Wanted,” and “Man of the House.” Most recently he participated on ABC’s ‘Dancing with the Stars” with real-life girlfriend and country music star Julianne Hough.

Sponsors and More Info

Sponsors for Smoke on the Water – Ribs for the Red Cross include Columbia Gas of Ohio, Key Bank and Heartland Health Care. Media partners include the Toledo Free Press and Cumulus Toledo stations K100, 94.5, 93.5, 106.5 The Zone, Star 105, 1470 and 1560.

For more information on Smoke on the Water – Ribs for the Red Cross please visit www.ribs4redcross.com.

Jodie Tienvieri
Communications Manager

American Red Cross
Greater Toledo Area Chapter
3100 W. Central Avenue
Toledo, OH 43606
419.329.2619 (p)
1.888.590.0098
419.537.6548 (f)
tienvierij@usa.redcross.org