Streetsboro City Park will host the city’s Brew & BBQ Bash from noon to 6 p.m. Aug. 17.
Local BBQ teams will compete in five different “best of” categories: ribs, sauce, chicken, exotic dish and dessert, each hoping to be crowned Streetsboro’s Brew & BBQ grand champion. Additional food vendors in BBQ Alley will compete for People’s Choice Awards.
The competing BBQ teams are Chasin Tailz (Ravenna), Caleb Blythe (Ace Hardware of Aurora), John Hejduk’s BBQ Crew (Streetsboro), Jay Rhea BBQ (Aurora), MoonShine Q BBQ (Beloit), Pink Piggy BBQ (Macedonia), Pig ‘n Nancy “That Punk from Cleveland” (Aurora), Sir Porkalot BBQ (Homeworth), Hatfield’s Goode Grub (Cleveland), Ross Mountain BBQ (Sherrodsville), Smokin’ T’s BBQ (Youngstown), Stray Dog BBQ (Akron), and RaK’s BBQ (Akron.)
A portion of the proceeds from the BBQ competition will benefit the Special Olympics “Portage Grin and Bear It” team, which includes Streetsboro resident Chrissy Motz as a regular Polar Plunge participant, and the Streetsboro Heritage Foundation. Also benefiting the Special Olympics will be a photo opp with Lola Oink, an American Mini Pig who is living her best life in Aurora.
Attendees will also enjoy more than 15 BBQ and traditional food trucks and more than 20 craft vendors. Kids games, face painting, Pure Passions Alpacas, a Foam Zone and the Wild One (a huge inflatable roller coaster) will keep young ones entertained and busy. Live music will be provided by 56 Daze and Streetsboro’s own Mother Ale bands.
Fifteen craft brewers will offer their wares: ticket bundles are available online at a 15% discount (15 tickets for $30), as opposed to $36 at the gate. Featured breweries include 21st Amendment, Aeonian Brewing, Broadview Brewing, Brooklyn Brewery, ESP Brewery, Garrett’s Mill, Hoppy Dude Brews, Lock 15 Brewing, Lost Coast Brewery, North Water Brewing, Phoenix Brewing, Rogue Brewing, Schnitz Ale, Victory Brewing and Working Class Brewery.
Admission and parking at the Brew & BBQ Bash is free.
Wendy DiAlesandro is a former Record Publishing Co. reporter and contributing writer for The Portager.