Downtown DashSFlbMove, groove and have a blast in the city

By Guy D’Astolfo

Fireworks and live music will be part of the event.

111What downtown needs to really bloom as an entertainment mecca is a farmers market ... and outdoor movies ... and a bar crawl.

Now that he’s the city’s downtown events director, Kidd is very close to making all three a reality. An outdoor movie series begins Monday at Chevrolet Centre, and the farmers markets will debut later this summer.

As for the bar crawl: That’s tonight.

The inaugural Downtown Dash — it’s not a race, but a dash, as in you have seven hours to hit 15 establishments — begins at 5 p.m.

“We had discussions with the downtown bars, and the response was overwhelming,” said Kidd. “Fourth of July weekend seemed like a natural fit for the event, being that it is the largest holiday weekend of the summer, and it’s warm enough to walk to various locations.

“It also gives folks who may be back in town to visit family and friends ... an opportunity to check out the developing downtown area in its entirety in a fun, convenient, organized and group oriented manner.”

Kidd compares it to another downtown event that has become an annual institution.

“It will be like a First Night in the middle of summer,” he said, referring to the annual New Year’s Eve event. “We’ll grow it organically, however it’s supposed to grow.”

Here’s how the Dash works: People who haven’t already bought tickets can go to Central Square to sign up. The Dash starts at 5 and runs until midnight. A trolley will continuously make the rounds of the bars in the downtown area, so Dashers can stay on the move without having to drive their own cars.

The $10 registration includes a Downtown Dash button, a route map and three vouchers good for $2 per location. Each voucher will bear the name of a specific location, said Kidd. The vouchers will be distributed randomly to keep the crowds spread out. And of course, you don’t have to drink alcohol.

Dashers will also get a card that will be punched upon entering each bar on the route. Those who manage to hit all the places can redeem their card for a free T-shirt at the sign-in table at Central Square at the end of the night.

Because this is the first Dash, a limited number of T-shirts have been ordered. If there aren’t enough, the T-shirts will be mailed to Dash “champions.”

The bars participating in the Downtown Dash are Cafe Cimmento, Youngstown Club, Overture, Charlie Staple’s BBQ, Inner Circle Pizza, Cassese’s MVR, Martini’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Barley’s, Rosetta Stone, Imbibe, The Draught House, Boxcar Lounge, University Pizza and Italian Eatery and The Royal Oaks.

Rosetta Stone will also have its new mobile vending unit downtown to sell food.

Kidd hopes the Dash will attract newcomers to the downtown nightlife scene. But not even the regulars are likely familiar with all of the locations, he noted, so it will be a good chance to introduce people to bars and restaurants they’ve never visited.

Fireworks will begin at 10 p.m. in the Chevrolet Centre parking lot. Even though tonight is July 3, the fireworks will be the city of Youngstown’s only show.

“We wanted to have the fireworks at midnight, when the Dash ends, but moved it up because there were concerns in city hall that families wouldn’t be able to see it that late,” said Kidd.

After the fireworks, two rock bands will play in Central Square: The Zou and Jones for Revival.

Kidd said he wanted original music from acts who regularly perform downtown and are thoroughly engaged in the area’s renaissance.

The Zou and Jones for Revival — both of whom sponsor their own music festivals downtown — were perfect choices. Both are mainstays of the local scene, and are also among the most hardest-working, playing out constantly. They have also developed fan bases outside Youngstown.

“We have been taking the steps to be a national touring band, but we never forget the importance our hometown has to us,” said Khaled Tabbara, frontman for The Zou. “Whenever someone approaches us about a Youngstown show, we usually try to make it work.”

Jimmy DeCapua of Jones for Revival echoed the sentiment.

“We are working really hard to get our name out there,” he said. “Jonesfest really helped out and we have about 20 shows coming up over the next two or three months and most of them are out of town. I think we have a real chance of becoming a regionally known band.”