Droves dash and discover downtown

By Denise Dick

The holiday weekend Downtown Dash included stops at 12 bars and restaurants.

YOUNGSTOWN — Some came just to hang out with friends. Others wanted to revisit old haunts and check out new establishments downtown.

About 250 people had pre-registered for Friday’s Downtown Dash, and others were registering Friday evening, said Lyndsey Hughes, the city’s director of events. Participants visited up to 12 participating bars and restaurants in and around downtown.

Friday marked the first dash for Marsha Slivka of Austintown, her sister, Mary Beth Conway of Boardman, and their respective husbands, Steve and Mike.

“A couple of people I work with have done it and said it was a fun thing to do,” Slivka said.

Participating establishments were the Royal Oaks, Cassese’s MVR, Cafe Cimmento, the Youngstown Club, Buffalo Wild Wings, Skeeters Jazz Bar, Barleys, Downtown 36, the Old Precinct, Cedars, Rosetta Stone and the Draught House.

Proceeds were to benefit a local charity.

The couples have been to events at the Covelli Centre, formerly the Chevy Centre, and Slivka said she’s eaten dinner at some of the restaurants on the dash list. For other spots, though, Friday was to mark her first visit.

“I like to support local things, so I thought I’d try it,” she said.

Conway said the only places on the list she’s visited are Cassese’s MVR and the Royal Oaks. She’s heard good things about happenings downtown and decided to try the dash.

Friday was the first dash for Maryliz Smith of Poland, too.

“I think it’s good to see people in Youngstown, and it’s fun to hang out with my friends,” she said.

Brenda and Melvin Rushton of Youngstown have been to Rosetta Stone and Skeeters Jazz Bar but looked forward to their first visits to Barleys, Downtown 36, Cassese’s MVR and the Old Precinct.

“I’m really looking forward to the Youngstown Club,” Melvin said. “I’ve been there before and it’s really nice in there. I go to the Youngstown Club whenever I get the chance.”

They hoped to hit all 12 establishments on the dash list.

A charter bus to transport participants was on a continuous loop, stopping periodically throughout the evening.

“Most of the places are within walking distance,” Hughes said.

She said the idea for the event was to bring people to bars and restaurants they maybe haven’t tried before. Participants ranged in age from college students to people in the 30s and husbands and wives in their 50s, Hughes said.

“It really is all across the board,” she said.

Michele Taylor and Sherry Lobinger, both of McDonald, frequent some of the downtown hot spots, but they’ve never tried them all on the same night.

They hoped to change that Friday.