Weekend brings ribs, music and bikinis

By Guy D'Astolfo | June 25, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

NILES — The Mahoning Valley Rib Burn Off heads into its 25th year with a new operator, but everything else will be pretty much the same.

Dominic Baragona’s Mid-America Productions had run the four-day festival for years but decided to give it up after last summer. West Coast Productions has taken over the event, which begins tonight and runs through Sunday in the Eastwood Field parking lot, behind Eastwood Mall. West Coast’s Ken Hewitt, a Mahoning Valley resident, is organizing the event.

As usual, it will include nine rib vendors and national musical acts, and is expected to attract tens of thousands of people.

Southern-rock band Blackfoot will take the stage at 10 p.m. Friday and country star John Michael Montgomery will perform at 9 p.m. Saturday.

The Florida-based Blackfoot had several hits in the ’70s and ’80s, including “Train, Train” and “Highway Song.” Montgomery has had more than 30 Billboard singles.

Admission is $7 (free for children under 12). Fans wanting to get up close to Blackfoot or Montgomery can buy a Gold Circle ticket for $25, which includes admission to the festival and to a reserved area in front of the stage. Gold Circle tickets are on sale online at mahoningvalleyribburnoff.com, and will be available at the door if any remain, according to Joe Bell, spokesman for Cafaro Co., which owns the Eastwood Mall complex.

Women 18 and older can compete for prizes and photo shoots in the Bikini Contest and Model Search, with the finalists being featured in a swimsuit poster. Playboy model and Cortland resident Lisa Neeld is the Bikini Contest director. To register, go to the Web site.

Five of the nine ribbers are from Ohio: Guy’s Barbeque of Newton Falls, Bubba’s Smokin Barbeque of Cuyahoga Falls, Armadillo’s of Austintown, Mojo’s Rib Shack of Diamond and Two Fat Guys of Massillon.

The remaining vendors are Big Bone Barbeque of Nixson, Tenn.; Texas Pit BBQ of Willis, Texas; and two teams from South Carolina.

TONIGHT

5-7 p.m.: Metalourd 7-9 p.m.: Dennis Drummond Trio 9-11 p.m.: Kenipshen

FRIDAY

5-7 p.m.: The Rage 7-9 p.m.: Huckin’ Fillbillys 9-10 p.m.: Bikini Contest with Lisa Neeld 10 p.m.: Blackfoot

SATURDAY

5-7 p.m.: Back Alley Band 7-9 p.m.: Teez 9-10 p.m.: Bikini Contest with Lisa Neeld 10 p.m.: John Michael Montgomery

SUNDAY

5-7 p.m.: Acoustic Juggernaut 7-9 p.m.: reggae music 9-11 p.m.: The Kellys

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to mahoningvalleyribburnoff.com