Revelers make early dash toward St. Patrick’s Day

By Jeanne Starmack

YOUNGSTOWN — If someone had described to you the scene at the Rust Belt Brewing Co. at the B&O Station on Mahoning Avenue on Friday afternoon, you might have thought they’d tipped back a few.

Oh, but the night was just getting started, and everyone was still relatively sober. That really was Jay Williams, the mayor of Youngstown, in his customary suit and tie — and a faux silk scarf splashed with a cheerful, green shamrock design draped around his neck.

Yes, Nick Rosich, master brewer for Ken Blair, owner of Rust Belt Brewing, was showing off his legs — in a kilt he said he got in Scotland 12 years ago.

No, a heaping plate of St. Paddy’s Day corned beef and cabbage didn’t prompt some strange dream. A bagpiper really did stroll through the room, followed by a pretty blond leprechaun he’d captured. If she got him enough tips from patrons who were sitting and sipping beer in front of the wall of huge windows that showcased the brewing vats of Rust Belt, maybe he’d let her go.

There were creatures afoot in hats shaped like beer mugs, and sunglasses shaped like shamrocks.

By shortly after 6 p.m., more than 200 of them had arrived, but registration was continuing until 10:30 p.m. They paid their $5 plus a can of food for Gleaners Food Bank, or their $7 with the understanding that $2 of it would go to Gleaners.

They had their wristbands and their free T-Shirts announcing that they were taking part in the first annual Downtown Youngstown St. Paddy’s Day Dash.

Was it a race? Yes, to see who could have the most fun before midnight on a pub crawl that included 15 downtown bars.

The brainchild of Blair, and also sponsored by the city, Buffalo Wild Wings and Ohio Wine and Beverage, it was a night to bring people into the downtown with drink and food specials at the participating bars.

It was also, said Blair, an opportunity to donate to charity.

“We’re giving back to the community. This is our way of fighting hunger,” he said.

His giving-back philosophy was not lost on Barb Cummings of Canfield, who was there with several friends to sell scarves to honor her mother, Grace Abernethy of Steubenville, a three-time breast cancer survivor. All the money raised by Grace’s Girls would be donated to Relay for Life, she said, and she was grateful for the opportunity to be at the dash, where she’d been given free space for her table.

It was one of her scarves that adorned Williams’ neck for a while as he chatted with her at the table.

Was Williams going to get on one of three shuttle buses that would take dashers on a tour of the bars, running continuous loops until midnight as they chose which bars to visit and how long to stay at each one?

No, he said. He’d bought two scarves for his wife, and after his speech welcoming everyone to the dash, he was going to go home and present them to her.

He did plan to come back later to check out the activity.

“I love seeing people walking downtown,” he said. That’s where I get my enjoyment.”

As dashers lined up outside to get on the shuttle buses, leprechaun Alex Ahren of Hubbard was still inside doing her best to win tips for Highland bagpiper Stephen Holter of Boardman.

She’s the girlfriend of drummer Adam Altiero with the band Mr. Kyle, which was performing at Rust Belt. So she was drafted into the leprechaun gig.

“Drafted-slash-volunteered,” she said. “I’m up for a good time.”

Everyone was. Anthony Jannone and Lee Ann Cole of Struthers left their 13-month-old daughter in the care of relatives, and they were ready to party, though he was a little more sure of himself about it.

“I’m looking forward to having a blast,” said Jannone.

“I probably won’t last,” said Cole.

They were with Raelynn Dolwick of Boardman, who works with Jannone at the Mahoning County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.

When the first shuttle dropped them off at the first stop of the night, the Draught House on Federal Street, they met up with others who worked with them at MRDD.

Inside, the Draught House was clogged with people. There were specials on Irish ale and lager.

“It’s refreshing for downtown,” said Beth Ortz of Liberty. “We shouldn’t be afraid to come downtown.”