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Oktoberfest transforms Austintown into ‘Awesometown’
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
AUSTINTOWN
Participants were bundled up against the chilly weather and shivered as they waited in line for activities, but that didn’t stop them from enjoying the Awesometown Oktoberfest.
The event Sunday at Austintown Township Park included a classic car show, a rock climbing wall, an inflatable slide, emergency vehicles and food. Representatives from Austintown businesses and nonprofit organizations attended as well.
Bernadette Turner and her son Bryce, 5, of Austintown attend every year.
“It’s good for the community,” Bernadette said about the event. “Everyone comes together. It’s nice for the kids to see what the community is all about.”
They checked out the car show. Bryce is “into cars,” Bernadette said.
He also took a turn on the inflatable slide.
“He likes to play in the bounce houses and see everything around, all the fun stuff,” Bernadette said.
After enjoying the activities, they warmed up with hot chocolate. Bryce said his favorite part of the day was playing on the playground. He was also happy to see a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, his favorite car, in the car show.
Four Mile Run Christian Church in Austintown offered free hot chocolate.
“We decided to come out and serve our community and have some hot chocolate for a chilly day,” said Jordan Cranon, one of the church’s ministers. “We actually rented [the rock climbing wall] so our kids could have some fun.”
He thinks the event is great. “I think it’s great that we’re able to come together as a community and just kind of share some of the stuff you might not normally notice, some of the things that you don’t really know about going on.”
Christine Spalding of North Jackson, a church member, attended with her family.
“I just came out to say ‘hi’ to people and answer any questions they may have about the church, hang out with my kids and have a good time,” she said.
Her daughter Faith, 9, enjoyed climbing the rock wall.
It was hard, she said. But it was her favorite part of the event. And she said climbing it gets easier each time.
Christine’s niece, Lydia, of Austintown, 11, also climbed the wall. “I climbed it a lot,” she said. This was her first time at the festival. It’s fun, she said.
Goals of the festival are to celebrate good things about Austintown, to build relationships and goodwill among residents and to help connect people in need with available resources.