MANSFIELD -- Organizers are handling things differently with this year's events surrounding the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program, which begin June 8.
"When I look back, I remember me and the band starting out just playing in and around Mansfield," Miss Ohio Committee member and Main Street Mansfield president Burton Stahl said.
"That's how The Music Explosion got attention and now I want to extend that opportunity to the local bands who are playing today."
As part of the Miss Ohio Festival, Stahl and other organizers have included a local musical showcase called "Out of the Garage."
The Saturday performance will include The Sofa Kings, Dodging Susan, Fault Not Taken and The Finest Hour.
The Bell Brothers, an acoustic duo, kick off the musical events Friday, while gospel musicians Spiritual Uplift round out Sunday's events.
"What we're trying to do is make sure there's something for everyone," Stahl said. "Saturday will be very family friendly, in particular."
As for the garage bands, Dodging Susan drummer Zach Hunnell, a freshman at Lexington High School, said band members are excited to play to one of the largest crowds they expect to encounter.
Dodging Susan gained exposure playing in the National High School Rock-Off at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in January.
The band, which includes Lexington students Robert Fain, Ben Fain, Benji Bissman and Michael Art, will warm up by playing at Buck's Restaurant in Lexington on Saturday as part of that restaurant's "customer appreciation day."
Three other bands will also perform at Buck's.
"We know there will be a lot of local people coming to the (Miss Ohio) festival, and this will be a chance to get our music to a large audience," Hunnell said. "We have two new songs we've been working on, which we'll play for the first time live." Mansfield News Journal
