
Cheryl Hardy and Party in the Park Bands
3/13/2026 | 59m 3sVideo has Closed Captions
Kevin, Gretchen, and Matt welcome Cheryl Hardy and Party in the Park Bands to the show.
Kevin, Gretchen, and Matt welcome Cheryl Hardy and Party in the Park Bands to the show.
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The Four Hundred & Nineteen powered by WGTE is a local public television program presented by WGTE

Cheryl Hardy and Party in the Park Bands
3/13/2026 | 59m 3sVideo has Closed Captions
Kevin, Gretchen, and Matt welcome Cheryl Hardy and Party in the Park Bands to the show.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipAnd now the 419 with Gretchen de Bakker might kill.
And Kevin Mullin.
Welcome into the 419, powered by CTE and presented by Retro Wealth Management.
I'm Kevin mullen.
Gretchen Debacker.
Matt.
Tell him we have a jam packed show today.
Pun intended.
Oh, see?
I like what you did.
That's what I bring, to this whole mystery.
So we just figured it out.
Yeah, yeah, that's the news.
Welcome back to this totally ambiguous day and time.
We are, we're breaking news on this program is we're unveiling, what is going to be the summer concert schedule for party in the Park.
You really don't need to know anything else for your summer.
About what?
Except for what the schedule is going to be?
Yeah, pretty much all of our all of our, toledo.com community calendar episodes for the rest.
Forget it, forget it.
All party in the park.
All the time.
That's right.
We're gonna have Cheryl Hardy.
Awesome.
The awesome woman behind party in the Park, right?
She's kind of the fuel that keeps that engine moving.
We'll have her on to talk about some of these bands coming on.
And then, as if that wasn't enough.
And it is, we're also going to have three of the bands come on and join us.
So musicians are going to talk to us.
That's right.
You get to talk to the rock stars.
I'll tell you what.
That will be gracing the party in the park stage.
The show, was built on a, the premise of having mystery guests.
And I know that we share a Google document that has all these guests on it.
We share.
Yeah.
Never open.
So all of this is I'm finding out for the first time.
Yeah.
On is pretty exciting.
Yeah.
So it's so we're going to have, I don't even know if I'm going to say no.
Don't say it.
Well, we'll surprise people as they come on.
Okay.
Have you guys been out to, where you guys out to party in the park last year?
Yeah, the new and improved party in park.
Absolutely, absolutely.
It felt great.
And, I mean, the pictures tell a million words of people to.
To not go is reinventing the spirit down there.
It's had great leadership.
It's been really fun.
And it's grew from a real grassroots, position.
So nothing feels more than we don't get experience.
Any of that sounds great, but I couldn't be more proud of, the group that put that on.
And now we get to celebrate them today and what's coming.
I remember when the kind of first announcement came out that this was happening in some of the early sort of like negative pushback was like, it's just going to be local.
Yeah.
And it turns out that's what made it great.
I'll tell you when, Gretchen, when you came here with your family in the kind of still go wagon.
What was the first.
I remember it well, yeah I did, people just did.
What was the, the washboard that your grandfather played that.
Yeah.
On the banjo.
Yeah.
Oh of course.
And then the paper clip.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
The comb.
It was a comb.
It's a cool.
Yeah, yeah.
But that was because you're old.
That's why I'm not sure that came through your.
Oh goodness gracious.
All right.
Hey, let's do this.
Let's let's hit a break, because I know we got a lot we got to do.
When we come back on the other side, we're going to be joined by Cheryl Hardy with party in the Park.
It's the 419 and.
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Introducing the local Fred, a community news series uniting voices and storytellers from across the region in partnership with La Prensa, the Toledo Free Press, the Sojourner Truth, Toledo Public School and Rethinking Jails injustice.
The local thread brings you stories and conversations that connect our community here at weeknights at seven on FM 91, with early access on podcast platforms each morning to local friend only on.
Welcome back into the 419.
Powered by.
We are breaking news on the show.
As we unveil the 2026 party in the Park summer concert series schedule, we're joined by Cheryl Hardy.
Sherry.
Cheryl, welcome.
Thank you.
Thank you for having me.
And congratulations for being the first to be able to announce this.
We look very excited that it's a local, you know, everything local.
Everything is local here today.
And so that's kind of really exciting.
Goes right with our theme.
What where did this idea for party in the Park come from?
Well, party in the Park has been around for a long time.
So honestly, we kind of cheated.
We we kind of we kind of took something that was super nostalgic for everybody and something everybody knew and said, let's bring it back.
And, I think the reality was Toledo has just changed.
I would love to bring back party in the Park of the 80s.
Sure.
Right.
Where we had all the national bands come through, and we packed the park with thousands and thousands of people.
That would be amazing, which is not how the music world works anymore.
Was the end up Hairspray to make that come back?
Oh darn it, we can try though.
I try to ask why we try.
So yeah, but but really, it was basically what do we need to do to re-energize our downtown?
And how do we get people to come downtown and how we how do we make that repeatable?
And, you know, ProMedica did a great job bringing bringing lots of bands in, but it wasn't, sustainable financially.
And you couldn't do it every single Friday.
And that's what we need.
So we needed something that was every single time.
So let's bring back party in the Park or cheating a little bit by bringing back a brand everybody loves.
But let's feel it with local.
Let's keep all of our money local.
And so that's what we did last year.
And it really worked.
And so we're doing that again this year.
We've added a few tribute bands because it's what people ask for.
It's what people wanted for sure.
But I'll tell you what.
We're going to build off of what we did last year.
Yeah.
I guess the only pushback I give is it's not cheating if it's just listening.
That's sure.
There's no reason to reinvent the wheel.
People want this.
They love it.
It is nice, to be proud of where you're from.
And this is just is really in the body of that event.
So how did you.
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
Go ahead.
Gretchen, that's how you hear from you hear from people about what they what they wanted to have down there.
This.
We did it.
We did an e survey online and so we got about a thousand responses.
And I read every single one of them.
Sorry about what I sent in.
Yeah, I know, yeah, I know he's I was in a real weird place.
He's normally really supportive, but, you know, that's just his on air personality.
You know?
But we got a thousand series back.
We do some very robust social media.
And we read those.
We have a great social media team.
Thanks for two for for two for.
Absolutely.
And, and so they give me nice reports and let me know what people are saying.
And we do people's choice awards and we do competitions online.
So we get an awful lot of community feedback and and we pay attention to all of it.
So let's talk about last year's event.
So obviously there was some some risk going into this of like is the community going to, embrace it?
When, when was the moment that you realized this is going to work?
When I, when I talked to Kevin Mullen and the Falcon nine ladder truck came in and brought local beer, that was the moment I knew this was going to work.
Yeah, sure.
When.
So, you know, we had a lot of rain early in the season.
And so it was successful early in the season, and then it was like it just hit.
It was, it was just one weekend where we had we had a rainout.
I think it was a very next weekend.
Everybody showed up and was like, oh, we get it.
It's going to be here every weekend.
We're going to show up.
And and we we sold a ton of beer.
And, you know, the local thing just really started to kind of take off.
Our social media took off, you know, we had to start from zero.
So for a little while there to get going on that and, and then it's like people just got it and then and people are down there and they're giving you hugs and saying thank you.
And like I was the singular person doing it.
I appreciate that and I do love the hugs.
So don't stop that.
But, but I mean, it was just all of the sudden it just it just hit really mid June.
Yeah.
And then from there it was just how do we keep up.
How do we keep up.
How do we how do we staff the bar better.
How do we make sure that, you know, we can accommodate all these people.
But you also you put a great lineup out last year and I know you based on the amount of time you had to execute it.
You held some stuff back.
So you're, you always get to grow and build.
So I know this year is a big, big reveal and a big uptick, which everybody's excited about.
I've seen on social media, just some of the the data that you've shared about how much research you've put into this schedule.
Yeah.
Talk to me about what the offseason sure has been like for Cheryl Hardy.
Yeah.
Well, for our entire team, we we see all of the bands that we choose in person, and that includes our tribute bands.
So the ones that are nationally touring, sometimes we have to, you know, take a little drive to be able to see them.
But I saw over 100 bands in the fall.
How about that?
Just to to make sure you see.
And that's a huge shout out to all of our local bars and restaurants who are supporting local all year long.
So I can't tell you how many of those people I know personally now.
And you know, they support all year long.
But but we go out, we look at the bands.
It's not about the music that I like.
It doesn't matter.
What I look at is how does the band interact with the crowd?
How does the crowd react to the band?
What kind of crowd did they get?
What's the show?
It's the entertainment value because it's very clear what people in Toledo want is entertainment.
They love their tribute bands, they love their cover bands.
They love to sing along with what they know.
They love the energy.
They love the excitement.
So.
So it's entertainment value shared.
You just live in silence as a result of this, choice you made at your home.
Just totally void of music.
And no, I actually can't hear you.
Yeah, I do very often say I am done.
People.
I know where people playing for the weekend.
I think I need a day on my couch with my dogs.
Are you an introvert or extrovert?
I am a I'm an Audi.
Okay.
You don't do that with your phone.
But yeah, you talk about that.
At least not on your work computer.
Yes.
Yep.
Out.
I am absolutely an extrovert.
I can turn it on when I need to.
But honestly, I love my home time and cooking and my dogs and sitting on my couch cooking is where I just connect.
But what are the dog's names?
Louise and Bernadette.
All right.
Do you have a favorite?
I do okay.
We don't have to say it on the show.
I won't, they might hear it.
Yeah.
So what is happening tonight?
Starting tonight, this is the big reveal.
It's our big reveal, our kickoff.
And it's a party in the park on the road at Huron Yard.
So big shout out.
Thank you to here on yards.
That is where all the Saint Patrick's festivities are happening.
By the blarney.
And the cock and bull and all that.
Yeah.
Make sure we drive home.
Where's your on.
Yeah.
Here on yards on here on street in downtown Toledo.
So everything that I talk about is downtown basically like, everything that I'm doing is, is focused on downtown.
But here on yards, downtown Toledo, Huron Street by the Blarney, the cock and bull.
That whole street's going to be closed.
It's tented, it's heated.
You know, we've all looked at the weather, so we all know March.
March is always very questionable.
But but we're taking that question out of it.
Yeah.
And we've got a horse lover opening for us.
They were super popular on, on social media, and I appreciate that.
They did a special show for me at 11:40 p.m.
that I went and saw the tavern.
Thank you guys.
Yeah.
And, and then lead foot granny, who is just, you know, they're this young, up and coming band.
They do covers, they do originals, and they just rock.
And they are really just amazing.
And we wanted them last year and couldn't get them on our schedule.
So we're super happy to kick off again from there.
And this is a free event and free.
All of our events are free.
They're all free.
So party in the Park was a summer concert series, correct?
It's not quite summer yet.
Oh, wow.
What?
What are we really.
What?
What?
Right, what what's happening between now and summer and winter?
And why is that important?
Well, so last year we did a test, and we love doing everything, a party in the park.
But it's very clear that downtown requires a 12 month activation plan.
Right?
We need to be busy for 12 months of the year, and party in the Park is the only gig, right?
We need to do other things and we need to be cross promoting and working with everyone else.
Like, I don't know, Metroparks and City of Toledo and the Mud Hens and Huntsville and all those places.
So we said, what if?
What if we could take part in the park, on the road?
And so we tried it with mommy Bay Brewing Company because they wanted to sponsor.
So we took it over there.
We closed down more street, put the stage out, and we we said, maybe this will work.
Maybe people will come from promenade to, to another place.
And they did.
Yeah.
In droves.
And I mean, the pictures were phenomenal.
I was there, but the pictures are just awesome.
And I'm like, well, what if we do it again?
So we took it to Ostrich Town and it worked again.
All right.
Now it's a trend guys.
We can do that.
Right?
So when we brought this how we said how do we move more activity around downtown.
So we'll do one Huron yard.
So we're going to do one at Uptown.
Do one in the warehouse district.
I'm actually gonna do two in the warehouse district.
So, you know, the central business district.
So so we're going to take this and move it around so that more businesses can feel the impact of the marketing that we've built in, the brand that we've built around party in the Park.
It's a really a very smart strategy, and it's a really big expansion just for year two.
Yeah.
No kids to be doing this, this travel aspect and expanding the season by almost two months.
That's our community.
Yeah.
That's what everybody always has.
Who's event is this.
This is Toledo's event.
Yeah.
This isn't my event.
This is your event.
This isn't, you know, the city of Toledo.
Connect Toledo, destination Toledo did connect to all of our sponsors, right?
All of these people who give us money, we appreciate it.
Couldn't do it without them.
But it's not any one of their individual events.
So this is Toledo's event, summer concert series, season opener and of May.
What are some of the highlights, that are coming this summer?
Well, we have that's kicking it off is everybody loves the Skittle Bats and they come out in droves for those guys and we love them.
But then we're doing an 80s.
We kind of bring it in a journey.
Tribute band.
Yeah.
And we are, going to have an awful lot of fun with that.
I think we have a special guest that will pop in here and tell you about that one.
Wouldn't that be cool?
Take it back.
Oh, I'll tell you.
But for me, yeah.
This journey band is the top journey tribute band in the country that I've seen, and they're coming multiple, of the headlining tribute.
Yes.
It is a really fun time.
Yes.
Do you have a favorite journey song, Don't Stop Believin?
Okay, well, that's not the best song.
That's that's like.
All right.
It's faithfully them.
It's the one that everybody sings to.
Yeah.
So on Angie Patrick's day.
All right, so I know you just had a birthday.
My birthday's on Saint Patrick's Day.
Okay.
I have a fairly large birthday and then a zero this year.
Bu.
But we get me.
Yeah.
So you can.
Yeah, you can be a senator.
We thank you.
Yeah, sure.
We get up on stage with 10,000 people, and we sing Don't Stop Believin every single year for my birthday on Saint Patrick's Day.
And it's a blast.
Yeah.
So it's my favorite song.
And don't make fun of it.
That's exactly how Gretchen celebrates.
It's all in their bathroom, weeping.
Well, I don't know what's up in the bathroom.
Yeah.
Yes.
Yeah.
This is Gilbert's Journey tribute band, and we've got a Motown band that's coming in on June 19th, and they are phenomenal.
You will know every single song that they sing.
They hardly take any breaks up.
They dance, they have glitter, they have it all going on.
They are amazing.
We have a great country night.
Nashville Crush is coming in awesome.
And, Holly Hollywood Connection is opening for that.
Oh, sorry, Hollywood connections opening for Motown, but our country band, stuff is so much fun.
Mommy River band is opening for them 200, like, a lot for the July 4th weekend.
Oh my goodness.
So we're doing a special Saturday.
We're doing a Friday night and a Saturday for the 250th.
Yes.
The the mayor had a special request and we were able to fulfill that.
Nikki Dee and the Sisters of Thunder and distant cousins.
Yeah, that's a good time.
And that's on the 4th of July with this huge fireworks show.
TSA is putting together a special soundtrack for the fireworks.
So we'll play the.
So we'll do the fireworks in cooperation with the TSA soundtrack.
I think it's very cool.
We love school for the Arts, for any of you who don't know that.
And then the Day drinkers, which I want to mention because, you know, maybe somebody else is going to pop in today on the day drinkers could be, maybe something, but they're going to be on the third and they're just a blast.
I mean, last year they were one of the bands that kind of kicked us off and really got us rolling.
So happy about that.
Back this year, everybody wanted Elton John back.
Do you want to bring back the exact same show?
So we're bringing back it's called Legend to Legend, Elton John and Billy Joel dueling pianos on Stay Cool.
It's going to be super cool show.
This is really exciting.
Yeah, yeah Christmas in July R&B Weekend fair.
No big weekend at the end of the at the end of the summer.
Where can people find the whole schedule?
Best to follow us on Facebook.
Party in the park.
Toledo.
We do.
We are going to put some website stuff up, but it's really early in the season and we're still trying to get some stuff going.
We will have website if you follow us on social media.
Totally.
And the content super fun.
Yeah, right.
It's very fun.
You get real FOMO.
You're going to get FOMO for sure.
Which band is the biggest group of divas to deal with?
Oh, biggest divas?
Jimmy.
Definitely Matt Kelly.
Yeah, sure.
A great hundred percent.
Thank you, Cheryl, so much for joining us, for having me and rolling out this.
We've got a couple of the bands.
Yeah.
Joining us.
Yes.
Of course on the program.
And we'll find out the first surprise band on the other side of this break on the 419.
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Welcome back into the 419.
We're talking all things party in the park as we preview the upcoming summer concert series, and we're joined by one of Toledo's absolute premier rock stars.
I'm going to say, yeah, best in the biz.
And we're talking about a party in the park, which is something really excited about.
But the big success, which we're just, just after and it doesn't happen on its own.
And for this amount of time, it's now a mandate.
Everyone in our region looks forward to it.
I'm sure it just throws itself together.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
We're we're only 24 years old, and this is what it's done to you, right?
Right.
We're talking with Nicole.
Corey.
Congratulations on acoustics for us.
Thank you, thank you.
How many years is it?
That was year 19.
So next year, a big 20th anniversary.
Yeah, the 19 years.
That's amazing.
19 years of awesome, I think.
Yeah, for the 20th year you should also take over Perrysburg.
So just do all the way over.
Yeah.
That way I'm sure the bridges people would be really happy with the bridges people.
They're an easy group to work.
Yeah.
Let her rip.
So you are also the the the frontwoman and lead singer for Arctic Clan?
That is correct.
How long have you been doing that?
We've over 20 years.
21 years, actually.
So, it started off kind of just acoustic, and then, we by by weird coincidence, we were like, somebody was like, hey, we need a band.
And so we're like, oh, we can grab a drummer and a bass player, and we formed a band.
And then it just never stopped.
Yeah.
And so, yeah, we have a ton of fun.
We've done a lot of things.
We've opened up from that band of acts.
Slipknot was a band.
Yeah, that was right.
Yeah.
Actually, the first gig Arctic Clam ever had was the night of the tornado that hit Lake High School at Harbor View Yacht Club outside.
No, all the sirens were going off and everybody was like, at a party in.
And then all of a sudden we're like, this might we might die the band, you know what I mean?
But that was our that was our first.
It was the kickoff.
How about it?
It's all uphill from there.
Yeah, well, I'll tell you what, I everyone might know this, but I don't, Nicole.
Youth first picked up a guitar.
You have music in your DNA.
Based on what?
My whole family.
So, just answer the question.
Yeah.
No, I'm answering it.
My whole family, my dad's side of the family.
All phenomenal vocalist.
My mom's side of the family, all phenomenal piano players.
When I was four, I started taking.
People don't know that I'm actually a classically trained piano player.
Okay.
I didn't pick up the guitar till I was 30, and I did that just because I was like a few years ago.
Yeah, just yesterday.
Yeah.
I did that because, like, I was my guitar player was a guitar teacher.
And I remember, like, sitting and watching him.
I was like, I'm going to just follow along.
I'm actually side story very upset with my father.
This is not that.
He is a phenomenal guitar player.
And instead of teaching me how to do that growing up, you know, they made me take.
Yeah.
No, no, you should have done both.
You know, in hindsight, they should have done both.
But that is where that all came from.
So yeah, it's crazy when you come to our house for Christmas like you don't.
Does that invite to your house?
Yeah.
For sure.
Yeah.
It's kind of probably like the Becker's.
You don't get a let's go sing Christmas carols.
You get a nine part.
Hallelujah.
That's great.
Actually, the cost, the instruments.
It's a miserable experience of the bakkers.
It's just a lot of weeping.
Like the segment before this.
Just so gentle.
A hint of ammonia.
There you go.
We don't have any talent.
When you started with somebody trying to keep us on track here, I mean, you started down this musical journey.
At what point did you become, like, rock star?
So like, was like, I mean, you're not like that moment.
I think about it like most young kids growing up, that I see in the arts, it's musical theater.
Yeah.
No, it's not belting out rock songs.
So here's another funny story about my dad.
He's going to hate me for all of this, but, I because I was the piano player, I was also always the accompanying.
So my sister's got a phenomenal voice.
My sister used to totally different voice in me, but she used to sing the national anthem all over the place.
The Lions games, the Tigers games, all the Indians games all over the place.
And I was always a piano player, so it wasn't until I was like 22 years old working at Jed's, the original Joe.
Yeah.
All right.
And Bobby May and Jonathan Borelli used to play there every week.
And so I started singing Bobby McGee, because that's what all girls sing, right?
And all of a sudden, one night I was out and Bobby Mae had an open mic, and I was with my dad, and Bobby's like, come and sing Nicole.
And my dad's like, no, no, no, that's not me.
No, that's Nicole.
He's like, come and sing.
Nicole had no clue I could sing the way that I could sing night.
So that's how that started.
So early 20s, early 20s.
And then I just kind of kept going.
If people are familiar with Arctic Clam, what?
What is it?
Typical show.
What I play energy rock band.
I tell people that all the time.
We're not a pop band, we're rock band, but we play everything.
So if you hear Michael Jackson, you're going to get a little bit of a harder rock edge to it.
We have a great group of musicians.
My husband's a drummer.
And then we work with three full time musicians, and that's all they do.
So we are very, very particular.
There are some people that just want to be great entertainers or some people, you know, that that are into the original music thing.
I want to surround myself with the best musicians I can.
These people are the best musicians around and I'm very blessed to have them.
So we, that's what we do.
And, well, you've really built a community mostly through acoustics or autism.
But but knowing all of these, all of these local bands, you've really contributed, I think, to the development of this party in the Park.
Yeah.
New event.
Can you tell us a little bit about that?
Yeah.
So I mean, I've known Cheryl forever, and I mean, when she wanted to talk about music, I was like, well, let's let's go through it and let's figure it out.
So I really helped guide her on some points that I thought would mesh well together and match well.
And she's been a volunteer at acoustics for years, so she's able to see it's kind of like an audition, right?
You get to see 100 bands and figure out who you really like and who you want to go see after that.
So between that and then just having the kind of knowledge of like, okay, this band draws this kind of a crowd, this band does this, this would really mesh well with this one.
That was kind of how I helped contribute to the whole tour.
I'm 20 years of doing this in in Toledo.
You hitting that first note on the stage at party in the Park, you know, last summer for the the resurgence of this.
Yeah.
What what what did that feel like.
Really really cool for a couple reasons.
Again, it's kind of like a rite of passage.
My dad used to play it in the 80s.
My husband used to play it in the 90s.
And I never got a chance to play it.
I was a little bit too late in the scene, you know what I mean?
I came on more in the 2000 when the 90s were, you know, when all that was finishing.
However, I saw a cheap trick there.
I saw all cut, you know, I mean, I saw I remember going there in high school.
I remember going there in college when it kind of started to fizzle.
We all loved Port Side right.
And so bringing that back and, you know, I've told people over and over again, you know, if you build it, they will come, right?
Last year was an amazing guinea pig project, and I think that it did really, really well.
And as it grows, then we will probably be able to I say we, but I mean then party in the park will probably be able to do those things that people expect or want from the 80s, right?
Maybe it's not going to be every weekend with a national act, but maybe next year because it does so well, they will be able to bring in a national act once or twice.
You know, you mentioned when you talked about the band that you've got a couple of full time musicians.
That also implies that not all of you are full time, right?
I know your husband works at Toledo Refining Company, which is a gracious supporter of this program.
Yeah, but you aren't a full time musician.
I am not, in fact.
But your day job might be quite the opposite of hardcore bad.
You know, you you say it.
You know, Build-A-Bear at the Franklin Park Mall.
Yes, that is exactly where I work.
Yeah.
What's the best beer to me?
Right.
Exactly what's what's the full time job, a polar bear?
I'm a judge in Toledo Municipal Court.
Oh.
You know, go to the very least.
Your favorite or my favorite attorneys.
Gretchen, without question, that I didn't even tell her that question.
That is not the Toledo way that we just said.
I do.
I saw the judge.
You heard her.
Who's great.
But.
Yeah.
All right.
Can we put you on the spot?
Of course.
We've given you zero prep for this, but we're going to do it.
It's now time to play.
Gretchen's wacky quiz.
I'm going to give you the fire questions, okay?
For the rapid fire questions, Gretchen is going to ask you for your favorite thing in Toledo.
Okay?
And then you got to work with Matt to describe Tim, which is a nightmare in exactly nine words.
That's the for one nine or the region.
Okay, wait.
I'm sorry.
So I have to describe what.
Judge, we need you to answer the four questions which you will crush will guide you one at a time.
Gretchen, to ask you your favorite singular thing about the city and or region.
And they're not going to work together to describe the city of region and nine.
Holy smokes.
Okay, awesome.
That's good.
All right.
Okay.
Question number one.
Describe your house in one word.
Immaculate.
What is the coolest website you've ever visited?
Arctic clam.com.
Do you think you are unbeatable?
No.
What appliance can you not live without?
My cordless Dyson Dustbuster.
What is your, number one most favorite or what you consider to be the best thing about Toledo or the region?
Am I only doing one word?
One?
No, just one thing.
I honestly, the way, I used to say all the time, I'd rather be a big fish in a little sea than a little fish in a big sea.
And I think that community in Toledo has that.
I think you have the ability to make a really, really great life and a really great living and live very, very well and, know everybody around, but it's still big enough that you don't know everybody around, right?
And, you know, you have your lovers, you have your haters, you have it's still got everything that you need.
Toledo has everything that you need with everything big, just an hour away.
That's what I love about Toledo.
Okay, I heard you say Metroparks anyway.
All right.
Nine words to describe.
Who do you love?
Michael Keady.
Yes, yes.
He's hard hat and his son played it acoustic.
Yes.
Yeah, yeah.
He's like 11 years old.
All right, let's do it.
Nine words describe the city and or region.
Okay.
So community.
Yep.
Love it.
Good start are two clam.
It's two words.
We love that music because there's a is awesome.
Yeah.
Can I say glass.
Absolutely.
Okay.
Can I say water.
Absolutely.
Water.
I love the waterfront.
Yep.
Can I say ethnicity?
Yes.
Diverse.
Love it.
You can I say food?
Yes you can.
We got one left, so finish strong.
Okay.
Just an hour show.
Charity.
Charity.
Nice.
Arctic Time will be performing at party in the Park this summer.
On August 28th, they.
After my birthday.
Well, that sounds like we should have a party.
I think that's a good.
Yes.
You're going to have a party for you.
You know what, Matt?
For you, I'm going to throw a party downtown.
Yeah, I'm gonna invite Arctic Clam.
Yeah.
And then what do you think about a Prince tribute band?
Yeah, that'd be cool, too.
That's my.
That's the big 50th.
All right, so this is really no, you know.
And how about, what about some, pyrotechnics on the river?
Absolutely.
Yep.
We're three sides of the river.
Yeah, we're going to be working with the refinery, the Metroparks, we're going to be dumping gasoline into the river, and we're gonna lay.
There you go.
I'm sure my husband being a safety guy.
Well, that's right.
Now we're kind of just, slowing things down.
We're a conservation group, so we love the two things where did together make call the people.
Want more information on Arctic clam?
Where can they find it?
Arctic clam.com.
And don't forget the word Arctic has two seasons.
It everybody love it.
See, that's a good lesson.
It is very important that we'd have 10,000 more likes if people could spell the word right.
I know I seen it misspelled on maps.
Nicole Cory with Arctic Clam.
Thank you so much for joining us.
Thank you guys.
When we come back, we'll meet another of our bands from party in the Park.
It's the 418.
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Welcome back into the 419.
We're talking all things party in the park.
It kicks off tonight at Huron Yards.
But all summer long, your summer is going to be filled with some of the best music in northwest Ohio downtown.
And we're joined by one of my favorite musicians.
I love when I go see Distant Cousins.
Thank you.
Corey Coley is joining us on the program now big C yes, sir.
Is he allowed to call you that?
Absolutely.
Okay, good.
I prefer that.
Perfect.
What?
Tell us if folks aren't familiar with distant cousins, tell us about your band.
Distant cousins.
We're diverse band.
We do top 40, Motown.
Pretty much anything you can think of.
We pride it.
We probably cover it.
I started the band in 2008.
I just love it.
You got to play the botanical garden for me.
All over the place.
It is so much.
It's so popular that people demand that we have you two years in a row, which is unheard of.
So, there is a local icon of legend we had to call Korea.
And just before you.
So two real leaders of the music community.
Tell me what it's like to, be a big deal.
In Nichols words, in a small town.
That's pressure to that.
Feel like sometimes just grocery shopping and be anonymous.
Or do you love all of it?
Yes and no.
I mean, it's just it's fun sometimes when I, with my wife and I want to just go hear music, they called me up.
I think, you know, it used to irritate Earth.
Now she kind of puts him off.
I go.
Yeah, but other than that, I love it.
It gives me joy.
Yes.
And are you primarily a singer?
Do you play instrument?
I'm a singer.
Okay.
Maybe it's a real gift.
I mean, I think if I'm.
If I'm.
If I'm a band on stage and I see you out in the audience, like, yeah, I want you to come play with the band.
Right?
I want you coming up so that I'm not surprised that there is the toy.
Where did where did this start for you?
Where did you first find music?
In church.
I used to be a praise and worship leader.
Just kind of saying.
My mom saying she sings based on my mom.
Sing like this is crazy.
My older brother sang, and I just grew up.
This is my passion, and I love it.
Who's the best musician in the family?
Look right in the camera and say it for me.
That's right.
Yeah.
Good for you.
So we're talking about party in the Park, you know, for you as a local band to get a chance to play party in the Park.
What, what does that mean to you?
And you got a big weekend on tap for you?
Yeah.
4th of July.
I'm so excited.
First of all, I have party in the park back, right?
It's all local.
It's amazing.
Sarah and our team has done amazing job.
My band is just excited.
We're so excited and elated to be there.
Tell me, what, do you have a favorite?
Performance experience?
Have an moment.
I'm sure you've got a bunch of them, but one the particular night that really, or day that it sticks in your mind is one of your favorite.
So when you think back on love Performance, we were we were at the winery.
It's a highlight here.
This is the greatest right here.
This is the best morning of my life.
Or whenever the show is on.
We were at the Majestic Oak Winery before, and, I think I saw I sang Free by Zach Brown.
Yeah.
And a lady came up to me and cried and hugged me and said that her husband had just passed away, and that was his favorite song.
And she felt like God was talking to me through that song.
Like, those kind of moments are priceless.
Yeah.
And reminds you how bigger your voice actually is.
Yeah.
Good for you.
You're going to be performing on this big July 4th weekend with Nikki D and the Sisters of Thunder.
Tell me a little bit about that band and how you know them.
I know Nikki D from church, kind of grew up with her mom and all that.
She mixes like gospel and rock and everything together.
It's amazing.
I've been knowing her for over 20 years and her whole family is just phenomenal when it comes to music.
So that might not be an intuitive synergy for most, but gospel and rock does fit together.
Absolutely nicely.
Very lay person.
Talk to me about what that sounds like.
It sounds like gospel and rock.
I mean, it sounds like you heard it here first.
Yeah, it sounds like some raspy angels.
Yeah, I love it.
Yeah, well, what do you do when you get there?
Like you're getting ready for a big show July 4th weekend.
There's going to be tons of people down there ready to be entertained.
What do you do to get ready that day?
What do you do to keep your voice healthy?
What do you eat?
Well, I try not down there.
When I got to perform on, big stages or whatever, because I don't want to end up using the restroom and getting anxious to do so, and then sometimes get anxious or whatever.
Some of that turn the wrong way, right?
Yeah.
I typically try to drink a lot of tea, throat coat tea with, honey in it, and just kind of it's hard not to speak because I'm kind of yeah, I speak to a lot of people, but I try to keep it to a minimum.
That way I save my voice.
Do you do you still get nervous?
Yeah.
Somebody told me a long time ago that the minute you stop getting nervous is the minute you kind of, like, mess up.
There was something I always try to keep a little bit of nervousness in there, and it keeps you humble that way.
That somebody was on, prior to the same thing is when you stop feeling anxious or nervous, you stop caring.
And I stopped caring a long time.
What's.
So.
That's right.
That's it.
Yeah.
That's a totally different story.
That's totally feeling.
What's a song in the distant cousin said that when you get to that song, you're like, this is going to people are going to go nuts.
This is, this is the one.
Is there a song?
A lot of the fans favorite is Tennessee Whiskey.
But it's hard for me to narrow down to just one song because I was just out talking to another musician and he said something so profound that it's the energy that's in that room that chooses that song for you, because it may work in this room, but somewhere else it may be a different song.
So it's kind of like The Connection.
Yeah.
And inevitably when you're playing, somebody is going to come up and say, hey, can you play this song?
What is the worst song that somebody is going to come up and ask you?
And is it Taylor Swift?
I like Taylor Swift.
Yeah, I do some Swift.
Yeah, that was a tricky, I don't think none of them.
If somebody is requesting it, I normally try to do it because like to me that's what they're there for.
So I don't think there's no where.
So that's awesome.
That's awesome.
All right.
One has a fun lesson.
All right.
It's now time to play Gretchen's wacky quiz.
That's it.
Yes.
That's it.
That's it.
It's so much better now.
We need to run the show every day now.
Yeah.
And I almost want to, like, just go back and rewind and say, all right, let's just, like, let's let's just let big C do.
We've made a mistake.
Yeah, yeah.
Mistakes have been made this year.
Was it something I said?
It's not mistakes, it's circumstances.
All right.
No, no, no one's ever said that.
I would ask you for rapid fire questions.
Gretchen's asking for your favorite thing in or about Toledo.
And then I ask you to describe Toledo in exactly nine words.
But he will help you.
All right, here we go.
What's your favorite type of weather?
Between 70 and 80.
Oh, great.
What's one piece of advice you would go back and tell your younger self?
Learn patience.
What does your perfect sandwich have in it?
I wish sandwich because I wish anything in it.
My man.
That's so good.
If you could start a charity, what would it be for?
Autistic.
Autistic kids.
Okay.
What is your number one most favorite thing about Toledo or the region?
Diversity.
All right.
It's a good start for the nine where ten for diversity at the top of the list.
Because okay, I believe is the most important.
So we're we've only got eight left.
Let's do it together.
All right.
Looking for eight words to describe Toledo or the region to you.
Big c, big C, my neck.
All right.
Music.
Music.
Love it.
God.
God.
We'll take God for two.
Okay.
All right.
Keep going.
La la la la la.
Cheryl.
Cheryl Hardy.
Two words to.
We got to left.
All right, Cheryl Hardy making the list.
It rhymes with Metro marks.
Metro parks.
We'll give you a half one for that AutoZone.
All right, finish strong.
One word to describe the region on top of what you've already said.
What's your son's name.
Corey junior done.
That's so little C just a way to close the big C Corey Coley with distant cousins July 4th weekend.
Absolutely.
250th backyard barbecue pig roast on the third and July 4th.
America's 250th concert and fireworks spectacular Nikki D and the Sisters of Thunder.
Open it up for our headliner.
It's going to be Justin Cousins.
If people want more information on Distant cousins, where can they find it?
Distant cousins on Facebook.
That's what a Z at the end of cousins and on Instagram.
Distant cousins with a Z at the end of cousins Corey Coley, thank you so much.
Thank you so much for having me.
When we come back we're joined by another of the rock stars that's going to be gracing the party in the Park stage this summer.
Stick with us.
It's the 419.
Every day when you laugh with us, you learned with us a neighbor.
We made sure your child had with special memories that could only be provided.
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Programs that entertain, inform and inspire.
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Welcome back into the 419.
We're talking all things party in the park.
It kicks off tonight at Huron Yards.
But, all summer long, we're going to some of the best local bands.
We're joined now by another one of my favorite local musicians, Jake Belushi.
With the day drinkers.
Jake, thanks for joining us.
Thanks for having me.
This is great, Jake.
I was, mildly excited when I found out that Jake was coming in.
I mean, he came around.
I was really excited because I had no idea what your last name was, so.
I mean, I haven't got a friend.
Yeah, right, I appreciate that.
Yeah, man, I still have trouble with yours, you know?
Yeah.
Me too.
And many people have as well.
That's a different show.
Talk to me about the day drinkers.
If people aren't familiar with the band.
What, what kind of music do you guys play?
How long have you been together?
And the concept of day drinking?
Yeah, I mean, it's, it's one of those things that it's, it was birthed out of, two guys that never played music with each other.
That happened to have a friend in common who was a regular at the village idiot during the day.
That gentleman was just old enough to where he was kind of tired of going out at night.
So he said, why don't we have music game of the day like they do in Nashville?
So, it started as just a jam on an afternoon, in the middle of the day Friday at the Village idiot, in 2017.
And, then we said a couple people were digging in.
It was mainly the retirees and the townees, and everything is the watering hole.
Yeah.
And, so then it grew because people were like, something's happening during the day.
It's music.
So we started adding band members eventually, and then it became a band kind of accidentally.
So, fast forward.
Yeah, that's eight and a half years.
And, now people line up an hour before the place even opens on that last Friday of the month, every every month you and I met, through, my brother's a musician.
Yeah.
So you and I kind of met through, your love for curating local music and supporting local musicians.
Talk to me about kind of some of the work you've done in that space.
That's truly just it goes back from, I mean, from the time I was in fifth grade, I started writing music, and I had no idea what I was doing.
Still, I like to think that I know what I'm doing, and then you find out you still only know this much, right?
So, But it's just been always been a love of mine.
I just I just thought that that's what you did.
You just write your music, forgetting that there's a whole part of the, you know, industry that doesn't, you know.
So.
So I just always been into the writing aspect.
Anyway, and and your folks are musicians, or did they push this or.
No.
In hindsight, now I'm really, really glad I have folks that weren't in the music.
They were just hardworking collar.
That said, you make things work.
And if you want to do something and it doesn't exist, you see, if you get people together and you make it happen, I mean, so truly, that's what the original music thing has been for me.
I mean, and, there wasn't a ton of opportunities.
I mean, we would play, you know, Frankies and headliners years ago.
But, you know, in order to really celebrate songwriters, not every songwriter wants to be performing out either.
So just giving people a platform, giving people a way to get around other people that enjoy their craft.
So it's truly you just make it out of nothing.
I mean, we, we would set up shop where anybody would let us.
We and we did it for free because we had to prove first that people cared about it.
And once people started showing up to different events we've been doing for 15, 20 years, we're like, the market exists.
We just got to connect the right people and build that awareness, which is probably the toughest thing.
There's a couple of traveling events leading up to the summer concert series.
Tonight kicks off at Huron Yards, May 8th.
Talk to me about the TSA takeover, at the Black Box Theater and what what it's happening.
Yeah, this is an awesome collaboration, so I'm thrilled to hear about it.
I mean, I was almost in tears when I got the message about it because coming on the show.
Well, yeah, obviously 100%.
And then my tears came real when I saw you, but probably for different reasons.
Anything.
Yeah.
Okay, I get it.
No, it's, just a collaboration that, I mean, I didn't see coming, and then it makes all the sense in the world, which I've learned, you know, the hard way and sometimes the easy way.
But always the hardest way is the best way to learn.
Is that you'll you'll eventually come into the people that you need to, you know, if you put the right work in, you know, it just you just don't get to dictate when that resolve is.
And, there's just there's beautiful things.
Yes.
The kids that come out of there every year just get better and better.
And I'm just like, guys, we got to work harder because they're going to take our jobs.
Yeah.
What a beautiful problem that would be.
You know.
So, they're going to focus on original music and really showcase again, you know, it's with party in the Park.
It makes all the sense in the world.
You get bands that put on a good show, put on a good time.
You get people down there, stuff that's familiar.
TSA is always, you know, it's a different approach to original music.
You got a it's cool, like going to an art museum, you know, you don't you're not familiar with everything before you go in there.
Yeah.
But you know what?
You give it the attention and all of a sudden you get a perspective because that's all art is.
It's language, you know?
That's well, our and it's just an awesome opportunity.
I mean, to come together and it's just like, this is still just the beginning, you know, it's it's you plant seeds and different seeds take different attention.
So it makes perfect sense because they're really good.
Downtown neighbor.
They're part of one of our downtown communities.
So it's a nice, that black box theater there is amazing.
So it's going to be a great event.
And I think, if you don't mind, I think it's one of those things where it just gives other people that hope, like, oh, the opportunities do exist.
You know, I just need to reach out.
I need to get involved, you know, and that's like, that's all some people need.
And that is the upside of living in a town this size.
Right.
Which the are people who complain about it.
But the reality is that you are in proximity, to what you want to do.
And ideally that could come from a sound like a place or privilege.
But if you show up in Toledo, Ohio, or in the region, you can usually participate if you keep showing up.
Right?
So I think if this, downtown reactivation or re energy is a further sign of it, right?
We can spend years talking about who should do what or who should be in charge of why we can't.
But this is a group of people that said, no, we just should and we'll figure it out as we go.
Right?
It isn't splitting the atom.
We're not trying to figure out the formula for cold fusion here.
And the energy source for the millennium.
This is about good people from a town that's great, doing great things and celebrating who we are as opposed to who we are not.
And you are participating in one of the biggest weekends of the summer, celebrating the 250th birthday of the country, assuming we still have a country by then, but that would be July 3rd on the Friday night of the weekend.
We're in acquisition mode, Gretchen.
We'll pick it up, move countries by the day you're performing.
The day drinkers are performing, but you're being opened by the Ice Cream Militia, which is a great band name.
Do you know those folks?
What do they play?
Yeah.
Let's check with their performance.
I mean, they are the kind of band that will make us step up our game.
Yeah.
I mean, that's like, that's the best way to put it.
They're eclectic.
They've got a horn section, they've got this energy and they have this just drive and ambition that you just you have to experience it.
I always tell people it's like listening to the music in a recorded form gives you one aspect of a live show.
You go to a live show and I mean, they will they will make us work harder.
Yeah, I love it.
Ice Cream Militia is such a great name for a band.
It begs the question, what is the worst band name?
I mean, you started writing music when you were five, right?
So fifth grade, fifth grade, fifth grade.
Okay.
He might have to.
Yeah, yeah, well, I was in I was five when I was in fifth grade.
Yeah, sure.
That's what homeschooling does for kids.
Or at least they told me I acted like I was five.
That's.
Yeah, that's what it was.
Yeah, that was close.
What's the worst band name you've ever had that I've ever had?
I mean, definitely one that raised eyebrows and we didn't really think about this.
Are you FCC regulation?
Oh, no.
No, this is this is easy enough.
I was in a, it was a barbershop quartet in high school that called the Abstinence.
No, I mean, that came in May as well.
I may as well have coda.
We call this, we call ourselves evolution.
All right.
Because we were just talking about, you know, the evolution of music, and then we would cover stuff from like, well, barbershop, you know, bringing voices together.
Yeah.
Then we do the do up stuff in the 50s and then but at the time, all the boy bands were really big, and all the girls we liked were really into the boy band.
So guess what we learned?
Yeah, sure.
You know, and so we were evolution.
I had no idea what a trigger word that would be for a lot of people.
In hindsight, I get it.
Yeah, sure.
So that's probably as far as the backlash when you didn't expect it.
Yeah.
Just like not having that awareness.
I was just like, oh, so I mean, we're in high school.
We're just like, why is everybody hate us, right?
Yeah.
I mean, everyone just wanted to be mad all the time.
Yeah.
Precursor to current.
All right.
It's like we need to bring big C back so we could do this, but it's now time to play Gretchen wacky, but with with.
All right.
For rapid fire questions for me, Gretchen is asking for your favorite thing in or about Toledo.
And then I'm asking ask you to describe Toledo in exactly nine words.
They'll he'll help you.
If you had the chance to be in the Olympics, which sport would you compete in?
Bobsledding.
Nice.
What do you say when you answer the phone?
Oh, hi.
Good.
Open.
I you sleep with the lights on or lights off?
Off.
What's your favorite sports team?
Toledo.
My hands, my man.
Yeah.
Nice.
What's your number one most favorite thing about the city of Toledo or the region?
Relentless ambition.
Right?
I love that.
All right, we're going to use relentless ambition for the first three words.
And now you're just down to, six, right?
That's consolidation.
All right, let's do it, brother.
Six words to describe the city and our region.
Hopeful.
Love it.
Good start.
Rugged.
Love it.
Communal.
Okay.
I mean, connected.
Yeah, that's.
Come on.
That's good.
It's really inspiring.
I mean, you're it's an aspiration.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Finish strong.
You got one left, brother.
I know you have a beautiful bride.
What's her name?
Amanda.
Amanda?
Yeah.
Let's go with that.
That's a strong close.
But it is, also, man taking year round with me.
That's right.
Jake, Palouse ski with the day drinkers.
If people want more information on the day drinkers, where can they find it?
Every last Friday at the village.
Idiot.
No, truly, we don't have a social media page.
That was part of our experiment with the band was like, can we build this thing without using a lot of the stuff that makes things easier?
Amazing 4th of July weekend.
You're going to be at party in the Park, celebrating America's two 50th.
Thanks so much for being with us today and kicking this off with everything you're doing to promote local music as well.
So thank you.
Thank you guys.
All right.
We come back.
Sheryl Hardy is going to come back at the desk.
She's got gifts.
And we're going to close out this special edition of the 419.
We'll be right back.
Introducing the local Fred, a community news series uniting voices and storytellers from across the region in partnership with La Prensa, the Toledo Free Press, the Sojourner Truth, Toledo Public School and Rethinking Jails injustice.
The local thread brings you stories and conversations that connect our community here at weeknights at seven on FM 91, with early access on podcast platforms each morning to local friend only on.
Welcome back into the 419.
We're talking all things party in the park.
You know, you never quite know what's going to happen on a Friday night downtown Toledo with party in the Park.
Not quite sure what Cheryl might have up her sleeve, or flying through the air at any given moment.
Is it drones?
Is it hot air balloons?
Or is it an 80s dress up contest?
Gretchen, this is the best you've ever.
Well, I think you.
You're welcome.
We have replaced Gretchen with Mrs.
Roper.
It's a dream come true.
Yeah.
Nailed it.
This is so good.
What what what is happening?
Yeah.
What is happening?
I feel less knowledgeable about what we're doing right now than I did when we had Trekkie monster on the program.
What?
What is why, Cheryl, tell me why Mrs.
Roper is sitting next to me right now.
I'm going to let Mrs.
Roper talk a little bit about the charity that we're doing this for, but actually, we are having a mrs.
Roper night.
The night of our 80s night.
The night of our journey tribute band.
We're doing a mrs.
Roper dress up.
If you didn't know, there are actually chapters of Mrs.
Roper all over the country that do this, like, all the time.
So.
Yeah.
So.
So we invited Mrs.
Roper to be here today because we think that night is going to be a ton of fun.
And it's for charity.
So it's also for a good cause if people don't know who is Mrs.
Roper.
What?
Yeah, but he doesn't know.
Well that's unbelievable.
Yeah, well, people doing reading books all the time.
What a bunch of losers Mrs.
Roper is from the iconic show Three's Company.
And Mr.
Roper was the building manager.
So Helen Roper, Mrs.
Roper, played by Lynn Lee, was an actress who, ultimately succumbed to bone marrow cancer.
And because of that, we wanted to bring some visibility to the very awesome resources we have here in town by partnering with party in the Park.
I'm Allie Burns from the University of Toledo, and we're going to be raising money for the Eleanor and Dana Cancer Center.
So for our for our radio audience, describe to me what makes up a mrs.
Roper, outfit.
Well, now, Kevin, I don't want to discriminate because it could be Mr.
Roper, too.
I've got you, you know, and finally, the voices of being heard.
I mean, and, Matt, I know all about inclusivity, right?
So we can have doggie ropers, too.
Thank you.
That's right.
So everyone, baby ropers, baby ropers.
And in fact, we're going to have to do some social media competition.
So you've got a you've got the wig.
We have the red girly wig.
Yeah.
And a caftan.
Please wear your favorite caftan and the big chunky jewelry and most of all, bring the pizzazz because that is Mrs.
Rope.
I know what a caftan is, of course, but let's pretend like I didn't.
It's a big move.
That's right.
That's the one.
I mean, must come in all shapes and sizes.
They certainly do.
And I've got the family members to prove it.
So I'll just one of the many ways you're having fun.
Yes.
This summer.
What what else can people expect?
Well, you know, last year we had a skydiver dive in the American flag.
We had hot air balloons, which you might be able to expect again this year, compliments of maybe the Metroparks and confetti and bubbles and snow in July.
And you know, a few other things that we're not quite going to divulge because, yes, we need people to come down to the Friday night events and just experience it for themselves.
Just like like we were talking about in the bands.
Sometimes you just have to see it live, right?
There's the same thing.
You got to feel the vibe live.
You got to feel how comfortable it is.
People are telling me it's their third space and that's, that's what they're using it as.
So that's what we want people to do.
And we're trying to give them some fun things to do, including some kid things.
Yeah.
So bring your kids.
This is the whole family.
Absolutely.
I know you get a lot of credit for what?
What party the park is, and and you deserve it.
But I also know that that you pass a lot of that to your team as well.
Who are some of the folks behind the scenes that are helping make this happen, or the rest of the cast of Three's Company?
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Mrs.. Her and Jack.
And just.
Yeah.
That's right.
Well, that's the one that there's Kevin, obviously you're bringing all of our local beer, which that was that was a huge partnership.
And we appreciate that.
The Metroparks I mean, a lot of people call you Mike all the time, but that's giving a disservice to Mike.
That's a 100%.
It's a far better character.
Mike was one of the originals, and sell horse from the city of Toledo.
Melissa malloy.
She is actually, like, my right hand person.
I couldn't do this without her.
But then, of course, all of our people at Destination Toledo Connect Toledo did the county, the city, the metro parks, jam cruise line paramedic, I mean, everybody, this is a community event.
There isn't anybody that doesn't come down there that isn't helping out our bartenders.
I mean, our local restaurants, all of the, alcohol that we bring down there, all of the all the distributors and suppliers and, all the local bands, I mean, you you you heard from Nicole and Jake and Dixie.
They have all helped me.
I do not do this in a vacuum by any means.
What?
Why should somebody, you know, watching or listening to this program?
Why should somebody come out to a party in the park this summer?
Right.
It's community and we're trying to build that community and and quite frankly, in other we're trying to downtown Toledo is there.
We are there.
If people come down and they'll experience it, it feels different.
There's a lot of people who say, I haven't been downtown in ten years.
Well, guess what?
It is not the downtown that you used to know.
We have arrived.
The momentum is here and we are taking advantage of that.
So come down and be a part of it.
And there's been parts of the downtown River there being activated for the first time in the history of our small town.
There certainly are.
And we'll be talking a lot about that this summer.
We're going to try and squeeze this in.
It's time for Gretchen's Bucket quiz.
Which car would you most love to own?
Maserati.
If you have an unlimited supply of one thing, what would it be?
Food.
Which conspiracy theory do you believe is true?
There are aliens.
Where is the worst place that you could get trapped?
Oh, underground.
Anywhere.
All right.
Describe Toledo.
Mrs.
Roper is not pulling her weight.
Way to go.
Richard, you can get community.
Community.
All right.
Fun, community.
Fun.
Momentum.
Keep going.
That's three.
You got six left.
Local, local.
Love it.
Electric and left.
You got your part of it, Oh.
That's it.
Well, developing.
Developing.
Good.
Recreation.
Recreation.
Which is Metro Parks, by the way, if you didn't get that, never mentioned.
Yeah.
And, and honestly, there is just so much support.
There is so much support.
If you're going and asking for and you're being inclusive, connect with people, be inclusive.
It's all out.
Okay.
Sorry.
Yeah.
Toledo is all right.
You missed any part of the program.
7 a.m.
on YouTube, 3 p.m.
on FM 91, 6 p.m.
connects channel 30.4.
Thank you to Cheryl and Nicole.
Yes.
And big C and Jake and Mrs.
Roper.
Yeah, for being a part of the program.
You never know what's going to happen on, party in the Park.
Yeah, the 418.
So let's have party two three.
Oh my goodness.
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