This weekend, two Painesville residents, Jeff Koski and Kip Smead successfully put together one of the coolest events in the area. Beginning Friday at 4 o'clock, 26 bands took the stage in the largest non-stop music festival in Northeast Ohio. If the 3 bands that I sampled were any indication of the others, it was one of the rockin'est festivals around. I took in Cool Cleveland favorites Cats on Holiday and Lords of the Highway. Both are excellent local entertainers who produce their own originals, as well as time tested standards. The surprise of the afternoon was Buffalo's Redhaired Stepchild, a wonderful combination of talented, young musicians and energetic folk tunes, most of which was original. One of the jewels of the festival is the authentic Mexican cuisine from area restaurants. No corporate rock or food here. Jeff and Kip also deserve kudos for sucessfully negiotating the morass of politics to put on the show. Their brand of ambition undertaking is how a community develops economically, not just through City Development Corporations. Check out the rest of the bands at their website: http://www.painesvillepartyinthepark. From Cool Cleveland Editor George Nemeth george@brewedfreshdaily.com (:divend:)