He wanted to do something, but he wasn’t quite sure what that “something” was.
Gary Glessner, the managing member of Glessner & Associates, PLLC, and the leader of the Glessner Group in Elm Grove, considered a number of different options, but nothing truly popped until he heard the term, “barbecue.”
“That’s what did it,” he recalled. “I knew the people would love that at this time of year.”
Glessner worked with Randy Worls and Eriks Janelsins, both of whom are with the Oglebay Foundation, to develop a broad-stroked plan for such an event, and then the proposition was handed off to Oglebay Park management.
“I had been in conversations with folks from the Oglebay Foundation for more than a few years, and I told them I wanted to be involved with a really great event that was sort of similar to Oglebayfest but at a different time of year,” Glessner explained. “I suggested something that could kick off the summer since we have something that kicks off the fall.
“There were a few different ideas that we floated back and forth before we finally arrived at a barbecue, and then the music came into play,” he said. “So, everyone put it all together, and it really turned out to be a really cool event, and a lot of people had a great time. The folks from the park have already told me that they have received calls from vendors and entertainment promoters already for next year. So, it was a success, but there are some tweaks that need to be made.”
Hey, Jealousy
“We discussed a few bands, and the one I really wanted initially couldn’t be there, so when they asked what I thought of the Gin Blossoms, I said, ‘Definitely,’” Glessner said. “They were really popular back in the 1990s, and their songs have stuck with people my age and younger.
“And everyone in this area knows The Clarks because they are from Pittsburgh; they play down here sometimes, and they are really great,” he said. “So, by sponsoring those two bands, I knew the Glessner Group was in good shape heading into the event.”
But it was about more than the music. Much more.
“I have always wanted to do a community event like that so our company could offer local residents something new to do,” Glessner said. “We have a lot of great things in this area, and sometimes we take them for granted, but when something new like this comes up, it reminds all of us about places like Oglebay Park and the other great places we have here.
“It was a way for us to give back to the community that supports us, too,” he said. “I really did believe it was going to attract a lot of people, but I never dreamed it was going to be that big. Thankfully, we had great weather because earlier in the day we didn’t know if that was going to be the case because it was pretty dreary out there. But the skies cleared up, and we’re all very happy the way everything turned out.”
Camp Russell is a popular place for wedding receptions and other such gatherings, and during Oglebayfest there are activities held on the large field that rests below the main building. But the area, according to Glessner, had never been utilized as a concert venue.
“This event took place in a municipal park that is likely the best park in this country, and I couldn’t think of a better setting either,” Glessner said. “There were people there of all ages, too, and you really don’t see many events anywhere that can draw people in their 20s through their 70s. Usually, to get to do something like that, we have to leave the area.
“It really turned out great and as a company, we are all very proud to be involved,” he added. “I know to see that many people come to Camp Russell and fill that bowl the way they did was something very satisfying for everyone involved with the planning of the event. No one had ever seen it before, and we had a part in making that happen, and it meant a lot to everyone.”
