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Pictured from left are BBC Master brewers Tom Winter and John Meteer, artist and speaker Thomas Paul Asklar, BBC co-owner Ken Bryan, musician Dave Thurman, RMS owner Paul Beatty and designer Rob Hopkins.
Pictured from left are BBC Master brewers Tom Winter and John Meteer, artist and speaker Thomas Paul Asklar, BBC co-owner Ken Bryan, musician Dave Thurman, RMS owner Paul Beatty and designer Rob Hopkins.

LCA's 'A Tribute to the Edmund Fitzgerald' returns to BBC

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Mon, Oct 18th 2021 02:40 pm

The legend lives on.

At 7:10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, the Lewiston Council on the Arts will present the eighth "A Tribute to the Edmund Fitzgerald" fundraiser at the Brickyard Brewing Company, 436 Center St., Lewiston.

LCA stated, “After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic and the horrific fire at the BBC, the event returns in all of its glory.”

This multisensory and multimedia tribute will be hosted by artist and Edmund Fitzgerald enthusiast Thomas Paul Asklar, who will commemorate the 46th anniversary of the disaster.

SS Edmund Fitzgerald, also known as the "Mighty Fitz," was an American Great Lakes freighter that sank in a Lake Superior storm on Nov. 10, 1975. The entire crew of 29 was lost.

The evening begins with a brief presentation by Asklar, who will explain the ship's history and a timeline of the tragedy, plus theories of the vessel’s destruction. A tolling of the bell will honor each of the crewmembers. Artifacts will be displayed, and Jim Rankine will provide a bagpipe tribute.

Internationally renowned musicians Bruce Wojick, Jamie Holka and Dave Thurman, plus special guest Jeremy Hoyle of Strictly Hip, will perform songs with a nautical theme, as well as music from the “Mighty Fitz” era. The centerpiece will be Gordon Lightfoot’s famous musical tribute, the "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."

New this year, the BBC will debut its "Gitchegumee." Master brewers John Meteer and Tom Winter created this brew, which Meteer described as, “A golden lager meant to be drinkable, but never boring. Brewed with barley grown and malted in the Great Lakes region. Hopped exclusively with Michigan Copper hops, a cultivar bred by Great Lakes hops. This beer is an ode to all things regional, and a tip of the cap to the Mighty Fitz.”

“Gitchegumee” artwork was created by designer Rob Hopkins, whom Asklar actually taught in kindergarten.

This event is free for Art Council members or $10 for the general public. CDC mask guidelines will be place: Those who are not fully vaccinated you should wear a mask in indoor, public places.

“Mighty Fitz” programming continues at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, with the “Mighty Fitz 5K Run.” It will start in from of The Brickyard Pub & BBQ at 432 Center St. Runners will trek through the Village of Lewiston, Artpark State Park and along the Niagara River waterfront. There will be a postrace celebration and awards ceremony at the Brickyard with food, “Gitchegumee” beer specials, special-edition "Mighty Fitz" commemorative T-shirts, and live music by Zak Ward.

For more information, call 716-998-5777.

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