BOARDMAN, Ohio - If you're looking for weekend plans or somewhere new to grab dinner, you can do both at a music and BBQ festival at the Southern Park Mall.

It's called 'Ribs-N-Rock,' a three day music festival complete with a national BBQ competition presented by the Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Valley Race Course.

The event kicks off Thursday, June 23rd at Southern Park's DeBartolo Commons, and runs through Saturday, June 25th.

"We're thrilled to once again host Ribs-N-Rock at Southern Park Mall," said Brian Gabbert, General Manager at Southern Park Mall. "The intentional design of DeBartolo Commons was to create a gathering and entertainment space for our community, and this event will bring thousands of people together with live music and great food."

Live bands that will be playing at the event include the Clarks on June 23rd, Hinder on June 24th, and Living Colour on June 25th. There will also be several local bands, including 3ThreeYo, 7% Superstar, The Huckin Fillbillys, and Youngstown's EPIC Band.

It's not just music to look forward to; there's also a variety of different BBQ foods to try. Some national rib vendors like Alabama's Off the Bone BBQ, Carolina Rib King, Desperado's BBQ & Rib Co., and The Texas Outlaws will have ribs, brisket, pulled chicken, mac and cheese, and more. If BBQ isn't your favorite, several fair food vendors will also be set up at the event.

"We have enjoyed producing the Ribs-N-Rock Festival at the Southern Park Mall," said Corey Ward, Promoter of The Ribs-N-Rock Festival. "We love the location and the facilities, and the Rib Vendors and National Recording Artists do too. It will be an ideal way to spend an early summer weekend at Southern Park Mall. We invite all fans of live music and great ribs to come join us."

Gates open daily at noon, and admission is free until 3 p.m. After 3 p.m., tickets are available at the gate for $7, cash only.