Adventure Crew will celebrate Brewster Rhoads, founder of Ohio River Paddlefest and a longtime supporter of outdoor education for Cincinnati youth, with a comedic roast on May 7 at MadTree Brewing in Oakley.
Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard is emceeing the event, dubbed “The Rhoast,” which is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Former U.S. Sen. Rob Portman; Hope Taft; former Govs. Bob Taft, Ted Strickland and Dick Celeste; Roxanne Qualls, Tim Burke and Jan-Michael and Eric Kearney.
The evening will also mark the launch of the Rivers & Rhoads Fund, which will support Adventure Crew’s mission of connecting Cincinnati-area teens with outdoor experiences.
Rhoads helped create Paddlefest in 2001 after coming up with the idea with a few friends over beers. More than 250 people attended the first event. Now in its 25th year, it has grown into the nation’s largest paddling celebration, drawing more than 35,000 participants total.
“Nothing connects one to the beauty and majesty of one of the largest rivers in America than paddling it,” Rhoads said. “If you want folks to care about and take action to protect a river, they need to experience it up close.”
Rhoads brought Paddlefest to Adventure Crew in 2016 and served on its board until December 2025, when he became the organization’s first emeritus member.
Adventure Crew was founded in 2013 and now serves 33 schools across Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, reaching nearly 1,000 students per year with cost-free outdoor adventures including kayaking, hiking, climbing, biking and skiing, according to a release.
“Adventure Crew connects young people to the natural world by eliminating cost and transportation barriers,” Rhoads said. “With teenagers spending an average of five hours a day on social media, getting outside is more important than ever for both physical and mental health.”
Limited tickets remain available at www.adventurecrew.org/rhoast.