Mike Renick Band headlines Rude Dog's annual Rockin' Christmas Party and toy drive

With the holiday season comes the spirit of giving, and Rude Dog Pub will once again help give area children a Christmas to remember by giving area bar hoppers admission to the party in exchange for a toy.

For the fifth year in a row, Rude Dog is hosting its Rockin' Christmas party, collecting toys and taking donations for children who otherwise might not have the merriest of Christmases. This year's entertainment is the Mike Renick Band, with Oh for Audio as the opening act. The party will serve barbecue from Smokin' Brothers Barbeque.

All the collected toys and cash donations are for the U.S. Marines' annual Toys for Tots campaign, in conjunction with the stations of Mississippi River Radio.

"They do this thing at Rude Dog around the same time of the year that we do our Toys for Tots drive," Renick said. Aside from fronting the aforementioned band, Renick is an on-air personality for River Radio. "We do a 24-hour marathon over at Schnucks starting at 4 p.m. today until 4 p.m. Friday, and then Ryan [Eftink] makes sure that he does his drive the Thursday night of our marathon."

"Last year he, literally, brought a trailer-load of toys," he said.

Eftink started his leg of the drive six years ago out of his home.

"I had over 100 people show up to my house, and I approached the owners of Rude Dog about possibly the next year doing it at their location, so this is our fifth year of doing at their location."

Rude Dog owner Mark Weber said the Rockin Christmas party stays basically the same: music, food and gifts for children.

"We just try to break the record of the previous year, and we've always been able to do that as far as money and the number of toys that we bring out to the Marine Corps," he said. "We try to help and do our part. You know, give people a reason to go out and have a good time while bringing a toy or donating some money. Who doesn't like seeing a kid smile on Christmas? if we do that, it's all worth it."

The party starts at 6 p.m. today. Bring a new, unopened toy or minimum $5 suggested cash donation, grab a bite to eat and listen to a couple of the most upbeat bands in Cape Girardeau.