Things To Do

WEEKEND MATTERS | Niles to honor World War II veteran; and other July 4th events

By Mahoning Matters staff
Niles native Joseph Bonanno, a 100-year-old War World II veteran, will receive a mayoral proclamation before the start of the city of Niles’ 4th of July Parade on Sunday.
Niles native Joseph Bonanno, a 100-year-old War World II veteran, will receive a mayoral proclamation before the start of the city of Niles’ 4th of July Parade on Sunday. (Photos provided | BRS Media Inc.)

Here are some of the events happening around the Mahoning Valley this weekend. For more events, check out our Events Calendar.

Monday is Independence Day, and the Mahoning Valley is kicking off the celebration with a bang this weekend.

Among the planned events, the city of Niles will host its annual 4th of July Parade on Sunday. Joseph Bonanno, a 100-year-old World War II veteran, will join the parade after receiving a mayoral proclamation.

Bonanno, a Niles native, served as a field medic under Gen. George Patton during World War II, according to a news release. After the war, he raised a family and worked in the steel industry for nearly 40 years.

“I’m grateful for the blessings I’ve received throughout my long life, and continue to honor, admire and remember all who served and sacrificed for our great country,” Bonanno said in the release.

Bonanno will receive the proclamation at about 11:45 a.m. at the National McKinley Birthplace Memorial Library and Museum, 40 N. Main St. The parade will begin at noon and proceed through downtown Niles.

Here are other Fourth of July events happening around the Valley:

Austintown

  • Gates open at 3:30 p.m. Sunday for the 3rd of July celebration at the Austintown Plaza, 6000 Mahoning Ave. Entry is free. It offers fireworks, food trucks, inflatables, a petting zoo, pony rides, touch-a-truck and live music beginning at 4 p.m.

  • The township’s 4th of July Parade begins at noon Monday at Highway Tabernacle Church at Kirk and Raccoon roads and proceeds along Raccoon to the Austintown Library.

Boardman

  • The annual Independence Day Celebration is set for 8 p.m. July 9 at Boardman Township Park, 375 Boardman-Poland Road. Entry is free. It includes fireworks, preceded by a performance from the Salem Quaker City Band.

Canfield

  • Fireworks launch between 9:45 and 10 p.m. Saturday at the Canfield Fairgrounds, 7265 Columbiana-Canfield Road. Gates open at 5 p.m. Enter through Gates 2, 5, 8 or 9. Tickets are $10 per car and $5 for walk-ins. Local food trucks will offer classic fair fare: elephant ears, lemon shakes,corn dogs, apple dumplings and more.

  • The ½ Mile Kids Fun Run begins at 8:15 a.m. Monday on the Village Green at U.S. routes 62 and 224. Registration is $2. The Firecracker 4-Mile Run follows at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $20 through Sunday and $25 on race day.

  • The city’s parade starts at 10:10 a.m., followed by live music, kids games and a food court. An antique car show will be behind Farmers National Bank.

Sharon, Pennsylvania

  • The Shenango Riverfront Fireworks Celebration is from 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Quaker Steak & Lube and the Chestnut Street parking lot. Entry is free. Fireworks begin at dusk, about 9:30 p.m. Festivities include live music, a food truck rally, balloons, face-painting and a night market.

Struthers

  • The parade starts at noon Monday. It begins at 5th Street, continues along Sexton Street, Poland Avenue and Smithfield Street, and ends at the Fifth Street Plaza.

Warren

Youngstown

  • Fireworks are at 10 p.m. Friday in the parking lot of the Covelli Centre, 229 E. Front St. Food trucks and music by DJ Chip Banks are set for 8 p.m. at Wean Park, 201 S. Phelps St.

  • The Market Street Bridge is set to close from 7 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday. Traffic will be detoured into downtown. Motorists should use Mahoning or South avenues.

River Rock lineup features Fins to the Left farewell show

Fins to the Left will make a farewell stop at River Rock at the Amp on Friday.

The Jimmy Buffett tribute band will be joined by members of the Coral Reefer Band during the 8:30 p.m. performance at the Warren Community Amphitheatre, 321 Mahoning Ave. NW. My Drunk’n Uncle, which performs music from the 1970s and ’80s, will take the stage at 5:30 p.m.

On Saturday, 7 Bridges will pay tribute to the Eagles at 8:30 p.m. Country musician Bobby Ocean will open the show at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets for both shows, which are $10 and free for children age 12 and younger, can be purchased at the gate.

‘The Art of Steel’ on display at Youngstown museum

The Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor on Friday will open “The Art of Steel,” an exhibit curated by Youngstown State University graduate student Amber Tisdale.

“The Art of Steel” exhibit, which will be on display through September, features works by local artists with a variety of backgrounds, a news release states.

“I tried to highlight as many artists, mediums and aspects of the steel industry as I could,” Tisdale said in the release.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays. It will be closed this Saturday in observance of Independence Day.

Idora Park museum open Saturday and Sunday

The Idora Park Experience will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The mission of the museum at 4450 S. Turner Road, Canfield, is to “find, rescue, restore and share Idora Park artifacts and to keep alive the memories” of the former Youngstown amusement park, which operated from 1899 to 1984.

The museum features cars from iconic rides including the Wildcat, Jack Rabbit, Lost River Boat, Silver Rocket, Tilt-A-Whirl, Caterpillar, Turtle and more. Visitors can play arcade games from the amusement park’s Penny Arcade.

Admission is $7.50 at the gate. Children age 12 and younger are admitted free.

COMING UP NEXT WEEK …

  • SPECIAL PRICES: The Mahoning Valley Scrappers will face the State College Spikes at 7:05 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at Eastwood Field in Niles. The Scrappers are offering rollback pricing with tickets and concessions for Tuesday’s game, according to a news release. Prices are $1 for general admission tickets and fountain drinks; $2 for hot dogs and popcorn; $3 for upper box seat tickets and domestic draft beer; $4 for premium draft beer; $6 for lower box seat tickets; and $10 for premium box seat tickets. Tickets can be purchased here, at the Chevy All Stars Box Office at Eastwood Field or by calling 330-505-0000.
  • CONCERT IN THE PARK: Blakeman & Harrington will perform top 40, classic rock and country songs at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Austintown Township Park.
  • CRUISE NIGHT: The Mahoning Valley Corvettes Club and the Shenango Valley Corvette Club will present Cruise Night at Holiday Inn in Boardman at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Music will be provided by DJ Big Rick, and admission is free.
  • GREEK FESTIVAL: The YSU Summer Festival of the Arts will celebrate its 24th anniversary next weekend. The event will kick off at 11 a.m. Thursday with the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Summerfest at 220 N. Walnut St., Youngstown. The festival runs through Sunday and features music and dancing, Greek food and pastries and a display of cultural memorabilia. Admission is free.