WEEKEND MATTERS | Greater Youngstown Italian Fest gets underway today
Here are some of the events happening around the Mahoning Valley this weekend. For more events, check out our Events Calendar.
The big ticket this week: Italian culture will fill the streets of downtown Youngstown as the 36th annual Greater Youngstown Italian Fest gets underway.
The festival will run from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.
According to the festival’s website, the event will feature more than four city blocks of entertainment; more than 30 Italian restaurant and food vendors; two stages of entertainment nightly; a morra tournament; nightly 50/50 raffle drawings; pasta, homemade wine and homemade peppers in oil contests; and more.
Music will be provided by Rex Taneri, Ovations, Gli Italiani, Bustin’ Loose, Del Sinchak, Ray Massa, Jim Frank, Dom Tocco and others.
The event schedule can be found here.
Admission is $5 at the gate. Children under age 12 are admitted free.
The following downtown streets are closed to all traffic until 6 a.m. Monday for the festival:
Federal from Phelps to Walnut;
Market from Commerce to Boardman;
Champion from Commerce to Boardman.
ALSO HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND
HUBBARD FESTIVAL: The 64th annual St. Patrick Parish Festival got underway Thursday and will continue this weekend at 225 N. Main St., Hubbard. The festival, which features food, rides and games, will run from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, 5 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 11 p.m. Sunday. Music will be provided by RDNA, Hern Brothers Band, Chris Higbee Band, County Mayo and Old Skool. Admission is free.
GIRARD GARAGE SALE: The Girard City-Wide Garage Sale began Thursday and will continue through Sunday. Nearly 100 residents signed up to participate, and a list of addresses and items for sale can be viewed here. Sellers are not required to be open each day. More information can be found on the event’s Facebook page.
SCRAPPERS IN ACTION: The Mahoning Valley Scrappers will face the State College Spikes this weekend at Eastwood Field in Niles. Games are scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2:05 p.m. Sunday. Fans who bring nonperishable food items for the Second Harvest Food Bank or new children’s books for Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley to Sunday’s game will receive a free general admission ticket. More information on this weekend’s promotions can be found here. Tickets can be purchased here, at the Chevy All Stars Box Office at Eastwood Field or by calling 330-505-0000.
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS: The Lemon Grove on Friday will celebrate 10 years in the Knox Building, 110 W. Federal St., Youngstown. There will be an open house at 4:30 p.m. and an art show and concert at 7 p.m. The Van Allen Belt, November Loop and the Demos Papadimas Band will perform. JQuest Visuals, Lezlie Morris, Brandon Martin, Maple Turner III and Eric Alleman will participate in the show. Tickets are $25, and $5 for Youngstown residents and Youngstown State University students and staff.
SHINING PERFORMANCE: River Rock at the Amp will present Earth, Wind & Fire tribute band Shining Star and No Funk No Justice on Saturday. No Funk No Justice will take the stage at the Warren Community Amphitheatre, 321 Mahoning Ave. NW, at 5:30 p.m. Shining Star will perform at 8:30 p.m. Tickets, which can be purchased at the gate, are $10. Children 12 and younger are admitted free.
BREW HA HA: Friends of the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County and The Flight Crew will host the Brew Ha Ha Summerfest at the Main Library, 305 Wick Ave., Youngstown, from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday. The event will feature food, music, raffle baskets, a 50/50 raffle and prizes for the best breweries. Local breweries participating include Paladin Brewing, Birdfish Brewing, Noble Creature Cask House, DOPE Cider House and Winery, Woodland Cellars, Biker BrewHouse, Penguin City Brewing Co., Modern Methods Brewing Co., Ill Will Brewing, BrewLounge Beer Co. and Sundog Ciderhouse and Winery. Tickets are $45 per person or $80 per couple and can be purchased here. Attendees must be age 21 or older.
WINGS-N-WHEELS: The Ernie Hall Aviation Museum will host the eighth annual Wings-N-Wheels show from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Vienna. The event will feature food, music, merchants, cars and planes. Admission is $10.
CARS IN THE PARK: The Mahoning Valley Olde Car Club will host the annual Cars in the Park car show and flea market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Boardman Township Park. The event will feature food, door prizes, face painting, a 50/50 drawing and a basket auction.
COMING UP NEXT WEEK
SUMMER MOVIE: The Youngstown Summer Movie Series will present the 1993 film “Hocus Pocus” at 9 p.m. Monday at Wean Park, 229 E. Front St., Youngstown.
CONCERTS IN THE PARK: The Jim Frank Combo will perform at Austintown Township Park, 6000 Kirk Road, at 7 p.m. Tuesday as part of the Concerts in the Park series.
LIVE! AT THE MORLEY: Swing Time Big Band will perform at the Judge Leo P. Morley Pavilion in the Wick Recreation Area at Mill Creek Park at 7 p.m. Wednesday as part of the Live! at the Morley series.
ITALIAN-AMERICAN FESTIVAL: The 37th annual Warren Italian-American Festival will get underway from 4 to 11 p.m. Thursday in downtown Warren. The festival will continue from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The event schedule can be viewed here.
What to know
AMAZING HISTORY RACE: Registration is open for the Mahoning Valley Historical Society’s Amazing History Race. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Tyler History Center, 325 W. Federal St., Youngstown. The cost is $7 per person, $5 for seniors age 60 and older and children ages 5 to 13. Children under age 5 can participate for free. More information is available here. To register, contact Linda Kostka at Lkostka@mahoninghistory.org or 330-743-2589, ext. 125.
AT THE PLAYHOUSE: The Youngstown Playhouse, 600 Playhouse Lane, will have auditions for the fall production of “The Day They Shot John Lennon” from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 28 and 29. Video auditions can be submitted via email to auditions@youngstownplayhouse.org. More information is available here. Also at the Playhouse, registration is now open for fall classes and workshops. Click here for information and to register.
MILLENNIAL AUDITIONS: The Millennial Theatre Company will have auditions for “Into the Woods” from noon to 3 p.m. Aug. 13 and 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 15 at the Hopewell Theatre, 702 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown. More information is available here.
JCC WORKSHOPS: The Paul and Yetta Gluck School of Visual Arts at the Jewish Community Center of Youngstown, 505 Gypsy Lane, is offering several workshops this month. Click here for more information and to register.
This story was originally published August 5, 2022 at 5:00 AM.