Lit Youngstown Festival, Seether and Daughtry highlight busy week downtown
Downtown Youngstown will host a full lineup of events this week, highlighted by the Lit Youngstown Literary Festival and a major rock concert featuring Seether and Daughtry, along with sports, family fun and community activities.
Lit Youngstown Literary Festival
Lit Youngstown will host its annual literary festival beginning Thursday with the theme Rooted in Earth, highlighting the natural and built environments. All events are free and open to the public. Full details are available at lityoungstown.org/2025-festival-details.
On Friday, authors David Huebert of Halifax, Canada, and Sean Prentiss of Vermont will read and sign books at 7 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 323 Wick Ave.
Saturday’s schedule at Butler North features four readings:
1:30 p.m. – Ohio writers Nin Andrews, Jen McConnell, Melanie Murphy and Paula J. Lambert
3 p.m. – Keystone Anthology Pennsylvania poets
4:45 p.m. – The Craig Paulenich Endowed Lecture on Literary Community: Caryl Pagel, Small Press Ecologies
7 p.m. – Final reading with poets Todd Davis, Lauren Camp and Kortney Morrow. ASL interpretation will be provided at select events by Meagan Albani.
Covelli Centre
Rock bands Seether and Daughtry will perform Monday at 7 p.m. at the Covelli Centre, 229 E. Front St.
The Youngstown Phantoms will host Team USA on Friday at 7:05 p.m. for First Responders Night, then take on the Green Bay Gamblers on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. for Bike Night and Sunday at 4:05 p.m.
DeYor Performing Arts Cente
rFormer Major League Baseball pitcher and cancer survivor Dave Dravecky will share his story, Hometown Major League Pitcher & Cancer Survivor: A Story of Endurance, today at 7 p.m. in Ford Family Recital Hall at the DeYor Performing Arts Center, 260 W. Federal St.
Tyler History Center
The Mahoning Valley Historical Society will host Bites and Bits of History on Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. Youngstown Magic Club members Gary Morton and Fritz Coombs will discuss Magic in the Mahoning Valley: A Century of Mysteries. The free lecture will be held at the Tyler History Center, 325 W. Federal St.
Penguin City Brewing Company
The 2025 Penguin City Night Market continues Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. with vendors, crafts, workshops, food trucks and more. The event is family- and dog-friendly.
On Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m., Wild You will host a Halloween Costume Party Fundraiser at Penguin City Brewing. The family-friendly event will feature a DJ, dancing, costume contest, treat trail, raffles, food trucks and local vendors. Proceeds will support WildYou.org. Penguin City Brewing Company is at 460 E. Federal St.
Youngstown State University
YSU Women’s Soccer will host two home games at Farmers National Bank Field:
Thursday at 6 p.m. vs. Oakland
Sunday at noon vs. South Carolina State
Ward Beecher Planetarium
The Ward Beecher Planetarium’s annual Nightlights show continues this weekend with performances at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Night-LITE, a gentler version for younger audiences, will be shown Saturday at 2 p.m. Admission is free and costumes are encouraged.
The Regional Chamber, a partner in advancing downtown redevelopment, stated it will continue to assist in improving business-to-business communication so retailers, restaurants and bars can make informed staffing decisions for these large upcoming events.
This story was originally published October 15, 2025 at 2:59 PM.