YOUNGSTOWN First Night ushers in 2003

All three celebrations offered a broad variety of music, dance and other events.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- New Year's Eve celebrations refocused attention on the centers of Youngstown, Canfield and Warren, offering modestly priced family entertainment that crossed the broad spectrum of visual and performing arts.
Among the highlights of Youngstown's third annual First Night celebration was a scheduled performance by the Edsels, a Youngstown doo-wop group famous for its 1960s hit "Rama Lama Ding Dong." They were to follow performances by the 19-piece Top Notes big band and the First Degree rock and Motown band at Edward W. Powers Auditorium.
No alcohol
"It's a family-oriented, nonalcoholic way of celebrating New Year's Eve. It's a celebration of the arts, and we have a very diverse group of entertainers. It offers a celebration of the city and its buildings downtown and in the university area," said City Council President John R. Swierz, who made opening remarks at Phar-Mor Centre.
Jason Mitchell of Seattle was visiting his parents, Loren and Mag Mitchell of Canfield, for the holidays. "It's awesome. They did this [First Night celebration] when I was living in Boston. It was a really nice idea to get the community together. It's a cool community-building event. It's a good time to focus on the things you kind of take for granted about the town you live in," said Mitchell, who was attending the Youngstown event for the first time and was about to listen to his mother sing as a member of the Youngstown Symphony Chorus in Phar-Mor Centre.
"It's a great idea. There's all kinds of entertainment going on. You can't go wrong," said John Burgess of Detroit Avenue, Youngstown, who was attending the event for the first time with his wife, Charlotte, and daughter, Brandy.
New venue
Joining the list of a dozen venues, a new site, Trinity United Methodist Church on West Front Street, was to highlight cultural diversity by featuring the Harambee African American Dance Group, the Burke Irish Step Dancers, the Mexican Millennium traditional Mexican and Native American dancers, and the Youngstown Connection youth song and dance troupe.
New at Phar-Mor Centre was a karaoke contest with more than 70 contestants expected, which was to follow the symphony chorus. A ball was to drop at midnight from the Home Savings & amp; Loan building, followed by fireworks.
Swierz said admission badge sales seemed to be about even with last year, when some 2,300 people came downtown for the event. The year's weather was also considerably warmer than that of the last two years, he noted.
In Canfield
Also having a First Night event was Canfield, which was to feature the Great Pretenders oldies group in the Canfield High School Auditorium, a cabaret dinner show at Canfield United Methodist Church by Mary Jo Maluso and Rick Blackson, and a performance by Irish singer Cahal Dunne at St. Michael Church.
The Canfield event also offered numerous other music, dance, clown and comedy performances, and children's and adult art shows and ice sculpting on the Village Green.
In Warren
Warren's 15th Opening Night celebration Tuesday had almost 100 performers scheduled, with shows in 11 public buildings, all within four blocks of Courthouse Square. There, a ball was to drop from the Bank One building at midnight, followed by fireworks.
The Warren event also was to include numerous music and dance performances, puppetry, a mime show, juggling, storytelling, antique cars and historic house tours.