First Night Youngstown to expand for 10th event

Horse-drawn carriage rides were among the favorite activities at First Night Youngstown.

Staff Report

YOUNGSTOWN — First Night Youngstown aims to be bigger and better next year for its 10th-anniversary celebration.

Ideas have already been tossed around to add more venues, expand the hours at the Chevy Centre and designate a specific 10th anniversary committee, said Bob Barko Jr., First Night president.

Total numbers from Wednesday’s festivities have yet to be tallied, but Barko said, “It looks favorable.”

Last year there were about 4,000 people who attended First Night, and this year it’s likely that the attendance will be close to the same, if not higher.

“The numbers are looking pretty positive,” he said. “For how cold it was, there were a lot of people out on the streets.”

The festivities kicked off at 20 Federal Place, the former Phar-Mor Building on West Federal Street, with a flag presentation by the 910th Airlift Wing honor guard and the national anthem sung by Capt. Scott Allen.

The night featured 18 venues spread around downtown, with something for everyone, from the open skate at the Chevy Centre to magic shows and more at the Oakland Center for the Arts.

“I think the Chevy Centre was a big hit and the fireworks were really good this year. I was thoroughly impressed,” said Brooke Slanina, First Night entertainment chairwoman and board member.

More than 500 people went to the open skate at the center, she said.

The Oakland also saw big numbers with more than 400 people over the course of six hours and about 180 people crammed in for the Jason Alan Magic Show.

“It was insanely packed. We had a really fun crowd,” said Slanina.

The horse-drawn carriage rides were another highlight of the First Night evening.

At one point it looked like there were about 30 to 40 people waiting in line for rides, said Ronald Cornell Faniro, co-owner of the Davis Building on West Federal Street, which hosted three bands throughout the night.

The carriage rides went up and down West Federal, and Faniro said that was a scenic route choice because of the impressive architecture on the street.

Faniro also ran the hot dog stand for the Rotary Club of Youngstown during First Night and said it was nice to see families downtown.

“The horse-and-carriage ride was fun because you got to see Youngstown from another perspective — maybe like the way people saw it in the early 1900s,” said Gina LaMarca of Boardman.

LaMarca attended the event with some friends and said the music was also a notable part of her First Night experience.

“There’s a lot of talent in Youngstown,” she said.

Though it was cold, walking around the city at night kept minds off the bitter wind.

“It’s a very walkable city; more people should take the time to walk around downtown,” LaMarca said.

But for those who didn’t walk, they could take the bus, which was a stand-out for Peggy Lozano, also of Boardman.

“There was any kind of music you could want, bus rides and fireworks,” she said of her favorites during the night.

The ball drop at midnight followed by colorful fireworks concluded First Night Youngstown, which was an evening about spending time with members of the community and family in an alcohol-free environment.

“I thought it was wonderful,” said Lozano, who spent First Night with her 25-year-old daughter, Katie Lozano.

“We’re looking forward to going next year,” she said.