43
Rain, heat fail to vex rock-festival fans
By GRACE WYLER
YOUNGSTOWN
Despite Sunday afternoon showers that threatened to keep people away from this year’s Vexfest, the wet weather did not deter local music fans from coming out to enjoy downtown’s annual rock festival.
Event organizers were surprised by the number of people who endured the rain to come out early for Vexfest 7, the seventh installment of Youngs-town’s outdoor summer music festival.
“We were really excited to see more people here earlier in the day,” said John “Jonesy” Jones. “I think because there is so much talent here, people stuck through the rain.”
Jones, who has been organizing the event since its inception, said the festival has grown in popularity since it was resurrected in 2007. Vexfest debuted in 2001 but was on hiatus for a few years, he said.
The festival got more than 160 submissions this year, which allowed the organizers to feature talented bands throughout the day, Jones said. The festival — which began at noon Sunday and carried on until about 2 this morning — featured 46 bands on four stages.
As the sun came out in the late afternoon, concert- goers continued to drift along West Federal Street, enjoying the music and stopping at food vendors who had set up along the block, which was closed to traffic.
Two outdoor stages were set up at Phelps Street and Wick Avenue, and indoor venues at Barley’s and Downtown 36 offered people respite from the rain, and later, the early evening heat.
Amanda Homrighouse, 29, of Youngstown said that after attending the event for five years, she has noticed more people are coming earlier in the day and staying longer.
“I think that the hype about the festival is bringing people out,” she said. “More people are hearing about it, and more people want to come.”
She and her friends arrived when the festival began at noon, she added.
“I think it is really good for the community,” Homrighouse said. “Everyone comes out and supports all the local bands and vendors that are here.”
Adam Chizmar and Kate Butler were among several vendors selling clothing, jewelry and other goods at the festival. The Youngstown natives are two of the founders of Rusty Waters Apparel, a Pittsburgh-based T-shirt company whose designs celebrate Youngstown, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
Some of the band members playing at the festival — and a fair number of passers-by — donned Rusty Waters T-shirts.
“[Vexfest] is a great way to connect with local artists,” Chizmar said. “It’s eclectic — all of these different cultures are coming together here.”
The growing popularity of Vexfest showcases how Youngstown’s growing artistic community is taking part in the revival of the city’s downtown, Chizmar said.
“You see a lot more support and opportunities for the Youngstown art scene,” Chizmar said. “People are coming downtown again and not feeling scared — there is something for everyone.”