Thursday, July 21, 2011
This weekend will be a big one in downtown Youngstown, with two major festivals a few blocks apart.
The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Italian Festival runs tonight through Sunday on the parish grounds on Via Mount Carmel, and the Youngstown Wing Fest is tonight through Saturday on the street in front of Covelli Centre.
And sandwiched between the two like a hot sausage will be the fifth annual Cafe Cimmento Street Festival on Friday evening on East Boardman Street.
Two weeks ago, the Summer Festival of the Arts and Jazz Festival at Youngstown State University attracted thousands to the university area. The churches and museums on the edge of campus had events at the same time, working in cooperation with YSU.
In contrast, organizers at Covelli Centre, Mount Carmel and Cafe Cimmento did not plan to have their festivals on the same weekend — it just turned out that way. But all three welcome the synergistic effect it should exert on attendance. They expect festival-goers to check out all the events.
The Mount Carmel festival offers free parking at several lots downtown with free golf-cart shuttles to the church grounds.
Wing Fest parking also will be free in the Covelli lots. Front Street between South Avenue and Walnut already is closed to vehicular traffic and will remain so until midnight Saturday night for the Wing Fest.
The Mount Carmel fest runs from 4 to 11 p.m. tonight and Friday, 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 10 p.m. Sunday. It features 14 food vendors, crafts, a children’s area and nearly nonstop live Italian music in a massive tent, including singer Christina Chirombolo (9:30 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 p.m. Sunday) and the Anima e Cuore show band (8 p.m. Saturday and 6:30 p.m. Sunday).
A basket raffle and live music will be inside the church hall. Admission is $4.
The inaugural Wing Fest will feature nonstop rock music, including concerts by The Clarks at 9:45 p.m. Friday (see story in this edition of Vibe) and Michael Stanley and the Resonators at 9:45 p.m. Saturday. A number of wing vendors —including Quaker Steak & Lube — will have booths, along with MVR Restaurant, Cocca’s Pizza and Los Gallos Mexican restaurants.
A lineup of local bands will begin at 5:45 p.m. each night. There’s also a classic-car show at noon Saturday.
Wing Fest gates open at 5 tonight and noon Friday and Saturday. Admission is $5 tonight; on Friday and Saturday, it’s free until 5 p.m., and then $10 after that for the concerts.
The free street fair at Cafe Cimmento, 120 E. Boardman St., will run from 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, and the street will be closed to traffic on that block. Grilled food (wings, ribs, hot sausage), greens and pasta, with beer and wine, will be on the menu. Music will include Geo C and Tha Storm at 6 p.m., as well as a jazz combo.
The following weekend also will be busy downtown, as the Greater Youngstown Italian Festival will begin at noon July 29, and run through July 31. The Motley Crue-Poison concert at Covelli Centre also is July 29.
THE LIGHTS GO OUT
Last week’s series finale of “Friday Night Lights” ranks with the best television bow-outs.
The NBC drama was set in fictional Dillon, Texas, a city ruled by high-school football. Friday’s feel-good finale beautifully tied up a number of loose ends before shutting off the lights after a five-year run.
The series always struggled with ratings but was kept on the air mainly because it would’ve been a crime to kill it.
It’s staying power against all odds seemed driven by the mantra of the Dillon Panthers: Clear eyes, full heart ... can’t lose.
For those who never got into the series, ESPN Classic has begun to air “FNL” on Thursday nights.
Bob Seger IN Pittsburgh
Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band will come to Pittsburgh this fall as part of a second leg to its 2011 North American Tour, it was announced this week.
The first leg of the Motor City legend’s tour drew rave reviews from critics and played to more than 350,000 fans, including a Cleveland concert. The Pittsburgh date hasn’t been set yet.
WORDS OF WISDOM
Sign at the Magic Mocha in downtown Youngstown:
Remember: “Stressed” spelled backward is “Desserts.”