Reel Big Fish will headline Federal Frenzy festival

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Reel Big Fish will be the headliner at the second annual Federal Frenzy festival in downtown Youngstown on April 23.

The ska-punk band will top a lineup of 25 bands that also includes Vinyl Theater, Sam Goodwill, The Vindys, Thaddeus Anna Greene, JD Eicher, Lili K and Fresh Produce.

The free festival, staged by Youngstown State University’s Penguin Productions and the city of Youngstown, will be on Federal Street, at the intersection of Phelps Street, and will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will include street vendors selling beer, food and merchandise.

A stage will be set up outdoors, but most of the bands will play indoors at several venues that line the festival area, including Downtown Circle, The Federal, Friends Specialty, O’Donold’s and Suzie’s Dogs and Drafts.

The outdoor acts will begin at 6:30 p.m., and will be alternative rockers Sam Goodwill, indie electronica act Vinyl Theatre and Reel Big Fish.

Tickets are not required for entrance.

Eighteen bands affiliated with YSU because their members are students, alumni or faculty of the school make up the rest of the lineup, and include Black Wolf and the Thief, Colorblind, Event Horizon, Eye Do Naught Exist, Fifth and Aurora, Highland Rose, Hip Hop Anonymous, Knife Fighters, Leo D’Angelo, Liam Jones Duo, Matthew James, OutsideTheBox, Picnic Day, Portage, Roger Juntunen, Songbird Lumberjack, The FX Project and Trojan Horse.

Youngstown CityScape, a nonprofit community development organization that improves the downtown area, will manage alcohol sales.

There also will be screen printing by the YSU Student Art Association, Yoga by Lauren and live art by local painter Daniel Rauschenbach, as well as a night market adjacent to Federal Street from 6 to 10 p.m.

The Summit radio 90.7 FM will bring music into the streets throughout the day, including a special performance by The Vindys.

“I am beyond excited to bring together a community of students, faculty, families and friends for a full day of music and the arts,” said Mollie Crowe, of Penguin Productions.

To learn more, go to ysu.edu/penguin_pro/ and social media outlets Facebook (YSU Penguin Productions), Twitter (@ysupenpro), and Instagram (@ysupenpro).