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City, arena, YSU work to lessen parking hassles this weekend
YOUNGSTOWN
With numerous events this weekend downtown and at Youngstown State University – attracting thousands of people with some main roads either closed or restricted to vehicular traffic – finding parking could prove to be a bit challenging.
But event coordinators and city officials are trying to ease the potential parking problems people may find coming to various festivals and other special events.
After 4 p.m. today until 8 a.m. Monday, all on-street parking in the downtown area is free, said Michael McGiffin, the city’s director of downtown events and citywide special projects.
Also, city-owned surface lots on Commerce Street and the Water Department lot off West Federal Street will be free during the same time, he said.
Other downtown lots are privately owned with some charging during the weekend and others not.
“Parking may be slightly difficult to find, but it shouldn’t be a deterrent for people to come downtown,” McGiffin said. “It’s going to be a big weekend for downtown.”
There are also road closures and restrictions to deal with.
Starting at 7 a.m. today, Market Street from Boardman to Commerce streets will be closed, and starting at 11 a.m. today, Federal Street from Phelps to Champion streets will be closed, McGiffin said. They will reopen at 2 a.m. Monday.
The events on Central Square include the Fabulous Flashbacks concert at 7 tonight; Youngstown Jazz and Wine with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Saturday; and the 2 DE Gospel Fest with doors opening at 2 p.m. Sunday.
The biggest headache for those going to YSU’s Summer Festival of the Arts on Saturday and Sunday will be restrictions on Wick Avenue, where road work continues.
You can’t take that road heading north. If you plan to take it south, you’ll need to take a right onto East Wood Street, then a left onto North Champion Street, a right onto East Rayen Avenue and a left onto Walnut Street to access the back entrance to the Wick Avenue parking Deck.
If you want to make your life easier, take Fifth Avenue to the festival and park in any of the university’s surface lots.
Also, the parking deck on Lincoln Avenue is closed for upgrades.
Heading to the All Ameri-Con comic, toy and art show this weekend at the Covelli Centre? Good news: Parking at the center is free, said Jaclyn Carpenter, the facility’s event director.
“For community-minded events and expos, we do free parking to get as many people here as possible,” she said.
There are about 1,000 parking spots at the center, Carpenter said.
Greg Bartholomew, the show’s promoter, is anticipating 4,000 to 5,000 people at the two-day event that’s been held in various locations in Warren the previous seven years.