It’s time to hit the wine trail

If you’re looking for signs of spring, here is one.

The Wines of the Valley Wine Trail will return, beginning Friday. The Trail will include six Youngstown-area wineries and feature new wine charms for 2019, to be collected at each stop.

From Friday through Sept. 29, Wine Trail “passports” will be available at each of the participating wineries: Mastropietro Winery in Berlin Center, The Vineyards at Pine Lake in Columbiana, Diletto Winery in Boardman, Halliday’s Winery and Lil Paws Winery in Lake Milton and – new this year – L’uva Bella Winery in Lowellville.

Here is how it works: you buy a glass of wine, give the winetender your passport to be stamped and receive a wine charm unique to that winery. When five or more stamps are collected, you can redeem your passport for a keepsake charm box plus a bonus charm. Passport redemption locations are Mastropietro, The Vineyards at Pine Lake and L’uva Bella.

More than 700 people completed the Wine Trail last year.

By the way – of course you do not have to complete the Trail in one weekend. You have the full seven months to fill up your passport.

For information, go to winesofthevalley.com.

MOVIE ABOUT STIV BATORS WILL PREMIERE THIS MONTH

“Stiv,” a documentary about punk pioneer – and Girard native – Stiv Bators, will get its world premiere at 8 p.m. March 23 at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque, 11610 Euclid Ave., in that city’s University Circle.

The film by director Danny Garcia chronicles Bator’s exploits from his early years in Youngstown to his time fronting the Dead Boys, to his final days (he died in a car accident in Paris in 1990).

The film includes never-seen-before footage, and interviews with those who knew Bators. The screening will be followed by a Q and A session with Jimmy Zero of the Dead Boys, and Sharon, Pa.’s Frank Secich, of Blue Ash. Tickets are $15. Go to cia.edu/cinematheque.

OSCAR-WINNER’s NEXT FILM WAS SHOT IN THE VALLEY

British actress Olivia Colman took home the Oscar for Best Actress at Sunday night’s ceremony for her role as Queen Anne in the film “The Favourite” (which was nominated for Best Picture).

Yes, that is the same Olivia Colman who has one of the leading roles in “Them That Follow,” the tense drama that was shot in the Mahoning Valley in the fall of 2017. “Them That Follow” will be released later this year.

PLAYHOUSE SQUARE UNVEILS ITS LINEUP

Playhouse Square in Cleveland ‘s 2019-20 season of touring Broadway shows includes a mid-summer run of “Disney’s Frozen.” Here is the full schedule:

“Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,” Oct. 8-27

“The Band’s Visit,” Nov. 5-24

“Mean Girls,” Dec. 3-22

“Anastasia,” Feb. 4-23

“Jesus Christ Superstar,” March 10-29

“My Fair Lady,” April 28-May 17

“Disney’s Frozen,” July 15-Aug. 16

Season tickets are now available; call 216-640-8800 or go to playhousesquare.org/broadway. Packages range from $100-$690, with payment plans available.

Guy D’Astolfo covers entertainment for The Vindicator. Follow him on Twitter at @VindyVibe.