The Summer Festival of the Arts marks its 25th year this weekend, and its third year at Wean Foundation Park.

The event started at Youngstown State University, which is turning over hosting duties to The Cultural Alliance, a coalition of area arts and cultural organizations formed to promote economic and cultural advancement in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

“YSU asked if The Cultural Alliance would like to take over leadership of the arts festival,” organizer Katie Merrill said. “JAC (which oversee events at Wean Park) is a founding member of The Cultural Alliance, so it made sense.”

Past attendees will notice many of the elements that have been a part of the event for decades.

“My goal is to keep it similar to what we have had before and bring in more of a family aspect,” Merrill said.

That will include experiments presented by OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology, a mobile library truck from the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County and a children’s stage featuring local arts organizations as well as a magician, a ventriloquist, costumed characters and an “instrument petting zoo” where children can see the instruments of the Youngstown Area Community Concert Band’s musicians up close.

“We wanted to make sure it’s a packed schedule so there always is something going on,” Merrill said.

Many of those arts organizations also will be information booths about what they do and their upcoming seasons.

About 70 vendors will have booths for a juried artists market, featuring local and regional artists as well as artist coming from as far as Florida. Items for sale will include paintings, jewelry, ceramics, wood cutting boards, leather moccasins, refurbished and rebuilt guitars and sea glass.

Food vendors will be selling gyros, French fries, wood-fired pizzas, corn dogs, sausage sandwiches and lemon shakes.

“It will be what you know and love but expanded on,” Merrill said. “We’re expecting 15,000 for that weekend, and there’s a million other things happening downtown.”

If you go …

WHAT: Summer Festival of the Arts

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Wean Foundation Park and Huntington Alley, 201 S. Phelps St., Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Admission is free.

Saturday schedule

Music

10 a.m. — Youngstown Symphony Orchestra string quartet

11 a.m. — Youngstown Area Community Concert Band

Noon and 1 p.m. — Negative Zen

2 and 3 p.m. — John Reese Trio

4 p.m. — Opera Western Reserve

Children’s events

10 a.m. — YourArts Youth Showcase

10:45 a.m. — Millennial Theater Company

11:30 — Hopewell Theater

12:15 p.m. — Youngstown Area Community Concert Band instrument petting zoo

1:15 p.m. — Ballet Western Reserve

2:15 p.m. — Ventriloquist Chief Davis

3:15 p.m. — Magician Mike Griffin

4 p.m. — “Frozen” princess with singing

Sunday schedule

Music

11 a.m. and noon — County Mayo

1 and 2 p.m. — Erie Heights Brass Ensemble

3 p.m. — 4 Quarters

Children’s events

11 a.m. — Millennial Theater Company

11:45 a.m. — Magician Mike Griffin

12:30 p.m. — Jewish Community Center Movin’ and Groovin’ Class

1:30 p.m. — Little Mermaid

3:15 p.m. — Komora Outdoors