Summer Festival of the Arts leans into family activities for its 26th edition.

The arts festival takes place Saturday and Sunday at Wean Foundation Park, its home for the past four years.

“It’s a free, fun weekend for your family,” organizer Katie Merrill said. “The only thing you have to purchase is the art and the food. Other than that, everything that you get to come and experience with your family is free.”

Those offerings include an entertainment stage in Huntington Alley and additional programming in the children’s tent.

“A lot of local community organizations are participating with the children’s entertainment,” she said. “We have princesses. There will be a reptile show on Sunday. Ballet Western Reserve. The Jewish Community Center is doing a move and groove class for kids. There’s a free face painter all weekend. Cityscape is participating (with rock painting).”

The main entertainment stage will start with the Youngstown Area Community Concert Band on Saturday, followed by Millennial Theatre Company DEWA Quartet, Shawn & Shane and the Starlight Jazz Combo

“Then on Sunday we have County Mayo coming back,” Merrill said. “They always start off our Sunday performance schedule. Then we end Sunday afternoon with a yacht rock band called Pipe Dreams.”

One of the main attractions is an artists’ market with about 45 local and regional creators on site selling their work.

“We have some new artists, which I’m excited about.” she said. “We have a beautiful wood turner out of Strongsville. His stuff is really neat, beautiful, intricate. I’m excited about him. We have our, you know, big standards. (Austintown artist) Bob Barko, he has a new print coming out that he’s super excited about. It will make its debut at Summer Festival of the Arts. It’ll be the first time to purchase it.”

“There’s lots of jewelry. We have a children’s illustrator that has some prints and will be selling books. Some glass, some ceramics, some metal art.”

Several food trucks will be set up in Huntington Alley to satisfy the appetites and the thirsts of festivalgoers.

Traditionally, Summer Festival of the Arts is held earlier in July and normally coincides with St. Nicholas’ Greek Summerfest and the Youngstown Jazz & Wine Festival. Other events at the park forced a move to the last weekend in July, but Merrill said there still are other Youngstown area events for attendees to enjoy from the festival at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Basilica to a battle of the bands at Penguin City Brewing Company.

Last year’s event drew about 10,000 people, and Merrill expects a comparable crowd for 2024.

“It’s supposed to be a beautiful weekend. It’s going to be hot, but there’s nothing falling from the sky (that’s in the forecast), so I think it’ll be a great weekend to come out.”

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, 201 S. Phelps St., Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Admission is free

ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

Saturday

10 a.m. — Youngstown Area Community Concert Band

11 a.m. — Millennial Theatre Company

Noon — DEWA Quartet

1 p.m. — Shawn & Shane

3 p.m. — Starlight Jazz Combo

Sunday

11 a.m. — County Mayo

1 p.m. — Duo Fuego

2 p.m. — Pipe Dreams

CHILDREN’S ENTERTAINMENT

Noon — Princess Anna

Noon to 3:30 p.m. — Facepainting

12:45 p.m. — Jewish Community Center Moovin’ & Groovin’ Class

1:30 p.m. — Cityscape rock painting

2:30 p.m. — Animated Little Mermaid

Sunday

Noon — Ballet Western Reserve

Noon to 3:30 p.m. — Facepainting and Reptile Show

12:45 p.m. — Jewish Community Center Moovin’ & Groovin’ Class

2:30 p.m. — President Barbie

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