After a year off, John Rossetti wanted to do something special for the Greater Youngstown Italian Fest.

Last year’s event was canceled due to disruptions downtown caused by the Realty Tower explosion. Along with many of the attractions that have been a part of the festival for decades, organizers are bringing in local rock act The Vindys to headline the Roma Stage on Saturday. This spring the band finished its second nationwide tour as an opening act for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo.

“The committee, the board, we were saddened by the events of last year, and we felt that it would be nice to invite the community of the Mahoning Valley back down downtown and bring them a large-draw act with some local flair to it,” sa id Rossetti, the festival chairman.

Along with some of the more traditional Italian acts, the festival often features acts with younger appeal to attract a different demographic to the festival. In addition to The Vindys, RDNA will perform on Friday and The HouseBand will close out the festival on Sunday.

More than 30 food vendors will be on site, ranging from out-of-state concessionaires to booths representing downtown and local businesses. Popular events such as the bocce tournament, food contests (Pasta Eating, Wine and Hot Peppers) and the Little King & Queen Pageant will return.

Proceeds from the festival fund a scholarship program that provides $1,000 each to selected Youngstown State University students.

Since there was no festival last year, the opening ceremony at 6 p.m. will recognize the 2024 scholarship recipients — Kevin Balella, Nicholas Komara, Sophia Komara, Isabella Glover, Leah Riccardo, Gabriella Howe and Gianna Howe — as well as those selected for 2025 — Ella Dota, Isaella Glover, Mia Lazazzera, Isabella Sferra, Ryan Snyder, Rocco DiLisio, Gianna Kozar, Robert Carcelli IV, Gianna Bindas, Miacarmela Barber, Meekah Meuter and Carli Osiniak.

If the encouraging weather forecast earlier this week proves to be accurate, Rossetti expects this year’s event to attract more than 30,000 visitors.

Rossetti said the Mahoning Valley is home to many Italian festivals every summer, but he believes the downtown setting makes the Greater Youngstown Italian Fest special.

“People are able to enjoy the surroundings in downtown with the large buildings and the memories (associated with them),” he said. “People are remembering going shopping with their grandparents downtown or going to the doctor’s office or getting their marriage license at the county courthouse. Every once in a while, when there is a lull, I get a chance to just stand there and look around and see just the happiness in people’s faces just being downtown, remembering those memories and making new memories.”

If you go …

WHAT: Greater Youngstown Italian Fest

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Sunday and 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Central Square, downtown Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Admission is $10 after 7 p.m. Saturday for adults, otherwise $5 for adults and free for children ages 12 and younger. For more information, go to youngstownitalianfest.org.

FRIDAY SCHEDULE

Noon — The Feral Cats

3:30 p.m. — Rex Taneri

6 p.m. — Opening ceremony

7 p.m. — Vintage Vinyl

9 p.m. — RDNA

SATURDAY

1:15 p.m. — Jim Frank

3 p.m. — Pasta Eating, Wine and Hot Peppers contests

4 p.m. — Butch Nichols

6:30 p.m. — G-4 Live Italian Band

9 p.m. — The Vindys

SUNDAY

12:30 p.m. — Roman Catholic Mass and Processional

1 p.m. — Lowellville Band

2:30 p.m. — Little King & Queen Pageant

4 p.m. — Avanti Band

6:30 p.m. — No Funk No Justice

9 p.m. — The HouseBand