YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Ballet Western Reserve will present its annual Spring Gala, featuring “Snow White and The Dancing Dwarfs,” at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at Ford Family Recital Hall in DeYor Performing Arts Center.

The show will feature all BWR students, from the youngest Mommy and Me ballerinas to the preprofessional company.

Tickets are $25 ($25 for students and seniors; $12 for children under 12). To purchase, call the box office at 330 259 9651 or go to DeyorPAC.org.

Maple Mania at Trek Coffee House

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Trek Coffee House, 1588 Mahoning Ave., will present Maple Mania, a maple syrup-themed outdoor market and tasting event, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 17.

The event will take place at The Freightyard, the community event space directly behind the coffee shop. Admission is free, and parking is available in Trek’s lot and along Mahoning Avenue.

This celebration of northeastern Ohio’s maple syrup tradition will feature vendors selling everything from maple-flavored candies and baked goods to maple-scented candles and artisan crafts.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the maple syrup-making process through an educational booth presented by the Rocky Ridge Neighborhood Group. 

Trek Coffee House will serve a special lineup of maple-themed drinks and snacks.

Art Exhibition at Fellows Riverside Gardens

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – “Through Our Eyes,” an art exhibition featuring the nature-inspired works of local artists Noreen Yazvac and Elizabeth Ford, is on display through July 6 at the Weller Gallery inside the Davis Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens.

The exhibition includes watercolor, acrylic, pastel and ink works, offering viewers a unique glimpse into the natural world through the eyes of two artists. 

Both Yazvac and Ford are past presidents and current members of the Mahoning Valley Watercolor Society. Their artistic journeys began at Youngstown State University.

Weller Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free.

Lecture on Jewish Musical Theater Composers

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – “Jewish Composers,” a presentation by Marcia Levy, will take place from 5-7 p.m. May 19 at the Jewish Community Center, 505 Gypsy Lane.

The free lecture is the first in the JCC’s summer speaker series and includes dinner. Register HERE.

Jewish composers have played a defining role in shaping the sound and spirit of musical theater. Levy’s presentation will explore the contributions of some of the most influential Jewish composers on Broadway.

Levy is a graduate of Youngstown State University and holds a master’s degree in education from Pennsylvania State University. Her presentations explore a range of topics. They include Famous Jewish Men and Women, Jews on the Titanic, Rabbis of Youngstown, Holocaust Survivors, Jewish Comedians and Homes of Liberty, Youngstown’s North Side and Warren.

Historical Lecture on Cleveland’s Garment District

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Western Reserve Historical Society historian Sean Martin will give a presentation on the garment district of Cleveland at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17, in the meeting room of Denny’s restaurant, 4020 Belmont Ave.

The event is presented by the William Holmes McGuffey Historical Society.

Admission is $15 ($10 for members). Reservations are suggested; call 330 726 8277.

Martin, curator for Jewish History at Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, shed light on the growth and development of the region’s garment industry and its eventual decline.

Offering opportunities for immigrants, the area’s clothing firms left an indelible mark on the area. The histories of employers, such as Hugo Boss, and the innovations that led to success will be detailed.

Martin is the author of “A Stitch in Time: The Cleveland Garment Industry” and co-editor, with John J. Brabowski, of “Jews and the Making of a Midwestern Community.”

Pictured at top: Ballet Western Reserve dancers Hannah Gettemy as the Queen and Paige Nevels as Snow White. (Photo by Every Angle Photography)