BOARDMAN, Ohio – The Crepe N’ Crunch dessert shop is now open at 7403 Market St., near Southern Park Mall.
The business, owned by Sami Najjar, blends traditional Moroccan dessert artistry with modern creations.
The menu includes crepes, bubble waffles, mini pancakes, waffle sticks, milkshakes, mojitos and smoothies.
“With no other local spot offering the same combination of Moroccan-style crepes, artisan desserts and welcoming café vibes, we hope to create a space where everyone – from families and students to date-night couples and late-night sweet tooths – can feel at home,” Najjar said. “Our mission is to become a go-to destination where memories are made, cultures are celebrated and the community gathers over good conversation and great dessert.”
Crepe N’ Crunch is open seven days a week. Hours are noon to 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and noon to midnight Friday-Saturday.
Drag Bingo Shows to Fund Pride Events
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Local drag artist Starrlet O’Hara from the Rust Belt Theater Company will host two evenings of Drag Queen Bingo to benefit area Pride festivals.
“Due to the Trump administration’s rollback of DEI initiatives across the country, donations and sponsorships for Pride celebrations are much lower than they have been in previous years,” said Robert Dennick Joki, who is a drag performer and director of Rust Belt. “This is devastating for small town Pride organizers, many of which are working with less than 50% of the sponsorship funds they have had in the past, with many corporations declining to sponsor this year at all.”
Joki said the cutbacks come at a time when visibility and representation are more important than ever, as LGBTQ individuals are being targeted by legislation.
“Young people are particularly at risk, with suicide rates that are much higher than their straight counterparts,” Joki said. “Pride celebrations are designed to combat this by letting people know they are not alone.”
The Drag Bingo events will help bridge the funding gaps. They will take place at Club Switch, 221 Belmont Ave., on May 2 (to benefit New Castle Pride) and May 23 (to benefit Pride Youngstown).
Doors will open at 8 p.m. each night. Admission is $10, with all proceeds going to the Pride organizations. To enter, you must be at least 18 years old.
Patrons can expect fun and unusual prizes, trivia, singalongs, giveaways and Starrlet’s trademark vocal gymnastics and hilarious, quick-witted drag.
“People frequently ask me why Pride festivals and parades are important, and I can only speak from my own experience,” Joki said. “I grew up in a small, conservative town and had a very difficult time understanding my identity. There was nothing to compare it to. It was very lonely, to the point that I considered taking my own life many times. It wasn’t until I went to college and met other people from the LGBTQ+ community that I realized I wasn’t alone. That’s why it is important for young people to see themselves represented in local culture. I was very lucky that I had the resilience to stay in this world to adulthood. Many young queer people do not.”
Education at the Hoyt Offers Classes for Teens
NEW CASTLE, Pa. – Education at the Hoyt is offering summer classes for youths ages 13 to 17 in printmaking, songwriting, stained glass, creative writing, ceramics and mosaics.
Classes meet from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.
Registration is required. Scholarships are available (EBT card holders automatically qualify). For information, click HERE.
Here is the schedule:
- Printmaking, June 17-20, with instructor Cassidy Tonks, $125 ($110 for members).
- Songwriting, June 24-27, with instructor Antonio Ford, $105 ($95 for members).
- Stained Glass, July 8-11, with instructor Lou Recchione, $135 ($120 for members).
- Creative Writing, July 15-18, with instructor Nino Sgro, $105 ($90 for members).
- Ceramic Travel Mug, July 22-25, with instructor Skyler Campbell, call for details.
- Mosaic Tiles, July 29-Aug. 1, with instructor Kate Burke, $110 ($100 for members).
Smartphone Trivia Night at Sons of Italy
NEW CASTLE, Pa. – The Rotary Club of New Castle will present its Thirsty Thursday smartphone trivia night fundraiser May 8 at The Sons of Italy, 905 S. Mill St., featuring DJ Ray.
Entry fee is $30 and includes pizza and snacks. There will be a cash bar. Doors will open at 5 p.m., with trivia starting at 6 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door.
The event will include raffle baskets and a 50/50 drawing.
To buy tickets, sponsor or donate a basket for the event, call Jamie Mausser at 724 699 0464.