YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown Area Jewish Film Festival, in partnership with the social action committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, will present “Ain’t No Back to a Merry-Go-Round” (2024) at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Jewish Community Center of Youngstown, 505 Gypsy Lane.

The film tells an untold story of the early civil rights era. Five Black students rode a segregated carousel in the Washington, D.C., area in 1960. It ignited one of the earliest organized interracial civil rights protests in U.S. history. Jews took part in the protest, provoking a Nazi group and inspiring congressmen and civil rights leaders.

Erin Wiggins Gilliam, associate provost of academic affairs for student success and strategic initiatives and dean of graduate studies at Edward Waters University, will speak after the film. 
The event is free, but registration is required by Jan. 20. Click HERE to register. Cash donations will be accepted at the door.

Def Leppard Tribute Band Coming to Robins

WARREN, Ohio – Adrenalize, a Def Leppard tribute show, will come to the Robins Theatre on May 8 for a 7:30 p.m. concert.

Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at RobinsTheatre.com and the box office, 160 E. Market St., downtown.

Lit Youngstown to Present Just Desserts

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Lit Youngstown’s annual winter gathering, Just Desserts: A Lit Winter Evening, will take place from 7-9 p.m. Jan. 30 at Culturati Studios, 350 E. Federal St.

The event will feature brief readings by Kortney Morrow and Philip Terman. Guests will enjoy charcuterie, desserts (vegan and gluten free options available) and cocktails and mocktails served by celebrity bartenders John Noga and Jimmy Sutman.

Costume judges W. Rick Schilling and Jane Shanabarger will award prizes to participants with the best “literary children” costumes.

“Costumes are optional,” said Karen Schubert, Lit Youngstown director, “but I love how clever they are. For last year’s theme of literary villains, someone came dressed as the dam from ‘The Monkey Wrench Gang.’”

The Catro Trio (Dave Kana on saxophone, Glenn Schaft on drums and Mark DeWalt on keyboard) will perform jazz.

Philip Terman of Grove City, director of The Bridge Literary Center and author of several books, will perform poetry accompanied by the Catro Trio.

Morrow was a featured poet for Lit Youngstown’s 2025 Fall Literary Festival and is the program director for the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards in Cleveland.

Doors will open at 6:15 p.m., and the program will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance at LitYoungstown.org or at the door.  

Pictured at top: A scene from the 1960 picketing at Glen Echo Park in Maryland.