The Update | Football Legends Autograph Session; Packard Museum to Honor Engineer

CANTON, Ohio – The June 4 USFL game between the Memphis Showboats and New Jersey Generals at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium will include two special promotions for young people and autograph seekers.

It will be Kids Day and USFL/Ohio Football Legends Day, with several former Cleveland Browns players, as well as former Ohio State University Buckeyes players and coaches.

Kickoff is at 1 p.m. Gates will open at 11:30 a.m. for a free autograph session on the North concourse that will run from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to arrive early as the autograph session will end promptly at 12:30 so as not to interfere with game operations. Guest legends will also be recognized on the field at halftime.

Scheduled to appear are Ben Davis, Eric Metcalf, Cleo Miller, Frank Minnifield, Greg Pruitt, Mike Pruitt, Frank Stams and Felix Wright of the Browns; Cardale Jones and Antonio Pittman of the Buckeyes; and coaches Bo Pelini and Jim Tressel.

Fans may bring one item for autographing. The limit is one autograph per legend. Autographs are based on availability during the one-hour pregame window on a first-come, first-served basis. To keep the lines moving and allow as many autographs as possible for everyone, no photos with the legends will be permitted.

Kids Day will include giveaways of a Pittsburgh Maulers and New Jersey Generals team photo card (while supplies last) and thunder sticks to kids 12 and younger (while supplies last). Kids will also “take over” game operations activities such as anthem singer, PA announcer, emcee/hosts and pregame coin flip.

Individual tickets start at $10 and can be purchased HERE. Group discounts are available.

Packard Motor Engineer Subject of Exhibit

WARREN, Ohio – An exhibit on Col. Jesse Vincent, Packard Motor Car Co.’s chief engineer from 1915 to 1952, will open June 1 at the National Packard Museum, 1899 Mahoning Ave. NW.

Vincent is a towering figure in American industrial history and was largely responsible for Packard’s reputation for automotive, aviation and marine engine design and manufacturing excellence.

The exhibit will feature a recreation of the special race car Vincent designed for testing Packard’s speedster engine. Vincent and others, including Charles Lindberg, drove the car at the Packard Proving Grounds and in exhibitions to impress visitors and dignitaries. The faithful recreation was built by Trumbull County native Jerry Miscevich, who now lives in Temecula, California. It is on loan from owner Gordon Logan ’s Sport Clips Collection of Texas.

The exhibit will also feature an original Packard Merlin airplane engine on loan from America’s Packard Museum in Dayton, as well as personal items.

Museum hours, admission prices and other information is available HERE.

Scrappers to Open Season with Fireworks

NILES, Ohio – The Mahoning Valley Scrappers will open the season Thursday, June 1, vs. West Virginia Black Bears at 7:05 p.m. at Eastwood Field.

It will be a fireworks night, with a display after the game, and also Buck Night. General admission tickets, hot dogs and drinks will each be $1.

The following night’s game, also at 7:05 p.m., will also be a fireworks night.

The Saturday game, at 7:05 p.m., will be Youth Jersey Night. The first 750 children age 12 and younger will receive a Scrappers T-shirt.

For tickets and information, go to mvscrappers.com.

Renova Music Festival Schedules Concerts

NEW CASTLE, Pa. – The annual Renova Music Festival will take place June 4-17 in Lawrence County. 

Approximately 35 young musicians and faculty will give performances, instruction and creative renewal.

Six public concerts are presented as part of the festival on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The June 8 concert at Northminster Presbyterian Church and the June 15 concert at St. Camillus Church will feature artist faculty performing classical and chamber music.

Friday nights will be informal concerts. At 7 p.m. June 9, there will be a free performance at Nova Cellars Winery on Route 208 in Pulaski. On June 16, the ensemble will visit The Confluence in downtown New Castle for a concert of quartets and quintets.

The Saturday night concerts by the Renova Chamber Orchestra will take place at the Magnificat Chapel at the Villa Maria Community Center on June 10 and 17.

For information, go to RenovaFestival.net. All concerts (except the performance at Nova Cellars Winery) start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets, available at the door, are $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Simply Slavic Fest Seeks Scholarship Applicants

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Simply Slavic festival is seeking applicants for academic scholarships for students attending Youngstown State University.

YSU students who have completed their freshman year and are currently enrolled at the undergraduate or graduate level are encouraged to apply. All applicants must submit a 500-word narrative on how Slavic culture has influenced their lives. Funds can be used for tuition and student expenses such as books, lodging and study-abroad programs.

The Simply Slavic scholarship committee panel will select the winners after reviewing their essays and academic achievements.

The deadline for scholarship applicants is July 31. The winners will be announced in mid-August.

Applications are available at SimplySlavic.org under the Forms tab. For information, call 330 333 1441 or email info@simplyslavic.org.

Irish Festival will Feature a Quiet Space

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – This year’s Mahoning Valley Irish Festival will have a neurodiversity tent.

The tent will allow individuals who may experience sensory overload, anxiety or other stress because of loud music, lights or crowds to take a break in a calm environment.

The tent will offer soft seating, low lights, Bluetooth headphones for watching the entertainment with personalized volume controls and fidget and other sensory items.  

The festival is seeking sponsorships and partnerships. For more information, email info@mvirishfestival.com or call chairperson Shannon Lehn at 330 770 6785.

The festival will take place July 21-22 at Penguin City Brewing.

Rotary Mounting a Drive to Collect Crutches

NEW CASTLE, Pa. – The New Castle Rotary is mounting a Crutches 4 Africa mobility device drive. It will collect the following new or gently used items: crutches, walkers, leg braces, elbow crutches, wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs. Financial contributions are also welcome and will be passed along for the shipping costs, which are about $3 per device.

Drop off locations and times:

• June 1 at Holy Spirit church, St. Camillus site, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.
• June 6 at Pizza Joe’s, State Street location, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.
• June 15 at Los Amigos, State Street, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.
• June 19 to 24 at Phil Fitts Ford and Lincoln, during regular business hours.
• June 27 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 212 N. Mill St., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.

Crutches 4 Africa is a nonprofit organization with the mission of collecting, shipping and distributing mobility devices. They collect used and surplus mobility devices, ship them to developing countries and distribute them for free to people in need.

Columbiana BeerFest Entertainment Lineup

COLUMBIANA, Ohio – The entertainment lineup for the Columbiana Craft BeerFest will include singer-songwriter Leanne Binder, Whatevr (classic rock, pop hits and country) and Gypsy Cowboys (Americana and roots).

The event will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. Sept. 23 at TownCenter at Firestone Farms.

New this year, Fat Axxes mobile ax throwing lounge will be at the event.

Columbiana Craft BeerFest will feature samples from more than 10 area breweries, food trucks and vendors. Proceeds will benefit the Firestone Stadium restoration project.

Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the gate, and include 10 tasting tickets and a 13-ounce tasting glass. Must be 21 years old.

Sponsorship opportunities are available; contact Sean Zentner at 333 518 7170 or Info@ColumbianaCraftBeerFest.com.

Pictured at top: Former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones will be among a group of football stars at a June 4 USFL game in Canton.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.