YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown Symphony Orchestra will present its final concert of the year, a holiday show titled “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at Powers Auditorium.

The guest conductor will be Edward Leonard, founder and music director of the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh. 

The program will include holiday classics like “Winter Wonderland” and “O Holy Night,” radio hits like Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” and Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas,” and songs from the stage screen such as “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and “Silver Bells.”

Tickets start at $18 and can be purchased in advance HERE.

Artists of Rust Belt’s Last-Minute Market

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Artists of the Rust Belt’s annual Last-Minute Market and Art Show will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 21-22, at B&O Station, 530 Mahoning Ave.

Admission is $1 (free for children 12 and under).

On display and for purchase will be many handmade items created by local artisans, including cards, jewelry, reclaimed and repurposed décor, paintings, photography, crochet fashions, handmade soaps, mandala designs, leather workings, local honey products, confections, baked goods and more.

Food and drinks will be available.

SHARON, Pa. – Allie’s Sweet Tooth, 47 E. State St., downtown, will present a Christmas cookie sale and gift market from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 21-22.

“We wanted to create a special moment of calm for our customers before and during the storm of getting ready for the holidays,” owner Allie Zajaros-Adams said.

The annual event, now in its third year, was started after the store was forced to rent a larger space in 2021 because of the high volume of orders it received. The goal was to make it more comfortable for customers to come to the store and pick up their orders or select cookies on the spot.

The store then began adding gift vendors to make the day more festive.

Available for purchase both days will be custom decorated cookies, assorted cookie trays, French macarons, hot cocoa bombs, rust belt holiday cookies by the dozen and aprons and sweatshirts.

There will be a Creekside Cellars Winery pop-up Saturday, along with the animated characters Elsa and Ana. Santa Claus will visit Sunday.

Vendors will include The Penelope Goat Co., CD Creations, Jess Makes Scents, A Pastel Petal, S & S Herbal Apothecary, Sandy StoreCrafts, Amelia’s Crystal Place, Spark’ld Permanent Jewelry and Brenda Armstrong Art. There will also be a children’s decoration station set up by Realty One with a place to collect blankets for those in need.

Pictured at top: Art, decor, jewelry, soap and other handmade items, such as these holiday decorations, will be available at the Last Minute Gift Market at B&O Station this weekend.