Free concerts by The Vindys, Poobah and other regional rock bands will take place on Record Store Day – Saturday, April 18 – at two local shops.

Two Mahoning Valley record stores are planning free concerts and a festival atmosphere at their celebrations. Hundreds of limited-edition vinyl album releases by major artists will be made available at the event.

The Vindys, Demos Papadimas and his band and Radio Lark will perform outdoors at the Record Connection, in Pine Tree Place shopping center, McKinley Heights. Doors will open at 10 a.m., and music will start at 10:15 a.m.

Vendors at the Record Connection will include Avo-Ritto, Modern Methods Brewing, Global Awakening Roasters and Radio Hoop.

Poobah will play at 3 p.m. at Fat Hippy Records, 7188 Warren Sharon Road, Brookfield. Doors will open at 10 a.m.

Vendors at Fat Hippy will include Sugar Mama Cannoli Cart, Slow Hurry Coffee, Ripley’s Scoop Shop, the Manna Truk and The Vintage Vault Thrift Room.

Record Store Day is an annual event. Dozens of major artists release exclusive vinyl albums that day that are sold exclusively  at independent record stores to celebrate the institutions. To see the complete list of albums that will be released, go to RecordStoreDay.com.

Skilla Baby, Dej Loaf Coming to Packard

WARREN, Ohio – Skilla Baby, Dej Loaf and T-Rell will come to Packard Music Hall on April 25 for a 6 p.m. concert.

Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the Packard box office.

Building a Better Belmont Cycling Event

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Building a Better Belmont Initiative’s annual Bike Belmont community cycling event will take place May 17, starting at noon at Wick Park.

Open to riders of all ages and skill levels, the event offers a family-friendly day to get active and bring the community together. 

Registration is $10 per rider, with preregistered participants receiving a $10 food truck voucher. E-bikes will be available for rental. All riders are required to wear helmets. Riders can choose from three route options:

  • 32-mile ride through Youngstown neighborhoods to the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport and back along Belmont Avenue.
  • 12-mile ride through surrounding neighborhoods to Churchill Park and back to Wick Park.
  • 5-mile family ride to Goodwill and back to Wick Park.

Following the rides, participants and community members are invited to stay for a post-ride celebration at Wick Park featuring food trucks, a business and community group marketplace and family-friendly activities.

Last year’s event attracted 300 riders, and 500 are expected this year. 

Sponsorship opportunities and registration information are available HERE.

Hoyt Seeks Applications for Exhibitions

NEW CASTLE, Pa. – Applications are being accepted for Arts & Education at the Hoyt’s annual call for artists.

The regional arts center and museum is seeking solo and group proposals to fill out openings in the 2026-28 schedules.

Solo, duo, collectives and curatorial proposals are welcome. Due to the historic nature of the facilities, installations are discouraged.

Artists in the Mid-Atlantic region (Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.) will be given preference.

To be considered, submit a proposal that includes a description of the proposed body of work, including title and artist statement; 10 to 20 jpeg images; an image list including titles, media and dimensions; a résumé or curriculum vitae; and a nonrefundable $25 review fee. Stipends up to $500 are available to assist selected artists with shipping/transportation.

Proposals are also being considered for the Hoyt Atrium Gallery at UPMC Jameson hospital. Check the box for UPMC Jameson to have your proposal to be considered for this additional space. For information, contact Patricia McLatchy at exhibits@hoytartcenter.org or 724 652 2882, ext 114.