The Update | Vendor Events Target Wedding and Party Planners

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Party Connection, a party planning expo, will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, at Penguin City Brewing, 460 E. Federal St., downtown.

The event is for people looking for ideas on planning a party and will feature many local vendors who will share information about their venues or services.

Party Connection is not a market or a bridal show, and there will be no direct sales. It targets those who are planning a birthday, graduation, bachelorette, anniversary or other type of celebration.

The event will include a breakfast bar with a complimentary mimosa or mocktail, live music by Rachel Aiken of Stallare Strings and many vendors who will offer samples, giveaways and discounts.

Tickets are $10 (free for children) and available in advance HERE.

Vendors seeking information can email [email protected].

Bridal Show at Eastwood Event Centre

NILES, Ohio – Brides-to-be can start planning their wedding by attending Bridal Extravaganza on Saturday, Jan. 27, at the Eastwood Event Centre.

The event, which will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., will bring together a variety of specialty vendors to showcase their wedding products and services.

There will also be live entertainment, giveaways, treats and a chance to win some of the $10,000 worth of prizes.  

The Fred Astaire Dance Company will lead off the entertainment at 11 a.m. Then, the latest styles will be on display in a fashion show from 1 to 2 p.m. A happy hour will follow from 2 to 4 p.m. 

Admission is $15 per person, and tickets can be purchased in advance at Eventbrite.com or www.eastwoodeventcentre.com. 

The first 100 ticket holders will receive signature swag bags containing items valued at more than $50 apiece. 

Bridal and fashion apparel will be provided by Lavish by Coral Rose, Tuxedo Junction, Men’s Wearhouse, Reyer’s, Boscov’s and more.      

Cadence Care to Present Comedy Show

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Cadence Care Network will present Ha Ha Gala, a fundraiser featuring Cleveland-area comedians Jason Lawhead and John Armstrong, at 7 p.m. Feb. 24 at Penguin City Brewing.

The show will be hosted by Bill Squire, who can be heard weekdays on the Alan Cox Show on Cleveland radio station WMMS 100.7-FM.

Lawhead, who will be the headliner, has shared the stage with Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Burr and Adam Sandler. He appeared on Season 9 of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.”

Heavy appetizers will be provided, and there will be a cash bar. Tickets are $55. To purchase tickets or learn how to become a sponsor, click HERE.

All proceeds benefit the Cadence Care Network Foundation. Cadence Care Network is a nonprofit agency focusing on the behavioral and emotional well-being of more than 1,500 children and teenagers across northern Ohio.

Corned Beef Challenge for Irish Festival

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Mahoning Valley Irish Festival will present the second annual Corned Beef Challenge at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at Penguin City Brewing, downtown.

Open to both amateurs and professionals, the event will give competitors an opportunity to win cash prizes and bragging rights.

The entry fee is $25. Participants are requested to provide 200 samples of their corned beef creations.

Presale tickets to attend are $10 per person at mvirishfestival.com and include a plate for sampling the entries and a ballot for voting. A limited number of tickets are available.

To become a volunteer, email [email protected]. To register as a competitor, go to mvirishfestival.com.

Discussion of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Jewish Community Relations Council of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation will host “A Historical Mosaic: Perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” presented by Adam Fuller, at noon Jan. 10 at the JCC of Youngstown, 505 Gypsy Lane. The event can also be viewed remotely via Zoom.

Fuller is an associate professor at Youngstown State University and has been designated as the William B. Clayman Professor in Judaic and Holocaust Studies.

Lunch will be served for those participating in person. The event is free, but registration is required; RSVP to Nancy Sentelik at [email protected] or 330 746 3250, ext. 108.

Christmas Trees Can be Recycled

COLUMBUS, Ohio – After the holidays, live-cut Christmas trees can be repurposed as habitat for all sorts of terrestrial and aquatic animals, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.

Recycled live-cut Christmas trees are used as fish habitat in both public and private waters. 

Christmas trees are donated to the Division of Wildlife by community recycling and drop-off programs. The trees are bundled together and weighed down so they sink to the bottom, attracting fish and providing cover.

In the Youngstown area, the Mahoning County Green Team collects trees at designated drop-off sites until Jan. 31.

Sunken trees provide structure for many baitfish, which in turn attract sport fish. Decomposing trees also feed zooplankton, which provide food for aquatic invertebrates and attract larger fish. 

Private pond owners may also want to consider repurposing trees to add habitat to their ponds. Many species are attracted to this dense cover, including crappie, bluegill and largemouth bass.

Each winter, Christmas trees are placed at select wildlife areas and public lakes around Ohio, which vary year to year. An interactive lake map showing where trees are placed as fish attractors is available at wildohio.gov and on the HuntFish OH mobile app. Anglers can target these spots, which are often productive for both panfish and their larger predators.

Pictured at top: A mimosa bar at last year’s party planning show at Penguin City Brewing.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.