Weekend Entertainment | Comedy and Country Music

The final major concert of the year at the Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre will take place tonight.

Country artist Jon Pardi will headline the 7 p.m. show, with opening acts Priscilla Block and Meghan Patrick. Tickets start at $35 and will be available at the box office.

Also tonight, comedy legend Jay Leno will return to town for a 7:30 p.m. show at Stambaugh Auditorium.

There’s not much left to say about Leno. He’s become known for his car collection in recent years, but his greatness and legacy lie in the long stint he put in as host of “The Tonight Show.” Leno was a master of rapid-fire and sharp but family-friendly comedy. He defined the late-night comedy archetype and ruled the time slot from 1992 to 2014.

Leno’s appearance is sponsored by The Muransky Companies, which likes to bring top-flight entertainers to the area every now and then as a way to give back to the area. Tickets start at $39 and are in extremely short supply.

The comedy will continue Friday when “Saturday Night Live” alum Jim Breuer comes to the Robins Theatre in Warren. Tickets start at $39; go to robinstheatre.com.

The New Waterford Beer, Wine and Music Festival will return Friday and Saturday, and it will be bigger and better than ever.

If you don’t live in New Waterford, there’s a good chance that you’ve never been there. Here’s an excellent reason to go. The festival in the village park will feature national rock recording artists Saliva, plus the Goldy Locks Band and Youngstown rockers Turbo Lovers on Friday. Saturday’s lineup will have a country flavor, with headliner CJ Solar.

Admission is $5 (free before 6 p.m.). To learn more, click HERE.

Downtown Youngstown’s monthly First Friday party got rained out last week, but it was rescheduled for this Friday – the 13^th – and luck appears to be on our side.

The event will include live music, a vendor village and – to make it extra special – a Chalk the Walk contest. Businesses and others can decorate the sidewalks with chalk works of their own design from 3 to 7 p.m. Register HERE.

First Friday actually starts at 4 p.m. on South Phelps Street. Jack and the Cadavers will perform on the small stage there from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and Demos Papadimas and his band will play from 6 to 8 p.m.

The evening will include an exhibition of works by local artist Daniel Rauschenbach at Concept Gallery on West Federal Street from 5 to 8 p.m. and line dancing with Stepping Out Fitness at Octave, on North Phelps Street, at 5:30 p.m.

Downtown bars and restaurants will also be open if you care to pop in for a drink or dinner.

At 8 p.m., the action will move to the Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre for a free Elton John-Billy Joel tribute concert by Lee Alverson.

For a complete look at everything going on in the Mahoning Valley, check out The List.

Pictured at top: Country artist Jon Pardi.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.