Submitted photo Kid Mammoth headlines The Summit FM outdoor stage for this year’s Federal Frenzy Music & Arts Festival.

After a frenzy of activity from its student volunteers with Youngstown State University’s Penguin Productions, Federal Frenzy will take over downtown Youngstown on Saturday.

Two outdoor and three indoor stages will feature more than 20 acts over nine hours, and a wide range of activities are planned throughout the day on or near West Federal Street.

The main stage headliner will be hip hop artist Armani White. His song “Billie Eilish” has been streamed 453 million times on Spotify and spawned a “Legends Mix” with Ludadris, Busta Rhymes and N.O.R.E. He’s also recorded tracks with such artists as A$AP Ferg and Denzel Curry.

However, most of the acts are local or regional bands, many featuring YSU students or alumni. And this year’s Penguin Productions team decided to emphasize acts that haven’t played the event in the past.

“We had so many different people apply this year,” event lead Brynn K. Brunton said. “We go through every application and it’s always a hard thing to go through. There’s so many great acts that you don’t want to cut. We know we love this band. They’ve performed before … But this is a great way of giving everyone the opportunity to perform at Federal Frenzy. A lot of the bands are new, and they don’t have opportunities to have bigger performances like this … It’s not the route we’ll always go, but it’s the way we did it this year.”

In a year when almost all of the Federal Frenzy acts are newcomers, drummer Dean Anshutz is one of the few returnees.

Anshutz is a member of Kid Mammoth, which is making its Federal Frenzy debut as the closing act on The Summit FM outdoor stage. But Anshutz played the event a couple of times with Sam Goodwill, and he played the first Federal Frenzy in 2015 when Red Wanting Blue headlined the inaugural event.

“For me personally, I just felt really special that they picked us (Red Wanting Blue) to do that and being a little bit of a guinea pig to see if it was going to work,” Anshutz said. “It just felt really awesome, a bit of a homecoming for Youngstown State, my alma mater. I remember it being really magical but very cold.”

Anshutz’s RWB bandmate Eric Hall also is part of Kid Mammoth, a project started by Kerry Henderson, who played in the Columbus band The Floorwalkers. The group started as a quid pro quo arrangement. Anshutz and Hall formed a side project called tick.tick.tick during the COVID-19 pandemic and asked Henderson to do some videos for them. In exchange Anshutz and Hall offered their services for any future recording projects Henderson had.

That arrangement evolved into Kid Mammoth.

The group released its self-titled debut album last year, and it will debut one new song, “Slow Burn,” at Federal Frenzy that Anshutz said reflects that evolution

“I think that whole (first) record, it was a lot like, we’re not working for Kerry, but it’s Kerry’s project and we’re part of it,” Anshutz said. “With the new stuff, there’s more of Eric and I’s identity on it. Instead of serving Kerry’s songs, we’re serving the songs we’re creating together, so I feel like we’re becoming more of a band in that way, which is exciting.”

NOT JUST MUSIC

While the 20-plus acts of five stages is a big draw, Federal Frenzy has more than music to offer.

“We want to make sure to give many people the opportunity to get involved,” Brunton said. “Our activities team worked hard to reach out to people. We have a lot of YSU campus groups and organizations to put on activities. It’s not just students putting things on. We’ve also got quite a few community organizations to join in.”

Those community participants include a pop-up skatepark set up by the Youngstown Skatepark Association, free tours of OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology from 2 to 5 p.m. and a voter registration hub with the League of Women Voters.

Activities offered by YSU student organizations will include black history trivia, a community drum circle, a breast cancer awareness bracelet bar, group poetry, screen printing and glitter tattoos.

YSU offices and departments will offer a button making station, customizable Federal Frenzy totes, and DIY craft corner, a Polaroid photobooth, temporary Penguin Pete tattoos and a community mural.

FOOD AND DRINK

One of the reasons Federal Frenzy is held in downtown Youngstown is to support local businesses.

This year, two area breweries, Noble Creature in Youngstown and Birdfish in Columbiana, will do a tap takeover at Draught House with each brewery pouring six different beers. Those buying alcoholic beverages at different establishments will be able to take them to different Federal Frenzy locations within the city’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area.

The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity will be selling grilled cheese sandwiches to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network, Brunton said, and the event will include a few food trucks (The Pierogi Lady, Loukouma Greek Donuts, Wok on the Wild Side) that were selected to complement — and not compete with — the downtown restaurants.

“We were trying to select ones that aren’t the type of menu that are available already in some of the downtown restaurants,” said Carolyn Jesko, assistant director of student activities at YSU.

Brunton added, “I guess our theme for everything is we want to make sure there’s something for everyone.”

PARKING

Paid parking will be available at various downtown lots. Attendees are encouraged to park at YSU Wick Avenue parking deck for $5, and a shuttle service will be available from 1:30 to 11:30 p.m. to transport attendees to and from downtown.

For set up and the event, West Federal Street will be closed from Market Square to Symphony Place, Hazel Street will be closed between West Commerce Street and Market Court, and South Phelps Street will be closed between West Federal and West Boardman streets.

If you go …

WHAT: Federal Frenzy Music & Arts Festival

WHEN: 2 to 11 p.m.

WHERE: West Federal Street, Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Free

YSU PenPro Main Stage

Outdoor Stage near 219 W Federal St.

• 2:30-3 p.m. — Doomsday Darling

• 3:30-4 p.m. — Largemouth Brass Band

• 4:30-5 p.m. — TJDUB

• 5:30-6 p.m. — Singled Out

• 6:30-7 p.m. — S.Y.S.

• 7:30-8 p.m. — Frida and The Mann

• 8:45-9:30 p.m. — Marcus Smith & The Rapscallions

• 10-10:45 p.m. — Armani White

The Summit FM Stage

Outdoor Stage near 34 W Federal St.

• 3-3:30 p.m. — 48th Drive

• 4-4:30 p.m. — Cassette Confidential

• 5-5:30 p.m. — Mo Turk

• 6-6:30 p.m. — Fruitfly

• 7-7:30 p.m. — The Sweet Spot

• 8-8:45 p.m. — Kid Mammoth

Twisted Roots Stage

34 N. Phelps St.

• 3-4 p.m. — Krypto. Divine

• 5-6 p.m. — Empty Kodiak

• 7-8 p.m. — Joey Aich

The Varsity Club Stage

131 W Commerce St.

• 2:30-3:30 p.m. — Humbles County

• 4:30-5:30 p.m. — Brake Fluid

• 6:30-7:15 p.m. — PARiS STEPHAN

V2 Stage

100 W Federal St.

• 2:45-3:45 p.m. — Three of Clubs

• 4:15-5:15 p.m. — Lydia Shae

• 5:45-6:45 p.m. — Janelle Li’El