Submitted photo / Rebecca Rose Youngstown artist Willie Duck is a regular participant in the juried artist marketplace that is one of the main attractions of Youngstown State University’s Summer Festival of the Arts.

Summer Festival of the Arts always draws a crowd, whether it’s at its original — and current — location at Youngstown State University or the years it was at Wean Park downtown.

This weekend it won’t be the only big event on campus, which could expand attendance. The first day of the festival coincides with the second day of YLIVE at Stambaugh Stadium, featuring Eric Church and Ernest.

“I think it’s going to open it up to another range of people that are coming to campus (this weekend),” SFA coordinator Katie Merrill said. “They aren’t coming to campus for Summer Festival of the Arts, but I do think now with Summer Festival of the Arts happening and then YLIVE, I think there’s going to be some people (who come to both).

“I’m hoping they come early. We have so many food trucks, we have music, there’s shade. They can come relax, have a good time, buy some art before, and then head to YLIVE and enjoy that concert. Our biggest art event in the city is happening at the same time as the biggest music event. You get two great experiences, and you don’t have to pay to get into summer fest.

There also will be free parking in YSU’s Wick Avenue deck during the day, so festival attendees will have a convenient place to park.

This is the 28th year for SFA, which started at YSU, but it moved to Wean Park for four years before returning to campus in 2025.

“Last year was fantastic,” Merrill said. “People were happy. They loved the campus. The artists were busy. We had great traffic the whole time.”

This year’s juried artist marketplace is expanding to around 80 vendors, about 20 more than last year. It includes local favorites and many out-of-state vendors, some who’ve been participating in the event for decades.

Some may be returning because the event is back at YSU, Merrill said, but it also could be due to the new application process instituted three years ago. Many of the traveling artists are in a different city every weekend and plan their schedules far in advance.

“I think we’re finally in the rotation for people,” Merrill said. “They’re seeing it’s a really good show. It’s not expensive as an artist to apply and participate, and we have great turnout, community involvement, and response is always really high and engaging.”

Because organizers were worried that hotel accommodations might be harder to find due to YLIVE concertgoers, Merrill said they brought back an old policy of making some dorm rooms available for rent to traveling vendors.

Among the new offerings is a children’s village.

“It will be filled with local, children’s-based organizations from around the community,” Merrill said. “Everybody’s doing crafts, children’s interactive activities. The YMCA is doing kids’ yoga, getting them to move with purpose. It will be really fun.”

In the past, SFA has featured popular local acts performing on multiple stages. With the ongoing renovations at the Kilcawley Center, organizers didn’t have the space where it traditionally put its main stage, Merrill said. Instead of bringing in outside talent, this year’s festival will feature students from Dana School of Music performing in different configurations on both days.

“Last year we used a few Dana large groups,” she said. “This year we had to scale it down, and we had such a great response to using the Dana students, we wanted to showcase them more. We have lots of fun trios, guitar duos, some jazz, some brass, and they’re all Dana students.”

The festival will utilize other university resources. Ward Beecher Planetarium will have free programs every hour on the hour. The Melnick Medical Museum in Cushwa Hall and the Clarence R. Smith Mineral Museum in Moser Hall both will have weekend hours. Nearby attractions — Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor and McDonough Museum of Art (Saturday only) — will be open as well.

One feature that carried over from Wean Park is using food trucks to feed hungry festival attendees. Food Ave. will be set up near Maag Library and will include The Arctic Circle Shaved Ice & Frozen Drinks, Bartell’s Take, Kettle Korn, Lena’s Pierogi House, Papa Gelateria, Roxbury Pizza Co., Sauceeino, Tra’s Gourmet Sandwiches and Wok on the Wild Side.

If you go …

WHAT: Summer Festival of the Arts

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Youngstown State University

HOW MUCH: Admission is free. For more information, go to sfa.ysu.edu