WARREN — The Relay For Life, which is the major signature fundraising event hosted each year by the American Cancer Society, will be 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at the St. Demetrios Center grounds, 3223 Atlantic St. NE, Warren.

Phil O’Hara, chairman of the Trumbull County Relay For LifE and one of the event organizers, said this year’s relay is bringing together teams from Mahoning and Trumbull counties to one combined location.

The four-hour volunteer-led event will celebrate cancer survivors and their caregivers, remember loved ones lost to cancer, and raise funds to improve the lives of people with cancer and their families.

The local event, which for many years took place around Courthouse Square in downtown Warren, has been in recent years at the St. Demetrios Center grounds. In 2026, there will be more than 2.1 million new cancers diagnosed in the United States and 626,000 cancer deaths, according to statistics from the ACS.

O’Hara said Relay For Life has raised more than $6.8 billion to support these efforts since 1985, and the 2026 Relay For Life hopes to add to that figure, working toward the American Cancer Society’s mission to end cancer as we know it, for everyone.

O’Hara said this year’s fundraising goal is $75,000.

The event will begin with an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. with Warren Mayor Doug Franklin.

Other activities scheduled are a survivors dinner from Outback, live saxophone and robotics demonstrations from Warren G. Harding, Champion and Austintown Fitch high school robotics teams at 6:30 p.m., outdoor band experience and scavenger hunt at 7 p.m., frozen T-shirt contest at 7:30 p.m., raffle basket drawing at 8:15 p.m., luminaria ceremony at 8:45 p.m. and closing ceremony at 9 p.m.

O’Hara said teams will walk around the center’s parking lot during the event to raise funds and awareness

O’Hara said the Relay For Life has changed over the years, with Warren’s 24-hour relay for many years being the largest in the entire state.

He said following the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the relays have become fewer, with more difficulty in getting participants and volunteers.

“We have had the Warren Relay on Saturdays for many years. We decided to try Friday evening this year,” O’Hara said.

He said there are 12 relay teams from both counties scheduled to participate.

O’Hara said proceeds are used for cancer research and to support programming such as getting rides for cancer patients to their doctor’s offices and cancer centers for treatments.

He said the relays mean a lot to the cancer survivors and their families who attend to support them.

“People come to the relay to support our survivors, who take a walk at the beginning of the event. They celebrate the survivors and see how they are doing, while also remembering those who we have lost,” O’Hara said.

Students who need service hours can also help by volunteering and have forms signed by event leadership.