/Hi YoTown Friends! 👋
Can you smell it? Somewhere between the fair fries and the first fallen leaves, the Valley just flipped its calendar to fall. The cider presses are warming up, the pumpkin patches are counting down, and this Labor Day weekend is stacked with more than 60 ways to celebrate. Whether you're grandstand-bound for Big & Rich, hunting bargains along 60 miles of Route 7, or just plotting your first caramel apple, this issue is your official weekend playbook.
1. Sip & Pick: Your Cider and Pumpkin Patch Preview
2. Good Dog Roll Call: Meet Buttons
3. Editor's Pick: Snores & S'mores Puppy Sleepover 🐶
4. Local Eats Spotlight: The Pretzel Bar
5. Pumpkins on the Porch, Not Mice in the Pantry
6. Sweater Weather Skin Starts Now
7. The Coziest Hour in the Valley
8. Hayrides, Bonfires, and Zero Worries
9. Before Cider Season Becomes Furnace Season
10. The Porch Your Pumpkins Deserve + Home of the Week
11. Leaf Peeping at 20 Miles Per Hour
12. Day Trippin': The Great Geauga County Fair
13. The Ultimate Weekend Guide (Thu-Mon, 60+ events)
14. P.S.
Early fall peeking through the trees at ‘the mill’
Sip & Pick: Your Cider and Pumpkin Patch Preview
Let's talk cider. Not the grocery store jug, the real thing, pressed at a Valley farm. White House Fruit Farm in Canfield presses its own fresh apple cider right on the farm, and pairing a cold cup with their famous blueberry donuts is a Valley rite of passage. Their big Fall Opening celebration lands Friday, September 11, so mark it now. And tucked on West Calla Road, Haus Cider Mill has been pressing cider in Canfield the old-fashioned way for generations. Swing by 6742 W. Calla Rd (open Mon-Thu and Sat, 10 AM to 5 PM, 330-533-5305) and taste what an actual cider mill does with an apple.
Now the pumpkin patch cheat sheet. 🎃 The headline: Kuchta Farms in Newton Falls opens for the season THIS Saturday, September 5, with a corn maze, sunflower and wildflower fields, a barrel train, a pumpkin patch, and fresh cider in the farm store. The rest of the Valley lineup is right behind: Molnar Farms in Poland (hayrides, patch, and corn maze on October weekends), Detwiler Farm in Columbiana (hayrides out to the picking field), Maze Craze in New Springfield (a 21-acre monster maze opening September 18), and Rolling Acres Corn Maze in Leetonia (opening September 12). Consider this your official permission slip to plan every weekend through Halloween.
❤️ Good News Around the Valley
❤️ Kuchta Farms kicks off fall. The Newton Falls farm celebrates its 2026 Opening Day Saturday with Sunflower Days in full golden bloom. Twenty-five-plus attractions and endless photo ops.
❤️ The Valley walks for rescue dogs. Mutt Strut '26 steps off Saturday at 2:30 PM to support The Healthy Hearts and Paws Project and the dogs they save.
❤️ Punks with hearts of gold. Saturday at Modern Methods Brewing in Warren, Punks With Purpose rocks to stock the shelves of the Youngstown Food Brigade.
❤️ Fifty years of Oktoberfest. Boardman Rotary's 50th Annual Oktoberfest is coming October 4 to Boardman Park. Five decades of brats, bands, and giving back.
🐾 Good Dog Roll Call:
Mahoning County Dog Warden & Adoption Center
🕰️ Mon/Wed/Fri 8–4:30
· Tue/Thu 8–5:30
· Sat 9–noon
· Closed Sunday
🍴 Editor’s Pick: Snores & S'mores Puppy Sleepover
File this under "things too cute to skip." On Friday, September 26, Canine Cove in Austintown hosts the Snores & S'mores Puppy Sleepover, a campout night for your pup complete with a bedtime story around the (safely supervised) campfire vibes, a puppy-safe s'mores treat, a cozy bandana, breakfast in bed, and a photo of your camper to keep forever.
Drop off is at 5 PM and pickup runs 8 to 10 AM the next morning, all for $69. Here's the catch: there are only 12 spots, and things this adorable do not stay available. Book your pup's big night before the marshmallows run out.
Sweater Weather = Pretzel Weather
There’s something about that first little chill in the air that makes a warm, freshly baked soft pretzel taste even better.
If you’re ready to trade summer treats for something a little cozier, stop by The Pretzel Bar inside The Amish Market in Boardman. Their Amish-style soft pretzels are made from a family recipe, twisted by hand and baked until perfectly golden. You can keep it classic with a warm salted pretzel and cheese or make lunch out of one of their hearty pretzel wraps.
Consider this your official permission to embrace carb season.
The Pretzel Bar
📍 6121 South Ave., Boardman
Open Thursday through Saturday.
Located inside the Amish Market
The Pretzel Bar in Boardman!!
🐜 Pumpkins on the Porch, Not Mice in the Pantry
Fall is officially moving in, and so are the freeloaders. As the nights cool off, mice, spiders, and stink bugs start eyeing your cozy house the way we eye a warm cider donut. Complete Pest Solutions is headquartered right in Boardman, so the folks answering the phone know exactly what a Valley September brings: yellow jackets crashing your tailgate, ants scouting the kitchen, rodents sneaking in behind the corn stalks and mums. One call gets your home sealed up and protected before the holiday hosting season, so the only guests this fall are the ones you actually invited. 4.8 stars from 400+ of your neighbors.
Call them. 4.8 stars, 400-plus customers.
Sweater Weather Skin Starts Now
Summer was fun, but your skin kept the receipts: sun, sweat, sunscreen, and one too many afternoons at the fair. Before the flannel photos and pumpkin patch selfies start, hit reset with a fall facial at Skin Solution Medspa. Cooler weather is also the perfect season to start laser sunspot removal, since less sun exposure means ideal healing conditions. New season, clean canvas. Book a free consultation, sip something warm, and walk out with that fresh-pressed glow no filter can fake. You spend all year taking care of everyone's needs. This fall, it’s your turn.
Free consultations, gift cards available.
The Coziest Hour in Youngstown
There is hot cider cozy, and then there is head spa cozy. Imagine a full hour where the to-do list disappears: warm water, gentle scalp massage, quiet music, and absolutely nobody asking what's for dinner. That's Youngstown Head Spa, the Valley's little escape hatch tucked in Boardman. It's the perfect landing after a weekend of hayrides, fair crowds, and pumpkin hauling, and it makes a genius surprise for the person who plans everyone else's fall fun. Gift cards are available, appointments fill fast when the weather turns, so claim your cozy hour now.
Hayrides, Bonfires, and ZERO Worries
Fall in the Valley is for pumpkin patches, tailgates, and cramming the whole crew in the car for a cider run. Preston Moore and the Moore Family Insurance team make sure the boring-but-important stuff is handled before the fun starts: the car doing all that leaf-peeping, the home hosting the bonfires, the camper heading out for one last trip. A quick coverage review takes minutes and can save you real money heading into the holidays. Call the Canfield office, get your questions answered by an actual neighbor, and then go enjoy the season knowing you're covered.
Before Cider Season Becomes Furnace Season
1-800-Plumber +Air Youngstown
The first chilly night always finds the weak spot: the furnace that groans awake, the water heater that quits mid-shower, the drain that can't handle a house full of Labor Day guests. Beat the fall rush and let 1-800-Plumber +Air of Youngstown give your heating and plumbing a pre-season checkup while the weather is still kind. Licensed pros, upfront pricing, and work done right the first time, so when that first frost hits you're sipping hot cider instead of boiling water on the stove. One call now saves a cold emergency later.
Find the Porch Your Pumpkins Deserve
Hailey Ditullio, Realtor · Howard Hanna
HOME OF THE WEEK: McDonald, Ohio Home (3 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom)
Every fall photo you love has the same backdrop: a front porch with mums, pumpkins on the steps, and a door worth wreathing. If your current place doesn't feel like that house, this is the season to change it. Hailey Ditullio knows Poland, Boardman, and Canfield street by street, and fall is a sweet spot for buyers and sellers alike: serious shoppers, beautiful curb appeal, and time to be settled before the holidays. Whether you're listing, looking, or just curious what your home is worth, reach out for a no-pressure chat. Your pumpkin-perfect porch is out there.
Leaf Peeping at 20 Miles Per Hour
Here's the secret to seeing Mill Creek Park's fall colors before everyone floods in for October: an e-bike, a cool September morning, and a trail all to yourself. Cruise the Creek makes it effortless. Choose the Trailside Journey for flat, paved bikeways perfect for beginners and families, or Unleash Your Adventure on wooded, hilly trails if you like your leaf peeping with a little adrenaline. Pedal-assist means everybody keeps up, nobody complains about the hills, and the cider stop afterward is fully earned. Text to reserve your ride and turn a plain weekend into a plan.
⭐ Day Trippin': The Great Geauga County Fair
If you've already done your Canfield Fair laps (respect), point the car 45 minutes north to Burton for The Great Geauga County Fair, running Thursday through Labor Day Monday. It bills itself as Ohio's oldest county fair, and it wears those years beautifully: draft horse pulls, maple everything (this is Geauga County, after all), barns full of blue-ribbon animals, and a demolition derby of its own.
The town of Burton is worth the trip alone, with its historic town square and sugar camp charm just as the first leaves start to turn. Make a loop of it: fair in the afternoon, a drive through Amish country at golden hour, and a stop for maple treats on the way home.
It's the perfect "we're basically on vacation" move for a long weekend when the gas tank is full and the calendar is empty.
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📅 The Ultimate Weekend Guide
Sixty-plus ways to spend the long weekend, grouped by day. Click any event for details and tickets. 👇
Multi-Day & All Weekend
Canfield Fair 2026
📍 Canfield Fairgrounds — Canfield, OH
🕰️ Wed, Sep 2 – Mon, Sep 7
The 180th Canfield Fair: rides, food, animals, grandstand shows.
2026 Route 7 60-Mile Yard Sale
📍 Along Ohio State Route 7 — Valley-wide
🕰️ Fri, Sep 4 – Sun, Sep 6
Sixty miles of bargains, treasures, and roadside finds.
Fall at the Barn 2026
📍 The Barn, 7 Kinsman Rd — Greenville, PA
🕰️ Fri, Sep 4 – Mon, Sep 7
Fall shopping, decor, and barn browsing all weekend.
SEPTEMBER ATV & SXS Event
📍 10321 Silica Sand Rd — Garrettsville, OH
🕰️ Fri, Sep 4 – Sun, Sep 6
Off-road riding weekend for ATVs and side-by-sides.
Back to The 50's Weekend
📍 Cascade Park — New Castle, PA
🕰️ Sat, Sep 5 – Sun, Sep 6
Classic cars, oldies, and retro fun in the park.
Canfield Fair Shuttle
📍 MCCTC Adult Career Center — Canfield, OH
🕰️ Sat, Sep 5 – Mon, Sep 7
Skip the parking lines, shuttle straight to the fair.
Thursday, September 3
Tech Thursdays
📍 375 Boardman-Poland Rd — Boardman, OH
🕰️ Thu, Sep 3 · 10:30 AM
Free drop-in help with phones, apps, and gadgets.
Singo! at SSBC
📍 Sandy Springs Brewing Co — Minerva, OH
🕰️ Thu, Sep 3 · 6:30 PM
Music bingo where every card is a playlist.
Trivia Night with Gregg
📍 Royal Oaks Bar & Grill — Youngstown, OH
🕰️ Thu, Sep 3 · 7 PM
Legendary dive bar trivia, bragging rights included.
Friday, September 4
Flow & Dough 3.0
📍 Nelson Ledges Quarry Park — Garrettsville, OH
🕰️ Fri, Sep 4 · 12 PM
Yoga flows and fresh pizza by the quarry.
LIVE MUSIC - Jim Gill
📍 2400 NE River Rd — Lake Milton, OH
🕰️ Fri, Sep 4 · 6 PM
Lakeside live music to start the long weekend.
Saturday, September 5
Men's Breakfast
📍 Midway Mennonite Church — Columbiana, OH
🕰️ Sat, Sep 5 · 8 AM
Hot breakfast, coffee, and fellowship to start Saturday.
Yard Sale and Bake Sale
📍 50873 Richardson Ave — Negley, OH
🕰️ Sat, Sep 5 · 9 AM
Treasures out front, baked goods at the table.
Sunflower Days
📍 Kuchta Farms — Newton Falls, OH
🕰️ Sat, Sep 5 · 10 AM
Wander golden sunflower fields, camera strongly recommended.
Butterflies & Blooms
📍 Kuchta Farms — Newton Falls, OH
🕰️ Sat, Sep 5 · 11 AM
Butterflies and blooms among the farm's flower fields.
FALL Youth Outdoor Soccer
📍 925 N Hermitage Rd — Hermitage, PA
🕰️ Sat, Sep 5 · 1 PM
Fall youth soccer season gets its opening kick.
Ohio School of Falconry
📍 12798 Echo Dell Rd — East Liverpool, OH
🕰️ Sat, Sep 5 · 1 PM
Meet hawks up close and learn ancient falconry.
OPFOR Game Demos
📍 900 N State St — Girard, OH
🕰️ Sat, Sep 5 · 2 PM
Try tabletop wargames with demos for all levels.
Sunday, September 6
Sensory Sunday
📍 The Butler Institute of American Art — Youngstown, OH
🕰️ Sun, Sep 6 · 11 AM
A calmer, sensory-friendly morning at the museum.
Big and Rich with Diamond Rio
📍 Canfield Fairgrounds Grandstand — Canfield, OH
🕰️ Sun, Sep 6 · 7 PM
Country stars headline the fair's big grandstand night.
Monday, September 7 (Labor Day)
🌟 P.S. 🌟
Somewhere in the Valley this weekend there's a cup of fresh-pressed cider, a grandstand seat, and a caramel apple with your name on them. Go find all three.
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