Hey YoTown!
Saturday is Sweetest Day, the most Ohio holiday there is, and this weekend is stacked with reasons to make plans with your favorite person. Brantley Gilbert brings the country to the Covelli Centre tonight, Boyz II Men brings the slow jams to Pittsburgh on Friday, the Penguins play under the lights Saturday, and there are wineries, cider houses and a show literally called Couples Therapy.
Not feeling romantic? We also put together every 2026 trick-or-treat time in the Valley so you can plan Halloween night now. Grab something sweet and let’s get into it.
This Week’s Edition
Sweetest Day Weekend: Your Date Night Game Plan + Haunted Highlights
Good Dog Roll Call
The Trick-or-Treat Cheat Sheet
Spotted Around Town
The Sweetest Gift Is the Bathroom She Keeps Pinning
Date Night Is Sweeter When the Pup Has Plans Too
Mummy Tummy: Tighten, Tone, Transform
Fellas, This Sweetest Day Gift Is Easy
The Sweetest Thing You Can Do for Your Family
Good News Around the Valley
A Sweet Thank You to the Valley
Find the One (Your House, We Mean)
A Sweetest Day Ride Built for Two
Want Your Business in the Scoop?
The Full Weekend Event Guide (Thu-Sun)
P.S.
💝 Sweetest Day Weekend: Your Date Night Game Plan
Thursday is boots and denim night. Brantley Gilbert brings his Real American Tour to the Covelli Centre downtown, which makes for an easy pregame and a loud, happy drive home. Want something quieter? Wear Red, Get Fed, the downtown Homecoming restaurant crawl, starts Friday and runs through Saturday, so you can scout dinner spots early.
Friday is a date night buffet. Hit the restaurant crawl downtown, see WITCH on Mahoning Avenue or The Cemetery Club (a comedy about three widows and one very eligible widower) at the Indigo Theater in Columbiana, or make the drive to Pittsburgh for Boyz II Men at The Wylie. If your person is the type who grabs your arm when something jumps out, every big haunt in the Valley is open too. That counts as romance.
Saturday is Sweetest Day. Start slow with the Vintage Halloween Weekend in Canfield or a guided meditation among the masterpieces at the Butler. At 2:30, Couples Therapy plays downtown, which is either the perfect date or a dare. Penguins fans can catch YSU vs. Northern Iowa at 6. Then pick your evening: live music at Mastropietro Winery, a wreath making night at Pioneer Trails Tree Farm in Poland, Helena Labuskes at Sundog Ciderhouse, or Dark on Park at Modern Methods in Warren.
Sunday starts early with the Youngstown Peace Race downtown (the 25K steps off at 8:30, the 11K at 10). Bring coffee and cheer. Families can hit two trunk-or-treats, one in Warren and one in Youngstown, and comedy fans can drive to Cleveland for Sheryl Underwood at the Funny Bone. Then go home, put your feet up, and let somebody else pick the movie.
👻 Haunted Highlights
Big Haunts (open weekends all October)
Where: 6878 Tod Ave SW, Lordstown (about 25 miles)
When: Fri and Sat 7 PM to 11:30 PM, Sun 7 PM to 9:30 PM. Open Fridays through Sundays through Sun, Nov 1 (final weekend Oct 30 to Nov 1).
Cost: Hayride $14, Quad Combo (all attractions) $30, Speedpass options $20 to $40. Heavy rain: indoor Insane-A-Tarium only, $15. Prices from a third party listing, confirm at the gate.
A covered hayride through 68 acres with animatronics and live actors, an indoor asylum haunted house, the Psycho Path trail, a Forbidden Cornfield walk and a vortex tunnel. Not recommended for kids 12 and under.
Where: Canfield Fairgrounds, 7265 Columbiana-Canfield Rd, Canfield (about 12 miles)
When: Fri and Sat 7 PM to midnight, Sun 7 PM to 10 PM. Open through Nov 1. Listed Fri/Sat dates: Oct 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31.
Cost: General admission $25, Fast Pass $10 (extra)
A new era of terror at the fairgrounds, pairing a haunted house with a hayride.
Where: 5185 Youngstown-Warren Rd, Niles, next to Eastwood Mall (about 15 miles)
When: Fri and Sat 7 PM to midnight through Oct 31. Sundays Oct 11, 18 and 25, 7 PM to 10 PM.
Cost: General admission $30, FastPass $40. Groups of 25 or more $25 to $27 per person.
After 30 years the Scaregrounds has a new home. Walk through the Barn of Evil (56,000 sq ft) and the Gore Reformatory (26,000 sq ft), plus food, games and entertainment.
Where: 12175 State St, Alliance (about 35 miles)
When: Fri and Sat 7:30 PM to midnight through October. Sundays Oct 11 and 25, 7:30 PM to 11 PM. Black-Out Event Sat, Nov 7. Box office opens 7 PM.
Cost: General admission $35 online, $38 at the box office. Fast Pass $30 (box office only, extra). Glo-Karts $12 online. Chaperone ticket $10 for guests 15 and under.
A multi attraction scream park: Fortress of Fear, Fearanoia, Skittlez Fun House, Fear Fair scare zone, Tilt-A-Hurl and the Massacre Express.
330-823-3933 · 4% surcharge on credit cards
Haunted Trail and Zombie Tours
Where: Paradise Lakes Family Campground, 1604 Housel Craft Rd, Bristolville (about 30 miles)
When: Fridays and Saturdays in October, about 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM. Glow Night also scheduled (date not confirmed).
Cost: $25 ages 12 and up, $12 ages 11 and under (listings vary, confirm on Facebook)
A nonprofit walking trail through the woods with upwards of 15 scenes.
Where: 2801 Ellwood Rd, New Castle, PA (about 25 miles)
When: Friday and Saturday nights in October. Guided tours at 6, 7, 8 and 9 PM. Arrive 20 minutes early, late arrivals forfeit. (Exact dates inferred from the Fri/Sat pattern, confirm.)
Cost: Tickets start at $33. Advance purchase strongly recommended.
A guided one hour tour through a three floor haunted manor. Ages 10 and up, adult required for kids, waiver required. Not wheelchair accessible.
Ghost Walks and Spooky Strolls
Where: 256 Mahoning Ave NW, Warren (about 15 miles)
When: Fri, Oct 16 and Fri-Sat, Oct 23-24 (40th anniversary year). Start time not listed, check the ticket page.
Cost: Adults 13 and up $10, youth 6 to 12 $5, kids 5 and under free
A Trumbull County Historical Society fundraiser walking through the ghost stories that have haunted the county for generations. All proceeds go to the society.
Not Scary At All (Family Friendly)
Where: 1109 Old Forge Rd, Kent (about 40 miles)
When: Pumpkin patch open through Oct 31. October hours listed 8 AM to 7 PM. Confirm days.
Cost: Parking free. Admission not listed.
Rated “Not Scary At All.” A GPS cut corn maze, a haunted bus, a free kids tent maze, and weekend face painting, caramel apples and kettle corn.
Where: 1555 Andrews St NE, Hartville (about 40 miles)
When: Mon to Sat 10 AM to 7 PM, Sun 1 PM to 6 PM (listing, confirm).
Cost: $12 general, $10 seniors, free for ages 3 and under. Mon to Thu $10.
All ages, no scares. Wagon ride to pick a pumpkin, corn maze, straw tunnel and petting farm.
🐾 Good Dog Roll Call
Looking for a Sweetest Day date who will never check their phone at dinner, always laughs at your jokes, and thinks you are the best thing that ever happened to them? Somebody waiting at the Mahoning County Dog Warden on N. Meridian Rd. is ready to commit, no flowers required.
Mahoning County Dog Warden & Adoption Center
🍽️ Local Eats Coming Soon: Mongolian Bowl
Somebody is about to make lunch a lot more interesting. A Mongolian Bowl sign just went up next to Fin, Fur, Feather, promising sizzling Mongolian grill style bowls. No opening date yet, but we will let you know the second those grills fire up. Spot a new opening sign around the Valley? Hit reply and tell us.
The Sweetest Gift is the Bathroom She Keeps “Pinning”
Infinity Renovations, LLC
Infinity Renovations, LLC
Chocolates are gone by Sunday. A bathroom refresh is the Sweetest Day gift that keeps on giving every single morning. Infinity Renovations is a Youngstown-based home and commercial painting and remodeling company that turns someday projects into “done” projects. Think fresh paint in the room you both actually live in, or a full bathroom or kitchen refresh with new flooring and the updates that make it feel brand new. With the holidays coming and family about to fill your house, now is the perfect time to get on the calendar.
Call Infinity Renovations for an estimate and give your home a little love before the holidays.
Date Night Is Sweeter When the Pup Has Plans Too
Planning a Sweetest Day getaway? Some trips are not built for a dog, and that is okay. Canine Cove in Austintown offers overnight boarding done the way you would want it for your own pup: real attention, real play, and real rest on fenced acreage built for actual dogs. Go enjoy the winery, the late dinner reservation, and the sleep in, then come home to a happy, tired dog who had a pretty great weekend of their own.
Call to book overnight boarding before fall weekends fill up.
🧟 Mummy Tummy: Tighten, Tone, Transform
That little pooch that will not budge no matter how many crunches you do? Let’s wrap it up for good. Meet the Mummy Tummy: HIFU stomach sculpting that uses focused ultrasound energy to tighten loose skin and tone the tummy with no surgery and no downtime.
Here is the treat: book three HIFU stomach treatments and get FOUR green light sessions FREE. Green light helps empty out stubborn fat cells, so the two work together to tighten, tone, and transform. Start now and you will be feeling yourself in time for holiday party season. This is one Halloween treat with zero calories.
Schedule a FREE consultation. Call or text and we will find you a time this week.Schedule a FREE consultation. Call or text and we will find you a time this week.
Fellas, Your Sweetest Day Gift Is Sorted
Fellas, we are going to make this easy for you. Saturday is Sweetest Day, and she does not need another candle. She needs ninety minutes where nobody asks her for anything.
The Signature Head Spa Experience at Youngstown Head Spa starts with warm steam and a real scalp detox, then moves into aromatherapy and a neck and shoulder release that sends plenty of people straight to sleep mid appointment. Book it for her and you are a legend until Christmas. And hey, while you are at it, book one for yourself. Trick or treat yourself. We won’t tell.
Call 330-967-1709 to book her Sweetest Day Head Spa. Weekend slots go fast.
Give her the relaxation she deserves. Book her Head Spa appointment today.
Call 330-967-1709 or visit youngstownheadspa.com.
🎃 The Trick-or-Treat Cheat Sheet
Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, and almost every community in the Valley is trick-or-treating on Saturday, October 31. Screenshot this, send it to the group chat, and stick it on the fridge. Then do your neighborhood a favor and buy the good candy. Full size bars are how legends are made.
Mahoning County · Sat, Oct 31
Youngstown (rain or shine) | 4-6 PM |
Austintown | 5:30-7:30 PM |
Beaver Township | 5-7 PM |
Beloit | 5-7 PM |
Berlin Township | 5:30-7:30 PM |
Boardman | 5-7 PM |
Campbell | 5-7 PM |
Canfield | 5:30-7:30 PM |
Ellsworth Township | 5-7 PM |
Poland Village | 5-7 PM |
Sebring | 5-7 PM |
Struthers | 5-7 PM |
Trumbull County · Sat, Oct 31
Cortland | 6-8 PM |
Girard | 5-7 PM |
Howland Township | 6-8 PM |
Hubbard (rain or shine) | 5-7 PM |
Liberty Township | 5-7 PM |
Lordstown | 5-7 PM |
Niles (rain or shine) | 5:30-7:30 PM |
Warren | 6-8 PM |
Columbiana County · Sat, Oct 31
Columbiana | 5-7 PM |
East Palestine | 5:30-7 PM |
Washington Township (rain or shine) | 6-8 PM |
Times confirmed by at least two 2026 sources as of Oct 15. Towns change plans for weather, so check your township’s page or Facebook the week of. Don’t see your town? It had not posted yet or the sources did not agree.
Can’t Wait? Trunk-or-Treats Coming Up
Heaven At Home Trunk or Treat
📍 7 Belgrade Ave - Youngstown, OH
🕰️ Sat, Oct 17 · 12 PM
Trucks, Treats & Treasures
📍 St. Demetrios Community Center - Warren, OH
🕰️ Sun, Oct 18 · 12 PM
Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat
📍 388 E. Midlothian Blvd. - Youngstown, OH
🕰️ Sun, Oct 18 · 12:30 PM
Howloween Spooktacular Pet Parade & Costume Contest
📍 Boardman Township Park - Boardman, OH
🕰️ Sat, Oct 24 · 1 PM Costumed pups on parade. Yes, you should go.
7th Annual Trunk or Treat
📍 7901 Market St - Boardman, OH
🕰️ Sat, Oct 24 · 4:30 PM
Trunk or Treat Adventure
📍 9939 South Ave - Poland, OH
🕰️ Sat, Oct 24 · 5 PM
Trunk or Treat at TownCenter at Firestone Farms
📍 101 TownCenter Ave - Columbiana, OH
🕰️ Sun, Oct 25 · 2 PM
The Sweetest Thing You Can Do for Your Family
Flowers wilt and chocolate disappears, but knowing your family is protected is the kind of sweet that lasts. Sweetest Day is a good excuse to ask whether your coverage still fits the life you are building together. Preston Moore and his team at Moore Family Insurance on North Broad in Canfield will walk through auto, home, renters, motorcycle, business, and life coverage with you in plain language, so every choice you make is one you feel confident about. Straight answers from neighbors who live here too.
Call for a coverage review and head into fall with real peace of mind.
🌟 Good News Around the Valley
Mill Creek just opened a $3 million playground made of plants. The Anthony J. Fox Family Foundation Children’s Garden is officially open at Fellows Riverside Gardens, with five themed areas built for kids to climb, splash, dig and explore: a Stream Garden, Forest Garden, Wonder Rooms, Sensory Garden and Harvest Garden. Look for hidden trolls with built-in faces, a waterfall wall you can paint with water, a hand pump for watering the greenhouse plants, and a globe that turns on a fountain. The 15 month project was funded almost entirely through philanthropy, led by the Fox family in memory of their son. It is open during daylight hours whenever Fellows is open, so the next sunny afternoon has a plan.Do THIS Before the First Cold Night
💙 A Sweet Thank You to the Valley
1-800-Plumber +Air Youngstown
Sweetest Day is about saying thank you to the people who show up for you, so this week we are handing our space to a sponsor with something important to say.
1-800-Plumber +Air Youngstown is closing its doors, and the whole team wants to say one thing loud and clear: thank you, Youngstown. Thank you for inviting us into your homes, for trusting us with the late night leaks, the cold morning furnace calls, and the water heaters that always seem to quit on a holiday weekend. Thank you for the coffee you offered, the dogs who greeted us at the door, and the referrals you sent to your neighbors. Serving the Mahoning Valley has been a privilege, and we are grateful for every single call.
From all of us, thank you for your support. It meant more than you know.
With gratitude, the 1-800-Plumber +Air Youngstown team.
Find the One (Your House, We Mean)
Hailey Ditullio, Howard Hanna
Some couples celebrate Sweetest Day with dinner. Some spend it scrolling listings together on the couch and dreaming about the next chapter. If that is you, Hailey Ditullio is the matchmaker you want. She knows Poland, Boardman, and Canfield block by block: which streets back up to the good parks, which neighborhoods are worth an afternoon, and how to get your current place noticed. Fall is a genuinely smart season to buy or sell, with the summer rush gone and serious buyers still looking. Your forever home might be one showing away.
Call Hailey and let’s go look at some houses this weekend.
A Sweetest Day Ride Built for Two
Forget the crowded restaurant. The most underrated date in the Valley is a ride through Mill Creek Park while the last of the fall color hangs on. On an e-bike, the hills stop being a factor, so neither of you shows up to dinner out of breath. Cruise the Creek rents e-bikes and runs guided rides right through the park, flat and paved for beginners or wooded and hilly if you want more of an adventure. Ride side by side past the lakes and the bridges, stop for photos, then go grab a cider. Easy, sweet, and very much worth it.
Text to reserve your bikes, or follow on Facebook for rental hours and guided ride dates.
📣 Want Your Business in the Scoop?
Thousands of your Valley neighbors read this newsletter every week, and they love supporting local. Get your business a themed spotlight just like the ones above, written fresh every week and tied to whatever the whole town is already talking about.
Reply to this email and let us get you featured.
📅 The Full Weekend Event Guide
TONS of ways to spend the next four days within about 45 minutes of Youngstown, grouped by day and distance (see our Worth the Drive section).
Click any event for details and tickets.
All Weekend Long
Nightmare in Niles
📍 5185 Youngstown-Warren Rd - Niles, OH
🕰️ Fri-Sat 7 PM-midnight · Sun, Oct 18 7-10 PM
Longtime Valley haunt scaring from its new Niles home.
Maniacs in the Woods
📍 Paradise Lakes Campground - Bristolville, OH
🕰️ Fri-Sat evenings
Nonprofit haunted trail celebrating its tenth scary season.
Warren Ghost Walk 2026
📍 First Presbyterian Church - Warren, OH
🕰️ Fri, Oct 16 (also Oct 23-24)
Forty years of Warren's haunted history, told after dark.
Kuchta Farms Fall Season
📍 Kuchta Farms - Newton Falls, OH
🕰️ Thu-Fri from noon · Sat-Sun from 10 AM
Corn maze, wagon rides, pumpkin train and farm animals.
Thursday, October 15
Friday, October 16
WITCH
📍 702 Mahoning Ave - Youngstown, OH
🕰️ Fri, Oct 16 · 7:30 PM
Darkly funny stage play about a devilish bargain.
Saturday, October 17 (Sweetest Day)
Vintage Halloween Weekend
📍 10580 W Western Reserve Rd - Canfield, OH
🕰️ Sat, Oct 17 · 11 AM
Hunt for vintage Halloween decor and spooky collectibles.
Spooktacular Basket Bash
📍 Davidson's Restaurant/Tavern - [JACQ: city]
🕰️ Sat, Oct 17 · 11 AM
Halloween basket raffle with plenty of prizes.
Couples Therapy
📍 220 W Boardman St - Youngstown, OH
🕰️ Sat, Oct 17 · 2:30 PM
The most on-theme Sweetest Day outing in the Valley.
Sunday, October 18
The Youngstown Peace Race
📍 Federal Plaza - Youngstown, OH
🕰️ Sun, Oct 18 · 25K 8:30 AM · Kids Run 9 AM · 2-Mile 9:30 AM · 11K 10 AM
Run, walk or cheer through downtown Youngstown.
Trucks, Treats & Treasures
📍 St. Demetrios Community Center - Warren, OH
🕰️ Sun, Oct 18 · 12 PM
Trucks to climb, treats to grab, treasures to find.
Worth the Drive
CeCe Winans
📍 Wolstein Center - Cleveland, OH
🕰️ Thu, Oct 15 · 7 PM
Gospel legend live in Cleveland.
Boyz II Men
📍 Citizens Live at The Wylie - Pittsburgh, PA
🕰️ Fri, Oct 16 · 7:30 PM
The ultimate slow jam date night.
Frank-N-Furter's Ball
📍 103 S High St - Akron, OH
🕰️ Sat, Oct 17 · 6 PM
Rocky Horror inspired Halloween costume party.
Sheryl Underwood
📍 Cleveland Funny Bone - Cleveland, OH
🕰️ Sun, Oct 18 · 6:30 PM
Stand-up from the comedian and TV host.
Worth the Wait
Nelly
📍 Covelli Centre - Youngstown, OH
🕰️ Fri, Dec 11 · 7:30 PM
🍬 P.S.
Sweetest Day is not about the fancy dinner. It is about showing up for your people. Text your mom, hug your kids, take your best friend for coffee, or just tell the person across the table they are pretty great. Then go have a sweet weekend in Youngstown.
The YoTown Scoop · Youngstown & the Mahoning Valley
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