By Samantha Smith
Youngstown State University’s Penguin Productions is hosting Federal Frenzy on Saturday, April 23. The free event will be held from 2-11 p.m. in Downtown Youngstown.
Federal Frenzy is an annual event that showcases a variety of entertainment including food trucks, interactive activities and musical performances throughout the evening.
Penguin Productions has organized and hosted the event for the past eight years.
Destiny Magee, activities lead for Penguin Productions and junior dance management major, explained what Federal Frenzy is.
“It’s an art and music festival that takes over Downtown Youngstown,” she said. “This year, we’ll have multiple bands. It’s going to be bigger than we normally do it because we’re back in person this year.”
Magee detailed what food options will be provided at Federal Frenzy.
“We have a whole food truck strip of vendors,” she said. “Then we also partner with local businesses along the strip, like The Federal, Suzie’s, things like that.”
Jordan Record, events lead for Penguin Productions and senior communications major, also detailed what will be at the event.
“We will have vendors, so people in the area that want to come and sell their products [can],” she said. “For activities, student organizations and even some businesses will just put on interactive activities that are free and open to the public.”
Federal Frenzy takes an extensive amount of time to plan and set up, according to Magee. She explained the timeline for Penguin Productions’ event preparations.
“It’s all year-round. Honestly, we start as we’re doing Fall Fire Fest,” she said. “Come spring semester, we really lock down, so I’ll say we start over winter break and really just start focusing on Federal Frenzy, but it is [year-round] work as far as looking for bands and things like that.”
Magee explained why she enjoys Federal Frenzy and what it means to the community.
“It’s an all-inclusive event,” she said. “I love many aspects of Youngstown, it’s more than just the bands. We try to bring everyone from the community together and give everyone something to do.”
For more information on Federal Frenzy or Penguin Productions, visit its website.
“I really hope [students] take out what we’re getting from [Federal Frenzy],” Magee said. “Just being back in person and joining the community, coming back together.”
