Since the diversity of year-round live performances in Trumbull spans from Packard Music Hall and Robins Theatre to the community-built Trumbull New Theatre, here’s a list of the top 8 entertainment venues in Trumbull County where you’ll find the best entertainment in Northeast Ohio!
Packard Music Hall
Big Band Sound, big laughs, and big entertainment fill Warren’s W.D. Packard Music Hall. The public hall owned by the city of Warren has 7,000 square feet of space and a seating capacity of nearly 2,500 people. The venue has played host to everything from dance competitions to high school graduations, but is best known as the home of the W.D. Packard Concert Band, “The Pride of Warren since 1955,” and its free concert series.
William Doud Packard, a founder of the Packard Automobile Company, left money in his will for the construction of the music hall on Mahoning Avenue in Warren.
It now sees over 150,000 in attendance each year with big traveling acts running the gamut from rock and country to R&B, Latin, Metal, and comedians. Packard Music Hall also has an outdoor stage on the side of the building where the Packard Band performs many of its summer concerts.
Warren Amphitheatre
Do you love rock, country, and summertime? Then you’ll love the Warren Community Amphitheatre and the River Rock at the Amp Concert Series. Overlooking the banks of the Mahoning River, this outdoor amphitheater built into the side of the hill in Warren’s Perkins Park seats around 3,000 people.
The multipurpose stage has hosted national groups, local bands, outdoor movie screenings, civic events and more.
The River Rock concert series from May to August brings classic rock, country, and occasional pop tribute bands with acts like 7 Bridges, an Eagles tribute, and The Prince Project. On certain summer days, you can also find the Warren Farmer’s Market set up along the top of the amp, near the historic Kinsman House.
The Robins Theatre
This historic theatre on East Market Street in downtown Warren is the perfect place to catch a band, comedian, or movie! The century-old theatre first opened in January 1923 and operated until 1974. Four decades later, the theatre was renovated and reopened its doors.
The grand Adam style theatre with Vermont marble columns has around 1,400 seats on three levels.
It’s a grand place to jam to renowned tribute bands that encompass music from the Rolling Stones to Taylor Swift, enjoy a play, or to sit back and watch a classic movie just like folks would have in the 1920s and 1930s! Plus, you can kick back with a drink and snacks two hours before the show at The Club at Robins Theatre.
Trumbull County Fairgrounds
No summer in Trumbull County is complete without a trip to the fairgrounds! Of course, the sprawling fairgrounds’ biggest event is the Trumbull County Fair, held each year over a week in July.
You can catch up with the 4-H kids and their animals, grab a very fresh milkshake, and hit the rides, or check out the crafts, cars, and historic village.
You can also catch plenty of entertainment at the towering Grandstands – from demolition derbies to rocking concerts! The fairgrounds host other events throughout the summer, too. Most notably, Rockabilly Ruckus in August brings Rockabilly bands and classic cars – 1979 or older show vehicles – to the fairgrounds on Everett-Hull Road in Cortland.
You won’t want to miss the vintage fashion show, kids’ Hot Wheels track, or the motorcycle stunt shows! Or, if you’d like to get a little bit Scandinavian, check out the Ohio Viking Festival in June.
Trumbull New Theatre
What is a community without theatre? Niles has a community theatre with heart and style – Trumbull New Theatre! Talented local actors take the stage a half a dozen times a year for dramas, comedies, classics, and musicals. The theatre on Youngstown Warren Road in Niles seats around 150 people – and was built by Trumbull New Theatre members!
Since its opening in 1957, the space has had plenty of additions and improvements, including an outer lobby, wardrobe, and set construction area, which has allowed for more elaborate shows.
Some recent productions include “The Play That Goes Wrong,” “The Laramie Project,” “Our Town,” and “Disaster!”
Bootlegger’s Ballroom at Yankee Lake
Looking for a stomping and hollering good time? You can catch all your favorite country music – and a little rock and pop, too – at Bootleggers at Yankee Lake.
This rustic standing-room venue can hold upwards of 1,200 people and is the perfect place to grab a drink and dance to a Rascal Flatts or Zach Brown tribute band.
The ballroom on Ohio Route 7 opened in 1928 – before the village of Yankee Lake was even formed.
In fact, it’s said the village was incorporated in 1934 solely to allow residents to dance on Sundays. And dance the residents still do!
Sharon Speedway
Not looking for music, theatre, or movies? Well, this is a venue that’s got you covered for a different form of entertainment: racing.
Cars have been speeding around Sharon Speedway’s 3/8-mile red clay dirt track since 1929.
The racing complex on Custer Orangeville Road in Hartford is partially owned by Hartford native NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Dave Blaney and is named for the nearby city of Sharon, Pennsylvania.
Catch weekly races from mid-May through September.
Kent Trumbull Theatre
With more than half a century of theatre under their belt, the folks at Kent Trumbull Theatre certainly know how to put on a show. Located on Kent State University’s Trumbull Campus off Mahoning Avenue in Champion, shows at this theatre are usually performed by university students along with some talented local actors.
Kent Trumbull typically puts on three shows during the university season and three more in the summer as part of the Summer Stock Program, which includes the county’s most talented youth actors.
The theatre has tackled musical favorites like “Rent,” and longtime classics like “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” – all to the delight of local audiences and critics alike!
BONUS: Summer Concerts on the Lawn
This isn’t a venue per se, but if you’re looking for even more entertainment, you can catch plenty of free summer concerts all over Trumbull County!
Look for music on the lawn at McKinley Memorial Library on Main Street in Niles, Music in the Park at Howland Township Park on Rosegarden Drive, or Vienna Summer Concerts at the Gazebo at 4275 Warren Sharon Road – just to name a few!
You’ll hear high school marching bands, tributes from Elvis to the Beatles, swing music, and more.
And so, ladies and gentlemen, there it is! Our list of go-to, must-see entertainment venues in Trumbull County. We hope you’ll visit one – or maybe a few – of these fantastic spots located halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
