The frenzy starts a day earlier this year.

Federal Frenzy, presented by Youngstown State University’s Penguin Productions, expands to two days this year. It returns to downtown Youngstown on Saturday with multiple stages and activities on and around West Federal Street, and it adds a Friday lineup at Penguin City Brewing Company, which hosted the event in 2023 and ’24 due to road closures downtown.

That means more opportunities for local acts to reach a new and larger audience.

As in the past, there is a national headliner — Ultra Q, a post-punk/shoegaze/emo band from Oakland, Calif., that has played shows with Green Day (Ultra Q’s guitar player is the son of Billie Joe Armstrong) and former Federal Frenzy headliner Hunny. But the other 30 acts over two days have local or regional ties.

Candance Campana of Struthers, who will headline the stage inside the Varsity Club on Saturday, is playing the event for the third time.

“It’s a great way to showcase local talent,” Campana said. “Everything is streaming and downloads and the mainstream artists, and we kind of get shoved to the side sometimes. But Federal Frenzy is a way to really showcase the local talent and help us get to that level we want to be at. I want to be The Pretty Reckless, I want to be up there, and this gives us that chance.”

Campana will release a new single on Friday called “Rhythm Run.” She picked that day for several reasons — it’s her best friend’s birthday, the alignment of the stars, one of her favorite bands (Ghost) also is releasing new music that day. But putting it out the weekend of Federal Frenzy also was a factor.

“People are there all day,” she said. “Regardless whether they’ve heard of you or not, they’re going to stop and listen. They may stop and listen while on the way to somebody they are familiar with or while they’re waiting for somebody they’re familiar with, so it’s just great exposure all around. You’re guaranteed to make a couple new fans that day, which is perfect.”

The ska band Fine Young Men also will be making a return appearance, this time as direct support for the headliner. The band has played at the Warren Community Amphitheatre as part of the River Rock at the Amp concert series and opened for Tropidelic earlier this year for a sold-out show at Westside Bowl, but Saturday’s concert has the potential to be its largest audience.

Singer and guitar player Jason “Sweet Baby Jay” Connelly said the band was surprised to see acts they opened for in the past farther down the Main Stage bill than Fine Young Men.

“Either we have a big fan amongst the organizers or they might have come out to see the Tropidelic show, because that was insane,” Connelly said.

The band — Brenden “Big Dog Brendo,” bass and backing vocals; “Phillthy” Phil Dispenza, trombone; Anthony “Tony Nightmare” Robinson, drums; Andrew “Sax Pistol” Cvetkovich, saxophone; and Connelly — has been recording original songs and plans to begin releasing singles shortly and an EP in 2026.

The band will showcase its original material at Federal Frenzy, but being direct support means a longer time slot, so the group also is working on some new covers, focusing on songs from the late ’80s and ’90s.

There will be four different stages downtown on Saturday, and the Akron public radio station The Summit.FM, which is simulcast on WKTL-FM in Struthers (90.7) once again is sponsoring one of the stages.

Summit Program Director Brad Savage said the Summit.FM Stage will feature some artists regularly heard on the station.

“I also want to take the opportunity of seeing other Federal Frenzy bands and Youngstown bands that we don’t quite know yet and maybe getting them involved and playing some of their music down the road in the future,” Savage said. “It checks all our boxes — music and community, independent voices, independent music.

“And it’s just a cool street fair festival. It does well among people who are affiliated with YSU and in that university bubble but also the greater community of Youngstown. A lot of folks come out to this and make a point each year to be there and be part of that festival.”

In addition to six acts playing at Penguin City, Friday’s festivities will include more than 30 vendors from the Youngstown Flea and Penguin City Night Market set up in Penguin City’s Pollock Room. Several food trucks also will be on site.

On Saturday about 50 vendors will be set up on Phelps Street, and family friendly activities will be offered throughout the day. In addition to food trucks, downtown bars and restaurants will be open, and all alcohol sales will be handled through those establishments, and festivalgoers will be able to carry alcoholic beverages in appropriate cups throughout downtown’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment area.

Attendees are encouraged to park at YSU’s Wick Avenue parking deck for $5, and a shuttle service will run continuously from the McDonough Museum of Art to the event sites from 4 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and 2 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

If you go …

WHAT: Federal Frenzy

WHEN/WHERE: 4 to 10:30 p.m. Friday at Penguin City Brewing Company, 460 E. Federal St., Youngstown, and 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday on and near West Federal Street in downtown Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Admission is free both days. For more information, go to ysu.edu/federalfrenzy≈

The schedule

PENGUIN CITY ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE FRIDAY

5:25 p.m. — Potentia

6:10 p.m. — Late Night Drive

6:55 p.m. — Aairo

7:40 p.m. — Tundra Tuxedo

8:25 p.m. — Outrun Infinity

9:15 p.m. — No Funk No Justice

MAIN STAGE SATURDAY

2:30 p.m. — Wednesday Demonstration

3:30 p.m. — Fake Blondes

4:30 p.m. — The Velvet Gentlemen

5:30 p.m. — Lemuel & Friends

6:30 p.m. — Nineteenth Paradise

7:30 p.m. — Fifth & Aurora

8:45 p.m. — Fine Young Men

10 p.m. — Ultra Q

THE SUMMIT.FM STAGE

3 p.m. — lovers in reverse

4 p.m. — Floco Torres

5 p.m. — Sedona

6 p.m. — November Loop

7 p.m. — Hunter Skeens and The Forerunners

8 p.m. — Anya Van Rose

THE FEDERAL

2:15 p.m. — Negative Zen

3:15 p.m.— Bury The Pines

4:15 p.m. — King Tut The Don & Da Bopman

5:15 p.m. — Royce Anthony

6:15 p.m. — Master Hand

7:15 p.m. — HeartBreakKings

THE VARSITY CLUB

3:25 p.m. — Blue Chameleon

4:25 p.m. — John Harrow

5:25 p.m. — Benny Bassett

6:25 p.m. — The Head Trips

7:25 p.m. — Candace Campana

Staff photo / Andy Gray
Singer-songwriter Aairo is one six acts that will perform Friday at Penguin City Brewing Company as Federal Frenzy expands into a two-day event.