Economic Action Group Hosts Halloween Bar Crawl
Thirteen downtown Youngstown businesses took part in the first bar crawl hosted by Economic Action Group on Oct. 30.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Openings & Closings
Economic Action Group hosted a Halloween bar crawl in downtown Youngstown from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Oct. 30, with main events held at the Phelps Street Gateway. The event was planned in partnership with the city and participating organizations.
Why it matters
The crawl follows a St. Patrick's Day bar crawl the group previously organized with the city, which it said had seen success and prompted a repeat of the approach. It offers a model for pairing city partnerships with local businesses to draw visitors downtown.
Thirteen businesses participated in the six-hour crawl, which ran from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. in downtown Youngstown. Attendance and sales results for the participating businesses were not reported.
The players
Economic Action Group
A local economic development organization that organized the Halloween bar crawl in partnership with the city.
Downtown Youngstown Ambassadors Program
A downtown program that hosted the main events at the Phelps Street Gateway during the crawl.
The details
Participating businesses included Avalon Downtown Pizzeria, Casa di Canzonetta, Circle Hookah Bar, DOPE Cider House and Winery, Draught Haus, Imbibe Martini Bar, Noble Creature Wild Ales & Lagers, Penguin City Brewing Co., Ryes Craft Beer & Whiskey, The Social Bar & Tapas, Twisted Roots, The Varsity Club Youngstown, and V2 Wine Bar Trattoria. The Downtown Youngstown Ambassadors Program hosted the Phelps Street Gateway event.
Timeline
Earlier in 2026: Economic Action Group partnered with the city on a St. Patrick's Day bar crawl.
Oct. 30, 2026: Halloween bar crawl runs from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. in downtown Youngstown.
Market Landscape
The Halloween crawl extends a partnership model Economic Action Group first tested with the city on its St. Patrick's Day bar crawl earlier this year. Repeating that format signals an effort to build recurring downtown traffic through coordinated bar-and-restaurant events.
Visitors to downtown Youngstown on Oct. 30 could have visited multiple participating bars and restaurants during the 4-10 p.m. event window. The crawl gives residents a concrete option for downtown nightlife planning around local businesses.
The takeaway
Partnerships between city agencies and local organizers can turn one successful event into a repeatable downtown tradition. Residents who want to support local businesses can look for future crawls and visit participating venues directly.
Further reading
For more local business news, browse Openings & Closings coverage in Youngstown.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Jambar.
