AUSTINTOWN TWP., Ohio - After a brief pause, Austintown township park is ready to extend outdoor concerts for the community.  The concert series, that typically draws hundreds of people each week, shut down in late August after the Mahoning County Public Health Department received a complaint about the concerts. 

The complaint centered around COVID-19 social distancing mandates, from a woman that did not live in Austintown.  A small protest against the concert shutdown was held shortly after, with about 150 people in attendance.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine released guidelines August 21st for outdoor venues, setting attendance limits at 15 percent capacity or a maximum of 1,500 people, whichever is smaller.  Township trustee Jim Davis says the township only missed one true weekend of concerts before they were able to resume the outdoor music.

Davis says the trustees are happy to announce that they will now extend the concerts in the park into October, moving them to Sundays starting at 2pm, so that folks can go after church services or lunch and enjoy the outdoor music.

The 2020 fall concerts will go on as follows:

SUNDAY afternoons from 2-3:30pm in October at Austintown Township Park

October 4 - Cin City and the Saints (classic rock)

October 11 - Leather & Lace (60's to today; acoustic & violin)

October 18 - Four Lane Highway (top 40, country, & classic rock)

Officials are still asking that community members wear masks and social distance while still enjoying the afternoon entertainment.