Youngstown VA hosts first-ever Vet Fest to celebrate and support local veterans

The Carl Nunziato VA Clinic in Youngstown transformed into a hub of support and celebration Saturday for the first-ever Vet Fest, an event designed to honor local veterans while connecting them with the services they’ve earned.

From healthcare enrollment and housing assistance to live music and family-friendly activities, the event brought together dozens of organizations focused on veteran care. Representatives from outreach teams, case managers, and benefits officers were on site, creating what many described as a “one-stop shop” for resources.

“Today is a day of celebration,” said Carl Snyder, facility director at the VA Clinic. “We want to connect veterans to services they might be eligible for and just expand it… a day to celebrate the Youngstown community and give back to the veterans.”

For Snyder, leading this kind of event is personal. He called his staff an extension of his family and said providing compassionate, specialized care to veterans is at the heart of the clinic’s mission. “We understand what they went through—and we’re here to help them move forward,” he said.

Among the agencies in attendance was the VA’s Post-9/11 Case Management Program, which focuses on newly transitioned service members. Cricket Gruneisen, a case manager, said events like this are critical because many veterans transition out of service individually, not in large units—so outreach is essential. She added, “Their families bring them down, or someone knows someone—and that’s how we connect them and provide the resources they need.”

For organizations like the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission, the event provided a rare opportunity to speak directly with families. Paul Weber, a retired Navy veteran and current service officer, said families often ask the questions veterans don’t—and that makes all the difference.

“The camaraderie we had in the military—we can have it again at events like this,” Weber said. “When the families come, they learn what the VA offers, and we can help them file the claims they’ve earned.”

As turnout exceeded expectations, organizers said they hope to make Vet Fest an annual tradition in Youngstown.