Assorted ramblings from the world of entertainment:
* Some holiday events go traditional and reverent. Some go the opposite direction.
Home for the SLAVidays offers a little bit of both.
The second annual Christmas event by the organizers of the Simply Slavic festival will feature photos with jolly old St. Nicholas, but it also will have a visit from Krampus, a horned creature from folklore who swats misbehaved children with birch branches and carries them off to the underworld.
Entertainment will be provided by the Chardon Polka Band performing its Christmas show. It's sure to include some traditional holiday songs, but the band is known for taking a non-traditional (but affectionate) approach to the polka genre.
Other attractions include a kolachi competition, Krupnik Martinis (with proceeds benefiting Simply Slavic's scholarship fund), Slavic food and vendors and a Slavic Christmas forest.
It runs from 7 to 11 p.m. Friday at Penguin City Brewing Company, 460 E. Federal St., Youngstown.
Admission is $15.
* A trip to Paris may be outside of the budget for many people, but a new interactive experience inspired by a popular Netflix series will try to provide the next best thing.
"Couture on Tour -- An Emily in Paris Experience" is coming to Packard Music Hall on June 21, 2025.
The evening will feature a fashion show inspired by the work of Marylin Fitoussi, who serves as costume designer on "Emily in Paris" and is a creative consultant for the tour.
According to the website for Atomic Venus Media, which is partnering with Paramount (the producer of the series) for the tour, attendees will be able to "Experience the romance of fashion, the thrill of artistry and the magic of Paris" as they "Stroll through interactive exhibits, shop exclusive merchandise and capture picture-perfect moments in Parisian-inspired settings."
I'm clearly not the target for this -- my style might best be described as "casually disheveled" -- but it's part of a growing trend that caters to fandom by creative immersive events for those not content to just watch.
Warren is one of the first 21 cities announced for the tour and may be the smallest market for a trek that includes Denver, St. Louis, Kansas City, Nashville, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Detroit and Cincinnati.
Tickets for the Packard date range from $42.50 to $172.50 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster. An online-only presale runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. today with the password: PACKARD.
* Singer-songwriter Taylor Borton, a Liberty native who's been based in Nashville since 2019, is home for the holidays and has gigs at several area venues before the new year.
She's worked with such Nashville songwriters as Steve Dean, Bill Diluigi and Ryan Hydro and won an award from American Songwriter magazine for her lyrics to "Honky Tonk Hair."
Borton will perform from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Bull & Bear in Liberty, 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Birdfish Brewing in Columbiana, 7 to 10 p.m. Dec. 27 at Sundog Ciderhouse in Columbiana, 6 to 10 .m. Dec. 28 at West & Main in Warren and 2 to 4 p.m Dec. 29 at Yeagerbaums in Orangeville.
For the local dates, which she's dubbed her "Home Away from Home" tour, Borton will be backed by steel guitar player Pete the V, and Matt Skeen also will perform.
Andy Gray is the entertainment editor of Ticket. Write to him at [email protected].