From art museums, outdoor entertainment venues, theaters, and more, Columbiana County has a variety of cultural offerings to enjoy. Catch a classic, original, or new show thanks to our community theaters, enjoy free outdoor entertainment, or be inspired by a famous artists’ masterpieces. Whatever your preference, Columbiana County has something for you!
Burchfield Homestead
Location: 867 East Fourth Street, Salem, OH 44460
Phone: 330-717-0092
Burchfield Homestead Society on Facebook
Hours: Homestead Museum: open Sundays 1pm – 4pm and by appointment, Garden: open from dawn to dusk, call ahead for groups
Burchfield Homestead Museum is the boyhood home of Charles Ephraim Burchfield (1893-1967), a highly successful painter who specialized in watercolor landscapes. Today his works are in the collections of over 100 museums in the United States. Several notable museums have even had exhibits featuring his paintings including the famous Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Though the Homestead is described as his “Boyhood Home”, it had a significant impact on his work as an adult artist. Burchfield lived at his house in Salem until the age of 28 and produced “nearly half of his lifetime’s output of art” at the location.
A unique benefit of visiting the Burchfield Homestead is the chance to actually see the subjects of his paintings, as many of his earlier works were based on the house and things he could see from his window. Though it’s been over 100 years since Burchfield lived in Salem, the view from the backyard garden actually looks very similar to what he would have seen in the early 1900s thanks to the work of the Burchfield Homestead Society.
In 1996, the Society attempted to replicate the garden view that Burchfield depicted in some of his paintings with the help of his journal entries. Today, that scenic garden is an attraction in its own right and was featured in an article about historic artists‘ gardens by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The garden is open to the public and is even available for group events such as painting clubs.
The Burchfield Homestead Society hosts various events at the Homestead including art workshops and they even put together a self-guided tour of Salem called “Burchfield’s Footsteps” that highlights walkable locations the artist used as inspiration for various paintings.
For information about upcoming events and more, check out the Burchfield Homestead Website.
Stage Left Community Arts Center
Location: 234 E Lincoln Way, Lisbon, OH 44432
Phone: 724.426.1955
Stage Left Players on Facebook
Hours: showtimes and dates are posted on their website
Stage Left Community Arts Center is a “safe space to discover the joy of Community Theatre, Storytelling, Poetry and Youth Theatre.” The center hosts a variety of performing arts activities including theatrical performances by Stage Left Players and other groups, youth performances, camps, classes, and spoken word events.
Stage Left Players began as a small group in 1992 performing lesser known theater shows in various venues. In 1997, they found a permanent home at the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Lisbon, which had become available as the result of the merger of two local churches. In 2007, Stage Left Players purchased the historic building and renamed it the Trinity Playhouse.
Today, the Trinity Playhouse is much more than just a home for Stage Left Players – it’s a comprehensive arts center which fosters the arts in the community among a wide range of ages and backgrounds. One of the ways they do this is through their Children’s Theater Outreach Program, which consists of several children’s theater performances each season as well as a theatrical summer camp for children in grades K-8.
One of Stage Left’s most unique offerings is their SPARK storytelling series. SPARK, which stands for “Storytelling to Promote Acceptance, Respect, and Kindness” invites participants to tell personal stories that “excite, teach, and pass on the unique culture of the Rust Belt and the Ohio River Valley.” If you’ve got a great story but aren’t a seasoned performer, don’t worry, as the SPARK series features workshops to refine and perfect the accepted submissions.
For more information about upcoming shows, events and classes be sure to check out Stage Left Players on Facebook.
Salem Community Theatre
Location: 490 East State Street, Salem, OH 44460
Phone: 330.332.9688
Salem Community Theatre on Facebook
Hours: showtimes and dates are listed on their website
The Salem Community Theatre is a long-running theater organization that’s been bringing theater to the Salem community for decades. Founded in 1977, the group originally began holding productions at Salem High School. In 1981, the Salem Community Theatre purchased the State Theater Building which is where they are currently located.
Past productions put on by the Salem Community Theatre have included: Steel Magnolias, Oklahoma!, Disney Through the Decades: A Music Review and more. The recently formed (2022) Indigo Family Theater also produces shows shown at the Salem Community Theatre, some of their recent productions include Little Women and The Odd Couple.
Most productions begin at 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2pm on Sundays. They encourage guests to arrive 15-30 minutes ahead of showtime. Free parking is available on the street and in public lots between 2nd Street and Sugar Tree Alley, and at the corner of East State Street and Ellsworth.
Besides offering stage productions, Salem Community Theatre places a strong emphasis on education and training of local performers as well as community outreach. They host lessons, classes, and workshops in various performing arts disciplines including acting, voice, dance, and instrumental music.
Show tickets are available on their website but be sure to follow Salem Community Theatre on Facebook as well for news and updates.
The Courtyard at Firestone Farms
Location: 101 Town Center Avenue, Columbiana, OH 44408
Phone: 330.549.2165
Firestone Farms on Facebook
Hours: Check their website for event details, individual retailers have different hours
Located at the Firestone Farms shopping, dining, and business destination, the Courtyard has become a popular venue for a variety of free outdoor public entertainment including festivals, live music, and outdoor movies.
The Courtyard features plenty of places to sit next to picturesque fountains and a beautiful clocktower. Performances take place in a unique location in front of “Harvey’s House” which is a partial replica of Harvey Firestone’s home. There are also two large projection screens next to the stage as well.
The courtyard hosts both ongoing events as well as seasonal festivals like car shows and wine festivals.
One popular event is the outdoor movie series which takes place on Fridays throughout the summer. These movies are free to the public and are family-friendly. Some of the past outdoor movies included classics like The Karate Kid and October Sky as well as newer films like Sing 2 and Pokemon Detective Pikachu.
Another popular ongoing event is the “Concerts in the Courtyard” music series that takes place on Saturday evenings throughout the summer. Like the outdoor movies, these concerts are free to the public. A variety of musicians have performed during this series including tribute bands, a polka band, and a wedding-style band that plays a variety of styles.
The Courtyard is adjacent to TownCenter at Firestone Farms which contains a variety of shopping, dining, and business destinations. It’s a great place to relax and grab a bite to eat or drink before a show.
For event details and updates, be sure to check out Firestone Farms on Facebook.
The Main Street Theater
Location: 5 N Main St., Columbiana, OH 44408
Phone: 330.482.9647
The Columbiana Cultural Collective on Facebook
Hours: Showtimes and upcoming events are listed on the Columbiana Cultural Collective Website
This historic building is one of the main landmarks of the city of Columbiana. Currently known as the Main Street Theater, the venue originally opened in 1953 as the Manos Theatre. Today, it is home to the Columbiana Cultural Collective which was established in 2021.
The Cultural Collective hosts a variety of events including the popular pay-what-you-can movie series, theater productions presented by Squeaky Wheel Theater Company, and a variety of other events including concerts. One of the more unique events they’ve hosted was the “Big Lebrewski”, a combination pay-what-you-can screening of the 1988 movie The Big Lebowski and a beer tasting featuring locally brewed beer.
The Squeaky Wheel Theater Company regularly produces live theatrical performances at the theater. Some of their past productions include SpongeBob The Musical: Youth Edition, Beauty and the Beast Jr., Oliver, and Little Shop of Horrors.
In 2019, the Theater was featured in Columbiana’s Nicest Place in America Article by Reader’s Digest as the home of Crown Theater Productions, a theater production company that produced shows featuring casts with special needs. Though Crown Theater no longer operates out of the Main Street Theater, their legacy of special needs-centric productions lives on through Squeaky Wheel Theatre Company’s Special Needs Theater program.
Be sure to follow The Columbiana Cultural Collective and The Squeaky Wheel Theater Company on Facebook for news and updates about upcoming shows.