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Just across the river from Lawrenceville, Millvale has got a ton of cool stuff going on:

• New Sun Rising – a non profit organization that is supporting and funding more community projects in Millvale
• The Saxifrage School – an innovative project that is getting started in a Millvale storefront to rethink college educations
• Millvale Community Library – Millvale doesn’t have a library so the community is working to set one up.

You can drink beer and support Millvale this weeked at their annual Brew Fest.  The Millvale Brew Fest celebrates their 5th annual festival Saturday, August 13, 2011.  The Millvale brewfest is almost as old as IheartPGH and we can’t believe it has been 5 years since we blogged about the first festival.  We have attended some of the past festivals and it is a lovely way to spend an August afternoon.  One of the great things about this festival is that many members of the community come out to volunteer to make sure it is a success.  In the past the atmosphere of this festival has been super laid back, lots of nice people supporting Millvale.

In honor of the 5th anniversay here are 5 reasons why we think this is a great way to spend your Saturday:

1. Waterfront Refreshment

This is the only beer fest we know about that is held right next to the river.  The Millvale Brew Fest takes place at the Millvale riverfront park

2. Affordable Beer Festival Fun

Tickets for the Millvale Brew Fest are just $30 and available online here.  Designated Driver tickets are $12.  $30 is a steal compared to the price of some other popular Pittsburgh fall beer festivals.

3. Awesome Brew Festival Poster

We are about to hunt down one of these for the wall.  Designed by Millvale resident Tom Walker (who is also known as the guy who kayaks to his office in the Strip District).  Tom has been designing the brew fest posters for a few years.

4. It’s for a Good Cause.

The proceeds from the Millvale Brew Fest go to support the Nonprofit Millvale Borough Development Corporation and Millvale Main Street stabilize, revitalize and rejuvenate Millvale’s neighborhoods, through the development of housing, and businesses (and support the awesome projects listed above too).

5. Local Beer

While there are ton of breweries who will be at the fest or will have their beers served by a local distributor.  There are also a number of local brewers who will be there too – East End Brewing, Church Brew Works, Full Pint Brewing are just a few  of the confirmed breweries.

The Important Details:

Millvale Brew Fest
Saturday, August 13, 2011
1-4pm $30 Advance/$35
5-8pm SOLD OUT
http://www.millvalepa.com/BrewFest.aspx

This week it is all about the Greek.

First up the Greek Food Festival in Ambridge – get your fill of delicious greek food Wednesday – Saturday at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

Another great tradition, and I am thinking of Rick Sebak‘s Kennywood Memories as I write this, are the nationality days at Kennywood.

I don’t know if this is a bootleg YouTube or not -(Mr. Sebak, my apologies if not) but here is a clip about Nationality Days at Kennywood – start at 6:45 for Nationality Days section.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011 is Greek Day at Kennywood.

Click here to view the embedded video.

more Greek Food Festival reading

• 7 Greek Food Festivals to Whet Your Appetite (bootsnall.com)
• Opa! Summer Greek Festivals in Chicago (chicagourbanite.wordpress.com)
• Stephanie J. Stiavetti: 2011 Oakland Greek Festival (huffingtonpost.com)

The Feast of Saint Anthony Festival
Sunday, June 12, 2011
1:30pm-Dusk
21st and Smallman in the Strip
http://www.stanthonypgh.org/

The Feast of Saint Anthony Festival has an amazing line up this year:

• delicious Italian foods, music, and dancing all day
• Mass in Italian at 3 PM at St. Stanislaus Church at 21st and Smallman Streets followed immediately by the
• Procession with the Statue of St. Anthony down Penn Avenue returning on Smallman Street.
• Zambelli fireworks
• music by Bon Journey

Win a Trip to Italy!

As if the food and Bon Journey weren’t enough incentive to get you out of the house on Sunday.  They have an amazing raffle.  Tickets are $10 and the proceeds benefit St. Stanislaus Kotska Church in Pittsburgh’s Strip District and the festival.

2 round trip tickets to Italy (or $1,000 cash in lieu of the tickets). The second prize is a time share in Ft. Lauderdale, FL for a week. Each raffle ticket has 2 four-digit numbers on it. The winning numbers will be based on the Pennsylvania Lottery Big Four Drawings on June 13, 2011. The matching midday number will be for Second Prize. The matching evening number will win the Grand Prize of tickets to Italy. Each ticket has 4 chances to win a prize!

What about those shoes?

You could win those too.  A pair of custom-made Chuck Taylors, like those that appear in the poster – will be put up for a nationwide auction. The winner will Walk with Saints every day they wear them.

But I am going to go ahead and say that the best fest of all the rest might just be KayaFest.  First off thanks to the folks from BigBurrito for being awesome Pittsburghers.  BigBurrito is the restaurnt group that started with the Oakland MadMex many years ago and now runs many of the tastiest places in town.  They make good food, the support local farmers and they do good things for Pittsburgh.

BigBurrito sponsored 44 of their employees to participate in the Pittsburgh Marathon to raise money for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.  You can read more about the marathon on Chef Bill Fuller’s blog here.  If you are thinking about where to go for your next meal – think about spending your money at one of the BigBurrito establishments (or many of the other fine local places) – because you are supporting businesses that support Pittsburgh in many ways too.

But back to the street fest of all street fests – This Sunday, May 29 is KayaFest.  Kaya is the Caribbean sister of MadMex.  KayaFest closes down the streets in the strip district, cooks up tasty affordable food and bring out live music.  The festival is free – food and drink are available for purchase – there will be a pig roast and tropical drinks.

Live Music:

• The Flow Bank
• Nik & The Central Plains
• Timbeleza special guest Marcus Santos
• More to be announced

The details:

KayaFest 2011

Location: 20th Street in the Strip District, Pittsburgh, PA
Date: Sunday, May 29, 2011
Time: 5pm until 11pm
Cost: Free to attend

You don’t have to take my word on the tasty factor of Kaya – check out what these bloggers had to say:

• A Hamburger Today - Pittsburgh: Kaya
• Iron City Eats
• Pittsburgh by A Geek
• Snickie
• And Kaya even got a mention on the blog Toilets of the World

Between noon to five today SUNDAY head to the Cathedral of Learning in Oakland to check out the Polish Festival. There will also be crafts and music but who are you kidding? You know you’ll be there for the pierogi, haluski and stuffed cabbage.  Want to walk off that full belly?  Head to Lawrenceville for the sixth annual Artists’ Studio Tour. This free self guided walking tour lets you check out artists working in a variety of media.  Download a map here or pick one up at Gallery on 43rd Street (187 43rd Street).  Tour attendees can also pick up a coupon for a discount on Quantum Theatre’s production of When the Rain Stops Falling at the Iron City Brewery in Lawrenceville through November 21.  This play has been getting rave reviews so don’t miss out!

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The answer is probably not – because it is a pretty rare type of apple.  But it is apple time here in western PA and you can get your fill of all kinds of apples at the 5th Annual Apple Fest.

Help put Pittsburgh on the mao as the Apple Pie Baking capital of the world!  Complete with an apple pie competition – stop by the union project to pick up some apples – including the Black Amish Apple – apple pies, pork sandwiches and more tasty fall treats.

The Black Amish Apple is a very rare – heirloom apple (so rare I can’t find anything about it on wikipedia!) Slowfood Pittsburgh is honoring the Black Amish Apple at the Apple fest on Saturday.  And the Black Amish Apple has been identified by a national initive – Renewing America’s Food Traditions – which is working to conserve and bring back heirloom apples.  You can read more about the Black Amish Apple in the Post-Gazette here.  And the Pittsburgh City Paper has  more on apples here.5th Annual Apple Festival
Saturday, October 23, 2010
10-2pm
Union Project, Corner of Stanton and Negley, Highland Park

• 10:30 am: Deadline for receiving pies for judging. Contest entry fee is $5 (bakers admitted free to festival). No Red Delicious apples accepted–unusual apples encouraged.   Judging begins immediately. Have a pulled pork BBQ sandwich while you wait.
• Noon: Winning pies announced.
• 12:30: Purchase slices of winning pies a la mode with Oh Yeah ice cream.

The whole point? To secure our city’s position as Apple Pie Baking Capital of the World AND to promote Western Pennsylvania’s extraordinary apples and apple pie bakers.

Purchase pies from Allegro Hearth Bakery and the Pie Shop.

Way more than just pumpkin cupcakes at this celebration! Pittsburgh’s favorite cupcake shop is getting serious about fall flavors with their first annual Pumpkinfest.

How are your pumpking carving skills? The Pumpkinfest includes a Pumpkin Carving Contest -and they are still looking for people to enter – email tanya – at -dozenbakeshop.com if you are interested.

There will also be a doggie costume contest and all kinds of pumpkin treats as well as live music.

Pumpkinfest at Dozen
Saturday, October 9, 2010 – Noon-5pm
Facebook Event Link

Can’t make it to pumpkin fest? check out some of these recipes…

• Projects ” How-To’s ” Pumpkin Cupcakes (cutoutandkeep.net)
• How to Make Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes (brighthub.com)
• Projects ” How-To’s ” Craisin Pumpkin Muffins (cutoutandkeep.net)

On Saturday, September 12 from 3-7PM, Leslie Park swimming pool at 4700 Butler St. in Lawrenceville will thrum with activity-and not a drop of water.  The site will host Accordion Pool Party, an ethnic music and dance festival and quirky spectacle of culture and community pride.  The one-day event is a also a catalyst for a more lasting civic endeavor, Pool Planning Workshops to involve residents in shaping the future of the Leslie Park Pool site.

Accordion Pool Party involves about 20 seasoned Pittsburgh accordionists and 30 costumed folk dancers performing in the empty pool a mix of genres including Cajun, tango, polka, French, Israeli and Balkan music. Special guest Guinea West African Drum and Dance Ensemble will open the program.  The event will be emceed by Michael “Zombo” Devine.

The event will also feature refreshments courtesy of the Estelle S. Campbell Boys and Girls Club (neighbors to Leslie Park Pool), and light fare by Lawrenceville’s eclectic cafés and restaurants.  Several eateries will also host busking accordionists on the day of the event. There is a $5 suggested donation for the event.  Visit  http://www.accordionpoolparty.org/ for more information.

I love the St. Nicholas Greek Food Festival starts Sunday May 3rd!

St. Nicholas is in Oakland, directly across the street from the Carnegie Museum.

Please note that there is often a long line – but the wait is worth it.  Click here to read our post about the 2008 Festival.

Festival Hours for 2009 are…

Sunday:
Noon to 8:00 PM

Monday – Thursday:
Lunch: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Dinner: 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Friday:
Lunch: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Dinner: 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Take out is available too.