DORMONT FALL STREET FAIR & MUSIC FESTIVAL
Pittsburgh legends Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers to headline free Potomac Avenue event
DATE: Saturday, October 10, 2009 4—11 p.m.
LOCATION: Potomac Avenue between West Liberty and Belrose Avenues, Dormont, PA
the Borough continues its ongoing Centennial Celebration and hosts its most exciting Street Fair to date! From 4 to 11 p.m., join friends, neighbors and surrounding South Hills community members for the 3rd Annual Dormont Street Fair & Music Festival. Check out local Dormont businesses, boutiques, artists, and organizations, and support the town’s Potomac Avenue commercial district. Get fit with Zumba, test your Salsa skills, and see if you’ve got rhythm with InnerBeat Drum School.
Rock the night away to live music by legendary Pittsburgh musician, and Dormont resident, Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers, who is the event’s featured headlining act.
Opening the night’s set of live music at 5:30 p.m. will be gifted young singer songwriter Ruby Vere.
At 7 p.m., check out the I Drive, the local rock band headed up by Joe Grushecky’s talented guitar-playing son, and Dormont native, Johnny Grushecky. Next up at 8 p.m. will be a lively set by five local rockers named Gene the Werewolf (let’s hope October 10 is not a full moon!). The Pittsburgh-based quintet just finished recording their debut album with producer Jamie Woolford (known for this work with the Gin Blossoms), which is slated for release this year.
FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY
From 4 to 7 p.m., the Dormont Street Fair & Music Festival will feature a special “Family-Centered Area” sponsored by Eat ‘n Park. The popular local restaurant will provide dozens of Halloween “Smiley” Cookies and the Smiley Mascot himself will even make a special appearance. Watch in awe Mike the Balloon Guy shows off his twisty skills and check out the gravity defying feats of magicians, jugglers and unicyclists, who will travel among the crowds to entertain festival-goers.
Kids can also hop upon a fire truck and meet brave fire fighters in the The Dormont Fire Department area. At the lower end of Potomac Avenue near West Liberty Avenue, family-friendly vendors will offer hands-on arts and crafts activities, including: painting, ghost lollipops, duck pond, airbrush tattoos, and balloons. Follow the sounds to InnerBeat Drum School to enjoy live performances inside their storefront at 1418 Potomac Avenue.
CRAFTS AND CUISINE
Purchase tasty seasonal treats such as caramel apples, popcorn, kettle korn, and ice cream, and warm up with homemade hot fare like Greek and Chinese cuisine, pastries, cookies, tacos, and fresh breads. Jumpstart your holiday shopping and buy local with Pittsburgh-based artists and crafters, who will be selling pottery, jewelry and woodworks. In between shopping, socializing and dancing, quench your thirst at the event’s “Beer Garden” along Espy Avenue. New to the Dormont event, the Beer Garden will feature a variety of beers, and will be open to patrons 21 and older. ID’s will be required. Participating vendors also include: Bruster’s Ice Cream, Dormont Athletic Boosters Association, DIG Dormont, Wild River Kettle Korn, Bethany Lutheran Church, Dormont Main Street, DeWalt Health Foods, Friends of Dormont Pool, Dormont Recreation, Mekong Restaurant, and many more!
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
4:00—4:15 p.m. Dance Pittsburgh “Zumba”
4:15—4:30 p.m. KO Boosterettes Eagles Twirling Corps
5:30—6:15 p.m. Ruby Vere
7—7:30 p.m. The I Drive
8—8:30 p.m. Gene the Werewolf
9—10:30 p.m. Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers
GETTING TO DORMONT
On October 10, Potomac Avenue will be closed starting at noon, from West Liberty to Belrose, including the first block on side streets Espy and Glenmore Avenues. All other metered lots in Dormont Borough will be open and available for Street Fair and business patrons. A walkable community, Dormont is easily accessible by four “T” stops—Stevenson, Potomac, Kelton and Dormont Junction, as well as by several bus lines. Free parking is also available along West Liberty Avenue after 6 p.m.
ABOUT DORMONT
Part-city, part-burb, Dormont boasts Indian, Mexican, Greek, Chinese, and Italian restaurants, and pubs and pizzerias. Favorites include Mexi-Casa, a neighborhood burrito and brew hangout, and hometown diner, the Dor-Stop, featured on The Food Network. Franco’s Trattoria offers upscale Italian fare, while Tom’s Diner is one of the South Hills’ favorite 24-hour haunts. Popular local lunch spot Dormont Dogs specializes in creatively prepared hotdogs styled after the borough’s state-themed street names, such as “The Illinois” and “The Tennessee.” Dormont’s two main business districts, quaint lamp-lined Potomac Avenue and the bustling West Liberty corridor, boast everything from the recently reopened Hollywood Theater to salons, a florist, veterinarian, post office, record store and naturopathic practice. Moonstones, specializing in gifts of the more spiritual variety, just doubled in size, moving to a new space at the corner of Potomac and West Liberty. In 2006, Fredo’s deli made Pittsburgh Magazine’s “Best Of” list. Shopping destinations also include The Antique Exchange, Potomac Bakery, Bargain Books, and DeWalt’s heath food store. An IGA grocery store will open along Potomac in November 2009.
PERFORMER WEBSITES
Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers
http://www.joegrushecky.ca/
Ruby Vere
http://www.myspace.com/rachelvere
The I Drive
http://www.myspace.com/theinternationaldrive
Gene The Werewolf
http://www.myspace.com/genethewerewolf
Dance Pittsburgh
http://www.dancepgh.com/
InnerBeat Drum School
http://www.innerbeatdrumschool.com/