Category Archives: Food Festival

Polish Hill’s Annual Arts Festival this Sunday

polish-hill-arts2013_webWhat could be a better way to beat the Sunday blues than heading over to Polish Hill for its annual arts festival? Started in 2008, the festival features crafters, food trucks, and live music.

There will be over 30 vendors present, and these aren’t your rinky-dink, run of the mill crafts. Polish Hill Arts Festival posted “previews” of the some vendors, and they are selling truly unique and beautiful art (including the previously featured John the Craftist). From wall art to silver jewelry, the festival offers a wide range of vendors–there’s something for everyone.

The event appeals to all ages, offering free arts and crafts activities for adults and children alike. If you aren’t feeling crafty, there will also be live performances throughout the day, featuring local bands.

The festival runs from noon-9p.m. on Sunday July 21st. You can find all the action at the intersection of Brereton and Dobson streets. For more information check out Polish Hill Arts Festival’s Facebook page.

Steel of the Week: Custom Chuck Taylors

St. A ConverseThis week’s featured item is a pair of one of a kind Converse Chuck Taylor shoes. Mad Momma Designs on the South Side hand-painted these sneakers. They are being auctioned on eBay with proceeds benefitting The Feast of Saint Anthony Festival Committee. The Feast of St. Anthony of Padua commemorates the life of the patron saint of lost items, a priest, wonder-worker, and doctor of the Church. This is a festival celebrated annually in Pittsburgh and across the country. Most of St. Anthony’s work was done in Italy, which is why Pittsburgh’s festival is focused on Italian highlights such as an Italian mass, homemade wine contest, and spaghetti-eating contest.

If your bid doesn’t earn you these shoes, there is another way to support the fund. Two all-inclusive trips to Italy (airfare included!) are up for grabs by purchasing a $50 ticket that will be based on the PA Daily Lottery Drawing, 7 pm Thursday, December 26. The trip is scheduled for September 13 through 25, 2014.

The auction ends Friday morning, so make sure you head over and place your bid asap!

Have an item you would like featured as our Steel of the Week? Submit to sotw@iheartpgh.com!

2012 Feast of St. Anthony Festival is Sunday

Once again I am out of town for the festivities (I am visiting a Pittsburgh friend in Lawton, Oklahoma) – but a dear friend (who is Pittsburghs biggest non-Italian supporter of Italian events) kindly reminded me that Sunday is the annual Feast of St. Anthony Festival.  It promises to be an amazing time with even more amazing food.

The festival takes place at 21st and Smallman Streets. Here is the line up for Sunday

The Festival runs from Noon – 8 PM.

  • 1:30 – Italian Mass by his Excellency Bishop Emeritus Anthony G. Bosco
  • ~2:30 PM – Procession with the Statue of St. Anthony (immediately following Mass)
  • 3 PM – Performance by La Banda Rossa
  • 4 PM – Performance by The Jimmy Z. Trio
  • 5:30 PM – The Homemade Wine Competition
  • 6 PM – Performance by Mirella the Musician
  • Food, Beer, Music, and Fun all Day
2012 Feast of St. Anthony Festival
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Noon-8pm
One Big Italian Raffle
Raffle Tickets are $5 and we are only selling 1000 tickets.
  • First prize is a dinner for 10 at the private dining room of Merante’s in Bloomfield.  They will cook a feast for you and your guests, wine and limoncello will be included, as well as live music, a gift for each attendee and dessert.  It will be a night to remember.
  • Second prize is a gift basket with a whole prosciutto, an espresso maker, and all kinds of Italian pastas, cheeses, and other foods.
The winners will be based on the June 11th PA Lottery number (3 digit).  The afternoon number is for 2ndprize, the evening number is for 1st prize.

5 Reasons to Attend the Millvale Brewfest

Location of Millvale in Allegheny County

Image via Wikipedia

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