Aug. 14 event will highlight sustainable living and innovation in Allegheny County

PITTSBURGH — Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato today announced the County will host the Allegheny Green & Innovation Festival from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sat., Aug. 14, at the Hartwood Amphitheater. The free event will demonstrate sustainable living, highlight innovative products, and celebrate Allegheny County’s evolution to a green economy. 

“The Allegheny Green & Innovation Festival is an exciting new event that will celebrate our region’s environmental and economic transformation,” said Onorato. “Residents will have the opportunity to learn how to live a ‘greener’ lifestyle and see demonstrations of innovative technology developed right here in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Our region has become a leader in environmental stewardship, as well as green and innovative technology, and we’re excited to celebrate this new economy.” 

The festival will be a zero-waste event and will include earth-friendly food and product vendors, crafters, green living demonstrations, musical entertainment, and children’s activities.  

Reuse-a-palooza, a program designed by Creative Reuse Pittsburgh, will provide hands-on exploratory activities for kids focusing on creative reuses of materials. The Pittsburgh Children’s Museum and Carnegie Science Center’s “Science on the Road” will also provide interactive programming for children. Allegheny County’s nature centers will also provide programming. 

Carnegie Mellon University will bring innovative activities and demonstrations, including Tartan Racing’s Boss, the robotic SUV that won the 2007 DARPA Urban Grand Challenge, and its “BowGo” pogo stick developed with CMU’s robotic leg technology. The National Center for Robotics Engineering Technology Education at California University of Pennsylvania will also be on hand with demonstrations. Zipcar, the world’s car-sharing leader, will promote alternative transportation methods that reduce congestion and pollution. 

RiverCubes will exhibit sculptures created from items retrieved from our rivers, demonstrating the importance of water quality, solid waste management, and their effects on biotic organisms. Penn State Cooperative Extension will teach residents about urban farming and urban gardens, as well as provide information on rain gardens and rain barrels. 

The event will also feature live music from 12:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. The lineup is: Kelsey Friday (children’s music), 12:15-12:50 p.m. and 1:05-1:35 p.m.; Greg Joseph (folk rock), 2:00-3:15 p.m.; The Turpentiners (acoustic/blues), 3:45-5:00 p.m.; The Long Time Darlings (rock/lyrical), 5:30-6:30 p.m.; and Joe Grushecky (classic rock), 7:00-8:15 p.m. 

Any organization or individual interested in providing a demonstration or exhibit should send an e-mail to greenfestival@alleghenycounty.us. There is no fee for vendors, but the focus is on green living, sustainability, and innovation. All exhibits should be informative and engaging. 

For more information on the festival, visit the Green & Innovation Festival website or follow the festival on Twitter and Facebook.

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