PENN HILLS ARTS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL
CELEBRATES 30 YEARS !
From a small summer show to a juried event , the arts celebration has grown into a local tradition .
For the Penn Hills Arts and Music Festival , this year marks three decades of providing art to a community that ’ s clamoring for it . And , with this year being an anniversary year , the festival is pulling out all the stops for the community .
“ We ’ ll be at the library again , which is nice because the festival always falls on the hottest time of the year ,” said Catherine Meara , festival president . “ We have the 11 artisans from last year all coming back . We ’ ll have music , some animals from the wildlife center and food . We ’ re going the extra mile this year to make it stand out .”
Meara added that the organization will also feature the BOB Project this year , and a special veterans area showcasing veteran artists ’ work .
The BOB Project serves the needs of community development and veterans in western Pennsylvania . Currently , it is designing tiny homes with OBA Design & EcoCraft for a tiny home community in Penn Hills that will house veterans . In addition to that work , the BOB Project has installed gardens around the Penn Hills community and at the Penn Hills high school , middle school and elementary school , painted a mural at Butler Gas on Coal Hollow designed by high school students , and spent Thanksgiving and Christmas cooking dinners for more than 100 veterans at Veterans Place . Meara and her mother , Dolores , help with the cooking each year . “ When you help others , it helps you to help yourself ,” she says of the yearly events .
“ We do all this for the Penn Hills community . Penn Hills needs things like this . It needs a little bit of a lift , and if we can help provide that , then that ’ s wonderful because we love this community ,” Meara notes . “ We had more than 800 people come
for the festival last year and we ’ re hoping that number grows again this year .”
She added that last year ’ s festival included 144 entries for the judged exhibition and this year promises to showcase just as many works . Gordon Gary , Don Aliquo and Paul Thompson will be providing the jazz music that festivalgoers are accustomed to , and the high school band will be returning again to provide the food ( the proceeds of which will fund their own endeavors ). There will be 30 prizes awarded to winning artists at 1 p . m . on Saturday .
Penn Hills needs things like this . It needs a little bit of a lift and if we can help provide that , then that ’ s wonderful because we love this community .
With two years in as president , Meara is enjoying her time on the Penn Hills Arts Council , where she started out as the publicity chair . The other members working alongside her include Gina Lamia , Nick Lamia , and Marlene Mylo .
For information on how to get more involved with the Penn Hills Arts Council , or questions about the BOB Project for residents and organizations looking to get involved , visit the council ’ s Facebook page .
The Penn Hills Arts and Music Festival will take place on July 20 from 3 to 8:30 p . m . and July 21 from 1 to 8:30 p . m . at the Penn Hills Library , 1037 Stotler Road , 15235 . The Wildlife Center will be on-site for two hours on Friday for a presentation , and it is hoped there will be therapy dogs on Saturday . n
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