Festivals in the City

The next month in Pittsburgh is full of festivals for every member of your family.  Fireworks, crafts, food, and heritage are all covered in these events throughout the area.   Check out the list below to see what festivals you want to take your family too.  You can find the complete list at about.com

Celebrate America Festival
June 30 – July 5, 2011
Kennywood Amusement Park, West Mifflin, PA
Enjoy a weeklong salute to our great country and its people with special featured entertainment, stunt shows, strolling performers, face painting, fireworks and evening fireworks at Kennywood. $10 off admission coupons available for Celebrate America week from Giant Eagle locations.

Ellwood City Arts, Crafts & Food Festival
July 1–3, 2011
Ewing Park, Ellwood City, PA
This annual Lawrence county festival features more than 200 art and craft booths, plenty of live entertainment and, of course, food! Plus, a fabulous Zambelli fireworks finale.

Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival
July 1-4, 2011
Twin Lakes Park, Greensburg, PA
The acclaimed Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival offers something for everyone's tastes, from visual and live performing arts to exciting ethnic foods. This annual free summer celebration marks its 37th year in 2011.

Big Butler Fair
June 29 - July 7, 2012
Route 422, Prospect, PA
Billed as the largest fair in Western Pennsylvania, the Big Butler Fair has been operating for 156 years! Enjoy nine big days of food, animals, concerts and fun.

Battle of Fort Necessity Commemoration
July 3, 2011
Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Uniontown, PA
Join the National Park Service in commemorating the 257th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Necessity with living history, camp life, and artillery firing demonstrations.

Pittsburgh Regatta & 4th of July Fireworks
July 2–4, 2011
North Shore Riverfront Park, Pittsburgh
The all new Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta adds an extra day as it returns to Point State Park and the North Shore, bringing with it the return of the North American Powerboat Championships. A plethora of water and land activities are packed into three days, along with the famous Fourth of July Pyrotechnico fireworks celebration!

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5 Beautiful Flowers You Probably Didn't Know You Could Eat

Summer flowers are in bloom, and boy do they smell good! You might enjoy more than just the smell, as some of them are literally good enough to eat! Check out "5 Beautiful Flowers You Probably Didn't Know You Could Eat" below and add some petals to your plate!

Candied rose petals on cakes and stuffed squash blossoms are yesterday's news! Here are five edible flowers that will make you look at your flower bed in a new and delicious light.

I have been slightly obsessed with edible flowers ever since picking up a copy of Cooking with Flowers by Miche Bacher. The pages of this book are full of ideas that bring bright colors and new flowery flavors to almost every meal of the day. These five have me particularly excited:

1. Daylilies: Bacher says all parts of the daylily are edible, from the blooms to the roots, and they have a fresh "sweet lettuce" flavor. Add them to salads for a pop of color or use them in stir fries.

2. Lilacs: Oh, yeah! That heady, sweet, floral fragrance that turns heads apparently translates directly onto the plate. Use only the blossoms themselves, and infuse them into sorbets, ice creams, puddings, and even jam. My first project is going to be an infused simple syrup for use in cocktails.

3. Orchids: Although these flowers might seem too pretty to eat, you definitely should. Bacher describes their flavor as a mix "cucumber and endive." She recommends using them in stir fries or candy them for cake decorations.

4. Sunflowers: I love sunflower seeds, but never thought about the petals! They have mild grassy flavor. Pluck those petals and fold them into grain salads or bake them into a loaf of bread (Bacher's recipe in the book uses both the petals and the seeds for a double dose of sunflower!)

5. Tulips: Tulips have a cucumber flavor like orchids, but without the spiciness. Given their cup-like shape, they are nature's original edible container. Bacher suggests using them as ice cream bowls, but I also like the idea of packing them with a grain salad and taking them on a picnic. Remove the pistols and stamens before using.

Whenever you're cooking with flowers, make sure you only pick or buy flowers that have been grown organically and without pesticides. Many flowers intended for floral arrangements are sprayed with pesticides and insecticides that aren't always safe for consumption.

(Image: kikolinakika/Shutterstock)




Original Article Here: http://bit.ly/16dieAH

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A New Art Installation is Coming to Pittsburgh

There is a giant new art project coming to Pittsburgh, but it is not what you would expect.  A 40 foot yellow rubber duck that has been traveling around the world, and it's next stop is Pittsburgh.  It will be premiering as part of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's International Festival of Firsts.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's third Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts will open with a 40-foot-tall rubber duck in the Allegheny River.

The Trust announced its lineup for the festival that opens Sept.27 with Florentijn Hofman's "The Rubber Duck" -- which also is 35 feet long and 30 feet wide.

The duck will be launched at the West End Bridge where it will travel toward The Point and under the
Fort Duquesne Bridge. Sixth Street Bridge also will be shut down for a bridge party to celebrate the beginning of the festival.

Each Festival of Firsts brings international artists to Pittsburgh for a U.S. based premiere of their work. This year's festival will feature artists and companies from the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and more. For the first time, two U.S. artists also will be featured in the festival.

"We think the Cultural Trust's Festival of Firsts will have a really profound impact in creating further awareness of Pittsburgh as a true international city," said Kevin McMahon, Trust president and CEO.
Some featured works include "Kiss and Cry," about a woman looking back at her great loves,

"Measure Back," an interactive show that looks at the construction and implementation of war and

"The Pigeoning," which is about an obsessive compulsive man and his encounters with pigeons.
Shows and artwork will be shown in various parts of Pittsburgh, including the New Hazlett Theater, Bricolage and Cabaret at Theater Square.

For more information, http://trustarts.org/events/pages/pittsburgh-international-festival-of-firsts/

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/art-architecture/40-foot-rubber-duck-coming-to-pittsburgh-690192/#ixzz2VpTyJ056

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Three Rivers Arts Festival

The Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival starts this Friday! There will be ten days of art, music, dance, food, and more throughout the city of Pittsburgh.  You can find the complete schedule at the Three Rivers Arts Festival.  However, below you can find out what activities will be happening on Day 1.

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