2010 Community Cornfest

Community Cornfest returns to Carrick for family friendly fun

August 17, 2010

The 2010 Community Cornfest in Phillips Park in Carrick will feature eight hours of local talent under the trees on Saturday, Aug. 21 from noon to 8 p.m.

Along with great food, drink and independent artists there will be great local entertainment. As is traditional for more than 25 years of the Cornfest, the Carrick High School Band will officially open the event at noon. The local Bhutanese Dancers will follow and the Irish community will be well represented by the rousing Shovlin Academy of Irish Dance.

The music will continue with Caruso's Music School and Jimmy Adler's rock and blues students. Several musical genres will be represented including jazz by Jeff Martin's Steel City Jazz Project, indie music by Nadina Bembic's group Nalaladina, acoustic folk by Cathasaigh, and bringing the evening to close, a rock and blues band, Adam Vasko's The Silent Wire.

Along with the local talent, it will be a homecoming for several musicians as well. Carrick's Jeff Martin performed in Phillips Park at the age of 10, while Nadina Bembic was a member of the Carrick Band and Orchestra just a few years ago. Also coming home will be band and orchestra alumni Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak as well as Councilman Bruce Kraus of the Kraus' Isaly family.

Topping the list of attractions is the Carrick Library Appraisal Fair which will appraise family jewels and keepsakes. Proceeds will benefit the Carrick Library.　

Included in the attendance of more than 50 nonprofit groups and craft artists, there will be representatives from Pittsburgh's 311 Office, the Pittsburgh Board of Education's Pittsburgh Promise, several animal rescue groups, and more. Bob Ziller's Blooms – the flowered panels popping up on local doorways and windows will be included with the public encouraged to paint renditions of their own "blooms" on panels.

Advertising included several stories in the South Pittsburgh Reporter, this poster for store windows, and offices and historical postcards with invitations on the back side:

The South Pittsburgh Reporter articles can be seen by Clicking Here, clicking here, and clicking here.

Poster designed by Brandon Dilla

Postcards on the wall at Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak's office with L-R Julia Tomasic and Carol Anthony

Cornfest returned to Carrick in August 2010

The Community Cornfest was a huge success in Carrick’s Phillips Park on Saturday, Aug. 21 from noon to 8 p.m.

The name "Community Cornfest" was chosen this year because the neighborhoods of Carrick, Overbrook and Bon Air, "COB," have joined to make this one of the best late summer festivals in the southern neighborhoods. Started in the late 1970s, the Cornfest has been a late summer tradition celebrating local communities, schools and institutions.

The Community Cornfest was held mostly within the park’s facilities and in the great park under the trees and over 50 groups and organizations attended including the Carrick Library, faith based institutions, school organizations, senior citizen groups, city organizations and many more. Topping the list of attractions is the Carrick Library Appraisal Fair which appraised family jewels and keepsakes. Proceeds benefited the Carrick Library.

The Cornfest committee accepted any and all nonprofit groups and individuals to this event.

Eight full hours of entertainment gave all participants something different for each hour beginning with the traditional opening ceremonies by the award winning Pittsburgh Carrick High School Band at noon. The Cornfest Committee said, "You’ll want to come for the great food and interesting crafts, but you’ll want to stay all day just for the entertainment" and they weren't wrong.

The 2010 Cornfest was a great success!

Whew! The historic and annual Cornfest is over and the hard work of the Cornfest Committee paid off. Historically the Cornfests, began in the early 80s, were held in August on Thursdays from 4 pm to 8 pm in Phillips Park. They were moved to Saturdays from noon to 8 pm and to the football field in the early 90s to take advantage of the lighting. The last Cornfest on the field was held in 2008 and was cancelled in 2009. The 2010 Community Cornfest was returned to our Phillips Park setting among the shady trees and expanded to include our neighbors Overbrook and Bon Air or "COB." Although the weather was in the 90s, our trees provided shade and breezes and most vendors liked being outdoors for the whole day. The food, the participants and the entertainment was great. From surveys of the participants they can't wait until next year. Thank you to all our participants and attendees who made the whole day a wonderful outdoor festival which will be repeated in the years to come.

Photos of the event -

Paige Jubeck, 8, samples the corn at the Concord Elementary corn booth at the Community Cornfest in Phillips Park.

The preparations

The Carrick Band Opens the Cornfest just returning from Band Camp

Video 3 of the dancing

Video of practicing Irish dancers

Our local musicians were represented by Caruso's Music School taught by Mr. Henry Caruso and Jimmy Adler Music School

Next up was Carrick's Jeff Martin's Steel City Jazz Project

Carrick's own Nadina Bembic's band Nadaladina came on at 4 pm

At 5 pm Cathasaigh came to play for us.

Participant Booths feel free to identify the booths and the people

Second Photo Billie Michner, Mt. Oliver Economic Development, Third Photo Steve Hutter Eldorado

First photo Michelle Balcer, Second Photo Magistrate Ricky King, Third Photo

People and Guests attending the event. Feel free to add identification of the people in these photos.

L-R Natalia Rudiak holding Aria Merriman-Preston, Minnie Chisko, Helena Rudiak Second Photo L-R Aria Merriman-Preston, Brooklyn Joyce

L-R Natalia Rudiak and the Bhutenese Community Second Photo L-R facing camera Natalia Rudiak, Judy Demma, Helena Rudiak, Steve Vasos

L-R facing camera John Demma, Janet Moffat, Natalia Rudiak, Minnie Chisko, Judy Demma, Helena Rudiak, Steve Vasos

L-R Olivia Lynne Allison, the Princess Miss Keystone State, Natalia Rudiak, . . . 2nd photo Magistrate Ricky King and Natalia Rudiak

L-R First photo: Dr. Barbara Rudiak, Natalia Rudiak, Michael Rudiak, Dave Thomes, Helena Rudiak, Tom Coppella, Kate Thomes, John Rudiak, Brandon Dilla, Carol Anthony, Kris Happe 2nd Photo Jeff Martin and Frankie Tomasic 3rd photo Jill Jubek and Natalia Rudiak