After nearly twenty years in the planning and two years of construction, Brookline's newly refurbished main street has finally been officially unveiled. A weekend festival called "Brookline Unveiled" was held on September 5/6 along Brookline Boulevard.

The two-day event was intended as a fun and educational celebration of both the revival of Brookline Boulevard and the many fine local attractions that make this community a desirable place to live in or start a small business.

Photos From The Brookline Unveiled Kick-Off Reception
Photos by Amy Fisher

The event kicked off on Friday night with a small reception for organizers and volunteers at the Carnegie Library. During the gathering, Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak presented the Brookline Unveiled committee with a proclamation for their dedication to the community and the hard work they have done over the past year.

After the reception, the party was on!

Partnering with Wild Kindness Records, bands from around Pittsburgh came to Brookline to play at Brookline Pub, Gordon's Lounge and Cannon Coffee. Outside, the boulevard was alive with activity. There were quite a lot of residents and visitors mingling along the sidewalks. Several businesses extended their hours to accomodate the large crowd.

On Saturday morning, beginning at 10:00am, a street fair was held along the boulevard. From Glenarm to Stebbins Avenue, the boulevard was blocked off to traffic. A large number of merchant tents and food vendors lined both sides of the broad roadway. The Citiparks showmobile was set up outside Mazza Pavilion as a stage for some special demonstrations and excellent live music from bands like Hellin Back and Chrome Moses.

A long row of vendor tents continued along the commercial side of the boulevard all the way to Pioneer Avenue. Many merchants set up booths outside their storefronts to showcase the variety of goods available at Brookline's many neighborhood businesses. There were also face painters, balloon artists and an assortment of children's activities.

At St. Marks Church a history exhibit was on display that included a slideshow of vintage Brookline photos, a large Brookline map where people could tag some of their favorite local destinations, an oral historian who recorded individual recollections from the past, and a representative from the Heinz History Center.

Although there was an early threat of rain, the weather was fine and it was a great day to browse the boulevard and celebrate Brookline. There are a lot of young professionals moving into the area. New businesses are setting up shop in once empty storefronts. Established businesses are remodeling and making facade renovations. The 106-year old firehouse is being refurbished. Improvements are being made in our public parks and along our side streets.

This is a wonderful time to live in Brookline, and that was the main focus of the Unveiled festival. Judging by all the happy faces and the positive vibe along the boulevard, the end result was well worth the effort.

The Brookline Unveiled festival was sponsored by South Pittsburgh Development Corporation, Brookline Chamber of Commerce, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, M.A. Facchiano Contracting, Pennsylvania-American Water Company and PNC Bank.

Special thanks to the event organizers (Alex Pazuchanics, Ryan Askey, Jennifer Askey, Megan Zirkel, Jen Grab, Nathan Mallory, Lois McCafferty, Pamela Grabowski, Dan Kaczmarek, Patty Kaczmerek, Linda Boss, Sister Barbara Boss, Ross English, Tiffany Thomas, Jennifer Kirsch, Colleen Manganello, Eileen Papale, Jack Stanizzo) and all of the volunteers who helped staff the many exhibits and information tents along the boulevard. Thanks also to Citiparks, the Department of Public Works, Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak and all of the other city officials who provided services in support of the event. Everyone involved did a great job!

Photos From The Brookline Unveiled Street Fair

Click on photos for larger images

More Photos From The Brookline Unveiled Street Fair
Photos by Amy Fisher