Scaled down New Kensington festival to feature display of Alcoa Kensington Ware
A New Kensington festival that grew from a one-day event to a three-day affair last year is scaling back to a smaller, one-day occasion because of covid-19 restrictions.
Steve Kubrick said face masks will be required and hand sanitizers will be everywhere for the third annual “Arts, Beats & Treats” on Saturday at AK Valley Park, the former Alcoa research park on Freeport Road.
New Kensington City Clerk Dennis Scarpiniti said the city is aware of the event “and has reviewed it for compliance with our codes.”
Kubrick “has been made aware that he is subject to the CDC covid regulations,” Scarpiniti said.
Kubrick, who owns the property, said everything will be held outside to help maintain social distancing. Attendance will be limited to 250 people at a time, with access controlled and security at the entrances.
The festival is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., capping off with fireworks.
Admission is free, but those wanting to park on the grounds for the fireworks will be charged $20.
“If it’s not the right thing (to do), it’s going to rain,” Kubrick said. “It will be up to ‘The Big Guy.’ I think we’ll be all right.”
The festival includes live bands, food and entertainment. About 15 vendors are expected this year — down from 50 last year, Kubrick said.
In addition to a car cruise and acrobatic performances, three bands will perform between 3 and 10 p.m., with a DJ playing music between the sets.
“It’s a lot smaller than it was,” Kubrick said. “We don’t want to overdraw it.”
Kensington Ware display
Kim Rhea, a New Kensington native who lives in Upper Burrell, will be displaying at least 300 pieces from his collection of Kensington Ware.
Kensington Ware is a line of formal aluminum dinnerware and accessories made by Alcoa in New Kensington from 1934 to 1965. The company also made “Wear-Ever,” a less formal line of aluminum cookware and dinnerware.
Rhea’s collection includes pieces from both lines, but he said it’s mostly Kensington Ware.
“It was called poor man’s silver,” Rhea said. “New Kensington at one time was known as the ‘Aluminum City.’ It has wonderful, wonderful history.”
Both of Rhea’s grandfathers and his father retired from Alcoa. He left his job as a ship and submarine welder in 1990.
Rhea said he’s been collecting Kensington Ware for 30 years and couldn’t even guess at how many pieces he has. This will be the first time he’s shown it anywhere; Rhea and his family started setting up at AK Valley Park on Thursday.
“I’ve never done anything with it,” he said. “Now, I just would like to display it.”
Rhea is still actively adding to his collection. He finds pieces at Goodwill stores, yard and estate sales and online.
“If I see something I don’t have, I kind of have to have it,” he said.
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.