That's Ingenious!

IngenuityFest is back for its 12th year, and the organization is emulating this year's theme, Awakenings. At a pivotal time in Cleveland with renovations, regrowth, and resurgence, IgenuityFest has the same idea behind the event. And it's all happening Sep. 23-25.

"We're at a time of restructuring and re-emerging, but also a time where we want to feed the soil and give back," says Annie Weiss, development and marketing associate at Ingenuity.

Usually a waterfront fest, Ingenuityfest is changing gears and for the first time ever is occurring outside of Downtown Cleveland.

This year, it will be in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood at the former Osborn Industrial Complex. Located at the corner of 53rd and Hamilton Ave., this series of warehouses was home to Osborn Industrial for more than 100 years as the world's largest manufacturer of industrial brushes and foundry machines. So, it makes sense that a festival celebrating innovation, creativity and technology takes place within these historical walls.

"We wanted to better support artists and creatives with tools, resources, space and connections, to help them more easily present the visionary work we all crave--to amuse us, help us meet social issues head on, educate us and inspire," Weiss says.

So, what is IngenuityFest? Besides telling you that it's a combination of art and technology, we can also say that it's a festival that's thought provoking, artful, musical, eccentric and, frankly, a little weird (but in a good way).

Adjectives aside, the folks at IngenuityFest did a great job of describing the event. Check it out here. And, we can say without a doubt, it's a not-to-be-missed event.

Let's break it down.

PERFORMANCES
While they're definitely unusual, the live performances at IngenuityFest are incredibly captivating and really get those brain juices flowing.

Acts like the Tesla Orchestra are favorites at the festival. And, so are the performances by a multi-faceted neo-vaudeville cast inside a mini mobile circus tent called Voix de Ville.

But, consider seeing a competitive performance called Iron Composer in which five composers are randomly assigned an instrument and a "secret musical ingredient." They then have just five hours to write a piece of music that incorporates those elements.

We're also pretty psyched about the Three Singers performance in which three female vocalists sing while attached to Singer sewing machines that manipulate their voices.

MUSICAL PERFORMANCES
DJs, live bands and individual artists perform all day and well into the wee hours of the night on stages and performance areas throughout the festival. You can't miss this year's lineup:

Friday night:
Brooklyn up and comers Prince Rama and Maybird, along with locals like Mourning [A] BLKstar and Beach Stav.

Saturday:
Tweens, M. Ross Perkins, The Cordial Sins, FreshProduce., and Goldmines, who’ll be holding their officially album release.

Sunday:
Concludes with Mild High Club.

With such a diverse group of performers, it's going to be one big melting pot of creativity.

And based on the past decade's musical offerings at Ingenuity, it's sure to be one heck of a party.

INGENUITY BAZAAR
Let's be clear: This isn't your typical craft show. Local artists, crafters, designers and makers of all kind come together to vend their unique wares during the Ingenuity Bazaar. You'll find everything from peppy Cleveland t-shirts and vintage attire to redesigned estate jewelry and canvas artwork.

Tickets start at $5 for a day pass, and $10 for a weekend pass and are available at here or on their website. Kids 12 and under are free.