Develop and Manage County-Wide Festival and Events Strategy

As the permitting authority for small and large-scale events as well as film productions within the city, the Office of Film & Event Management (OFEM) acts as the primary coordinator for most events hosted in Allegheny County. The County’s Office of Special Events also handles events, film productions, and cultural programming at county-owned venues including parks. Application vetting systems and OFEM’s Special Events Committee ensure proper planning and execution so that productions do not negatively impact city operations and remain positive assets to its residents, businesses, and visitors. With the infrastructure and Commonwealth regulation limitations on large outdoor events in Point State Park, alternative sites are necessary to meet the high demand for hosting large events and activities. An intelligent dispersal of event locations throughout the County can offer traffic and parking mitigation and improved economies for surrounding communities. Competition between events (especially during the summer) combined with application reviews can improve the quality of the event experience for attendees and ensure it fits with overall destination branding strategies.