Cleveland's Ingenuityfest takes place in and around the Detroit-Superior Bridge

CLEVELAND - Ingenuityfest opens Friday at 5 p.m. and is stretching a bit beyond its footprint of last year.

The Detroit-Superior Bridge (also known as the Veterans Memorial Bridge) is adding its neighbor, the superior Viaduct, to the fun this year.

The 7th annual Ingenuityfest , a festival of art and technology, is not what you find in your typical Cleveland fest.

“What we are is something entirely different’” said James Krouse director of programming for the festival.

“It’s really a chance for people to come out, spend the day out have a great time with their family. Maybe see things they wouldn’t normally see, maybe a dance piece that you’re not going to buy a ticket to and kind of go see in a theater but if you’re walking past and you’ve got a beer in your hand and you just stop and appreciate it.”

Off the list this year is the manmade waterfall spilling from the north sidewalk of the bridge to the Cuyahoga River below. On the list is something that must be seen to be believed.

Squonk Opera from Pittsburgh will present an extraterrestrial performance complete with a UFO crashed on sight with a quasi-government agent denying its existence while church-robed performers dance high over it all.

The bulk of the activity for the fest remains in the belly of the bridge.

“Chair & Tell” is an art/furniture gallery displaying the work of eight artists. They were chosen to create art which doubles as usable chairs made from materials supplied by HGR Industrial Surplus.

A deprivation booth of sort is home to a creation by Jared Bendis. You play a four minute audio game in a lightproof/soundproof booth while your image is show to those outside of the booth via infrared camera.

The festival has had a few homes around town in its seven years including Public Square, Playhouse Square and East Fourth, but last year 40,000 people may have helped it find a home.

“It’s just a really incredible space,” said Krouse. “It’s a treasure for Cleveland and it’s nationally kind of unusual to have an event happen in a space like this.”

Hours for Ingenuityfest are Friday 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday noon to 1 a.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.

Entrances are available at both ends of the bridge and the event is free.