November 18 – 20, 2024
Pittsburgh, PA

Join Scenic America and Scenic Pittsburgh for a three-day exploration of how we are creating scenic beauty through advocacy, legislation, and community action. Hosted at the Drury Plaza Hotel Pittsburgh Downtown, the event will feature a full day of programming around scenic conservation, a guided tour through Pittsburgh’s most scenic locations, and more opportunities for networking, education, and brainstorming for scenic action.

Highlights

Monday, November 18

• Scenic tour of Pittsburgh
• Dinner cruise through Pittsburgh’s iconic rivers

Tuesday, November 19

• Full day of programming including speeches from community and organizational leaders, sessions on utilities undergrounding, scenic byways, dark skies initiatives, zoning and ordinance, and current local and national legislative updates

Wednesday, November 20

• Scenic Community Expo with local and national organizations, vendors, and businesses

**Schedule and programming subject to change**

Accommodations

Located in the heart of downtown, Drury Plaza Hotel Pittsburgh Downtown is a historic renovation of the Federal Reserve Bank building. It is close to PNC Park, the Andy Warhol Museum, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and more. Pittsburgh hotel guests enjoy free Wi-Fi, free hot breakfast, free evening snacks and beverages, and more.

Hotel Cancellation Policy: Payment information is collected to reserve your room. If your plans change and you need to cancel, please do so by 12:00 p.m. the day before arrival to avoid being charged one night’s room and tax. A debit/credit card will be required to check in, Drury may place a hold on funds in your card account. The hold amount varies and can include the full anticipated price of the stay, plus a $50 deposit for incidentals. Drury typically releases the hold upon checkout after the final payment has been received. After Drury releases the hold, there may be an additional 7 to 10 days before the funds are back in your account, at the discretion of your card issuer.

Scenic America is proud to offer our Symposium guests a reduced rate on accommodations at the Drury if you book through us! Discounted rates are available until October 16, so book early to avoid paying more!*

Registered guests will receive a private link to purchase accommodations through Scenic America’s group rate. Guests will receive an email upon registering that will include access to the group rate. This group rate is only available until October 16, so book well in advance to avoid higher rates!*

*Sunday, November 17 will appear as an option. Please note that this day is not covered by the group rate. It is not necessary for you to book this date in order to enjoy the symposium programming. We recommend beginning your stay on Monday, November 18.

Tentative Events Schedule

Monday, November 18

On-site registration opens to guests, a tour of scenic Pittsburgh locations, and a special evening dinner cruise.

• 9 AM  |  Registration opens
• 1 – 4 PM  |  Scenic Tour of Pittsburgh
  • Allegheny River Boulevard
  • Butler Street
  • West End Overlook
  • And more!
• 5:30 – 7 PM  |  Complimentary happy hour and snacks in hotel dining room
• 6 – 9 PM  |  Gateway Clipper dinner cruise

Tuesday, November 19

Full day of on-site programming

• 6 – 9:30 AM  |  Complimentary hot breakfast
• 9:30 – 10 AM  |  Welcome, State of the Union – Mike Dawida, Mark Falzone
• 10 – 10:45 AM  |  Keynote – Former Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy
• 10:45 – 11 AM  |  Break
• 11 AM – 12 PM  |  Undergrounding Panel – EarthGrid, PDI², Dominion, Tziporah Feldman
• 12 – 1:15 PM  |  Lunch, Election Recap – Speaker TBA
• 1:15 – 2:15 PM  |  Scenic Byways Panel – Rick Duncan, Eric Hermanson, Mark Falzone
• 2:15 – 3:15 PM  |  Dark Skies Panel – Diane Turnshek (astronomer, CMU, University of Pittsburgh) and local dark skies experts
• 3:15 – 3:30 PM  |  Break
• 3:30 – 4:15 PM  |  Zoning and Ordinance for Scenic Beauty – Dave Demko
• 4:15 – 5 PM  |  Legislative Updates from Allegheny County and Beyond – Mike Dawida, Dave Demko, Mark Falzone
• 5:30 – 7 PM  |  Complimentary happy hour and snacks in hotel dining room

Wednesday, November 20

A gathering of scenic organizations, vendors, partners, and the community to network, brainstorm, and connect over scenic issues. Refreshments will be provided.

• 6 – 9:30 AM | Complimentary hot breakfast
• 9 – 12 PM | Scenic Community Expo

Registration

Use the form below to register for the event. Registration must be completed prior to the event. Sorry, no walk-ups will be allowed.

Early-Bird Registration: We will offer early-bird registration pricing of $199 until October 16. Register early to take advantage of these reduced rates as well as reduced accommodation rates!

Regular Registration: Regular registration pricing will be $229 and will run from October 16 through November 17. The cost of accommodations will increase as of October 16, so be sure to register and book your stay early!

Your Scenic Symposium 2024 registration will include admission to Monday’s bus tour of Pittsburgh, Tuesday’s entire program, and a catered lunch on Tuesday. The Drury Plaza Hotel offers all guests complimentary breakfast from 6 – 9:30 AM and a complimentary “Kick-Back” happy hour every evening from 5:30 – 7 PM with buffet-style snacks and beverages from the bar.

Accommodations can be reserved at a special group rate through Scenic America. Registered guests will receive a private email with access to reduced hotel rates after registering for the event.

*Sunday, November 17 will appear as an option. Please note that this day is not covered by the group rate. It is not necessary for you to book this date in order to enjoy the symposium programming. We recommend beginning your stay on Monday, November 18.

Hotel Cancellation Policy: Payment information is collected to reserve your room. If your plans change and you need to cancel, please do so by 12:00 p.m. the day before arrival to avoid being charged one night’s room and tax. A debit/credit card will be required to check in, Drury may place a hold on funds in your card account. The hold amount varies and can include the full anticipated price of the stay, plus a $50 deposit for incidentals. Drury typically releases the hold upon checkout after the final payment has been received. After Drury releases the hold, there may be an additional 7 to 10 days before the funds are back in your account, at the discretion of your card issuer.

Sponsorship Opportunities

We have a variety of sponsorship opportunities available for individuals, businesses, and organizations. Please contact Allison Ruppert for sponsorship inquiries or click here to view our sponsorship document.