The best humanity has to provide. Perhaps that’s an apt description of Northeast Ohio’s annual IngenuityFest — appearing this year from Sept. 27 through 29 at Cleveland’s IngenuityLabs at the Hamilton Collaborative — during which arts, sciences and technology collide. The byproducts are intended to be beautiful, creative, innovative and inspiring. “This is the launch of our 20th season,” IngenuityFest Executive Artistic Director Emily Appelbaum said. “This year’s theme, ‘Era of Ascent,’ really captures all of that. It’s about spreading our wings and taking flight. Certainly, there are many beloved elements of the event that have not changed since our earliest years. “We still have our vendors and all kinds of hands-on technology exhibits. But what the shift in our organization over these years has allowed us to do with the festival is we’re creating site-specific works with a much longer trajectory of time. It allows for a type of experimentation with media and with forms that isn’t as possible within the kind of pop-up context that we used to be known for.” Dedicated to a celebration of Ingenuity’s 100,000-square-foot expansion of IngenuityLabs, a permanent home for creativity and innovation in Cleveland, the three-day festival features a mix of hands-on activities for all ages. Kids hang out at last year’s IngenuityFest. The event is designed for all ages. (Courtesy of IngenuityFest) There will be opportunities to interact with innovative and immersive exhibits that explore the human fascination with flight from scientific, artistic, historical and technological perspectives. Entertainment-wise, the affair boasts local and touring DJs and performances of indie rock, hip-hop and electronic dance music, as well as aerial and dance performances, comedy shows and spoken-word poetry, dozens of exhibiting artists, artisan vendors and community organizations. A DJ performs at the 2023 IngenuityFest. (Courtesy of IngenuityFest) “By centering ourselves in this big space for our largest show, we get projects like this year’s ‘Flight of Lightning,” Appelbaum said. “That’s a collaboration between the Crooked River Circus and the Tesla Orchestra.” Then there’s the Family Village, which allows visitors to take a trip through history with the “Untold Stories of Flight” highlighting unique-to-Ohio stories, individuals and events that shaped flight and aviation. Other attractions include “Fire Sculptures” by Sparseland Studios, intricate stage design from Morgan Ferweda and “Kinetic Sculptures” by PDA Goodworks. In the IndusTree Alley, a lunar landing-themed exhibit highlights hands-on technology from NASA. The Dream Destinations area offers other experiences. “A favorite of mine is definitely when someone walks into this space and says, ‘Oh my gosh, I didn’t know places like this existed in Cleveland,’” Appelbaum said. “That’s usually in the context of somebody who has spent time in New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco.” Perhaps the true marrow of IngenuityFest isn’t the event itself but instead its IngenuityLabs location, which for artists and creative folks provides an inspirational gravitational pull that promotes experimentation, celebrating failure and producing achievement. “What I really love is when somebody walks in the door and says, ‘I have an idea. I don’t know how to do it, but somebody told me to come here to Ingenuity and that might help.’” IngenuityFest When: 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sept. 27, 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sept. 28 and 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 29. Where: IngenuityLabs at the Hamilton Collaborative, 5401 Hamilton Ave., Cleveland. Weekend pass: $15. Info: Ingenuitycleveland.com.