Free ‘Lights On!’ events to celebrate Pittsburgh’s Cultural District

Pittsburgh’s Cultural District will celebrate the return of live programming with a three-day “Lights On!” event from Sept. 9-11.

The special celebration of the arts will be the official kick-off to RADical Days, an annual thank-you to the public with free admission, tours, performances and family activities offered by organizations and attractions that are funded by the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD).

“RADical Days feels particularly meaningful this year, and we are thrilled to be kicking it off with the Trust and our downtown cultural assets,” said Shannon Musgrave, RAD communications director. “RADical Days is a time to thank the taxpayers of Allegheny County for the support our region receives through the additional 1% sales tax, and this year’s celebration of free activities and events will also serve as a ‘welcome back’ to our communities after a long and difficult 18 months.”

In total, 30 arts organizations are expected to participate in “Lights On!,” with events being added as they come on board. The free presentations will take place at the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s Allegheny Overlook Park on Fort Duquesne Boulevard, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Mobile Stage at the 8th Street Parking Lot at Penn Avenue and the Trust Oasis on 7th Street.

Organizations participating in “Lights On!” include the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

These anchor events are scheduled:

Sept. 9

• Opening remarks and performance, 5 p.m. at the Allegheny Overlook Stage

• Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s excerpts from “Napoli,” 6 p.m. at the 8th Street Stage

• “The Nth Power,” 7 p.m. at the Allegheny Overlook Stage

• “Pittsburgh CLO: Love, Laugh, Sing!,” 8 p.m. at the 8th Street Stage

• Shemekia Copeland, 9 p.m. at the Allegheny Overlook Stage

Sept. 10

• “Barefoot in the Park … in the Park,” presented by the Pittsburgh Public Theater, 2 p.m. at the 8th Street Stage

• Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District and Crawl After Dark, with new exhibitions opening at SPACE, Wood Street Galleries, 707 Penn Gallery, 820 Liberty Gallery and 937 Gallery, 5 p.m.-midnight

• “Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra: A Season Preview,” 8 p.m. at the 8th Street Stage

Sept. 11

• “Baby Rave,” dance and music event with a live DJ, geared for children ages 0-5 and their families, 11 a.m. at the 8th Street Stage

• Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artists Concert, 2 p.m. at the 8th Street Stage

“One of the productions we were all looking forward to with great anticipation was Neil Simon’s ‘Barefoot in the Park,’ which unfortunately had to be canceled that season,” said Marya Sea Kaminski, Pittsburgh Public Theater artistic director. “Yet here we are, so many months later, bringing a pop-up production of this classic romantic comedy to an incredible new outdoor venue featuring some of the most irresistible, hilarious performers in the region.”

This year’s RADical Days will run through Oct. 10.

“While we are excited to reengage, we are also mindful that the pandemic is not yet behind us, and we want to remind folks that the safest way to participate is to be vaccinated or mask up,” Musgrave said. “We have several outdoor events and virtual options on the schedule this year as well. Stay tuned for the full RADical Days lineup, which will be announced later in August.”

In addition to the presentations of the Cultural District companies, the celebration also features arts groups from throughout the region, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership events, and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council’s Restart the Arts truck, which is a part of GPAC’s public service campaign to safely reengage audiences. The truck will visit festivals, community fairs, youth programs, and more throughout the month of September.

The “Lights On!” schedule is subject to change, but all time slots within the listed hours are expected to be filled with community arts events.

The special preview is sponsored by UPMC and UPMC Health Plan, with additional support from The Heinz Endowments and Richard King Mellon Foundation.

Details: culturaldistrict.org/lightson