5 things do to in Pittsburgh this weekend: Sept. 6-8
Look, of course it’s the start of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season and a good percentage of the weekend will be taken up by all things Black and Gold. But maybe a palate cleanser from all that Iron City is in order?
If so, check out these events for a chance to get outside somewhere that isn’t full of waving Terrible Towels.
Pittsburgh Irish Festival
Celebrate the food, music and culture of Ireland with this weekend’s Pittsburgh Irish Festival. From Friday through Sunday at the Carrie Blast Furnaces, food, beverages, vendors and educational activities will be part of the spread to keep anyone busy.
Entertainment is set to include live music performances, Irish dance and comedy throughout the weekend. There will even be mini-tours of the Carrie Blast Furnaces, which are a National Historic Landmark (if you didn’t know).
Festival grounds will be open from 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Get tickets and learn more about all of the many activities available at pghirishfest.org.
A Fair in the Park
Mellon Park in Shadyside will host the annual A Fair in the Park, a decades-old Pittsburgh fine arts and crafts tradition that brings together local artists for a lovely weekend.
Artists in a variety of media — from clay to jewelry to wood to glass — will set up shop over the three days and interact with visitors. There will be food trucks from around the city to help fuel all who attend.
Rain or shine, everything will be set up and open from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Meet the artists and get directions at afairinthepark.org.
Step Out Walk for Diabetes
Join together to find and fund a cure for diabetes through this charity walk on Saturday. With an easy 1-mile stroll along the riverwalk at PNC Park on the North Shore, this is a good opportunity to raise money and establish unity among those suffering with the disease.
The event is set to begin at 8:30 a.m., with check-in time from 8:30 to 9 a.m. The walk itself will go from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Silver Horse Coffee Truck will be there to help wake up any stragglers, and the Pirate Parrot has plans to make an appearance too. To register and see answers to frequently asked questions, visit stepout-diabetes.donordrive.com.
Freedom Harvest Celebration
Join the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy on Saturday to celebrate Freedom Harvest Fest during this National Underground Railroad Month. This event, held at the Frick Environmental Center, celebrates the harvest of produce that freedom-seekers used to nourish themselves on their journey.
There will be musical performances and a DJ, as well as food trucks and chefs on hand. The event is free and open to the public. Activities including hikes, storytelling, lawn games and others will be available at the event from 1 to 4 p.m.
Learn more about this inaugural festival at pittsburghparks.org.
Turkish and Central Asian Food and Culture Festival
On Saturday, head down to Schenley Plaza in Oakland to learn more about other countries and global communities including Turkey, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., food and culture will be on display.
Foods such as Turkish fried dough, baklava, kebab and much more will be available for tasting.
Traditional musical performances will happen throughout the day, and participants can explore arts and crafts from these often-underappreciated areas.
Find out even more by clicking here.
Alexis Papalia is a TribLive staff writer. She can be reached at apapalia@triblive.com.
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