5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: June 30-July 2
It’s the first weekend of July. Some people will have a four-day weekend with the July 4 holiday on Tuesday. We know there will be fireworks and furries with the Anthrocon convention — but here are some other ways to spend it.
Fridays at the Frick
Monthly outdoor concerts return at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Frick Pittsburgh in Point Breeze.
Guests are invited to bring blankets and sit on the north lawn between Clayton and Lexington House.
There will be food, art making activities and self-guided tours of the exhibition “Pittsburgh and the Great Migration: Black Mobility and the Automobile” — which examines the role of the automobile in American history during the Great Migration — in the Car and Carriage Museum will be available at a discounted rate. Youth ages 17 and under get in for free.
Christopher Mark Jones will bring his rhythmic brand of folk rock. Guitarist and vocalist Dave Gillespie, drummer Eric George, and bassist Mark Perna will also perform.
Brighton Music Center & Unisound’s “instrument petting zoo” returns, where people can learn instruments — no animals are involved. Farina Foundation will be collecting donated instruments.
Details: thefrickpittsburgh.org
Celebrate the bicentennial
The 1970s-themed indie arts venue and bar Bottlerocket Social Hall in Pittsburgh’s Allentown neighborhood is hosting “The Bottlerocket Bicentennial: The spirit of ’76 lives on” from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. The evening will feature disco and funk music by Pittsburgh’s 1970s cover band Dancing Queen. There will be themed drinks and décor from that time period, and disc jockey Lemonline will be spinning some tunes. There will be a costume contest and a hot dog eating competition.
Tickets start at $10.
Details: bottlerocketpgh.com
Bach, Beethoven and Brunch
Bach, Beethoven and Brunch, a free concert series hosted by the city of Pittsburgh, brings outdoor classical music performances to Mellon Park beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
On stage will be KleZlectic, a group that specializes in klezmer music, but also performs American, Israeli and various Eastern European folk and dance music. Klezmer is a genre of music derived from and built upon eastern European music in the Jewish tradition.
Details: wqed.org
Mattress Factory
The Mattress Factory on the North Side is hosting a reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday for the opening of “Assume the Risk,” an exhibition by artist-in-residence Asim Waqif.
The New Delhi, India-based Waqif’s work questions the authorship and preciousness of an artwork. Guests can meet the artist.
Drinks and non-alcoholic refreshments will be available. Registration is strongly encouraged.
The event is free.
Details: mattress.org
THIS FRIDAY from 6-8 PM we invite you to a public Opening Reception for the new exhibition "Assume the Risk" by artist-in-residence Asim Waqif. Register for the free opening now at https://t.co/Bboh51tWWv! pic.twitter.com/I2W4HAh1ZE
— Mattress Factory (@mattressfactory) June 28, 2023
Voguing
The August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Downtown presents “Pride & Joy,” an event honoring Voguing and LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Happening 7 p.m. Friday, the event will showcase the history and artistry of the voguing scene, an iconic queer art form that originated in New York City’s ballrooms in the 1980s.
Voguing is a dance style that represents a movement of self-expression and identity, particularly within Black and brown communities. There will be a 90-minute workshop where participants can learn the art of catwalking, high kicking, dropping and posing from John Dez Easter III, co-director of True T PGH, an organization that serves as a community hub for LGBTQ+ individuals queer arts and activism.
There will be a free dance party following at 9 p.m.
Tickets are $23.
Details: awaacc.org
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region’s diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of “A Daughter’s Promise.” She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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