NEXT 3 Days on the Hilltop: block party, street fest, yoga in the park and more

Next 3 Days returns with a packed, weekend-long celebration of a pair of Hilltop neighborhoods, Allentown and Mt. Washington, Friday, June 17 through Sunday, June 19.

This year’s event kicks off Friday, June 17 with a neighborhood block party at Allentown’s Industry on Industry warehouse, recent host to the inaugural Framework Music and Arts Festival. Peruse a gallery of historical and contemporary photos while creating your own artwork at a free block printing demonstration courtesy of Pop Craft. Brass and electrofunk ensemble Beauty Slap will provide the jams, along with classic rockers Gone South and local Hilltop DJ’s.

Enjoy a taste of local cuisine from a variety of local restaurants (including Mt. Washington’s Kavsar, Pittsburgh’s only Uzbek restaurant), and take part in other interactive projects and other local art displays. Be sure to stick around East Warrington after the block party for an after-party and entertainment at Allentown comedy incubator, Drip Lounge, as well as late-night bites at Pittsburgh’s newest old-school diner, Shelly’s.

Saturday kicks off with self-guided and Green Gears pedicab tours of Allentown and Mt. Washington. Get to Grandview Park for most of the action. Join the community quilting project with Allentown’s Spool fabric store and maker space, and visit the Farm to Table Hilltop Farmer’s Market for fresh and local produce. There’s a Hilltop bake-off with celebrity judges (including Rick Sebak!) and the Steel City Grazers will be there taking suggestions for the name of their newest goat. There’s even a local barbershop competition: The Next 3 Fades!

Kids will flock to arts and crafts activities with local makers and organizations, and there will be free facepaintings, sidewalk chalk fun, and more. Stop by Work Hard Pittsburgh and record your Hilltop Memories with Storyburgh, and help Allentown’s newest business, Stuart Day Guitars, celebrate with a grand opening party. Grandview Park will also host live music from House of Soul, Phat Mandee, Amoeba Knievel, Christiane D. and other Hilltop showstoppers, as well as food and adult beverages from The Summit.

As you make your way through the neighborhoods on self-guided tours, swing by the corner of Bailey and Boggs to watch artists paint the facades of businesses a dazzling array of colors, while over 20 local artists and craftspeople will be on hand to display and sell homemade wares. And explore the Hilltop’s main shopping and business districts of Warrington Ave. and Shiloh St. for N3D specials, performances, and activities.

At dusk, enjoy a free movie screening of the children’s classic, The Land Before Time (as well as unparalleled city views) at Grandview Park, courtesy of the CitiParks summer movie program.

Sunday begins with outdoor yoga at Grandview Park, with BYS Yoga. There will also be brunch at local Allentown and Mt. Washington diners, and a Homebuyer Workshop for people interested in setting up roots in the Hilltop.

An initiative of the Urban Redevelopment Authority, the Office of the Mayor of Pittsburgh and NEXTpittsburgh, Next 3 Days shines a light on Pittsburgh’s up-and-coming, under-the-radar neighborhoods. Last year, N3D beckoned Pittsburghers to explore Troy Hill and its stunning vistas, local landmarks and charming businesses.

Tickets to the Friday kickoff event are  $12.50 in advance, $15 at the door. Allentown and Mt. Washington residents can pay $5 in advance; $10 at the door. There is also a “pay what you can” option for local residents. Stay tuned to NEXTpittsburgh.com for more information as it is made available. Read more about Allentown here. Read more about Mt. Washington here (with more to come soon.)