There’s nothing we like better than getting an insider’s perspective of one of Pittsburgh’s many wonderful neighborhoods. On the weekend of September 9, we had the privilege of working with our partners, the City of Pittsburgh and the URA, to explore the neighborhood of Garfield in depth through NEXT 3 Days.

We went into Garfield knowing it would be a good time; we left having made friends for life, deeply impressed with the many residents who worked hard to make the event their own. Along the way we wrote about them: from homeowners tackling the renovation of old houses to a group working to help make more homeowners of low-income residents, to a guide to Garfield and those owning businesses on Penn, adding value in so many ways to the neighborhood. Not to mention this on the very impressive Garfield Gators (now our favorite team).

In case you missed it—some of you were at a Pitt game on Saturday?—we present NEXT 3 Days here in photos, from the electrifying performances of Level Up Studios and 1Hood Media to the smiling faces of the fiercely energetic Gators and Gatorettes and the many loving parents and others standing behind them.

A good time was had by all. We thank all the people of Garfield as well as our hard-working partners, the many volunteers, and Eileen French Jordan, Jack Bellas and Liz Juchno from Revive Marketing Group who somehow, miraculously, pulled it all together.

See you next year in Homewood for the NEXT 3 Days!

Glass artist Andrew Tischler
Glass artist Andrew Tischler of the Pittsburgh Glass Center working his flame on a hot and sunny day.
checking in
Attendees checking in at the NEXT 3 Days welcome booth. The Saturday event livened up the corner of Winebiddle Street and Penn Avenue.
group
City of Play at work. Make that play. Either way, they kept it lively.
audience at alloy
At Alloy Studios for the Friday night kickoff party, watching the entertainment.
Idasa Tariq and Jacquea from 1 hood
Idasa Tariq and Jacquea Mae from 1Hood Media wowed the crowd on Friday night.
1 hood's Madusa, whose name is an acronym for Making A Difference Using Skills and Activism.
1Hood’s Blak Rapp Madusa, whose name is an acronym for Making A Difference Using Skills and Activism, firing up the crowd Friday night.
1Hood’s Blak Rapp Madusa, whose name is an acronym for Making A Difference Using Skills and Activism, firing up the crowd Friday night.
stree play - game of foams
Street play featuring a game of foams.
Street play featuring a game of foams.
L to R Christin Thorp and Malachi Nibbs
Christin Thorp and Malachi Nibbs at Alloy Studios.
group
Connecting at the Friday night kickoff party.
Level Up studios NBND
Level Up Studios’ NBND performing at Alloy Studios as the crowd roared approval.
Level Up Studios’ NBND performing at Alloy Studios as the crowd roared approval.
Jason Sauer - Most wanted fine art- stands in front of his art car
Jason Sauer of Most Wanted Fine Art in front of his art car.
Ribbon cutting for pase one compltion Penn Ave
Ribbon-cutting ceremony for phase one completion of Penn Avenue. A victory for the neighborhood.
Obahama Academy marching Band
The Obama Academy Marching Band was a big hit on Saturday.
Gatorettes
The very talented Gatorettes strut their stuff during the Saturday event.
Gatorette Jayla Booker gets a henna tattoo from Jamilah Lahijuddin
Gatorette Jayla Booker gets a henna tattoo from Jamilah Lahijuddin. That smile!
Pizza Poems
Pizza Poems PGH asked festival-goers to serve up a line of poetry to get a slice of pizza. Later they read the pizza poems from the stage which were good but not as good as the pizza.
Takara Canty of boom concepts painting reclaimed glass blocks with spary paint and arcylic
Takara Canty of Boom Concepts painting reclaimed glass blocks with spray paint and acrylic.
Brogan McGowan with Stella and Ceclia Pugliano
Brogan McGowan with Stella and Cecilia Pugliano feeling just ducky.
L to R Los Samrosso dance Co's Nicolette Panlowski and Agustin Garcia
Los Sabrosos Dance Co.’s Nicolette Pawlowski and Agustin Garcia showed us how it’s done.
Los Sabrosos Dance Co.’s Nicolette Pawlowski and Agustin Garcia showed us how it’s done.
juges with crowd
Judges are enthralled watching the finalists from Level Up Studios compete on stage.
Level up dance off will Antoine on stage
Level Up Studios dance off, the final act on Saturday, was a show-stopper.

The staff at NEXTpittsburgh writes about the people driving change in the region and the innovative and cool things happening here.