What’s going on this week in Pittsburgh, May 22-28? Find out here. Visit each organization’s website and social media for Covid protocols. Know of a cool event? Email us.
Tuesday, May 23: Yoga in Market Square
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Pittsburgh’s favorite outdoor yoga series is back on the mats in the heart of Downtown. Moving to Tuesday nights, the weekday BYOM (bring your own mat) session is free and open to all skill levels. The class is led by Felicia Savage Friedman of YogaRoots On Location. Spots fill up fast so arrive early.
Tuesday, May 23: Ellie’s Pet Attic at Humane Animal Rescue
12-4 p.m.
Inspired by Fred Rogers, HARP is celebrating 143 Day (a reference to his special code 143 based on the number of letters in the words “I love you”) by lending a helping hand to dogs and dog parents in need. An offshoot of the nonprofit’s Ellie’s Pet Food Pantry, the distribution event provides new and gently used pet supplies such as collars, leashes, crates and beds at no cost. Pet owners in need can pull up to the East Side Campus at 6926 Hamilton Ave. to pick them up.
Wednesday, May 24 & Sunday, May 28: Jazz Poetry Month at City of Asylum
7 p.m.
You have four more nights to experience City of Asylum’s signature Jazz Poetry Month, which is underway with 50 artists premiering in-person and virtual collaborations between art forms, creators and audiences. Tonight don’t miss renowned Hungarian saxophonist Mihály Borbély presenting a night of jazz with activist poets Cameron Awkward-Rich, Tabassam Shah and City of Asylum writer-in-residence Anouar Rahmani. Return on Sunday for an improvised performance by the Dyer Rosenbloom Kitamura trio in collaboration with poets Sumita Chakraborty and Rosebud Ben-Oni and Allegheny County Poet Laureate, Doralee Brooks. View a schedule and register for free.
Thursday, May 25: Opening Reception at James Gallery
5-8 p.m.
Head to the West End for a doubleheader presentation of contemporary art. In his solo exhibition, Within and Without, painter Micheal Madigan draws from his research visits to Italy, France, Spain and Ireland to create a new body of work exploring visual and sensory memory. The gallery’s newest spring group show, Cluster, features mixed media work by 13 artists from six different states, including five local artists. The opening reception is free to the public.
Friday, May 26, 2022: Final Fridays at the Andy Warhol Museum
5-10 p.m.
Kick off Memorial Day Weekend in The Pop District. Join local artists, creatives and entrepreneurs in the museum’s newly outfitted Silver Street public event space. Surrounded by a shimmering canopy of lights and rainbow walls, the festivities include music by DJ Jarrett Tebbets, bites for sale from the El Sabor Latin Kitchen Food Truck and a cash bar. Register for free.
Friday, May 26: Lit Fridays with the August Wilson African American Cultural Center
6 p.m.
Get lit during this virtual happy hour salon led by August Wilson African American Cultural Center Literary Curator Jessica Lanay. Joining Lanay for a conversation about the transformative power of creativity and resilience is artist and community leader Antonio Howard. Sentenced to life in prison at age 15, Howard served 26 ½ years, and while incarcerated, he educated himself using instructional visual art books. A recipient of a 2019 Erie Arts & Culture’s Emerging Artist Fellowship, he’s now the owner of Murals by Antonio Howard and works as an assistant paralegal with the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of PA. Don’t miss this chance to hear his inspiring story. Register for free.
Saturday, May 27: Forest Bathing in Riverview Park
10 a.m.
Led by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, the 2-mile forest bathing experience promotes the restorative benefits of nature, supports healing and wellness, and is a wonderful way to explore springtime in the city. Meet the group at the Snowflake trailhead at Mairdale Avenue. Register for free.
Saturday, May 27: Joan Brown retrospective at Carnegie Museum of Art
10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Pittsburgh art lovers can’t miss the first major survey in more than 20 years showcasing American artist Joan Brown (1938–1990). Museum-goers will get a rare look at the prolific painter known for her large-scale portraits exploring themes of spirituality and the self. The exhibit brings together Brown’s early impasto canvases and her later paintings featuring flat graphic patterns and vivid colors and composition. From her student days in the 1950s Bay Area to her premature death in 1990, the show introduces an underrecognized, yet critically important painter, to new generations. Buy tickets.
Saturday, May 27 & Sunday, May 28: Pittsburgh Riverwalk & Chalk Fest at Allegheny Landing Park
One of the city’s coolest new festivals is taking the chalking and walking fun from the South Shore to the North Shore. Shake up your routine by spending Memorial Day Weekend along the Allegheny River at Isabella Street. The free fest runs from 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. This year goes global welcoming artists from Ukraine, while Pittsburgh’s own Chalking Dad reps our region. Presented by Riverlife, the festivities include a CHALKTail Bar with Shorty’s Pins X Pints, mobile eats, live music, street performers and airbrush tattoos.
Saturday, May 27 & Sunday, May 28: WonderWorks Music Festival at Hartwood Acres
Various times
Rock out this Memorial Day Weekend with regional and national acts at this inaugural music festival. Anchored by three stages, the fest showcases local, regional and international food, craft activities for all ages and an artisan vendor village. Featured performers include Hozier, The Head And The Heart, COIN, X Ambassadors, Jason Mraz, Mt. Joy, The Revivalists and The Airborne Toxic Event. Each day is kicked off by Pittsburgh-based artists selected in partnership with local music fans and the Millvale Music Festival. View a schedule and buy tickets.
Sunday, May 28: Submarine Veterans Memorial Day Ceremony
10-11:30 a.m.
Take your spot along the Ohio River trail to observe this special Memorial Day ceremony.
Aboard the Cold War-era submarine, 40 veterans of the USS VI Requin Base will toll a bell in memory of each vessel on “Eternal Patrol” and will cast memorial flower petals into the water. A Marine Color Guard will perform a 21-gun salute. Inducted into the Submarine Hall of Fame in 2017, the USS Requin was the first radar picket submarine protecting the East Coast during the Cold War.
Sunday, May 28: OpenStreetsPGH
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Forget sticking to the sidewalks or dodging speeding cars — this is the precious day in Pittsburgh when you rule the roads. Kicking off the season of outdoor fun, OpenStreetsPGH returns by rolling out a brand-new 1-mile addition along the North Shore, where participants can enjoy activities with the Steelers and Pirates, Friends of the Riverfront and Carnegie Science Center. With four hours of car-free fun, you can walk, cycle, skate, skip, skip rope or dance in the middle of the street! This beloved BikePGH event gives residents a new perspective on the city while boosting local businesses. It’s a rare opportunity to make your way from the North Shore to the Golden Triangle — right through the Armstrong Tunnel minus the autos — then over the 10th Street Bridge into bustling East Carson Street. Stop at activity hubs for exercise classes, live performances and family activities.
Find more things to do in Pittsburgh, including public events, live music and family activities, here.
