Courtesy of the Mattress Factory.

Mattress Factory Museum
Sunday, June 19
1 – 5 p.m.

The weekend of the summer solstice is the perfect time for families to get enlightened at one of Pittsburgh’s leading cultural hotspots.

Courtesy of the Mattress Factory
Courtesy of the Mattress Factory

Thankfully for children, teens and families around the city, summer’s best party comes with a second act. Just 36 hours after throwing its signature benefit bash—the Urban Garden Party (read about that in NEXT)—the Mattress Factory will swing open its doors to host a free community-based celebration of the museum’s Northside neighborhood.

Featuring five hours packed with all-ages programming, this year’s signature Community Garden Party features an imaginative blend of art, music, food, recreation and more.

Get those hips moving during hula-hooping workshops led by Pittsburgh Flow Collective, see stories come to life with Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, and explore room-sized multi-sensory installation art in world-renowned exhibitions.

Courtesy of the Mattress Factory.
Courtesy of the Mattress Factory.

Next, transform your mug with vibrant face painting created by Rikki, roll up your sleeves and learn to screen print tattoos and bags with Artists Image Resource, and strike a pose to create a keepsake photo with fishstep studios.

Dance the day away with lively global music provided by Pandemic Pete and Uke & Tuba, and get active during group games led by City of Play. When you’re ready to grab lunch and snacks, head to the on-site food trucks, including Franktuary and Stickler’s Ice Pops.
Many of the day’s activities will be light-themed, in celebration of the Mattress Factory’s latest major acquisition—a permanent public art installation entitled Acupuncture that was created by German artist Hans Peter Kuhn for the museum’s roof.

The Community Garden Party is free and open to all ages. No reservations are required. For parking information and directions, go here.

Looking for more events? Read our NEXTravaganza! 20 can’t-miss Pittsburgh events & concerts in June and our Top 10 things for families to do in June in Pittsburgh features.

Jennifer has worked at the Mattress Factory, Brooklyn Museum of Art and Dahesh Museum of Art and is co-author of Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania. She also is co-coordinator of Handmade Arcade. Musically, she is in a band called The Garment District and is a founding member of Brooklyn's The Ladybug Transistor.