Market Square to the West End
July 31
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Put that car in park and get ready to dance, play, and even snowboard your way through the city’s streets. Sans cars. If you missed all of the OpenStreetsPGH fun in May and June (more than 36,000 Pittsburghers took part), you’re in luck because the outdoor urban phenomenon is returning for its culminating summer event on Sunday.
Debuting its newest 3-mile route, OpenStreetsPGH will run from Market Square downtown to the iconic Clemente Bridge, through the historic Northside, and then continue all the way to Pittsburgh’s cozy West End neighborhood.
Event-goers can stop on the car-free West End Bridge to take in one of the best views of Pittsburgh’s iconic Golden Triangle, and can even commemorate the occasion at free photo stations set up along the way.
For four liberating hours, the event route will be car-free and open for the public of all ages to walk, run, bike, dance, eat, shop, sightsee, and more—all while exploring the city from refreshing new vantage points.
New additions to this Sunday’s fun will be roving, bike-powered musical performances by Squonk Opera, a puppy carnival hosted by the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society, and 12 free fitness classes.
If you’ve ever wanted to perfect your sun salute, learn hip-hop dance moves, or try out kickboxing—all in the middle of the street—then this event is for you. And if you’re more of a wallflower, that’s cool too, because OpenStreetsPGH is a fabulous for people—and dog—watching. You might even catch a glimpse of the city’s own resident superhero (a.k.a. Burghman).
Three main event hubs will be stationed along the new route, with special activities in Market Square, at Ridge Avenue and West Ohio Street on the Northside, and at Wabash and Main Streets in the West End.
Engage with our city in entirely new ways as the streets become your playground for everything from hYpe Spin classes and leisurely historic walking tours, to unicycling and circuit training.
The festive route includes fun for the city’s youngest residents too—don’t miss the kids’ snowboarding, as well as activities led by Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, Citiparks, and Pittsburgh Musical Theatre.
While traversing the new route, patrons are encouraged to take a seat at neighborhood sidewalk cafes for brunch, peruse independent local boutiques and galleries, and discover local amenities. Businesses and venues along the route will offer special discounts, behind-the-scenes tours, and promotions.
Part of a global movement called Ciclovia—which means cycleway in Spanish—Open Streets was founded in Bogota, Colombia and now takes place in hundreds of cities worldwide.
Attracting national attention, OpenStreetsPGH got a shout-out this month in USA Today‘s article, 10 cities that put cars in park for a day.
Free for all ages, OpenStreetsPGH is co-presented by Highmark Inc., the Colcom Foundation, and BikePGH.
View and download an OpenStreetsPGH map here. See parking and transit information 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.