Here are some great ways to explore Pittsburgh from home and outdoors this week, from audio escape rooms to Healthy Ride celebrations. Know of an interesting virtual event taking place in June? Email us here.
Friday, May 29: Lit Fridays with the August Wilson African American Cultural Center
12 p.m.
Your Friday is about to get lit. Don’t miss this free virtual salon featuring two of the region’s most acclaimed cultural figures — poet Yona Harvey and artist Vanessa German. The conversation will be moderated by Jessica Lanay of the August Wilson Center.
Friday, May 29: Healthy Ride Bingo
4 p.m.
Explore the city on two wheels and help Healthy Ride turn five years young all weekend long. Bikes and bingo will converge during this fun Friday night game testing your cycling experience and know-how. Plus you might win fab prizes.
Friday, May 29: Virtual Banff Center Mountain Film Festival
4 p.m.
Venture Outdoors’ virtual Banff Center Mountain Film Festival concludes with cinematic works created by filmmakers from around the globe. From snowboarding to kayaking to freediving, you’ll experience life-affirming, and adrenaline-pumping, stories about courage, resilience and the great outdoors.
Friday, May 29: Mirror Butterfly by Afro Yaqui Music Collective
7 p.m.
Presented by City of Asylum, this free broadcast will feature a performance by the award-winning revolutionary jazz ensemble, Afro Yaqui Music Collective. The program will begin with new commentary from the ensemble’s co-founders Gizelxanath Rodriguez and Ben Barson.
Friday, May 29: The Merchant of Venice (Part 2)
7 p.m.
Shakespeare fans will experience “The Merchant of Venice” like never before during this fresh new adaptation by attorney W. Thomas McGough, Jr., who serves as chief legal counsel for UPMC. Exploring relevant themes of justice, bias, family and more, Pittsburgh Public Theater’s PlayTime reading stars Maury Ginsberg as Shylock.
Friday, May 29: Liberty Magic @ Home featuring Mark Toland and Dennis Watkins
7:30 p.m.
Two of the Windy City’s top magicians will display their talents via the Liberty Magic @ Home series. A member of the famed House Theatre of Chicago, Dennis Watkins has written, directed and performed in 21 world premiere productions. World-renowned mentalist Mark Toland knows your birthday, where you grew up and what you did last summer. He’s guaranteed to blow your mind, so don’t miss it.
Friday, May 29: Buffalo Rose EP Release Party
8-9:30 p.m.
Buffalo Rose is hosting this live YouTube party to celebrate the release of their new EP, “Borrowed & Blue.” Fans can watch performances by the band — which blends elements of folk, bluegrass and soul — buy the new EP and vie for the chance to win a limited-edition, autographed 10″ vinyl copy.
Saturday, May 23: Bloomfield Saturday Market
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Fresh food is blooming in Bloomfield. The neighborhood’s beloved Saturday farmers’ market is up and running at 5050 Liberty Ave., where you can shop from a wide selection of local growers, purveyors and producers. And don’t miss the NEXTpittsburgh guide to local farmers’ markets.
Saturday, May 30: Let’s Move Family Dance Party!
12 p.m.
Get moving as a family unit during this low-impact workout and dance jam session led by Simon Phillips. After the “pay what makes you happy” session, the kiddos can download new coloring book pages from the theater’s performance archive.
Saturday, May 30: Pittsburgh Women’s Music Festival Livestream Event
5-11 p.m.
Creative.Life.Support, Steel Kitty Productions and Mr. Smalls Presents are joining forces to empower female creators and shine a spotlight on traditionally underrepresented musical acts representing a wide range of genres. Along with 20-plus livestream performances, the festival will also include a premiere of the new Social Justice Disco music video and an exhibit of work by Pittsburgh artist Tonee Turner, who has been missing since December 30, 2019. A tip jar will be provided for each artist.
Saturday, May 30: Red Carpet Rescue Audio Escape Room
Various
Think you have the chops to master an audio escape room? The inventive gamemasters at 60 Minute Missions Escape Room have designed audio adventures for your ears and mind. With role-playing and text-based activities, they’re great for socially distant entertainment, rainy day fun or connecting with friends far afield. With their newest challenge, Red Carpet Rescue, your mission is to save the Academy Awards from being hacked.
Saturday, May 30: Why We Love Healthy Ride
Various times
Five years ago, Healthy Ride debuted in Pittsburgh during the wildly popular Open Streets event. Until we can all meet up again, the organization is asking bike lovers to share what they love most about Healthy Ride. Submit your photos, videos and memories here.
Saturday, May 30: John Burt Sanders online exhibition at Unsmoke Artspace
Various times
Braddock’s Unsmoke Artspace gallery is taking its exhibitions online. The newest exhibit showcases Pittsburgh-based artist John Burt Sanders, whose raw canvases are stained with diluted primary colors and overpainted using thick oil paint compositions.
Sunday, May 31: 11th Street Farmers Market
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Downtown’s beloved Market Square Farmers Market is open in a new location near the David L. Lawrence Convention Center to provide social distancing and pedestrian access. The rain-or-shine market features regionally-grown produce, organic products and small-batch foods from 20 vendors. Read the NEXTpittsburgh guide to local farmers’ markets.
Sunday, May 31: Scottish Genealogy Workshop
1-5 p.m.
During this first-of-its-kind live workshop, internationally renowned genealogist Paul Milner will participate in a Q&A, lead activities and help attendees research their Scottish heritage. Archivists Jenny Barr and Sonia Prescott from Philadelphia’s Presbyterian Historical Society will share records documenting Scottish Americans in Western PA, and representatives from the Detre Library & Archives and St. Andrew’s Society of Pittsburgh will share research.
Sunday, May 31: Virtual Bike Ride + Anniversary Mural Reveal
Various times
For the culmination of its weeklong birthday bash, Healthy Ride will share favorite routes, destinations and challenges for cyclists to follow, unveil its new anniversary mural and debut a compilation of user-submitted photos and videos.
For more virtual events, go here. Know about an interesting virtual event taking place in June? Email us here.
Looking for things to do with kids? Read Pittsburgh parents, keep the kids engaged with these online activities from local groups.
