PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

Meet Your Galentine
Jan. 30 | Cinderlands Warehouse

Find your Galentine at this girls-only (21+) Matchbox event. The event promises a playful, platonic matchmaking that celebrates friendship with a quick survey, clue drops throughout the evening, food and friend matches.

Price: $14.87. Click here for ticket information.

Pete Lee
Jan. 30-Feb. 1 | Pittsburgh Improv

Comedian Pete Lee was the first standup to earn a standing ovation on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Now, he’s bringing his joyful, Midwest-rooted humor to Pittsburgh Improv for five shows, following a career that spans Comedy Central, NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” VH1, TruTV and more.

Price: Starting at $22. Click here for more information.

DJ Pauly D
Jan. 31 | The Event Center at The Rivers Casino

The party is coming… DJ Pauly D is bringing his high-energy set back to Rivers Casino Pittsburgh this Saturday. Best known from MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” Pauly D brings nonstop East Coast party energy for a 21+ night on the North Shore.

Price: $50.30. Click here for ticket information.

Wicked Sing Along Drag Brunch
Feb. 1 | Pittsburgh Improv

“Wicked” may be showing at the Benedum, but you can also catch a rendition of the show at Pittsburgh Improv.

Flip Phone Events delivers a fully immersive, themed show that’s different every time.

Price: $25. Click here for ticket information.

Vegan Soup Cook-Off
Feb. 1 | Helltown Brewing

Humane Action Pennsylvania hosts its fifth annual Best Vegan Soup in the ’Burgh — an afternoon of unlimited soup tastings from local chefs, voting for the 2026 winner and warm winter vibes.

Price: Starting at $33.85. Click here for ticket information.

Seasonal

• “Wicked” shows at the Benedum Center until Feb. 15. Tickets.
• The UPMC Rink at PPG Place runs through March 1. Tickets.

PHOTO COURTESY DROPKICK MURPHYS

MUSIC

Dropkick Murphys

Stage AE | Feb. 12

For 30 years, the high-energy Celtic punk machine Dropkick Murphys has taken pride in serving up music for regular people.

If you follow them on social media, you know they are not shy about speaking out. They treat every injustice like a mosh pit, fearlessly jumping in. Their most recent album, “For the People,” makes that very clear.

Do your stretches, and prepare for a cathartic and visceral release for your feelings about the state of the world. The group is much more than a “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” needle drop; they are, quite simply, a voice for the people.

THEATER

“An Enemy of the People”

O’Reilly Theater | Feb. 4 through Feb. 22

Forget the “slippery when wet” sign — this public spa is a five-star death trap. Originally set in the 1880s in a small Norwegian town, “An Enemy of the People” follows Dr. Thomas Stockman, who discovers that the water in a popular bathhouse is contaminated.

He tells everyone, but instead of gratitude, his neighbors and so-called friends turn on him. Actor Jeremy Strong won a Tony for the 2024 Broadway revival, a modernized version of Henrik Ibsen’s classic. Now, the bathhouse becomes a contemporary spa — and themes of corruption, media misinformation and financial gain pitted against public health are all too familiar.

FOOD AND DRINK

Pittsburgh Winter Beerfest

David L. Lawrence Convention Center | Feb. 21

The Pittsburgh Winter Beerfest offers an excellent opportunity to perk up these frigid and gray days.

This 21-and-over event features more than 150 local and craft beers available for sampling and purchase. You will also find ciders, seltzers and some liquor. When you purchase either a day or night session ticket, you are free to sample beverages throughout — and, as a way to responsibly enhance your exploration, discounted Designated Driver tickets also are available.

Non-alcoholic beverages and food will round things out before your ride home.

CONVENTION

Horror Realm Con

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh — Green Tree | Feb. 27 through March 1

If your heart belongs to all things spooky, Horror Realm Con is calling your name. You’re diving headfirst into total horror immersion!

Among all of the terrifying screen queens and horror icons (William Katt of “Carrie,” Derek Mears of “Friday the 13th,” Felissa Rose of “Sleepaway Camp” and many more) in attendance, Pittsburgh will be represented by its very own master of macabre makeup, Greg Nicotero.

There also will be plenty of vendors around, offering the best place to shop for a bloody bounty.

DR. HOLLY FROM DANCE MOMS. PHOTO BY AVIANA ADAMS

Opening Dec. 5 at the Benedum Center, “The Nutcracker” is a classic way to celebrate the holidays — and to catch a glimpse of some Pittsburgh celebrities.

Presented by Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, the performances will feature an unprecedented number of local celebrities in walk-on roles during the “Party Scene.” Adam W. McKinney, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s artistic director, says this year’s 20 guest stars come from local politics, sports, television news and the cast of “Dance Moms.”

FRZY. PHOTO BY AVIANA ADAMS

“We absolutely love having local celebrities guest star in our Pittsburgh version of ‘The Nutcracker,’” he says. “We select a variety of guest stars from different fields such that there is interest for all audience members.”

Here’s a closer look at the Pittsburgh celebrities you can expect to see in the Land of Enchantment this holiday season.

• Charlie Batch (7 p.m. on Dec. 5) Pittsburgh Steelers and Founder of Best of the Batch Foundation
• Latasha Wilson-Batch (7 p.m. on Dec. 5) Executive Director of Best of the Batch Foundation
• Megan Shinn (2 p.m. on Dec. 6), KDKA-TV Anchor and Reporter
• Corey O’Connor (7 p.m. on Dec. 6) Allegheny County Controller & Pittsburgh Mayor-Elect
• Bonny Diver (7 p.m. on Dec. 6) iHeart Radio Host, & Founder of Hair Peace Charities
• Jeremy Reynolds (noon on Dec. 7) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Critic and Journalist
• Chandi Chapman (7 p.m. on Dec. 12) WTAE-TV Anchor and Reporter
• Victoria Vespico (2 p.m. on Dec. 13) Miss Pennsylvania 2025
• Brooke Hyland (7 p.m. on Dec. 13) Dance Moms
• Amanda Neatrour (4:30 p.m. on Dec. 14) Mrs. Pennsylvania 2024
• Arjun Manjunath (7 p.m. on Dec. 19) Social Media Content Creator
• Daisy Jade (7 p.m. on Dec. 20) KDKA-TV “Pittsburgh Today Live” Reporter
• Perry Ninness (7 p.m. on Dec. 20) Administrative Officer at UBS
• Sara Innamaroto (noon on Dec. 21) Allegheny County Executive
• Frzy (4:30 p.m. on Dec. 21) Musician
• Chloe Lukasiak (7 p.m. on Dec. 23) Dance Moms
• Kendall Vertes (7 p.m. on Dec. 26) Dance Moms
• Mary Ours (2 p.m. on Dec. 27) KDKA-TV Meteorologist
• Lindsay Ward (7 p.m. on Dec. 27) Pittsburgh Reporter and Content Creator
• Dr. Holly Hatcher-Frazier (noon on Dec. 28) Dance Moms

Along with seeing some familiar Pittsburgh faces, attendees will experience hundreds of colorful characters wearing 150 intricate costumes, a Christmas tree that grows to 15 times its size and over 30 magic tricks performed by a professional magician.

CHARLIE BATCH AND HIS WIFE, LATASHA WILSON-BATCH. PHOTO BY AVIANA ADAMS

“‘The Nutcracker’ is a magical way to celebrate the holidays,” says McKinney in a statement. “Our unique Pittsburgh version of ‘The Nutcracker’ is an unforgettable way to experience the season’s festivities with loved ones.”

Performances take place Dec 5-28 at the Benedum Center. Tickets are available at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s website.

THE SCANDINAVIAN HOME: LANDSCAPE AND LORE | PHOTO BY SETH CULP-RESSLER/THE FRICK PITTSBURGH

BEST BET

Hygge in the Gallery

Through Jan. 11 | The Frick Art Museum

The many pieces in The Scandinavian Home: Landscape and Lore are perfectly united in feeling — even though they’re almost completely dissonant in style and media. There are paintings, sculptures, tapestries and furniture in this exhibit; within each of those disciplines, there are even more varieties in style.

Yet they all sit perfectly together, ineffably capturing something instinctual about the spirit of this part of the world. To use perhaps the only Danish term I know: It’s all very hygge. The exhibit, which is open through Jan. 11, comes from the private collection of David and Susan Werner, aficionados of Scandinavian art for decades; in fact, they began gathering these works before Nordic art was widely recognized by the art community at large.

While many subjects, from folkloric figures to quiet home scenes, are represented in “The Scandinavian Home,” the interplay of light and landscape is a frequent subject. And while beautiful, snowy vistas are present, my favorite piece in the exhibition runs counter to that trope: Swedish painter Eugène Jansson’s “Bastugatan in the Evening” gazes from a working-class neighborhood at the sunset over an industrial cityscape.

If you didn’t know better, you’d swear you were looking at an image of Pittsburgh. “The Scandinavian Home” is the perfect exhibition for the winter months; you’ll have visions of it jump to mind anytime the sunlight cascades over the snow. — Sean Collier

SHOW

“Yippee Ki Yay: The Parody Celebration of Die Hard”

Dec. 2-21 | Greer Cabaret Theater

It isn’t truly Christmas until John McClane saves the day — and yes, “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie. This year, put a twist on the tradition by going to see the “unauthorized parody” “Yippee Ki Yay: The Parody Celebration of Die Hard.”

Imagine your bestie recapping the entire movie, with props, at the bar. Originally an Edinburgh Fringe hit, this live show is totally safe for those ages 14 and up.

COMEDY

Bill Bellamy

Dec. 5-7 | Pittsburgh Improv

From MTV VJ to co-star of HBO’s “Insecure,” Bill Bellamy has spent decades establishing himself as a versatile entertainer. Best known for his effortlessly smooth (yet goofy) and energetic stage presence, this beloved Gen-X comedian is a masterful storyteller who engages crowds on relatable subjects such as being a family man, current events and everyone’s favorite subject … aging.

WRESTLING

Keystone State Wrestling Alliance

Dec. 6 | American Legion Langley Post 496

Sean Collier’s pick: It’s the end of an era in local professional wrestling, as the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance wraps up its 25th and final year of grappling with one last “Fan Fest” event.

The longstanding promotion has been a staple of the city’s lodges and American Legion halls since the turn of the century, offering family-friendly wrestling shows featuring local brawlers and old-school showmanship.

Their farewell show is a charitable one: It doubles as a holiday toy drive.

MUSIC

Storm Large’s Holiday Ordeal

Dec. 7 | Pittsburgh Winery

There’s a storm brewing, and it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Storm Large’s Holiday Ordeal is a melodic way to celebrate Sparkle Season, as Large will be performing holiday classics and originals from her holiday album, “A Joyful Noise.”

The Pink Martini vocalist delivers a holiday show unlike any other. This isn’t your grandma’s cozy Christmas show — it’s bold and brassy holiday chaos.

PLAY

“Clue”

Dec. 30-Jan. 4 | Benedum Center

Based on an ’80s cult classic that’s based off of a board game played in wood-paneled basements … it’s “Clue,” the stage show!

Watch the murder mystery unfold right before your eyes as six mysterious guests gather at Boddy Manor for a dinner they’ll never forget. Don’t expect an exact replica of the film; there will be brand new twists and turns to keep you guessing whodunit.

PHOTO COURTESY DEVIN GALLAGHER

MUSIC

“GallagherFest — A Family Musical Tribute to Mike Gallagher”

Nov. 15 | Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle

Celebrate the life and talent of one of Pittsburgh’s most beloved Irish musicians at “GallagherFest — A Family Musical Tribute to Mike Gallagher.

As one of the only musicians to have performed in every Pittsburgh Irish Festival from its inception in 1991 through his death in March, Gallagher’s legacy is one to be cherished.

Sharing music and memories is one of the best ways to honor someone so loved. Admission is free, but reservations are recommended; call 412-642-6622 to save a seat.

MUSIC

Queensrÿche

Nov. 18 | Palace Theatre

Progressive metal band Queensrÿche continues their Volume and Vengeance tour with a stop in Greensburg.

Best known for the Top 10 hit “Silent Lucidity,” the current incarnation of the group offers virtuosic performances of songs from the group’s 1980s and ’90s heyday — while throwing in a few new tracks to prove they’ve still got it.

A TORII GATE SERVES AS THE ENTRANCE TO PHIPPS CONSERVATORY AND BOTANICAL GARDENS FOR THE FALL SHOW IN THE PALM COURT. | PHOTO BY AIDAN MCCLAIN

Peaceful. Serene. Restful.

These are the words that come to mind when I recall my time at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ new fall show, “Visions of Japan.”

It’s no wonder that horticulture in Japanese culture is seen as therapeutic, including the practice of forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku.

The show, which opened on Oct. 4, highlights Japan’s history with the chrysanthemum. You’ll find mums of all shapes and colors throughout the space. The Palm Court features red, orange and yellow mums that gracefully surround a Torii gate, shown above. These gates are iconic symbols of Japan and “serve as gateways between the everyday and the sacred,” according to signage in the exhibit.

The show also features an arched footbridge, or taikobashi. In Japanese culture, these footbridges — or drum bridges — “can symbolize crossing into a sacred space,” according to signage in the exhibit.

Crossing a footbridge can be an act of purification, but you won’t be able to actually cross one. The bridge, shown below, is for display only.

A TRADIONAL TORII GATE. | PHOTO BY AIDAN MCCLAIN

In the Victoria Room, you’ll find a moon gate, shown below. This symbolizes peace and harmony.

You may have to wait a few minutes for the perfect time to capture a photo with no one in the background. While you wait, take in the reflections that are cast from the pure black water.

THE MOON GATE AT VISIONS OF JAPAN. | PHOTO BY AIDAN MCCLAIN

The show doesn’t just capture your attention with what’s directly in front of you — look up to see lanterns and origami birds hanging from the ceiling.

PHOTO BY AIDAN MCCLAIN

“Visions from Japan” isn’t the only new display at Phipps. “Garden Railroad: The Age of Dinosaurs” takes you back in time to the Mesozoic Era. That time period includes the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

“GARDEN RAILROAD” AT PHIPPS. | PHOTO BY AIDAN MCCLAIN

Here, you can watch small, animatronic dinosaurs move along the greenery, follow a train as it makes its lap and even push a button to simulate a volcano eruption.

If the roar of the dinosaurs spikes your cortisol levels, all you have to do is return to the Japanese gardens.

“Visions from Japan” runs through Sunday, Oct. 26. Buy your tickets here.

Get ready to dress up, dance, drink and strike a pose. The Pittsburgh Wine & Spirits Festival is back!

The sell-out event brings winemakers, distillers, brand ambassadors and you together for a night of tasting and sampling at Rivers Casino.

The Nov. 7 event will feature more than 200 wines, spirits and seasonal cocktails.

This is the perfect chance to try a drink you’ve never had before. Then, learn how to make it at home! Industry insiders will be there to share their insights (and recipes) about their products and drinks. You can purchase wine and spirits on-site at vendors’ tables and the Fine Wine & Good Spirits pop-up.

Who:

You! And some of the best winemakers and distillers, of course.

What:

The Pittsburgh Fall Wine & Spirits Festival is more than a sampling event — it’s a party! Come for the wine and spirits, stay for the good time. A buffet dinner is also included with all tickets.  

Where:

Event check-in will take place in the Rivers Casino Drum Bar on the 1st floor. Rivers Casino is located at 777 Casino Dr. — free parking is available in the Rivers Casino parking garage. All attendees must be 21+ to enter the casino.

When:

Clear your calendar for Friday, Nov. 7. That’s when the party starts!

CHARLES “TEENIE” HARRIS, BORN 1908, PITTSBURGH, PA; DIED 1998, PITTSBURGH, PA; GROUP IN UNIFORM WITH POSSIBLY RUTH GWYNNON ON FAR RIGHT, HOMESTEAD, PITTSBURGH, PA, CA. 1945, GELATIN SILVER PRINT, 7 5/8 _ 9 9/16 IN. (19.4 _ 24.3 CM); CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART, PITTSBURGH, SECOND CENTURY ACQUISITION FUND AND GIFT OF MILTON AND NANCY WASHINGTON, 1996.55.7; _ CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART.

In a time when America seems determined to erase the Black experience from its history, a groundbreaking exhibition at the Carnegie Museum of Art is set to redefine our understanding of Black America by shedding light on rich and often overlooked narratives.

The exhibition, “Black Photojournalism,” centers on the prolific work of Charles “Teenie” Harris, the preeminent photographer for the Pittsburgh Courier, once the nation’s most widely circulated Black newspaper.

“Black Photojournalism” presents “work by nearly 60 photographers chronicling historic events and daily life in the United States from the conclusion of World War II in 1945 to the presidential campaigns of 1984, including the civil rights movements through the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s,” as described by the Carnegie Museum of Art. The exhibition, designed by artist David Hartt, is co-organized by Dan Leers, Curator of Photography, and Charlene Foggie-Barnett, Charles “Teenie” Harris Community Archivist.

Leers and Foggie-Barnett explained that the project’s genesis lies in Harris’s extraordinary archive — and a broader desire to place his work within a larger artistic and historical continuum.

“For too long, I think we treated it as very separate,” Leers explains, “but when you look at his work, you realize there is a great deal of care and framing and attention being paid that is equivalent to any other artist.” This realization sparked a nationwide journey to discover other regional photojournalists whose stories, like that of Harris, deserved national recognition.

Foggie-Barnett was herself photographed by Harris from infancy into her twenties. That personal connection launched her journey into archiving — and granted an enhanced understanding of the photojournalist’s process, as well as his deep connection with the community.

“Many of the archives are unidentified,” she notes, emphasizing how essential community liaisons are for understanding the depth and context of the photographs.

The exhibition explores a pivotal time in the history of Black photojournalism. The end of World War II witnessed a surge in Black-owned media, with publications such as the Pittsburgh Courier, Ebony and Jet gaining significant national audiences. This era, fueled by the experiences of Black soldiers fighting abroad and returning to face racism at home, created a profound hunger for authentic Black narratives.

“This is proof of our real lives, our real situations,” Foggie-Barnett says, pushing back against sensationalized or limited portrayals of Black existence. The exhibition showcases the everyday: birthdays, weddings, sorority debutante balls and domestic scenes. In doing so, “Black Photojournalism” presents a fuller, more nuanced picture of Black life in America.

It’s a deliberate counter-narrative to stereotypes, revealing the dignity and multifaceted realities that often go unacknowledged.

Ultimately, the exhibition aims to inspire viewers to value and preserve their own life experiences. “I think one key takeaway is valuing not just the work of the photographers, but also the work of the archivists and the curators and the librarians,” Leers says. Foggie-Barnett stresses that “Black Photojournalism” also highlights the significance of thoughtful, contextualized storytelling — and the critical importance of remembering and celebrating the full spectrum of American history.

“This is who we are, and you can’t erase our history.”

“Black Photojournalism” opens Saturday at the Carnegie Museum of Art and continues through Jan. 19, 2026. An opening celebration is set for 10 a.m. Saturday.

THE INTERRUPTERS AT THE 2023 FOUR CHORD MUSIC FESTIVAL | PHOTO BY NICK PREZIOSO

BEST BET

Four Chord Music Festival

Sept. 13-14 | EQT Park

Over 11 years, the Four Chord Music Festival has grown into one of the nation’s largest gatherings devoted to pop-punk music — and now, the organizers are finally bringing their “white whale” to the stage.

The first night of this year’s event will be headlined by Blink-182, the titans of the genre known for infectious, radio-favorite hits including “What’s My Age Again?” and “Dammit.” It’s a coup for an independent event, says Adam Valen, the festival’s marketing director. “There’s no corporate backing on this. We’ve always been told that we’ll never get a [band like] Blink-182.”

This year’s lineup also includes Jimmy Eat World, AFI, Alkaline Trio, Say Anything, Bowling for Soup and punk forebears Jawbreaker; the latter band, who has never played in Western Pennsylvania, set the blueprint for many other bands on the festival.

“It can’t be understated how influential they are in this scene,” Valen says. “They hold a really near-and-dear place in our hearts.”

Locally based bands including Punchline and Eternal Boy — the latter of which features festival founder Rishi Bahl, who has shepherded the event since its early years as a nightclub show — also are set for the event, which returns this year to EQT Park in North Franklin Township, home of the independent-league Washington Wild Things.

— Sean Collier

COMMUNITY

The Freedom Harvest Celebration

Sept. 6 | Frick Environmental Center

The Freedom Harvest Celebration is a joyful gathering of local artists sharing their talents, celebrating creativity and embracing the spirit of liberation. The community celebration is inspired by the Frick Environmental Center’s “From Slavery to Freedom Garden,” which showcases crops like peanuts, green onions and other foods that have been vital to people seeking freedom.

This event is an afternoon full of culinary delights, garden tours, family activities and soulful music meant to uplift and unite the community.

MUSIC

Joe Hisaishi

 Sept. 13-14 | Heinz Hall

JOE HISAISHI | PHOTO BY NICK RUTTER

Joe Hisaishi — award-winning composer, musical director, conductor and pianist — is taking the stage to conduct the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He’s best known for creating evocative and emotionally rich soundscapes; just watch the Oscar-winning “The Boy and the Heron.”

Along with the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, Hisaishi and the PSO will present new music from “The End of the World,” his album inspired by “the people in the USA.”

DANCE

Texture Contemporary Ballet

Sept. 19-21 | New Hazlett Theater

Being in the here and now is a great mantra to have, if you’re hoping to reset your mindset. Texture Contemporary Ballet invites you to step into the present with “In This Moment.” This performance encourages audiences to feel and embrace every breath. Experience the “power of presence and the beauty that emerges when we slow down and fully inhabit the now.”

MUSIC

Garbage

Sept. 23 | Stage AE

Known for their experimental approach and fierce individuality, Garbage continues to create music that defies easy categorization. Formed in 1993, this iconic band is woven together by vocalist Shirley Manson, Duke Erikson, Steve Marker and renowned producer Butch Vig.

Stage AE is just big enough to hold the industrial grit of Manson’s powerful vocals on hits including “Only Happy When it Rains” and “Push It.”

MOVIE

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”

Sept. 26 | Oaks Theater

“THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW” | PHOTO BY JOEL BREWTON

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is an experience on its own, but watching it with a shadow cast elevates it to an unforgettable spectacle. For more than 40 years, members of the Junior Chamber of Commerce Players have been acting out the movie in sync with the screen, adding a layer of interactive chaos and comedic brilliance. Even though a prop kit is included in the ticket price, you might want to bring your own feather boa and fishnet stockings.

PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

From a distance, they look both natural and unnatural. They are bright, incongruous, otherworldly — and yet they seem at home.

Above the lotus pond at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, four collections of hanging streamers are suspended in the sky, flirting with the surface of the water (while never quite making contact). As you approach, they remind you of clouds — or jellyfish, perhaps? They catch the sunlight and seem to generate their own luminescence, fluttering slightly as they loll above the water.

Then the wind hits.

Suddenly, the four collections of fabric begin moving. They’re fighting the wind as if they’re moving intelligently, weaving and rising as the direction of the breeze changes. Arriving at the lotus pond, you realize that for the first time you are truly seeing the wind itself — observing the contours of the air moving around you, rendered as a quartet of ever-changing colored masses.

The fabric pieces seem to rise impossibly high, testing the limits of the rigging that tethers them to nearby trees. Then, the wind fades, and they sink back to the pond’s surface once again — relaxing as if they weren’t wonderfully alive a moment ago.

This creation, “Elevated Reflection,” is part of the installation “Momentum” by the artist Patrick Shearn of the studio Poetic Kinetics, an international studio specializing in the creation of experiential, interactive works of public art. Shearn, who currently lives in his native Colorado, says “Momentum,” which is part of his globe-spanning “Skynet Series” and will remain on view for the next several months, came from specific reference points in the natural world.

“My initial inspirations were schooling fish — or the murmuration of birds in the sky … [I watched a flock of birds and thought,] ‘Something is happening; they’re all flying and moving in synchronicity.’” Shearn, who has created site-specific works for major festivals including Coachella and Burning Man, says he wanted to “recreate that sense of wonder in people that experience this artwork.”

The other piece of “Momentum” is similar in substance but meant to be experienced up close — in fact, from within. Located near the all-ages, interactive Garden of the Five Senses, “Vivid Echo” hangs at ground level, where guests can walk through it, observing the ways the colored streamers change the perception of sound and light. (This is decidedly a worthy pursuit for guests of all ages; while children will run through giggling, adults likely will pause for a particularly vivid selfie.)

“I lean on the wind pretty heavily in these pieces,” says Shearn, who began his career working on films such as “Jurassic Park” and “Fight Club.”

“When you’re walking down the street, you feel the wind on your skin, and you’re aware that it’s blowing, but you don’t really think about it,” he says. “You can watch the little ripples through the individual streamers … You become much more connected to the scale and scope of the world around you.”

The installation coincides with an anniversary for the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden; it has been a decade since the site, which sprawls across portions of Collier and North Fayette townships, began welcoming visitors. A former mining property, efforts to reclaim and rehabilitate the land began in 1988. The lotus pond that provides the setting for “Elevated Reflection” once was a small body of water polluted with acid mine drainage; it’s now treated via a limestone bed, neutralizing pollutants through natural processes and connecting to Chartiers Creek.

The garden has expanded significantly since its 2015 opening; a picturesque visitors’ center and cafe welcome guests to miles of winding trails that are full of surprises (look for the giant birds’ nest).

“The public garden environment, the community, is by far my favorite” place to work, Shearn says. “We’ve done [public gardens] all over the world; we’ve engaged this community of people that are working toward something good — and they feel good about what they’re doing.

“The experience with Pittsburgh Botanic Garden was extraordinary. It was such a symbiotic relationship; they have a great team, and they’re doing great things there.”

JOAN JETT | PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH BREWING CO.

BEST BET

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Aug. 8 | Pittsburgh Brewing Co.

For more than 50 years, the Godmother of Punk has been so unapologetically badass that it can be both intimidating and invigorating to stare directly into her power. It’s time to squeeze back into those leather pants because Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are descending upon the Iron City Stage at Pittsburgh Brewing Co.

Jett stands as an icon for women and girls to be true to themselves and their values, with an influence that extends beyond her music; she has been a significant inspiration for later female-fronted rock and punk bands, particularly the 1990s “Riot Grrrl” movement. In an industry where artists are constantly feeling the push and pull of reinvention, Jett authentically wears her “bad reputation” as a badge of honor.

She’s a rock star who remains a commanding presence, guitar slung low, delivering every note with the same power and defiant attitude that has captivated audiences for decades. Her music lets you know who she is, and as a listener, you can use those same guitar riffs and growling vocals as a conduit to express your own defiance.

Outdoors, along the Allegheny River, is a perfect spot to scream your riotous little black heart out.

ART

PearlArts Movement & Sound Presents: Drift Terrain

Aug. 2 | Carnegie Museum of Art Sculpture Court

INSIDE OUT: MICHIYAYA & FRIENDS, INCLUDING DJ SHOE, CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART, PITTSBURGH, AUGUST 3, 2024; PHOTO: DARIEUS VELTRI, VIZNS PHOTOGRAPHY / CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART

It’s a call and response for your senses. PearlArts Movement & Sound Presents: Drift Terrain is described as five hours of continuous soundscapes, presented in Carnegie Museum of Art’s Sculpture Court and curated by Herman “Soy Sos” Pearl.

The experience invites audiences to move freely through the space or to settle into stillness as acoustic and electronic musicians weave in and out with their musical contributions. What a perfect way to reset your soul.

FESTIVAL

Barrel & Flow

Aug. 9 | The Stacks at 3 Crossings

The “Best Brew Fest in America” is back for its fifth year! The inclusive Barrel & Flow Fest is not just a festival; it’s a movement, showcasing and celebrating Black breweries, artists and small businesses.

The live entertainment from musicians and visual artists will put an exclamation point on a space to connect opportunity, accessibility and artistry in ways that empower the Black community.

THEATER

“Hangmen”

Aug. 7-24 | Carnegie Stage

PHOTO COURTESY OF KINETIC THEATRE

Inside Out, the Carnegie Museum of Art’s free outdoor summer series, offers something different for families to enjoy in each iteration held on Thursday nights and Saturdays. On this particular Saturday, the “artsy fartsy” dynamic duo, KinselLand (ANQWENIQUE and DS Kinsel) will present Conflict and Competition, a day of family-friendly sport, collaboration and performance.

COMEDY

Josh Johnson

Aug. 15-16 | Byham Theater

Why would comedian Josh Johnson name his comedy tour “The Flowers Tour?” According to a post on his Instagram, he recognizes people as having their own unique “bloom” or qualities, much like a flower. Clearly, he’s one of comedy’s more gentle souls.

But that’s not to say that he doesn’t have a message for all. The on-air correspondent for “The Daily Show” has plenty of commentary on world views, society and the good ol’ US of A.

MUSIC

Gary Clark Jr. 

Aug. 26 | Stage AE

Gary Clark Jr. is a masterful guitarist who seamlessly blends blues, rock, soul and hip-hop. It’s almost like the souls of Jimi Hendrix and Marvin Gaye agreed to co-exist in Clark Jr. for the purpose of delivering a dynamic stage show.

His shows have been described as a “blues explosion,” offering a compelling and authentic musical experience as he promotes his 2024 album “JPEG Raw.”

PHOTO COURTESY CITY WINERY PITTSBURGH

Shanice Wilson was just 3 years old when she first stepped onto a Pittsburgh stage, confidently taking the microphone and singing Donna Summer’s hit “Last Dance.” This month, she will do the same thing — but, unlike her toddler days, she’ll have her own hits to perform.

The R&B star, professionally known simply as Shanice, is the golden-voiced singer behind hits such as “I Love Your Smile,” an infectious R&B song that hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991. She’ll return to her hometown on July 30 to perform at the intimate City Winery in the Strip District.

Wilson was born in McKees Rocks and began singing before she could talk. “When I was 7 months old, I used to sing the melodies to songs — we have [recordings of me singing] on cassette!” The infant Shanice would la-la through the choruses of “Benny and the Jets,” “Tell Me Something Good” and “Jungle Boogie,” a feat that attracted the attention of neighbors. “They would knock on the door and say, ‘we want to see the baby that can sing!’”

Wilson, whose parents are both musicians, lived in East Liberty as a child before moving with her mother and aunt to Los Angeles at age 8. Success came quickly; she appeared in a national television commercial (alongside Ella Fitzgerald) that same year and won the competition show “Star Search” at age 11, attracting the attention of hitmakers and record-label executives. Her first album, “Discovery,” was released when she was just 14 — and made a fan out of one of Wilson’s idols.

“I kept speaking it [on the way to Los Angeles]: I want to meet Michael Jackson,” Wilson says. Jackson later invited Wilson to the set of the “Moonwalker” video. “He loved my first album. I had a song called ‘No 1/2 Steppin’’” … [Jackson said] he would dance to that song every night.”

Wilson went on to collaborate with Jackson on several songs, including “Keep the Faith” and “Will You Be There?” In addition to her own hits, she became an in-demand background vocalist; a favorite of superstar producer Babyface, she’d be called in to add vocals to tracks by fellow performers including Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

“I still get excited when I hear myself on the radio. I was getting my nails done and they had ‘Unbreak My Heart,’” a No. 1 hit for Braxton on which Wilson sings backup, “playing in the nail shop — I wanted to scream, ‘Hey everybody, that’s me!’ It never gets old. I’m just honored and thankful.”

She parlayed her R&B success into a successful theater career, including a turn on Broadway; she was the first African American to play the role of Éponine in the hit “Les Miserables.” More recently, she has performed in cities across the county as Michelle Obama in “44: The Obama Musical,” a comedic take on the ascendance of Barack Obama to the national spotlight. “It shows the more romantic side of Michelle and Barack,” Wilson says.

A return to Pittsburgh will likely involve at least a quick stop in McKees Rocks, where Wilson’s face appears on a mural — emblazoned with the title of her biggest hit, “I Love Your Smile.” The mural sits just feet away from the site of Wilson’s first home. “It brought tears to my eyes” to see the mural for the first time, she says. “To go back home and to see that mural was beautiful. My family, they drive past it all the time … it’s a big deal. It was exciting.”

PHOTO BY SEAN COLLIER

The show at City Winery Pittsburgh, which has an early start time of 6 p.m., will feature music from throughout Wilson’s career — as well as nods to some of the artists that influenced her. “I’m going to do a couple of tributes — one is to Teena Marie, because Teena Marie was the first producer I ever worked with,” Wilson says. She’ll also offer a tribute to Minnie Riperton, the vocal virtuoso known for her five-octave range; Wilson has been compared to Riperton, and covered her hit “Lovin’ You” on “Inner Child,” the 1991 album that featured “I Love Your Smile.”

While Wilson has been making a number of solo concert appearances recently — and is en route to Japan for shows with the influential songwriters Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis — she is particularly excited for a homecoming.

“Going back home is special.”

NAS | PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

BEST BET

Nas and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

July 26 | Heinz Hall

When one listens to a track by Nas, his artistry shines through lyrics with depth greater than that of the Pacific Ocean.

And it immediately becomes clear that, conscious though he may be, this man suffers no fools. Nas — the son of a jazz musician, the gentleman’s rapper, the educator — helped to remind a generation of Black boys and girls that they are descendants of Kings and Queens. The stories he tells range from realistic tales about growing up in public housing in Queens, New York, to fantastic visions of a world that he rules.

The thought-provoking talent, who is touring the country for special engagements at concert halls, will breathe new life into his 1994 debut album, “Illmatic,” as he joins forces with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Expect a different feeling from the tracks, perhaps a bit more “grown-up” than the first time you may have listened to “Illmatic” while driving to a house party in your bestie’s car. After all, there is something extra beautiful about the results when hip-hop music gets dipped into other musical genres; the lush music of the PSO can only enhance the creatively introspective lyrics of the man considered to be one of the greatest rappers of all time.

MUSIC

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

July 10 | City Winery Pittsburgh

Dust off those zoot suits and swing dresses; Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is coming to town to boogie-woogie. The band is celebrating its 32nd anniversary since bursting onto the scene in the early ’90s. (Boy, does that make me feel old.) The night is meant to dig up nostalgia and get the heart rate going as the band kicks out a beautiful, vibrant fusion of the classic sounds of jazz, swing and Dixieland.

MUSIC

Northside Music Festival

July 18-20 | Deutschtown

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NORTHSIDE MUSIC FESTIVAL (MELANIE STANGLE)

The Pittsburgh weather is finally getting respectable. Which means it’s time to get outside! Venture over to Deutschtown for three days of art, live music and food at the Northside Music Festival. Free admission grants you access to various genres on several stages, numerous art vendors, food and Gospel Sunday. There also will be plenty of activities for the kids.

COMEDY

Patrick Warburton

July 22-23 | Pittsburgh Improv

PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH IMPROV

“Seinfeld” fans call him Puddy. Others know him as Joe Swanson. Or Kronk. Or the Tick. No matter what you call him, most call him funny. A beloved actor with an iconic voice, Patrick Warburton has decided to try his hand at stand-up comedy. The man is 60 years old and has spent 40 years in the industry — you know he has some stories to tell!

FESTIVAL

Undead Format Fest

July 26 | Bottlerocket Social Hall

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALTERNATE HISTORIES

Physical media is dead, they said. Digital is the future, they said. Well, some of us older kids love a DVD or a cassette tape to hold in our hands — or to decorate our shelves. Bottlerocket Social Hall, Alternate Histories and Horror PGH are introducing Undead Format Fest, celebrating all varieties of physical media. Vendors will be on hand selling vinyl records, cassette tapes, DVDs, VHS tapes — even laserdiscs. You also can bring your own stash to trade with others.

DANCE

Dance Africa Pittsburgh: A Moment in Time

July 26-27 | New Hazlett Theater

Dance Africa Pittsburgh: A Moment in Time is an annual celebration hosted by The Legacy Arts Project. The vibe at this two-day event is “Peace, Love and Respect for Everybody,” with a focus on the beauty and diversity of the African diaspora through dance, drumming, song, spoken word and visual art. You also can explore community workshops and the African Marketplace to purchase traditional Adinkra prints, Kente cloth, natural body products and handcrafted goods.

PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

Pittsburgh’s Cinema in the Parks is back.

Check out this detailed guide on what’s playing under the stars in our parks this summer.

Flagstaff Hill in Schenley Park

Wednesdays, June 4 – August 13 at sunset

• June 18: “Fences” (PG-13)
• June 25: “Dune: Part Two” (PG-13)
• July 2: “National Treasure” (2004) (PG)
• July 9: “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” (PG-13)
• July 16: “Argylle” (PG-13)
• July 23: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” (PG-13)
• July 30: “Happy Gilmore” (1995) (PG-13)
• August 6: “The Night of the Hunter” (1955) (not rated)
• August 13: “A Minecraft Movie” (PG)

Grandview Park

Saturdays, June 7 – July 26 at sunset

• June 14: “Wicked” (PG)
• June 21: “Soul” (PG)
• June 28: “Wild Robot” (PG)
• July 5: “National Treasure” (2004) (PG)
• July 12: “Paddington in Peru” (PG)
• July 19: “Moana 2” (PG)
• July 26: “Inside Out 2” (PG)

Arsenal Park

Fridays, June 6 & 20, July 18 & August 1 at sunset

• June 20: “Soul” (PG)
• July 18: “Moana 2” (PG)
• August 1: “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” (PG)

Brookline Memorial Park

Thursdays, June 12 & 26, July 10 & 24 at sunset

• June 12: “Wicked” (PG)
• June 26: “Wild Robot” (PG)
• July 10: “Paddington in Peru” (PG)
• July 24: “Inside Out 2” (PG)

Banksville Park

Mondays, June 16 and July 14 at sunset

• June 16: “Soul” (PG)
• July 14: “Moana 2” (PG)

Ormsby Park

Tuesdays, June 24, July 8 & 22 at sunset

• June 24: “Wild Robot” (PG)
• July 8: “Paddington in Peru” (PG)
• July 22: “Inside Out 2” (PG)

Schenley Plaza

Sundays, June 1 – July 27 at sunset

• June 15: “Soul” (PG)
• June 22: “Wild Robot” (PG)
• June 29: “National Treasure” (2004) (PG)
• July 6: “Paddington in Peru” (PG)
• July 13: “Moana 2” (PG)
• July 20: “Inside Out 2” (PG)
• July 27: “Champions” (PG-13) (Audio description services available)

Riverview Park

Saturdays, June 7 – July 26 at sunset

• June 14: “Twisters” (PG-13)
• June 21: “Fences” (PG-13)
• June 28: “Dune: Part Two” (PG-13)
• July 5: “National Treasure” (2004) (PG)
• July 12: “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” (PG-13)
• July 19: “Argylle” (PG-13)
• July 26: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” (PG-13)

Liberty Green Park

Tuesday, August 12 at sunset

• August 12: “A Minecraft Movie” (PG)

Troy Hill Citizens Park

Tuesday, August 5 at sunset

• August 5: “Dog Man” (PG)

Highland Park

Mondays, June 23 and July 21 at sunset

• June 23: “Wild Robot” (PG)
• July 21: “Inside Out 2” (PG)

McBride Park

Monday, July 7 at sunset

• July 7: “Paddington in Peru” (PG)

West End Elliott Overlook

Monday, June 30 at sunset

• June 30: “National Treasure” (2024) (PG)

“THE SHARK IS BROKEN,” WHICH TELLS THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES STORY OF “JAWS,” PLAYS AT THE BAREBONES BLACK BOX THEATER. | PHOTO BY DUANE RIEDER

BEST BET

“The Shark Is Broken”

May 30-June 15| Barebones Black Box Theater

As any dedicated fan of the movie “Jaws” knows, there was nearly as much drama behind the scenes as there was on the screen. The script changed, tempers flared, actors failed to get along, everything went over budget and — most notoriously — the dang shark never worked.

That explains the title of “The Shark Is Broken,” a play co-written by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon, but like the 1975 film itself, there’s much more to it than a big fish. Shaw’s father, the gifted yet mercurial actor Robert Shaw, played Quint in “Jaws.” Shaw not only wrote “The Shark Is Broken” based on his father’s experiences, but he also portrayed his gruff Dad during the show’s ascent from the Edinburgh Fringe to Broadway.

The play will make its Pittsburgh debut this month in a staging by Barebones Productions. Devotees of “Jaws,” which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, will likely be more than enticed by the subject matter alone. For audiences that are less fanatical about Steven Spielberg’s film, “It’s entertaining as hell,” says Patrick Jordan, Barebones’ founder and artistic director, who will be portraying Robert Shaw.

“You don’t have to have seen ‘Jaws’ to enjoy this play — which is kind of the great thing that Ian Shaw did while writing it.” The show finds the film’s three stars — Robert Shaw, Roy Scheider (Patrick Cannon) and Richard Dreyfuss (Quinn P. Shannon) — sitting aboard the ill-fated Orca, waiting to film Quint’s famous speech about the U.S.S. Indianapolis.

— Sean Collier

FESTIVAL

Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival

June 5-8 | Strip District

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DOLLAR BANK THREE RIVERS ARTS FESTIVAL

You’re a true Pittsburgher, so you already know that the first weekend of June is dedicated to free art and music during the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival.

Support local artists by purchasing unique pieces to add to your home. Enjoy a warm evening dancing to musical acts like Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the Guardians of Sounds Hip Hop Orchestra and Lisa Loeb — just to name a few.

Oh, and make sure to forget all about “sensible” eating while you dig into all the yummy festival snacks available. Because of Downtown construction, the festival is shortened this year and will be held in a temporary location. Fingers crossed for no rain!

MOVIES

Napoleon Dynamite LIVE! 20th Anniversary Celebration: A Very Special Evening with Jon Heder, Jon Gries & Efren Ramirez

June 8 | City Winery

Believe it or not, it has been 20 years since we all became enamored with the misunderstood high-school kid unafraid to let his freak flag fly.

I’m talking, of course, about Napoleon Dynamite.

Napoleon Dynamite LIVE! 20th Anniversary Celebration: A Very Special Evening with Jon Heder, Jon Gries & Efren Ramirez is the perfect chance to revisit the iconic indie film darling — with the cast in attendance.

After watching the movie, there will be a live show complete with Q&A, comedy improv, a game show and more. Make the night even better by taking advantage of a photo opportunity with the guys. It’s sure to be better than warm Tater Tots in your pocket.

MUSIC

Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony

June 18 | Heinz Hall

PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Is seeing a Dolly Parton multimedia symphonic storytelling experience on your 2025 bingo card?

You’re in luck! With an onscreen Parton, Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony leads audiences through a visual and musical journey of her life and music.

While the show doesn’t feature Parton in person, it will include Dolly’s biggest hits, including “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You,” along with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra adding an extra dose of magic. This woman should be protected and celebrated at all costs.

JUNETEENTH

Juneteenth Celebration

June 19-22 | Mellon Park

This year’s Juneteenth Celebration may have a new location, but it will be the same celebratory event with free concerts, parade, a boat party, sporting tournaments and all-around fellowship for the Black community.

Lovers of old-school R&B will be thrilled to see legendary acts like Morris Day and The Time, Dru Hill and Jon B onstage. The entire weekend will be packed with fun and educational activities for everyone from the babies to the elders.

PARTY

Shadow Lounge 25th Birthday Celebration

June 28 | 5972 Baum Blvd.

In Pittsburgh’s arts and culture world, few places have managed to capture the essence of community and creativity like former East Liberty venue The Shadow Lounge. From 2000 to 2013, owners Justin Strong and Tim “DJ SMI” Guthrie intentionally crafted a space free from judgment as they welcomed everyone like family — as long as those visitors respected the vibes.

Those vibes are coming back for the Shadow Lounge 25th Birthday Celebration. That lightning in a bottle is returning for at least one night.

PHOTOS, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT, COURTESY OF YORI WINE CELLARS & BREWING CO., 21 BRIX WINERY, KINGVIEW MEADHOUSE & WINERY, LIBERTY VINEYARDS & WINERY

Think wine country, and your mind may jump to Napa’s golden hills or Oregon’s misty Pinot Noir valleys. But there’s a sleeper region that’s been quietly perfecting its craft — and it’s on the cusp of something big.

Welcome to Lake Erie Wine Country, a 53-mile stretch across two states. The region is home to 22 wineries, running from Harborcreek, Pennsylvania to Silver Creek, New York, hugging the southern shore of one of America’s Great Lakes. It harks back to the early-19th century, when settlers first planted vines in the gravel and clay soils along the shoreline. The lake acts as a natural thermal regulator — buffering against the bitter cold, stretching out the growing season and giving grapes the time they need to develop balance, depth and complexity.

For decades, Concord grapes dominated the landscape, feeding Welch’s juice factories and fueling the region’s reputation for sweet wines. But that identity is fading fast.

“People assume we only make sweet wine — which we do very well,” says Jaret Kelly, president of Lake Erie Wine Country, a marketing association. “But what people don’t realize is just how much our dry wines are thriving.”

Blame climate change or credit better winemaking; either way, the shift is real. Warmer summers are extending hang times and deepening fruit complexity, leading to some of the best Cabernet Franc and Riesling you’ve ever tasted. Unlike regions that put all their chips on a single grape — Napa’s Cab obsession, the Finger Lakes’ Riesling stronghold — Lake Erie Wine Country is all about range.

“You can walk into a tasting room and find a bold Cab for the Napa snob; a creamy oaked Chardonnay for Grandma; a crisp, semi-dry Riesling with electric acidity; a deliciously dry sparkling for the brunch crowd; and a blueberry wine for your ‘I don’t really drink wine’ friend, all in one spot,” says Kelly.

And the future? If Kelly had his way, Lake Erie would be the next Champagne, the wine region in France. “Our climate is perfect for sparkling wine: high acidity, low alcohol, the structure for méthode traditionnelle [a secondary fermentation in the bottle],” he says. “If we start today, in 10 to 20 years, we could have world-class bubbles that rival Champagne and the booming UK sparkling scene.”

Here are 12 must-visit spots.

Note: All stops along the wine trail offer non-alcoholic options, usually mocktails, juice and/or bottled water. There are usually fees for tasting flights; none for designated drivers.

21 Brix Winery

PHOTO COURTESY OF 21 BRIX WINERY

Before 21 Brix Winery became famous for gold medal-winning wines, it was known for Ella, a life-sized pink elephant parked off Route 20.

Originally a marker for the Kane family’s cherry orchard, Ella became the unofficial landmark for lost visitors. Then they launched a pink Catawba called Ellatawba, and the legend was sealed. The family has farmed here since the 1950s, but it was Kris Kane’s pivot from pre-med to winemaking that transformed their 250 acres into one of Lake Erie’s most decorated wineries.

PHOTO COURTESY OF 21 BRIX WINERY

From cool-climate classics like Riesling and Chardonnay to crowd-pleasers like Ella’s White and Ella’s Red, the lineup has racked up more than 400 medals, including 50-plus double-golds. And wine isn’t a quiet affair here. The Beats at the Brix series turns the tasting room into a live music venue, and Soupin’ Sundays pair steaming bowls of comfort food with a curated wine list.

Portland, Chautauqua County, New York: 6654 W. Main Road

6 Mile Cellars

PHOTO COURTESY OF 6 MILE CELLARS

Housed in a pre-Civil War horse barn with exposed beams and weathered wood, 6 Mile Cellars offers rustic charm. 6 Mile Cellars was opened in 2012 by Pat Walsh and Bart Towell, two Penn State Behrend business students who discovered a shared love for winemaking after crafting cider and wine for Walsh’s wedding.

Their senior-year business project? A plan to transform Towell’s family’s historical barn into a working winery.

What started as a hobby has become one of the area’s best-kept secrets — a winery with a laser focus on expressive, meticulously crafted wines. The Gewürztraminer hits with lychee, rose petal and spice. Vidal Blanc is crisp, citrusy and kissed with honey. Cabernet Franc is all blackberry, cracked pepper and quiet intensity. Pinot Gris is clean and mineral-driven.

The barn’s tasting room boasts cozy corners, candlelight and zero pretense. Summer Sundays offer live music from 4 to 6 p.m., an easy excuse to stretch the afternoon with a bottle (or two). But the annual Kentucky Derby bash in May is where it all goes down, turning wine country into Churchill Downs for a day, mint juleps and all.

Harborcreek, Erie County: 5727 Firman Road

Yori Wine Cellars & Brewing Co.

PHOTO COURTESY OF YORI WINE CELLARS & BREWING CO.

Yori Wine Cellars & Brewing Co. is a family-run winery where the vines are old, the pours are generous and the wood-fired oven is always blazing. In 2003, Michael Yori was making wine for fun in the stone cellar of his 100-year-old home. By 2017, he and his wife, Lynn, turned that passion into a full-fledged winery, rooted in generations of grape-growing tradition.

Now, their North East vineyards stretch across 14 grape varieties, from Sauvignon Blanc to Cabernet to expressive hybrids, all shaped by Lake Erie’s cool-climate finesse. Great wine deserves great food. At Yori, that means pizza the way it’s meant to be: blistered, crackling and straight from the flames.

Raised in Italian families where dough was a labor of love and sauce simmered for hours, the owners have turned their kitchen into an extension of the vineyard. The menu is straight out of nonna’s kitchen — including wood-fired flatbreads, house-made meatballs and rustic Italian specialties that pair flawlessly with whatever is in your glass.

In summer, the patio bursts with color, sunlight spilling over vibrant blooms and the scent of fresh basil drifting from the garden (leaves are plucked to top bubbling-hot pies). Alongside their more than 30 award-winning wines, Yori pours in-house beers and hard ciders to deliver to those looking for one more round.

North East, Erie County: 18 S. Lake St.

Liberty Vineyards & Winery

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIBERTY VINEYARDS & WINERY

The Burmaster family of Liberty Vineyards & Winery has been growing grapes in Sheridan, New York, since the 1860s, long before boutique wineries were a thing. For more than 150 years, their vines produced Concords that shipped out on railcars to markets up and down the East Coast.

But in 2008, the family — owners Gary and Pam Burmaster, alongside their daughter, Beth Margolis — decided to keep the fruit closer to home, launching Liberty Vineyards & Winery and turning generations of grape-growing knowledge into small-batch, award-winning wines. With 93 acres under vine, Liberty produces everything from crisp Vidal Blanc to barrel-select Noiret, but it’s the wines rooted in family history that stand out.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIBERTY VINEYARDS & WINERY

Rufus Red — a semi-dry, fruit-forward red blend — pays homage to Gary’s great-great-grandfather, who planted the first vineyards here. Richter Red, a semi-sweet blend, nods to the German immigrant side of the family, whose farming roots run just as deep. Liberty’s vineyard-view pavilion is a summer destination in itself, surrounded by rows of grapes on three sides. They host winemaker’s dinners under the stars, murder mysteries with a side of Merlot and Singo Nights (yes, musical bingo).

Come for the wine, stay for the fire pit, and don’t leave without trying their curated charcuterie boards stacked with homemade artisanal cherry salsa or raspberry-jalapeño jam.

Sheridan, Chautauqua County, New York: 2861 Route 20

KingView Meadhouse & Winery

PHOTO COURTESY OF KINGVIEW MEADHOUSE & WINERY

Mead, believed to be history’s first alcohol-related happy accident, has been around for thousands of years. Vikings drank it. Monks brewed it. You can try this fermented-honey beverage at KingView Meadhouse & Winery, where Scott Neeley has since 2011 been putting his own spin on the world’s oldest fermented drink.

Forget the syrupy, medieval-faire mead; KingView is all about nuanced flavor. Pink Lemonade Mead and the Watermelon Strawberry Mead are great sips for summer; Happy Apple Pie Cyser is fall in a bottle. The receipts? Gold medals from the Pennyslvania Wine Competition, Finger Lakes International and the American Wine Society Nationals.

KingView gives back with their Mead-For-Bees program, which funds local apiaries, making every pour a toast to the pollinators who make it all possible. Speaking of historical beverages, the Neeleys are carrying forward another Pennsylvania legacy. In 2023, Scott and Hannah Neeley took the reins at Penn Shore Winery, the state’s oldest winery and home to its longest-running vineyards. They’re honoring its roots while infusing fresh energy into the lineup, from classic Concord and Niagara to bold, barrel-aged reds.

Harborcreek, Erie County: 7895 Buffalo Road (Route 20)

Presque Isle Wine Cellars

PHOTO COURTESY OF PRESQUE ISLE WINE CELLARS

Founded in 1964 by Doug Moorhead, Presque Isle Wine Cellars was one of Pennsylvania’s first post-Prohibition wineries and a driving force behind the Pennsylvania Limited Winery Act. It proved that local grapes could go glass-for-glass with the big names.

Sixty years later, the Moorhead family continues the legacy, balancing tradition with an instinct for reinvention. With 45 wines in rotation, PIWC is both classic and experimental. Cool-climate Riesling is crisp and precise, Pinot Grigio leans mineral-driven and Grüner Veltliner brings serious European energy.

Then there are under-the-radar dry reds: Teroldego, Dornfelder and peppery Blaufränkisch. The Kisses Ice-Style wine tastings is so rich and complex that it has been known to convert even die-hard dry-wine drinkers. Add a house-made port, a wildly good vermouth and a sparkling Ancestrale Pet-Nat, and you’ve got a lineup that refuses to play it safe.

The setting seals the deal. Twelve Mile Creek winds through the estate, tumbling past waterfalls, wildflower-strewn meadows and vineyard-covered slopes. Sip wine, skip rocks and pretend you’re in the opening scene of an European arthouse film.

North East, Erie County: 9440 W. Main Road

South Shore Wine Co.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTH SHORE WINE CO.

Have you ever dreamed of sipping wine in a historical stone cavern straight out of 19th-century France — without the airfare? South Shore Wine Co. delivers.

Founded in 1864 as Erie County’s first commercial winery, it has lived many lives — first as a thriving business, then as a casualty of Prohibition, later as a restaurant and inn and, finally, as a 2007 revival by the Mazza family. They have restored its underground, Civil War-era wine cavern to its former grandeur.

The moody, vaulted stone chamber is one of just a handful in the Eastern United States. South Shore embraces its identity as a sparkling house, crafting méthode champenoise Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling and a vibrant Zweigelt Rosé, along with a rare still red Zweigelt. They push boundaries with Pét Nat Riesling and Chambourcin, while their Charmat-method “The Perfect Bubbly” (which involves a second fermentation in a large stainless-steel tank to trap carbonation) and mimosa flights keep things light and playful.

For still wines, a crisp Grüner Veltliner and an unwooded Chardonnay anchor the dry selections, while Carmine – a bold, tannic hybrid of Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignane – defies expectations. Their Diamond wine, a tropical, fruit-forward white, is quietly stealing the spotlight from the region’s longtime sweetheart, Niagara.

North East, Erie County: 1120 Freeport Road 

Lakeview Wine Cellars

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAKEVIEW WINE CELLARS

At Lakeview Wine Cellars, the tasting bar is as much a conversation starter as the wine. Handcrafted and packed with sands, shells and relics from beaches around the world, it’s part time capsule, part showpiece.

Beaches of Normandy, sand from Australia and even a piece of the Berlin Wall all are slices of history that swirl beneath the glass, setting the tone for a tasting that feels bigger than the bottle. Inspired by Lake Erie’s maritime past, Sam and Becky Best built this winery in 2008 as part of their retirement dream and boast a Pennsylvania oak-aged lineup that reads like a sailor’s log. Shipwreck Red is bold and brooding, Red Sky leans into stormy complexity and Sunset Blush is all effortless, lakeside ease.

Beyond the covered patio, a wine-bottle-shaped pond does double duty as a geothermal energy source. Vineyards sprawl toward the horizon, framed by Lake Erie’s changing blues, while the winery’s affable Irish Setter, Cabernet, plays host with a simple charm.

North East, Erie County: 8440 Singer Road

Aakanksha Agarwal, a Pittsburgh-based wine, travel and lifestyle writer, brings a global perspective to her storytelling. Formerly a Bollywood stylist in India, she channels her creativity into full-time writing while juggling family life and, more often than not, a glass of Riesling.

THE PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WILL PERFORM THE MUSIC OF JONI MITCHELL, CAROLE KING AND CARLY SIMON. | PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

BEST BET

“Clouds in My Coffee: The Trailblazing Music
of Joni Mitchell, Carole King & Carly Simon”

Heinz Hall | May 9-11

“Clouds in My Coffee: The Trailblazing Music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King & Carly Simon” is a tribute to three of the most empowering, iconic and unapologetic women in the history of music.

They voiced a generation and continue to resonate with their timeless songbooks. Performed at Heinz Hall by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Ted Sperling, the vocals will be led by Morgan James, Bryonha Marie Parham and The Hamlisch-Page Student Choir. But we’re betting the night will turn into one big sing-along before it’s done.

Songs like “You’re So Vain,” “Big Yellow Taxi” and “I Feel the Earth Move” have become part of our DNA; there’s no escaping. This will be two nights (and one afternoon; Sunday’s show is a matinee) of big Mother Earth vibes.

THEATER

“12 Angry Men”

New Hazlett Theater | May 2-11

Our decisions are colored by our own biases and personal experiences. When faced with a life-altering dilemma, one hopes to do the right thing — though that can be harder than it seems, as will be on display in Prime Stage Theatre’s production of “12 Angry Men.” The classic play tells the story of an all-male jury with different backgrounds and world views, trapped in a room until they can agree on the fate of a teenager on trial for murdering his father.

MUSIC

Nada Surf

Spirit Hall | May 4

It’s been almost 30 years since the alternative-rock band Nada Surf gave very specific guidelines on the teenage guide to popularity. The boys are back and taking their new album, “Moon Mirror,” on the road. Their critically acclaimed 10th studio album leans into their musical consistencies of passion, melody and (most importantly) having a great time.

BOOKS

Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl

Various Bookstores | May 10-18

PHOTO COURTESY OF BEYOND BEDTIME BOOKS

Bibliophiles! The first Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl is your time to shine. The week is dedicated to supporting local indie bookstores by visiting some of your faves and checking out ones that you haven’t had a chance to explore yet. (And of course, you need more books in that TBR pile.) There are more than two dozen participating stores, and if you grab a passport book — available at each participating location — you can keep track of where you travel. You may even win a prize!

MOTHER’S DAY

Mother’s Day Celebration

Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh | May 11

One of the best Mother’s Day gifts is a kid tired out from a full day of activities. The Mother’s Day Celebration at Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is designed to do just that. The family can sing, move, play, make butterfly-themed crafts and create mini flower bouquets. Opya Studios is also offering Mother’s Day portraits there. All activities are included in the price of admission. Once the day is over, Mom should be able to finish that book in peace.

COMEDY

Marlon Wayans

Pittsburgh Improv | May 22-25

MARLON WAYANS | PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH IMPROV

Multi-hyphenate Marlon Wayans has been a household name for decades. His talent for artfully delivering in both comedic and dramatic roles moves across TV and film. Being the youngest of 10 siblings in one of Hollywood’s most talented families, Wayans knows how to capture an audience. He has more stories to share — but now in a more intimate space where you can look each other in the eyeballs.

THE EMOTION RECOGNITION GAME IS ONE OF MANY INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE “MENTAL HEALTH: MIND MATTERS” EXHIBIT AT THE CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER TO LET VISITORS BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFERENT FEELINGS LOOK. | PHOTO BY CASSANDRA HARRIS

Mental health is a pressing issue in science, and a new exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center is proving just that.

The exhibit called “Mental Health: Mind Matters” shares five individual mental health stories and breaks them up into interactive and digestible parts.

A worry shredder in the middle of the exhibit allows visitors to write down concerns and literally shred them away. Another area allows a guest to sit and experience a simulated sensation of psychosis, or auditory hallucinations while attempting to have a conversation. In addition to learning about mental health history and how it’s been treated through the ages, visitors can also learn about what parts of the brain cause certain mental health conditions.

“We wanted to give our visitors the opportunity to really explore the science behind mental health,” says Jason Brown, the Henry Buhl, Jr., director of the museum.

One in five adults in the United States experience some form of mental illness, he says. Comparatively to Pennsylvania’s population, that means 1.8 million adults in the commonwealth live with a mental health condition.

That includes children. And although Brown says that it’s important to talk about this topic with all ages, the exhibit is not recommended for children under age 11. Trigger warnings in certain areas are placed to make sure that visitors understand that, if they’re going inside with young children, they should show extra care and caution.

Different areas discuss depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, depression and dissociative identity disorder.

Specific areas designed for younger audiences include an emotion-recognition game, a dance area that encourages mood-improving physical activity and an area with masks that show how different body language can signify mood.

Additionally, a mental health resources book nook includes a bin with puppets and children’s books. In this area, various community health partners will be onsite during the run of the exhibition.

THE WORRY SHREDDER, LOCATED NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE EXHIBIT, ENCOURAGES VISITORS TO LET GO OF THEIR WORRIES AND WOES BY WRITING THEM DOWN, FEEDING THEM INTO THE MACHINE AND WATCHING THEM GET RIPPED AWAY. | PHOTO BY CASSANDRA HARRIS

With the concerns about mental health, Brown says that it wasn’t difficult to find so many community partners.

“People sometimes think about health as, you know, physical exercise or eating right? But mental health is just as important, if not more so,” he says. “There’s become, over the last few years, really widespread appreciation for that fact.”

Other local groups making presentations later during the run of the exhibit include the Carnegie Museum of Art, Crisis Center North, Jewish Family and Community Services, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Teen SCREEN Study, Casa San Jose and Steel Smiling.

The “Mental Health: Mind Matters” exhibit was developed by the Science Museum of Minnesota, in collaboration with the Heureka, The Finnish Science Centre, and is located in the center’s traveling exhibition gallery. It will be at the museum through Aug. 17, and attendance is included in the general admission.

“HOLDING STILL, HOLDING ON” AT THE ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM. | PHOTO COURTESY OF CARNEGIE MELLON SCHOOL OF ART MFA CLASS OF 2025

BEST BET

“Holding Still, Holding On”

March 14-April 21 | The Andy Warhol Museum

What does it mean to hold space? How does one’s sense of memory and belonging shape them as a person? The “Holding Still, Holding On” exhibit, held at The Andy Warhol Museum, explores these concepts with new works by the CMU School of Art MFA Class of 2025 — Frankmarlin, Izsys Archer, Tingting Cheng, Chantal Feitosa-Desouza and Max Tristan Watkins.

Each artist commands storytelling through mediums from photography and painting to sculpture and film, bridging the gap between personal and collective histories. “The film installation I’ll be showing at The Warhol is dedicated to all who believe in a brighter future for public education, especially at a time in Pittsburgh when so many schools are at risk of closing,” says Feitosa-Desouza. “My project invites viewers to join ongoing conversations of education justice and see the power that public memory can have over disappearing sites.”

It’s also a fitting partnership between The Warhol and the school (then Carnegie Tech) where Andy Warhol earned his degree.

THEATER

“Birthday Candles”

March 8-30 | City Theatre Company

SAIGE SMITH, PART OF THE CAST OF CITY THEATRE COMPANY’S “BIRTHDAY CANDLES,” PERFORMS IN THE THEATER’S 2024 PRODUCTION OF “POTUS.” | PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY THEATRE

Birthdays. That annual marker that usually prompts reflection on our past, present and future … with cake. “Birthday Candles” follows Ernistine through her life, one birthday at a time. Spend 90 minutes celebrating rituals and pondering your place in the universe.

IMPROV

“The Winner’s Circle Part 2”

March 28 | Arcade Comedy Theater

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARCADE COMEDY THEATER

Select Start (Pittsburgh City Paper’s two-time Best Comedy Act), Latchkey Kids (celebrating their third Pittsburgh Magazine win) and Chi Chi de Vivre (City Paper’s Best Drag Performer) are joining forces like a Pittsburgh comedic Avengers for “The Winner’s Circle Part 2.” Treat yourself to a night of fast-paced, short-form improv as well as ’90s nostalgia and an iconic drag performance.

MUSIC

Masta Killa

April 13 | Mr. Smalls Theater

Named for the 1978 kung fu movie “Shaolin Master Killer,” Masta Killa has rocked the mic with the legendary Wu-Tang Clan since the mid-’90s. Like the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan, the “36th Chamber of Shaolin” has also kept up a prolific solo career.  Even as the only member set to take the stage that night, he will still bring the ruckus.

DANCE

Dragonfly Dawn

April 24-25 | New Hazlett Theater

What happens when a violin-playing cricket entices a swan to join him in a mystical forest lake? They dance, obviously, but there is so much more to this enchanting tale. Written by Joanna Abel, Dragonfly Dawn is a dance concert set with fierce battles and soaring aerial displays. It’s a mystical tale of good and evil worth getting lost in.

John Waite

April 26 | Pittsburgh City Winery

PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY WINERY PITTSBURGH

Whether it was with The Babys, Bad English or his solo career, John Waite has a single that’s essential to your ’80s playlist. His 40-year career catalog includes songs like “Missing You,” “Isn’t It Time” and “When I See You Smile.” Revisit those power-ballad classics with Waite in this intimate performance.

PHOTO COURTESY DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH PARTNERSHIP

Picklesburgh will take place Downtown July 11-13, 2025.

The event, founded in 2015 by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, just won the USA Today Reader’s Choice Award for Best Specialty Food Festival in the nation.

“We want to thank all the pickle-passionate people and dill devotees who cast their votes over the past few weeks,” says Jeremy Waldrup, PDP president and CEO. “We look forward to relishing this sweet victory with all of you when Picklesburgh returns in July!”

Free to attend, Picklesburgh is one of the largest festivals in Western Pennsylvania. Last year, more than 250,000 people participated in the fermented fun that includes pickle-themed food, merchandise, contests and entertainment.

Location details will be announced soon via social media and the Brine Vine mailing list.

In the meantime, I’ll be scraping the bottom of the barrel for more pickle puns.

PHOTO BY DAVE COLE

Dust off your green shirts and stroll down to Grant Street this Saturday morning — it’s time for the country’s third largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Beginning at 10 a.m., the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts on Liberty Avenue and 11th Street near the Greyhound Bus Station. From there, it proceeds down Grant Street and turns right onto the Boulevard of the Allies. The route ends at Commonwealth Place.

There will be plenty of movement before the parade starts, too; a 5K and a 1-Mile Family Fun Run are scheduled to take place at 8 a.m., well before the parade kicks off. Competitive runners, casual joggers and families are encouraged to join. (Those making their way to the parade are advised to take the runs into consideration when planning transportation and parking.)

The Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade dates back to the mid-1800s. According to the parade’s website, the earliest record of the parade dates to 1869.

In 1871, the marchers were 175 men from the “Confederated Irishmen of Lawrenceville,” who wore sashes that said “God Save Ireland.” In 1956, during a snow cancellation, the parade still happened: About 200 men took to the streets in nine inches of snow for an impromptu parade. Later, the police chief even joined them.

The parade also occurred during the Blizzard of ‘93, the worst snowstorm in 100 years.

“Rain, hail, or even blizzard conditions cannot stop us from celebrating our Irish pride,” the website says. “Especially when ‘everyone is Irish for the day.’”

Approximately one-fifth of Pittsburgh’s population claims Irish heritage, according to parade organizers.

With up to 500,000 spectators present, the Irish Society for Education and Charity takes the parade seriously. No open containers are permitted along the parade route; parade participants are not allowed to throw items such as beads, candy or “silly string.” They’re also not allowed to lobby for or hold signs relating to political speech.

A few of last year’s 170 participants included Miss Smiling Irish Eyes and Her Court, the Pittsburgh Irish Wolfhounds, the Bell School of Irish Dance, an Irish Boxing team and the Pittsburgh Irish Rowing Club.

THE 30TH ANNUAL BEST RESTAURANTS PARTY.

The Best Restaurants Party, back after a 5-year hiatus, will feature dozens of dishes from top local restaurants highlighted in the 2025 Best Restaurants list.

In addition to the food sampling, the Party will also showcase 100+ premium wines and spirits from around the world and include an onsite Fine Wine & Good Spirits store.

Who:

You! And the area’s best restaurants.

Where: 

The Event Center at Rivers Casino.

When: 

Monday, May 12, 2025 from 6-9 p.m.

CHARLES “TEENIE” HARRIS, AMERICAN, 1908–1998, CAST MEMBERS IN COSTUME FOR NATIONAL NEGRO OPERA COMPANY PRODUCTION OF “AIDA,” BACKSTAGE OF SYRIA MOSQUE, OCTOBER 30, 1941. BLACK-AND-WHITE: AGFA SUPERPAN SUPREME SAFETY FILM. H: 3 1/4 IN. X W: 4 1/4 IN. (8.26 X 10.79 CM) CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART, PITTSBURGH: HEINZ FAMILY FUND, 2001.35.1364. © CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART, PITTSBURGH

Throughout February, numerous Pittsburgh-area organizations will celebrate Black History Month with commemorative events and programming. Here is a sampling of what’s happening:

City-Council Building

Photographs and memorabilia will recognize opera trailblazers at the City-County Building’s Grand Lobby in a monthlong showcase. The memorabilia recognizes the National Negro Opera Company, which was founded in Pittsburgh as the nation’s first permanent African American opera company in 1941. The showcase will also recognize the National Opera House, a local nonprofit dedicated to restoring, preserving and maintaining the company’s original headquarters in Homewood. What is displayed Downtown is also available to view online here between Feb. 1-28.

When: Opening Reception for the public: Feb. 3, 6 p.m.

Where: City-County Building Lobby, 414 Grant St., Downtown

Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum

At this year’s John L. Ford, Sr., African American Heritage Celebration event, panelists and historians JaQuay Edward Carter and Michael Kraus will discuss “The Black Experience during the Vietnam Era.” At the time, approximately 300,000 African American soldiers served in the Vietnam War and faced challenges related to racial discrimination during and after their service.

This year’s annual and free event aims to educate viewers about the Black experience during the Vietnam Era. It was created in 2011 by Ford and renamed in his honor in 2020. The event focuses on the sacrifice and contributions of African Americans during the American conflicts annually.

When: Thursday, Feb. 27, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: 4141 Fifth Ave., Third Floor, Oakland; Virtually on Facebook Live and YouTube.

Kelly Strayhorn Theater

ARTWORK BY NJAIMEH NJIE TO BE EXHIBITED AT THE KELLY STRAYHORN THEATER, BEGINNING Feb. 27.

The theater displays “Lifting Liberty” by multimedia artist Njaimeh Njie, beginning on Feb. 27. There is an opening reception that day from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibit is a collage, photo and text meditation on the legacy of Black cultural spaces in East Liberty. Including such landmarks as the Howe School of Dance, the Selma Burke Art Center and the Shadow Lounge, it’s a “constellation of creative places and people who have shined bright for more than a century in the neighborhood.” The exhibit “amplifies East Liberty as a hub of creativity despite its history of cultural displacement.” Njie works in photography, film, collage, installation and public art. Her storytelling practice centers on everyday people, narratives and landscapes, focusing on how the past shapes the present. She has exhibited at the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Mattress Factory and other places. Buy tickets here.

When: Feb. 27-May 31

Where: 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty 

Heinz History Center  

This month, the Heinz History Center will present a series of Black History Month programs including a film series, lecture and its long-term African American History exhibits:

• From Slavery to Freedom Film Series: “The Hero”

In a virtual screening, “The Hero” tells of how the Angolan people try to reconstruct their lives after 40 years of constant war. The film also tells the story of Luanda, a city that tries to absorb millions of people displaced by strife and global economic change.

The screening is free with advanced registration. To register, visit heinzhistorycenter.org/events.

When: Wednesday, Feb. 12, 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Where: Virtually

• 11th Annual Black History Month Lecture: David J. Dennis Jr.

Award-winning journalist and author David K. Dennis, Jr. will discuss the life of his father, David Dennis Sr., a prominent leader and activist during the Civil Rights Movement who had a role in organizing Freedom Rides, lunch counter sit-ins, and voter registration in the Jim Crow South.

He discusses this, and more, in his book, “The Movement Made Us: A Father, a Son, and the Legacy of a Freedom Ride.” His other book “The Movement Made Us” is a Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Bestseller, Nautilus Book Award Winner and one of Kirkus Reviews 100 best nonfiction books of 2022.

Dennis is a current senior writer at Andscape, formerly named the Undefeated, and panelist on ESPN’s “Around the Horn.” The lecture will be followed by a Q&A session and book signing.

To register visit heinzhistorycenter.org/events.

When: Thursday, Feb. 20 6 to 7:30 p.m.

• Long-Term Exhibits Highlighting Black Heritage in Western Pa.

The Heinz History Center also hosts long-term exhibits and displays of African American history    on the history center’s six floors including the ”From Slavery to Freedom” exhibition and the “Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation” exhibition.

Where: Heinz History Center, 121 Smallman St., Strip District

Tuskegee Airmen Museum at Hosanna House

Hosanna House’s Center for Aviation Technology and Training showcases the inspiring legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.

On display is “Black Wings: American Dreams of Flight,” an exhibit on loan from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service that highlights the extraordinary achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American military pilots in U.S. history. Their courage, skill and perseverance not only changed the course of aviation but also broke racial barriers, inspiring generations to pursue careers in flight and aerospace.

Guests will also have access to multimedia presentations, historical artifacts and immersive storytelling about these aviation pioneers. To learn more, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iIuibXrl38.

When: Every Saturday and Sunday in February from noon to 4 p.m.

Where: Sherwood Event Center, 400 Sherwood Road, Wilkinsburgh

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Children from kindergarten to fifth grade can get involved with various opportunities to learn and celebrate Black culture through classes at the Carnegie Library.

In a class, children will learn about Pittsburgh actor and fashionista Billy Porter and engage in creativity by designing a red carpet look for a paper doll.

When: Saturday, Feb. 1, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

In another class, children will learn about African Americans who impacted aerospace and aviation such as David E. Harris, Guion Bluford and Bessie Coleman, the first African American and Native American woman to hold a pilot’s license.

When: Friday, Feb. 7, 4 to 5 p.m.

Children will also learn about the importance of making art by hand and creating art in the style of Ghanaian artist El Anatsui, known for his tapestries made from bottle caps and copper wire.

When: Saturday, Feb. 8, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Where: The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, 440 Forbes Ave., Oakland.

Westmoreland Museum of American Art

THE IBEJI ENSEMBLE WILL PERFORM WEST AFRICAN DRUMMING ON FEB. 9 AT THE WESTMORELAND MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART | COURTESY WESTMORELAND MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART.

Celebrate Black History Month with free art-making activities and performances that will honor the legacy of the African American community. Including live West African drumming by the Ibeji Ensemble, face painting from Beanie Paints, live-written poetry by Haley Clancey, food options from Black-owned food vendors, community partner tabling and a Black History Month talk by former associate teaching professor Anthony B. Mitchell of Penn State Greater Allegheny.

When: Sunday, Feb. 9, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 221 N. Main St. Greensburg

PHOTO BY DAVE DICELLO

Maybe you’re a resident looking for a staycation, or an out-of-towner searching for accommodations near Acrisure Stadium for the big game — or the NFL Draft. The three-day event will take place April 23-25, 2026 in Pittsburgh.

Whatever the reason, Pittsburgh is filled with standout places to stay thanks to its varied mix of housing stock, which ranges from the historical to the contemporary.

And hey, just because you’re in town for some football doesn’t mean you also can’t explore other North Side destinations such as the Warhol Museum or the National Aviary. The beauty of staying in the city is there are plenty of things to see, do and eat, all within a 10-minute walk.

If that sounds like you, check out these black-and-gold-certified stays that will put you at the center of Pittsburgh’s best offerings.

Boho Chic

A Modern Oasis, North Side

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

The renovated, boho-chic apartment is located on the North Side close to amenities such as the Andy Warhol Museum and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. Plus, it comes with a coveted private parking spot.

Up on the Rooftop

Strip District

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

Near award-winning restaurants, bars and retail shops, this stylish one-bedroom apartment on Penn Avenue in the heart of the thriving Strip District comes with access to a rooftop lounge. 

Hotel Stay

The Maverick by Kasa in East Liberty

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

 Located in a former YMCA in trendy East Liberty, The Maverick by Kasa is a stylish boutique hotel near some of the city’s best shopping and eateries, among them Blue Sky Kitchen, Margaux and Duo’s Taqueria, one of Pittsburgh Magazine’s Best New Restaurants. 

Cozy Corner

Lawrenceville

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

The owners of Gerbe Glass just launched this well-restored row home on a quiet alley in happening Lawrenceville that’s located just one block from the restaurants, pubs and retail shops of Butler Street. 

Room with a View

Warren Castle, Fineview

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

A historical estate with a stunning view of Downtown’s skyline, Warren Castle is located in the North Side neighborhood of Fineview near PNC Park, Acrisure Stadium and Rivers Casino. If you’re able, take the famous neighborhood steps down to the North Avenue area of the North Side and you can walk to the stadiums and other area attractions, like the Museum of Illusions or the Warhol Museum.

Iconic Incline

Mount Washington

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

Within walking distance of the scenic overlooks of Mount Washington, this two-bedroom home is just steps away from the historical Monongahela Incline, which leads down to more fun at Pittsburgh’s Station Square.

Heart of Downtown

Three Rivers Sunset Loft, Pittsburgh

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

A luxury loft with high ceilings in the center Downtown, the Three Rivers Sunset Loft comes with valet parking. With a view of Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park, the loft is a great place to stay if you’re in town for a football game, concert or festival. 

PHOTO: VISIT ERIE

If you’re looking for a beach vacation without making the 6-hour-plus drive to the ocean, Erie is your best bet — and there’s plenty of stuff to do there.

For example, Presque Isle State Park has numerous beaches with kid-friendly amenities, while the state of Pennsylvania offers free public tours of Presque Isle State Park’s bays and interior ponds. There also are a number of wineries around the area, plus a popular 13.5-mile scenic pedestrian/bike trail around the perimeter of Presque Isle.

Unlike Pittsburgh, Erie is home to some winning pirates. Scallywags, located at Dobbins Landing on Presque Isle Bay, runs tours for guests of all ages and there’s also the evening Wobbly Pirate cruises for guests 21 and over.

Erie’s beaches aren’t the only water play in town. Water World, located within the Waldameer Park amusement park, has a plethora of water slides, and guests may also move in between the water park and the amusement park. For rainy or cold days, Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park on Peach Street is a tropical oasis for kids and adults alike.

Of course, you’ll also need a place to stay on your beach-but-not-the ocean trip. Here are six of our favorite places for a weekend getaway.
 

On the Beach

Waterfront Cottage

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

Nestled against the water at Kelso Beach, and just 2 miles from Presque Isle State Park, this three-bedroom, two-bathroom waterfront cottage features modern furnishings and a grill on the deck for an afternoon cookout. There’s also easy access to activities such as boating, fishing, jet skiing, or simply lounging on the beach.

Price: $352 per night
 

Chasing Waterfalls

This Place Rocks! 

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

The three-bedroom cottage on Lake Erie features a one-of-a-kind patio carved into a bluff looking over the water. Oh, and did we mention the property is adjacent to a scenic waterfall? Of note, the cottage sits about 20 feet above Lake Erie. While that makes for incredible views, there is no fence or railing along the rock wall or bluff. Guests may access the water by carefully climbing down the natural rocks at the waterfall. The property also is close to Erie County’s numerous wineries and about 15 minutes from Presque Isle State Park.

Price: $302 per night 
 

Magnificent Views

Ranch Retreat

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

Enjoy the stunning sunsets from the deck of this waterside ranch on an 80-foot cliff (beware, there’s no railing or barrier) above Lake Erie. The neighborhood beach at Chautauqua Park is just a few blocks from this peaceful retreat. It’s also near Erie’s downtown and the Bayfront Convention Center.

Price: $292 per night 
 

Convenient Location

The Cozy Gray Cottage 

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

Newly restored, the 1950s-era Cozy Gray Cottage has a convenient location in a quiet residential area near Erie’s parks, restaurants, shopping, universities and hospitals.

Price: $129 per night
 

Gateway to Erie

Stylish Haven

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

Stylish and cheerful, and with a stocked kitchen, this four-bedroom home-away-from-home is only a short walk from Avanti’s Diner, Pressed Coffee and Frontier Park. A 5-minute drive will get you to Presque Isle, the Bayfront Convention Center and Waldameer amusement park.

Price: $149 per night
 

Lakeside Classic

Chautauqua Park

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

This lakeside retreat is a 2-minute walk to the beach at Chautauqua Park, but one of the most fun features of the classic three-bedroom home is the retro “I Love Lucy” suite housing a vintage bedroom set from 1953, mixed with a local artist’s rendition of Lucille Ball.

Price: $235 per night 

HOCKING HILLS PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

My fifth-grade daughter and her friends will say “skibidi Ohio” (among other nonsense words) when something isn’t cool, but I’m here to tell you that our neighboring state of Ohio actually is very cool, or — as the kids would say — it has rizz.

From the natural wonders of Hocking Hills and Cuyahoga Falls to entertainment destinations such as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Cedar Point, the Buckeye State is full of amazing things to see and do. Here’s where to go — and where to stay — all within a three-hour drive of Pittsburgh.
 

Village Gem

Chagrin Falls

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

Featuring the original hand-cut beams from the 1800s, this century-old gem is located within three blocks of the charming town’s Chagrin Falls viewing area. Bisected by the picturesque Chagrin River, the town’s main street is filled with enchanting places to eat and shop, such as the Evergreen Bakery and Fireside Book Shop.

Price: $225 per night
 

Natural Wonder

Hocking Hills

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

Perfect for outdoor lovers, the A-frame buildings at Chalets at Old Man’s Cave near Hocking Hills State Park are a romantic, cozy and comfortable place to stay when you’re done hiking, biking, kayaking or otherwise exploring the scenic area. Arranged along the ridge of a hill, each chalet has a private deck with a hot tub, grill and view into mature woods. The property also includes a pool, firepits, SaunaPods, electric vehicle charging stations, an office and the neighboring General Store.

Price: $180 per night
 

Cozy Retreat

Cuyahoga Falls 

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

After marveling over the 65-foot Brandywine Falls at Cuyahoga Valley National Park and taking a ride on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, settle in for the night at this cozy retreat in the center of the quaint town of Cuyahoga Falls. The newly revitalized Front Street has everything from dining and cocktails to boutiques and coffee shops, among them The Workz, a former theater converted into a restaurant, arcade and speakeasy, and Jean + Lou boutique.

Price: $215 per night
 

Sleek in the City

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland 

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

With views of Lake Erie and downtown Cleveland, this elevated modern condo with a rooftop patio is less than a mile from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and is within walking distance of the city’s local breweries and other attractions such as the Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Lighthouse, Greater Cleveland Aquarium and Huntington Bank Field, home of Steelers nemesis the Browns. If you’re looking to get into the holiday spirit, don’t forget to check out the infamous “A Christmas Story” House, which is located only a few miles from the condo.

Price: $121 per night
 

Ready to Ride

Cedar Point, Sandusky

PHOTO COURTESY VRBO

There’s more to Sandusky than the Cedar Point amusement park, although that’s pretty thrilling on its own. After a day of rides, relax at this Sandusky Bay oasis overlooking the Jackson Street Pier — a former ferry boat lot turned entertainment destination — or take in a meal at the Shore House Tavern. For families looking for fun, the popular Kalahari and Castaway Bay indoor water parks are right around the corner, as is the African Safari Wildlife Park.

Price: $109 per night

PHOTO BY HANDERSON GOMES

Now that we all accept “Die Hard” as a real Christmas movie — one of the best, in fact — many have made it part of their holiday traditions. This year, you can watch it at home, curled up on the couch. You can see it back on the big screen.

Or — perhaps the best option — you can watch it come to life in a one-of-a-kind show that recalls the golden age of radio.

In “Die Hard N’at,” a team of performers will not only give voice to Pittsburgh-modified versions of the action flick’s characters, they’ll also add sound effects and more in the style of a mid-century radio broadcast. It’s part of the Midnight Radio series from Bricolage Production Company, which has been offering raucous, old-school fun for more than a decade … with a bit of a layoff.

“Die Hard N’at,” which opens Friday and runs through Dec. 22, is actually a revival, as Midnight Radio has been dormant since before the COVID pandemic. Like many arts organizations, Bricolage struggled to bounce back from the effects of shutdowns and remote shows; this is the company’s first foray into live performance in nearly five years.

“Midnight Radio has always been such a kind of home for us,” says Bricolage co-founder Jeffrey Carpenter. “We venture out and do these crazy projects, [then] we always come back to Midnight Radio.”

The company also re-opened their escape room, Enter the Imaginarium, in a new location in O’Hara Township (complete with a brand-new game). Between that and returning to the stage, 2024 marks Bricolage’s informal comeback to the region’s art scene — and to its audience.

“Midnight Radio [is] our flagship and our most grounded program,” says Bricolage co-founder Tami Dixon. “We’ve been out of touch with our audience for quite some time; we’re re-evaluating and trying to get reinvigorated … The most important value to us is joy. If we don’t have that, why are we doing any of this?”

Performances of “Die Hard N’at” will be held at the company’s new home, the Wilkinsburg space Community Forge. That property is about to undergo extensive renovations, making even more space for arts and performances; Bricolage will be something of an anchor tenant, hoping to serve as an “immersive incubator.”

“What we get to do is share our learned experience from the last 20 years and give it away to younger organizations, up-and-coming arts groups,” Dixon says.

As those renovations — which will likely continue until 2026 — take place, Bricolage hopes to use Midnight Radio and other events to welcome guests back in. For longtime audience members, that’s an inviting return to an old favorite; for those who’ve never experienced Midnight Radio before, a lively surprise is in store.

“It’s ‘SNL’ meets ‘Prairie Home Companion’ meets ‘The Howard Stern Show,’” Dixon says. “What they’re going to see are incredible vocal acrobats — these actors who can switch character voices at the drop of the hat … sounds from a body dropping off of Yinzatomi Tower,” the localized version of the “Die Hard” locale Nakatomi Plaza, “to machine-gun fire to walking on glass. They’re going to be able to see them create this magic in front of them.”

“There was something super alive” about Midnight Radio, Carpenter adds. “That spirit is something that we really want to bring back to this next episode.”

Now that “Die Hard N’at” is back, attendees just might find themselves making it an annual stop — an unlikely yet delightful part of holiday plans.

“This show is good for teenagers to grandmas,” Dixon says. “The whole family can come — and we have people saying, ‘This was our holiday tradition for years.’”

PHOTO BY EMMA MALINAK

Pennsylvania-native Taylor Swift turns 35 on Dec. 13, less than a week after The Eras Tour ends its epic, 149-show run. Birthday bashes will take place throughout Pittsburgh, so assemble your fellow Swifties (and some friendship bracelets) and party like it’s 1989!

Stinky’s Bar & Grill

Lawrenceville, 4901 Hatfield St.

Think you’ve got the chops to sing pop? Stinky’s is hosting a karaoke party where you can belt out Taylor tunes and sip Swiftcentric beverages from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. If the crowd thinks your performance stinks, just shake it off.

The Government Center

North Side, 715 East St.

Head to The Government Center record store for an all-ages Taylor Fest starting at 8 p.m. The Screeching Tires of Love, The Swifties, Fantome Trois, Dan Sty, Swiftie Guy will perform cover songs in honor of Tay Tay’s big day. The show is free, but donations are being accepted for Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania.

Carnegie Science Center

North Shore, 1 Allegheny Ave.

Love science and Taylor Swift? Your wildest dreams are about to come true!

Fans 21 and over can dance, sing, sip themed cocktails, watch dazzling demos and get full access to the exhibits from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets to the event are $25 in advance or $30 at the door.

SouthSide Works

South Side, 517 S. 27th St.

Desperate to find the perfect gift for the Swift-lover in your life? You need to calm down and buy tickets to the Women Who Rock Pop-Up Shop.

From 6 to 9 p.m., guests can browse exclusive apparel, holiday items and accessories and make a friendship bracelet, enjoy themed desserts and mocktails, participate in a dance party and get a temporary Taylor tat, n’at.

Black Dog Wine Company

Oakdale, 7425 Steubenville Pike

On Saturday, Dec. 14 from 4 to 10 p.m., the Oakdale wine-maker is throwing an all-ages Swiftie celebration featuring friendship bracelet making, cookie decorating, trivia, karaoke, a costume contest and local vendors selling T-Swizzle goods. Ticket holders can also add some tinsel to your hair and, for an additional fee, fill in that blank space on their tattoo sleeve with some Taylor-inspired ink.

Green Beacon Gallery

Greensburg, 235 W. Pittsburgh St.

Make friendship bracelets and memories at the volunteer-run venue on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 2 to 5 p.m. Folks of all ages are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite era for a chance to win a basket bursting with Swiftie surprises. Admission is $5 at the door. The first 35 people who pre-register online will have a custom friendship bracelet waiting for them inside the Karma door.

HOLIDAY HOP AT ‘DAZZLING NIGHTS,’ COMING TO PITTSBURGH BOTANIC GARDEN | COURTESY PITTSBURGH BOTANIC GARDEN

Holiday lights aren’t limited to Downtown Pittsburgh’s Light Up Night on Nov. 23. Attractions throughout the region offer all sorts of imaginative outdoor light displays along walking and driving paths, with many kicking off in mid-November and running through early January. 

Here’s a sampling: 

PATH OF STARS AT ‘DAZZLING NIGHTS,’ COMING TO PITTSBURGH BOTANIC GARDEN | COURTESY PITTSBURGH BOTANIC GARDEN

“Dazzling Nights”

This is the third year for this holiday light show at the 460-acre Pittsburgh Botanic Garden in Oakdale. It offers a family-friendly, mile-long, interactive and immersive lighted walk on select dates from Nov. 29-Dec. 31. The path includes a 70-foot-long tunnel of lights, forest of dancing lights synchronized to music, nightly “snowfall,” live holiday music from local Pittsburgh musicians and more. Timed-ticket entry runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Proceeds benefit the nonprofit garden.

Oakdale, 799 Pinkerton Run Road, 15071

Wild Illuminations: A Holiday Lantern Experience

Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium this year reimagines its Asian Lantern Festival and Zoo Lights in a holiday event that runs on select dates from Nov. 15-Jan 12. More than a million twinkling lights will enhance the Christmas-themed lanterns, that include snowflakes, trees, candy canes and Santa Clauses. There also will be a Secret Forest that is home to unicorns, a griffin, snow monster and ice dragon. A mystical dream tunnel and zodiac animals will shine light on the Lunar New Year. Hours are 5:30 to 10 p.m., last entry is at 9 p.m. For those with mobility issues, you can drive through the exhibit on Dec. 2 and 9.

Highland Park, 7370 Baker St., 15206

PHOTO COURTESY KENNYWOOD

Kennywood Holiday Lights 

Kennywood will be bathed in more than 3 million lights for its Holiday Lights weekends, opening Nov. 15 and running through Jan. 1. Times are 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. New this year are visits by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his friends Clarice, Bumble and Sam the Snowman. There will be 25 rides and attractions open. Advance tickets start at $19.

West Mifflin, 4800 Kennywood Blvd., 15122

PART OF THE WINTER LIGHT GARDEN OUTSIDE OF PHIPPS | PHOTO BY PAUL G. WIEGMAN

Phipps Holiday Magic

Under the theme “Enchantment,” this annual show at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens offers festive displays and glowing gardens. It opens Nov. 16 and runs through Jan. 5. The Winter Flower Show brings in new displays of mystical creatures, signature floral delights and 21 varieties of poinsettias. Outside is the Winter Light Garden with dazzling colors. Among new features this year are a magical unicorn topiary; a light curtain hanging above red, gold, silver and white poinsettia trees; cut trees decked out in light blue, teal, pink, orange and lime green with fluttering fairies flying above; and a fairy tale-inspired display brought to life with a castle and a glowing carriage amid soft pink flora and icicle lights. 

Oakland, One Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, 15213

Lighted Christmas Tree in PPG Plaza

This 60-foot-tall (fake) tree with 540-prelit branches went up in early October at PPG Plaza, Downtown. Its vibrant LED light displays are synchronized to holiday music. The $1 million ice skating rink, expanded in the 2015-16 season, opens Nov. 15 and will operate through March 2. Skate rentals available.

Downtown, 4 PPG Place, Pittsburgh 15222

Enchanted Lights, A Magical Holiday Stroll

This is held at the site of Three Rivers Paintball in Beaver County on select nights from Nov. 29 through Dec. 31. Hours are 5:30 to 9 p.m. It offers an outdoor stroll through thousands of festive lights that takes about 45-50 minutes. There also are campfires with s’mores and craft cocktails. Santa will visit from 6 to 8 p.m. Special dog-friendly days are Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22, 23 and 29. Proceeds from the $5 parking fee benefits Crisis Center North and Cross Your Paws Dog Rescue.

Freedom, 282 Rochester Road, 15042

Christmas Light Up

The one-mile, drive-thru display in Clinton opens Nov. 23 and runs through Jan. 2. Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. For safety, this is open only to vehicular traffic. Started in 1993, the annual celebration aims to generate unity throughout the Clinton community. $10 per car, cash only. Proceeds benefit local charities.

Clinton, 600 Clinton Park Drive, 15026

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

As they say in the 1978 classic “Halloween,” “everyone’s entitled to one good scare.”

Whether you’re a year-round horror aficionado or just prefer your scares during spooky season, October is the time for big-screen terror. And Pittsburgh cinemas are offering dozens of opportunities to scare yourself silly this month, with revivals of timeless classics playing alongside plenty of new flicks.

Related: Our Picks for the 10 Best Movie Theaters in Pittsburgh

There are plenty of horror-adjacent screenings and special events coming up, too. Pittsburgh’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show” shadowcasters, the Junior Chamber of Commerce Players, have events all month long. Row House Cinema Lawrenceville will host an all-day marathon of Universal Monsters favorites on Oct. 27. The Lindsay Theater will once again host the Thriller Picture Show, a collection of new and restored horror features and shorts, from Oct. 11-14.

Prefer spooky fun to genuine fright? Plenty of theaters are also showing Halloween favorites that aren’t exactly scary, such as “Hocus Pocus,” “A Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Addams Family Values” and “Coco.”

If you are up for a scream or two, here are 30 horror movies playing this month.

• “The Black Phone” — Playing at AMC locations on Oct. 23.
• “Bride of Chucky” — Playing at Cinemark locations on Oct. 30.
• “The Bride of Frankenstein” — Playing at the Oaks Theater on Oct. 10.
• “Child’s Play” — Playing at Row House Cinema Lawrenceville on Oct. 25 and from Oct. 29-31.
• “The Exorcist” — Playing at Row House Cinema Lawrenceville from Oct. 18-31.
• “The Fog”— Playing at Eberle Studios as part of Pittsburgh Sound + Image’s “Giant Scream Show” on Oct. 25.
• “The Forest Hills” — Playing at the Harris Theater from Oct. 4-8.
• “Halloween” — Playing at Row House Cinema Lawrenceville from Oct. 18-31 and at Cinemark locations on Oct. 31.
• “Happy Death Day” — Playing at AMC locations on Oct. 16.
• “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” — Playing at Row House Cinema Lawrenceville on Oct. 25.
• “The Hands of Orlac” — Playing as part of the Pittsburgh Silent Film Festival at the Lindsay Theater on Oct. 3.
• “I Saw the TV Glow” — Playing at Row House Cinema Lawrenceville from Oct. 12-17.
• “It” — Playing at Cinemark locations on Oct. 29.
• “Jack-O” — Playing at Bottlerocket Social Hall, with Bad Movie Bingo, on Oct. 15.
• “Lights Out” — Playing at AMC locations on Oct. 2.
• “The Lost Boys” — Playing at Chartiers Luxury 14 on Oct. 13 and 16.
• “MaXXXine” — Playing at Row House Cinema Lawrenceville from Oct. 13-17.
• “Night of the Living Dead” — Playing at the Oaks Theater on Oct. 18 and at Row House Cinema Lawrenceville on Oct. 31.
• “A Nightmare on Elm Street” — Playing at the Rangos Giant Cinema on Oct. 25.
• “Nosferatu” — Playing at Row House Cinema Lawrenceville on Oct. 12 and with live accompaniment at the Harris Theater on Oct. 24.
• “Possession” — Playing at Row House Cinema Lawrenceville on Oct. 24.
• “Saw Unrated” — Playing at various local theaters on Oct. 20 and 23.
• “Scream” — Playing at the Rangos Giant Cinema on Oct. 18.
• “The Shining” — Playing at the Rangos Giant Cinema on Oct. 4.
• “The Silence of the Lambs” — Playing at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall, as part of the annual “cage night” event with a replica of the film set, on Oct. 11.
• “Smile 2” — In wide release beginning Oct. 17.
• “The Substance” — Playing at the Harris Theater through Oct. 10 and at other local theaters.
• “Terrifier 3” — Playing at Row House Cinema Lawrenceville from Oct. 10-17, at Dependable Drive-In and Brownsville Drive-In starting on Oct. 11, and at other local theaters.
• “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” — Playing at Cinemark locations on Oct. 2 and at Row House Cinema Lawrenceville from Oct. 19-24.
• “Us” — Playing at the Rangos Giant Cinema on Oct. 11.