An oral history of the Squirrel Hill Theater from former patrons, employees, and others who knew it well
Pittsburgh cinephiles recently mourned the official death of a local institution when the Squirrel Hill Theater, a historic movie house closed in 2010, was torn down to make room for a housing complex. In mid-May, the theater was reduced to rubble by demolition equipment, putting to rest any hopes that the neighborhood theater would be…
Critical Mass brings power, fun, and community to riding bikes in Pittsburgh
Riding a bike on Pittsburgh city streets is daunting. The hills are constant, but it’s the constant confrontations with drivers that really add to the stress level. And when riding alone, a cyclist can feel totally outnumbered. But a bicycle-advocacy movement has sought to address that discrepancy for years, and that movement is seeing a…
Carnegie Museum of Art announces 58th Carnegie International dates and other details
The Carnegie International remains one of the most anticipated, major art events in Pittsburgh, introducing guests to international artists and giving guest curators a prime opportunity to transform the Carnegie Museum of Art. Now, CMOA has revealed the 58th Carnegie International’s opening and closing dates. On Wed., June 16, CMOA announced that Carnegie International will…
How to have a hot girl summer on a budget in Pittsburgh
Being a hot girl isn’t about gender. It’s about a vibe. Summer doesn’t officially begin in Pittsburgh until June 20, but many are already talking online about their hot girl summer plans. As of June 15, more than 57% of Pennsylvanians 18 and older have been fully vaccinated, and many opportunities to go out are…
Saturday Night Market to return to Downtown Pittsburgh and run through October
Starting June 19, the Saturday Night Market will return to Market Square in Downtown Pittsburgh. The market will run through the end of October and will feature more than 60 vendors and will also include the return of the Downtown Pittsburgh Sound series. The market is supported by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and sponsors include…
Soulshowmike’s Album Picks: #KingButch and #SummerGrooves
Sometimes music releases hit my radar a little later than they should. One reason is that terrestrial radio follows FCC permissible-language policies, and a new album might only have a few initial singles sanitized for the delicate ear. #KingButch by Butcher Brown is now fully ready, and was worth the wait. Pittsburghers may have seen…
Allegheny County studying feasibility of multi-use trail along the Turtle Creek Valley
The Great Allegheny Passage trail is one of the most popular multi-use trails in the Pittsburgh area for cyclists, joggers, and walkers. It starts in Downtown Pittsburgh and runs along the Monongahela River to McKeesport, then continues through the Laurel Highlands all the way to Cumberland, Md. The trail has been praised by regional leaders,…
A pierogi festival returns, bottled pineapple coffee juice, and more Pittsburgh food news
OPENINGS Kelly O’s Diner Multiple locations. kellyos.com This popular diner with locations in Wexford and in the Strip District is opening a third location in Warrendale, near the Allegheny-Butler county border in the North Hills. The location is still in the construction stage but should be opened by the end of summer. The restaurant, once featured…
Gov. Wolf proposes funneling cap-and-trade dollars to transition fossil fuel workers
Gov. Tom Wolf proposed Monday to pour tens of millions of dollars from an initiative combating climate change back into communities set to lose out on the transition to a green economy. The windfall would come from Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, a mandatory, market-based program in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas…
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh re-opens with world premiere of new Pixar exhibit
After months of false starts and stops, the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh officially welcomed crowds back this past weekend. Now, kids and their families and caretakers once again have access to the museum’s many interactive activities, as well as a major new exhibit inspired by a hit animated film. Opened on June 12, Emotions at…
Some of the craziest storm images from this past weekend in Pittsburgh
On June 13, Pittsburgh and its surroundings were hit by very intense storms bringing a deluge of rain, high winds, and even hailstones. Property damage was widespread and tens of thousands of Pittsburghers lost power, and many still haven’t gotten power back. Some parts of the region received around 2 inches of rainfall in a…
Allegheny County gets grant to help reduce jail population through enhanced probation services
Pennsylvania has one of the highest percentages of people on parole and probation of any state in the country, and it contributes greatly to the state’s bloated population of incarcerated individuals. According to the reform alliance, on any given day, Pennsylvania has several thousand people incarcerated as a result of a supervised violation. In April…
PHOTOS: The Three Rivers Arts Festival’s return to Downtown Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh City Paper photo intern Kaycee Orwig visited the Three Rivers Arts Festival in Downtown Pittsburgh on Sat., June 21 for the last weekend of this year’s event, capturing art and music lovers getting a taste of returning to normal life outdoors on a gorgeous Saturday at Point State Park and along Fort Duquesne Boulevard…
Pittsburgh opera singer Pascale Beaudin to take part in a 12-hour opera marathon
Pascale Beaudin lives on the North Side of Pittsburgh, but her work as an opera singer takes her around the world singing songs from Baroque and Romantic composers. And she is bringing her vocal prowess to contribute to an international opera marathon. As part of Opera Lafayette’s 12-hour music marathon for Fête de la Musique,…
End of COVID emergency declaration leads to uncertainty of to-go cocktail legalization
Pennsylvania lawmakers’ vote to cut off Gov. Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 declaration this week claimed an unexpected casualty: to-go cocktails. Since May 2020, state law has temporarily allowed Pennsylvanians to get take out Bloody Marys with their Sunday brunch or a Moscow Mule with their power lunch. But that allowance was temporary and tied to the…
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy looking for local Black vendors for Juneteenth celebration market
This year, the city of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Park Conservancy are joining forces to put on several events celebrating Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the freedom of enslaved people in the United States. Juneteenth falls on June 19, but Pittsburgh’s events stretch weeks before and after the holiday, which was made an official holiday by…
Pennsylvania Legislature votes to terminate Wolf’s COVID-19 emergency declaration
For the first time in 15 months, Pennsylvania is no longer operating under a COVID-19 emergency declaration. Using its newly expanded emergency powers, the GOP-controlled Legislature voted to end Gov. Tom Wolf’s pandemic disaster declaration this week. With a 30-20 Senate vote and 121-81 House vote, Wolf has no power to veto the resolution. “For…
Pa. House GOP releases election reform plan which includes voter ID, early voting
House Republicans released their election code rewrite on Thursday, including proposals for stricter voter ID requirements, signature verification for mail-in ballots, pushed back deadlines to register to vote, and, starting after the 2024 election, in-person early voting. The bill, sponsored by House State Government Committee Chairman Seth Grove (R-York), is the culmination of months of…
Stonewall Sports provides LGBTQ recreation outside of typical avenues
At Stonewall Sports, it’s not about winning or losing, it’s about finding a place where you belong. The recreational sports group, based out of Washington, D.C., and brought to Pittsburgh in the fall of 2014, aims to create a safe space for LGBTQ people and allies. The several Pittsburgh sports recreational leagues and a flag-football…
Shop local during Pride month from this list of LGBTQ-owned Pittsburgh retailers
When you purchase an item from one of these Pittsburgh shops, you’re directly supporting a locally owned LGBTQ business. Eon’s Fashion Antique 5850 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. Search “Eons Fashion Antique” on Facebook “The” place to go for vintage clothing in Pittsburgh. Sought out by visiting celebrities, and owned by local LGBTQ icon Richard Parsakian. Maude’s…
LGBTQ Asians in Pittsburgh create community from the intersections of their identity
In a city that’s predominantly white, finding community with other Asian folks can be difficult. For many LGBTQ Asian people in Pittsburgh, however, there is an additional othering and discomfort in spaces that were not designed with intersectionality in mind, whether in predominantly white LGBTQ or predominantly cisgender and straight Asian spaces. Navigating the intersections…
Seven Days in Pittsburgh: June 10-16
Thu., June 10 ART • IRL Irma Freeman Center for Imagination presents Phantasmagoricals, a solo show celebrating the work and life of Pittsburgh native Kevin Osterhout, who died in August 2020 of accidental heroin/fentanyl poisoning. Described as “spontaneous” and “explosive,” while still utilizing intricate line work, Osterhout’s work depicts “intertwining, curious relationships, with colorful figures…
Black-led Community Spotlight: Bekezela Mguni of The Black Unicorn Library
Pittsburgh is a place with a rich Black history that isn’t always known to its residents. There are, of course, very big and recognizable names like playwright August Wilson and photographer Teenie Harris, but local artist and activist Bekezela Mguni wants to bring awareness to smaller players that one might find surprising, mainly stories about…
A Conversation with the “Last Top in Pittsburgh”
One day while I was on a particular dating app, I found a profile of a woman who had described herself as “The Last Top in Pittsburgh.” As a top and a lesbian myself, I found the moniker pretty funny and it piqued my interest. After an initial exchange that was friendly, but went nowhere,…
Celebrate Pride all month with LGBTQ events in and around Pittsburgh throughout June
Pride returns to the Pittsburgh area with parties, tributes, first-ever celebrations, and more, both online and in person.da Fri., June 11 Make a new memory with a special photoshoot at the Simply Social PGH Picture Perfect PRIDE event at the Waterfront. 7-10 p.m. 218 W. Bridge St., Homestead. Reservations required. $25. facebook.com/simplysocialpgh Fri., June 11-Sat.,…
Pittsburgh Pride merch that benefits local businesses, artists, and causes
So-called “rainbow-washing” has raised concerns over how corporations that usually have little or nothing to say about LGBTQ rights try to cash in on Pride celebrations. If you want to make sure any Pride spending goes back into the LGBTQ community, Pittsburgh City Paper has compiled a list of cool shirts, eats, drinks, and more…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: June 10-16
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I’m glad you’re not on the planet Saturn right now. The winds there can blow at 1,000 miles per hour. But I would like you to feel a brisk breeze as you wander around in nature here on Earth. Why? Because according to my interpretation of the current astrological omens, winds…
