Hear drums along the Allegheny with Rumbón de la Calle, watch fire-blowers or watch a fashion show inspired by nature. Here's what to do in Pittsburgh this weekend.
Be "Seen & Heart" at the summer Gallery Crawl
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s summer Gallery Crawl is usually its biggest of the year. Visual art, live music, comedy, street magic and more enliven 15 or so locations Downtown. The Fri., July 28, crawl is dedicated to the memory of pioneering regional artist Elizabeth “Betty” Asche Douglas — the first Black student in Carnegie Institute of Technology’s art department — who recently died at 92. Work by Douglas is featured in “Seen & Heard,” an exhibit of art by Black women, also including Joanne Bates, Tina Williams Brewer, and Tara Fay Coleman, at 707 Penn Gallery.
'Transcendental Arrangements'
The venerable Associated Artists of Pittsburgh holds its 109th Annual Exhibition at the Miller ICA (on Carnegie Mellon’s campus). The Miller’s Elizabeth Chodos curated a mix of 14 local and nonlocal artists for AAP, including Pittsburgh-based names like Sue Abramson, Joshua Challen Ice, and Mikael Owunna. “Transcendental Arrangements” opens Fri., July 28, with a reception, and runs July 29-Sept. 3.
Fire-blowers, live music, silent discos in the Hill
The Hill District Arts Festival returns for its second year. Organizer ACH Clear Pathways, a nonprofit arts-education group, promises 32 vendors, a dozen food trucks, a fire-blower, kids’ activities and two stages of live music, including the Sat., July 29, headliner, vocalist Anita Levels, and Sunday’s headliner, national rap artist Yung Joc. The fest concludes with a silent disco on the 1800 block of Centre Avenue.
March to the beat
Hear drums along the Allegheny with Rumbón de la Calle. This ensemble of Pittsburgh-based percussionists and drummers of the African diaspora evokes the community gatherings of their home countries, from Africa to the Caribbean. It’s hosted by Christiane Dolores, working with the Pittsburgh Creative Corps, a project of the Office for Public Art and Riverlife. There’s a free performance 3-5 p.m. Sun., July 30; two more follow Aug. 27 and Sept. 24.
Fashionable nature
A brand-new fashion show featuring designs inspired by nature goes by the name Plantasia. This Sun., July 30, event at Bloomfield’s Trace Brewing weaves fits made from repurposed and upcycled clothing by Stew Frick and Nicole B, with nature-themed drag performances by Remy Black, Viiviian Spice and Victoria L. Van-Cartier, and music by Le Siren and DJ Huny XO. It runs 3-6 p.m.
