Pittsburgh Regatta this Independence Day Weekend!

How are you celebrating Independence Day in Pittsburgh?  Why not come downtown to Pittsburgh’s annual regatta, the largest inland regatta in the United States, and
Pittsburgh's Official 4th of July Celebration. 

The 34th annual—all FREE—EQT Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta is the tri-state's most anticipated summertime event... and rightfully so. Every year, over 600,000 spectators swarm the banks of the Allegheny River, the inviting lawns of historic Point State Park, and the meandering river-walk of scenic North Shore to celebrate the region's most prolific festival of air, land and water entertainment.

Get ready to welcome the “Beach in the Burgh” as Sandsational builds the largest sand sculpture Pittsburgh has ever seen. Skies will explode nightly with Circus Orange—the most exhilarating combo of pyrotechnics and aerial stunt performers in North America.

Speed? Oh yeah, the North American Powerboat Championships are here again to tame the Allegheny at 125/mph! And, of course, one of the nation's top fireworks shows—the EQT “Flashes of Freedom” Fireworks Fantasia, produced by Pyrotecnico, caps it all. In between, there's music, food, kids zone, dragon boats, bass fishing, bike stunt shows, “Anything that Floats,” and so much more at the summer's largest family extravaganza and your FREE Vacation Destination!

The event lasts from Saturday, July 2 through Monday, July 4.  For a full event schedule, check out the Regatta’s webpage. 

Book of Liz

This is the last week to catch ‘The Book of Liz’ at the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater located downtown at 542 Penn Ave.  Written by siblings David and Amy Sedaris, notable comedic writers each in their own right, ‘The Book of Liz’ tells the story of Sister Elizabeth after being ousted from her religious community Cluster Haven, home of the “Squeamish” (the Sedarises’ satirical take on the Amish).  Tickets are available for $20 at the box office or can be ordered in advance for a five dollar discount.  Check out more information here. 

Father's Day At The Pittsburgh Zoo

Looking for some quality family bonding time this Father’s Day weekend?  Why not take the kids to the Pittsburgh Zoo!  This Sunday, June 19th, all dads will receive free admission when accompanied by a child.  While there, be sure to check out their family-oriented exhibits.  Right now, you can check out playful tiger cubs and Painted Dog puppies.  But catch them now because soon they will be grown!

Playful baby animals at the Pittsburgh Zoo!

Don’t Forget Dad!

 

Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 19th.   What was the best advice you ever received from your Father?  Share it with us!  We’d love to hear it.

 

Or just enjoy some of these pithy quotes about our favorite dads:

 

"A new father quickly learns that his child invariably comes to the bathroom at precisely the times when he's in there, as if he needed company. The only way for this father to be certain of bathroom privacy is to shave at the gas station." -- Bill Cosby

"A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again." -- Enid Bagnold

"A father is a guy who has snapshots in his wallet where his money used to be." – Unknown

"My father always told me, 'Find a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life.' " -- Jim Fox

"A father is a banker provided by nature." -- French Proverb

"My father said, 'Politics asks the question: Is it expedient? Vanity asks: Is it popular? But conscience asks: Is it right?'" -- Dexter Scott King

"When I was a kid, I said to my father one afternoon, 'Daddy, will you take me to the zoo?' He answered, 'If the zoo wants you, let them come and get you.'" -- Jerry Lewis

"Small boy's definition of Father's Day: It's just like Mother's Day only you don't spend so much." – Unknown

"By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong." -- Charles Wadsworth

 

Check out more quotations here.  And here’s an anecdote from America’s favorite dad:

‘Violet Sharpe’ at the Grey Box Theatre

 

Enjoy some great local theater this week.  ‘Violet Sharp’ will be playing at the Grey Box Theatre in Lawrenceville from June 9th until the 25th.  Check out this great theatrical foray into history: 

Set against the backdrop of the notorious 1932 Lindbergh Kidnapping Case, this prize-winning drama tells the story of a young British servant who becomes a suspect in the crime. Having lied about her whereabouts on the night of the kidnapping, Violet Sharp—pursued by her own personal demons, as well as the police—strives to clear her name but only strengthens the conviction that she is guilty. 

Tickets are $20 for general admission, $12 for students and seniors, $10 for groups of 8 or more. Visit Pro Arts (http://www.proartstickets.org/events/view/813) to purchase tickets.

A New Theater in the Northside

There is a new theater in the Northside.  But this one is a little bit different…

The Steel City Improv Theater wants you to be on stage!  They offer acting, improv, and musical classes as taught by New York graduates of the famed People’s Improv Theater and Upright Citizens Brigade,  but you can also leap right on stage every Saturday evening at 6:30 as part of their free “SCIT Social.”  All you have to do is sign up at 6pm to be in an all improvised comedy show.  If you don’t feel like joining in the fun, the Social is also free to watch.  But that isn’t the only free show… 

Every Monday night the resident performers at the SCIT put on their weekly Totally Free Monday show.  The show starts at 8pm, features sets from three comedy troupes and, well, it’s FREE.

They also have a full line-up of $5 shows every Friday and Saturday night specializing in improvisational comedy shows, sketch comedy, live podcast recordings, experimental theater, and short musicals.  Check out the SCIT’s full schedule here.