Downtown Pittsburgh category
New and improved Market Square unveiled just in time for NFL Draft is only the beginning
With a little over 24 hours left on the clock before the NFL Draft brings upward of 500,000 fans out in Pittsburgh, the $15 million revitalization of Downtown’s Market Square was officially completed and unveiled Wednesday afternoon. The public square draws 3 million visitors a year and houses 49 small...
Arts Landing highlights Downtown revitalization efforts ahead of NFL DraftVideo
Arts Landing — the 4-acre, outdoor civic space located at Eighth Street and Penn Avenue in the Cultural District — is open on time ahead of next week’s NFL Draft. The $31 million project’s completion after 22 months contributes to what elected officials and civic leaders called a generational, arts-driven...
Review: It may be corny, but ‘Shucked’ is a down-home good time at the Benedum Center
Yes, it’s a musical about corn. Obviously, it’s not just about corn; “Shucked” is a modern show with a lot of old-fashioned sensibilities, from its farcical rom-com plot to its folksy score. And it’s also perfect for popping a few kernels, turning off your brain and having a soul-nourishing night...
Review: Pittsburgh Playhouse’s ‘Our Town’ paints a poignant portrait of small-town America
There are undoubtedly some shows in the theatrical canon that are overdone. It can be groan-inducing to see the same plays and musicals performed over and over again, revived and revisited ad nauseam. Thornton Wilder’s classic “Our Town,” while frequently produced, isn’t one of them. This slice of Americana is...
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to offer NFL Draft-themed programming, merchandise
At Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, people can find books, magazines, historical records — and NFL Draft-themed merchandise. The library will offer various draft-themed programs leading up to the April 23-25 event, which will be held in Pittsburgh’s Downtown and North Shore. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will keep its Downtown location...
Review: ‘Water for Elephants’ at Benedum Center is a pachyderm-sized spectacle with a dark side
Much like the circus at its center, the musical “Water for Elephants” is a dazzling spectacle — but also a bit messy, and with a lot of darkness lurking in the shadows beyond the Big Top lights. The musical is based on the best-selling 2006 novel by Sara Gruen and...
Michael Zagaris shows off ’60 Years of NFL Photography’ in new Cultural Trust exhibition Downtown
Michael Zagaris has been photographing NFL football for almost six decades, attending 44 Super Bowls. Now, he’s sharing his photographic journey with Pittsburgh. “Michael Zagaris: 60 Years of NFL Photography” is on display at 707 Penn Gallery in Downtown Pittsburgh through Nov. 8. Presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the...
Candle studio joins pop-up businesses fueling Downtown’s NFL Draft push
The temperature Tuesday afternoon in Downtown Pittsburgh didn’t climb much above freezing. But patrons at Kayla Branca’s new candle workshop, The Studio by PGH Candle, said they felt something warm wash over them upon entering the Wood Street store. Branca made the shop’s opening official this week with an oversized...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: March 27-29
From brews to “Beetlejuice,” from coconuts to crafts, Pittsburgh’s got a lot going on this weekend. If you’ve got some free time after a busy week, here are a few things to try out around town. Modern Craft Market Spring cleaning is in full swing, which means it’s also time...
Market Square brawl reignites Downtown Pittsburgh safety concerns weeks before 2026 NFL Draft
A Market Square brawl last weekend has renewed pressure on business owners and elected leaders to crimeproof one of Downtown Pittsburgh’s most visible public spaces — just weeks before hundreds of thousands of visitors descend on the city for the 2026 NFL Draft. About 40 people wreaked havoc around 5:30...
Mystery daredevil parachutes off Pittsburgh skyscraper
Pittsburgh police are investigating after a “reported parachutist” jumped off a skyscraper near the former site of the Civic Arena. Just three weeks after a Beaver County social-media influencer scaled the Gulf Tower — once Pennsylvania’s tallest building — someone appeared to launch themselves off the FNB Financial Center, a...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: March 20-22
From short-sleeve weather to snow and back again, Pittsburgh weather is certainly doing its thing this week. Spring will officially begin on Friday, so whether it’s breezy, rainy, chilly or hot, step into the next season with these events around town. Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience This performance is an...
Boards of Pittsburgh Public Theater, Pittsburgh CLO approve mergerVideo
The leadership of Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO announced Wednesday that the boards of both companies have voted to merge into a new cultural institution. “This theater will be a dynamic destination in the city’s Cultural District as part of the broader Downtown revitalization already underway, energizing audiences of...
Innovative artists and performers gear up for Pittsburgh Fringe Festival
Designed as a home for live performance and art “on the fringe,” the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival has been operating since 2014 as part of a global Fringe movement. The 10-day-long slate of shows launches around Pittsburgh on Thursday. The concept started in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1947 to be “on the...
Review: ‘Chicago’ at the Benedum Center turns murder into riveting performance
“Chicago” is a musical that needs no introduction. The show’s 1996 revival will hit 30 years onstage this November and is the longest currently running Broadway show. And lest we forget the Academy Award-winning 2002 film adaptation. There’s no doubt such a successful show has earned its place in the...
Pittsburgh colleges expand their footprint to meet demand
Ted Black admits the former YWCA on Wood Street — right in the thick of Point Park University’s campus — is “quite frankly a bit of an eyesore.” But Black, Point Park’s senior vice president of institutional advancement and strategy, also notes the opportunity the property represents. The Downtown school...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: March 6-8
Areyou ready to open up that long-closed storage bin and pull out your favorite spring outfits yet? This weekend will be a great time to show them off around Pittsburgh at some of these events. History Uncorked This annual soiree is always a great time at the Heinz History Center....
Review: Pittsburgh Playhouse lampoons showtunes in ‘Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits’
Musicals are almost always a great time at the theater. But do you know what can be even more fun? Making fun of musicals. That’s the name of the game for “Forbidden Broadway,” an oft-updated revue that’s been parodying the Great White Way from off-Broadway for more than 40 years....
Police investigate reported climb of Gulf Tower in Downtown Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh police said Friday they launched an investigation after officers detained — but did not arrest — a person who reportedly scaled the Downtown skyscraper that reigned for 40 years as Pennsylvania’s tallest building. A man and a woman, who authorities did not name, were involved in a “reported incident”...
Carlow, Promise Center launch literacy tutoring initiative in Homewood
Carlow University and the Promise Center of Homewood have launched a joint literacy tutoring initiative for children in Homewood. The after-school program was developed over several months by Carlow’s College of Education and Social Work in partnership with The Promise Center, Carlow officials said. It will focus on reading skills,...
Review: ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at the Benedum Center is a dazzling Disney fantasy
It’s a tale as old as time … or about as old as the early ’90s, anyway. “Beauty and the Beast” lit up silver screens as a Disney animated film in 1991 and took its place on Broadway in 1993. As screen-to-stage transfers go, this one had to be something...
Review: Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s ‘Annie’ brings a shining cast to a classic musical
Some artistic works are both timeless and very much of their time. That’s the case with “Annie,” a massive hit musical that was already a cultural touchstone before it even existed. Drawing from more than half a century of source material in the form of comics, radio programs and movies,...
Man killed in fall from building in Downtown Pittsburgh
A man died after falling from a building in Downtown Pittsburgh Thursday morning, public safety officials said. The fatal fall was reported around 11 a.m. Medics pronounced the man dead at the scene. He landed on scaffolding from an unknown height, police said. Officials did not immediately identify the man....
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Feb. 6-8
It’s a busy weekend for sports fans, with both the Olympics and the Super Bowl filling up the schedule. But it’s a busy weekend in Pittsburgh too. Don’t forget to check out these events. Monster Jam This weekend, you won’t have to stay out on the frozen roads to see...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Jan. 30-Feb. 1
Let’s not even talk about the weather. It’s time to put it on the back burner and shake off the cabin fever for a weekend of dancing, dining, competing and more. Whether you love the cold and want to get outside or stay indoors and toasty, Pittsburgh is your playground...
