Carnegie Carnegie creates moments of connection

It’s been over half a year since our lives were upended by the coronavirus pandemic, and by now most of us have grown somewhat accustomed to the uncertainty that it brought with it. My own life has settled into a steady pattern: I walk my daughter to school, go grocery shopping, drive to the library to serve our patrons — and very little else.

Outside of the risk of illness, the most challenging aspect of this time for many of us is the lack of social connection. With the need for physical distancing comes the challenge of forging the connections that hold our communities together. Humans are social creatures — it’s the rare individual who prefers the solitary life of a hermit. Coming together for common experiences helps remind us of how much we have in common. In a time of deep divisions, we need to find ways to join and share.

Supporting our community’s unity has always been an important part of the Carnegie Carnegie’s mission. We strive to serve as a warm and friendly place where everyone can feel welcomed. Figuring out how to draw people together during a time of distancing and isolation has been a real challenge for us — but it’s a challenge well worth overcoming.

For months, we’ve been working to create these moments of connection through our virtual storytimes, book discussion groups, craft workshops and lectures. It’s only been within the last few weeks that our Library & Music Hall has been able to offer live, in-person events. In late September, the Kyiv Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, Carnegie Performing Arts Center and Nandanik Dance Troupe visited us for an incredible outdoor dance performance, and on Oct. 3, we hosted a distanced outdoor concert with jazz singer Jessica Lee and guitarist Mark Strickland.

When I attended the dance performance, I was surprised by what an emotional experience it was to see people gathered together (albeit distanced and masked), enjoying a shared experience of art and culture. I had missed this experience more than I realized.

This Saturday, Oct. 17, we are pleased to invite Carnegie families to Harvest on the Hill, an outdoor fall festival held on the Library & Music Hall’s grounds.

Yes, we’re taking all the recommended precautions: masking is mandatory and craft tables will be distanced. To ensure that we don’t have too many attendees present at once, we’re asking families to pre-register for one of two time slots: 2-3 p.m. or 3-4 p.m.

We’ll have pumpkins to paint and decorate, generously donated by Trader Joe’s. You’ll learn how to make leaf rubbings, have a free snack and create your own carrying bag to take your crafts home. Most excitingly to me, we’ll have dancers dressed in fantastic full-body wearable puppets, created by Pittsburgh artist Cheryl Capezzuti. Come dance with a puppet monster! Just remember not to dance too close.

We hope you’ll join us!