COLIN WILLIAMS
BY COLIN WILLIAMS
AAKANKSHA AGARWAL
RACHEL WILKINSON
RACHEL WILKINSON
CP PHOTO: COLIN WILLIAMS
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON
CP PHOTO: COLIN WILLIAMS
The Westmoreland County Courthouse in Greensburg
79
ABY: COLIN
SOUTHWESTERN PA.'S UNEXPECTED GETAWAYS
s a wise woman once said, “Vacation, all I’ve ever wanted. Vacation, had to get away” — travel is one of the things that makes life worth living. But what if you’re on a tight budget, have pressing childcare needs or work obligations, or simply don’t want to bother with long drives or airport security?
For longtime city residents or new transplants, it can be easy to forget that Southwestern Pennsylvania isn’t just Pittsburgh and trees. There’s a whole world out there — beyond Ohiopyle and the admittedly spectacular Fallingwater.
Our leafy region is dotted with vibrant towns, remarkable cultural institutions, and comeback stories for regions once depleted by the slow death of old industry. These rugged hills hide breweries, museums, sports teams, parks, restaurants, and much more if you know where to look. And, despite the red politics of rural Pa., there are also friendly locals and funky hideaways throughout our fair commonwealth where Pittsburghers can expect a warm welcome.
Pittsburgh City Paper compiled a list of often overlooked places within a twohour drive where locals can spend a weekend relaxing, exploring, and maybe learning about our region’s long and complex history.
The Butler did it
Just up Pa. Route 8 from Pittsburgh is the picturesque town of Butler, birthplace of the Jeep. While the city made headlines last year for less-than-pleasant reasons, Butler has more going for it. For starters, Butler is yet another Pennsylvania city that’s benefited from the construction of rail trails. The Butler Freeport Community Trail, at around 20 miles long, heads gently uphill into the city, making Butler a good anchor point for an out-andback bike ride.
There’s also the cute and largely intact downtown, with several food and drink options including the quirky Chop Shop and charming Vintage Coffeehouse. Perhaps the biggest highlight, especially for tabletop gamers, is Your Parent’s Basement, a gaming club housed in an old bank building that makes clever use of the site’s former vault and boardroom.
Rounding out a good Butler overnight is a stop at the Maridon Museum, a collection of East Asian art that combines fascinating historical pieces with the maximalism of 19th-century jade carvings and Meissen porcelain in a stately, well-maintained building. If you biked into town, you can then reward yourself with an easy downhill ride back along Buffalo Creek toward Freeport.
Greensburg getaway
Greensburg is another self-contained city centered on a beautiful courthouse — its downtown is full of lovely 19th-century architecture, and, in recent years, has seen something of a gastronomical boom.
Anchoring downtown Greensburg are the Palace Theater, an ornate building that frequently hosts legacy national acts (the Wallflowers are coming in July) and regional cover bands. The Westmoreland Museum of American Art is a regional gem, combining forward-thinking programming, rotating contemporary exhibitions, and salon-style displays of 19th-century artwork.
Downtown Greensburg features three brewery taprooms (Stonebridge, Yellow Bridge, and Invisible Man) and a distillery (Tall Pines) within several blocks, plus global cuisine, coffee, and the Trendy Bunny, a “play café” designed for kids. Farther out is more food and drink, plus the splendid Laurel Highlands and other communities including Latrobe and Ligonier. Greensburg is a testament to the ways arts and culture have helped regional centers evolve while continuing to serve the local population.
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington, Pa.
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON
Jennifer Shaeffer prepares to operate the Pittsburgh Railways Co. 1138 trolley built in 1937 at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum on June 28, 2025.
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington, Pa.
Flooded with memories
Johnstown’s biggest claim to fame is undoubtedly the 1889 ood that ra aged the then booming city uch i e Pittsburgh, it sits at the con uence of mu ti e waterways in this case, the itt e Conemaugh and tonycree ri ers and has a ar at the oint t e en boasts an inc ine schedu ed to reo en this year after e tensi e re airs un fact ohnstown was origina y ca ed “ chan stadt and was an ear y hub of erman immigration hi e the city s ood museum is, ironica y, tem orari y c osed “due to damage sustained during a water ea , a short dri e east ta es you to a ationa emoria een through the ens of the ood and the city s reci itous o u ation dec ine , ohnstown cou d be ercei ed as a ace e oited and then abandoned by the region s titans of indus try owe er, ohnstown is a so a regiona center of education, cu ture, and the arts Consider the resence of the ni ersity of Pittsburgh s ohnstown sate ite cam us, and the outhern eghenies useum of rt, which boasts four ocations in the area and, i e the estmore and in reensburg, free admission ohnstown is a so home to tasty food and the country s oldest record store Ta en together, this mini urgh wi be es ecia y worth a day tri or more once the ohnstown ood useum and inc ine reo en
CP PHOTO: COLIN WILLIAMS
Remnants of the South Fork Dam at the Johnstown Flood National Memorial
Morning in Morgantown
There are plenty of West Virginia University Mountaineers in Pittsburgh already familiar with the northern West Virginia city as a regional hub of food, culture, and sports — even outside of WVU’s robust athletic programming, Morgantown is home to a collegiate summer baseball team, the West Virginia Black Bears, who play in nearby Granville.
Morgantown may also have America’s goofiest transit system, Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit. This people mover-style train uses small cars to ferry students and staff through the city and among WVU facilities (although PRT hours are limited, and non-WVU people must pay $.50 to ride).
Morgantown has all the trappings of a university city, with bars, coffeehouses, and a wide range of food options. Beyond the city, West Virginia is also brimming with natural riches. Morgantown lends itself well to a trip heavy on hiking, biking, and rock climbing, but can also stand on its own as a day trip or overnight, especially if you’re keen on NCAA action.
Oil Region recharge
Less than two hours north of Pittsburgh lies the Oil Region National Heritage Area, the birthplace of the modern oil industry. Centered on the small cities of Franklin, Oil City, and Titusville, the region was once a denuded landscape of mud, derricks, and hastily constructed boom towns, but it has since quieted into a peaceful destination for outdoor recreation and antiquing.
The Drake Well Museum and Park near Titusville offers a glimpse at the Oil Region of a bygone age, and the spectacularly repurposed Titusville Iron Works is a look at the region’s future. Oil City offers the Venango Museum of Art, Science, and Industry, as well as multiple cozy commercial districts. In delightful Franklin, easily one of Western Pa.’s cutest smaller cities, there’s Trails to Ales Brewery and lots of shops to explore, plus the DeBence Antique Music World’s collection of music boxes and automata.
Surrounding all of this is lush forest that has mostly rebounded from centuries of logging and drilling. Parks dot the region, and trails crisscross areas where towns like Pithole City once stood. Like other destinations on this list, the Oil Region is a place where you feel like you’re standing with one foot in Pennsylvania’s past and the other in its future — a future hopefully less defined by abuse of nature.
The other Washington
It’s only 40 minutes from Pittsburgh to Washington — Washington, Pa., that is. This college town of 13,000 offers plenty for day-trippers and overnighters, including a decent selection of food and drink, and close proximity to other quaint locales, including Canonsburg.
Washington offers two standout amenities — the first is the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum , which not only showcases our late, great transit systems (R.I.P., Pittsburgh Railways) but gives visitors the chance to ride old streetcars in a loop around the grounds. That’s about as Mister Rogers as it gets, folks.
The second is Washington’s independent baseball team, the Wild Things. Unlike the Pirates, the Wild Things currently boast a winning record within the Frontier League, and, compared to PNC Park, the intimate EQT Park is cheaper, easier to park at, and full of the irreverence and family-friendliness only minor-league ball can offer.
Whatever your activity of choice, Western Pa. has it. Keeping your tourism local keeps your dollars here, which in turn helps the commonwealth reinvest in parks and places rebounding from economic decline. Next time you want to escape, consider looking locally — you might find your new favorite getaway just beyond the backyard fence. •
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON EQT Park in Washington, Pa.
JULY 1 - 26
EDIBLE EDEN
It’s prime patio season, but if we’re honest, not all patios are created equal. Some give you metal chairs and a view of the parking lot. Others offer vines, trellises, and courtyards that feel like they’re straight out of a storybook.
BY: AAKANKSHA AGARWAL
In Pittsburgh, a handful of dreamy cafés and restaurants turn dining into something a little more enchanted. Some are full-on garden patios. Others are glass-walled escapes tucked into forests. A few blur the line entirely.
Consider this your permission slip to day-drink in a garden; or eat fried green tomatoes under a peach tree; or sip cocktails in a restored 1900s castle. These are the garden cafés and dreamy restaurants that turn Pittsburgh into a midsummer fantasy. Nancy Meyers, eat your heart out.
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Narcisi Winery in Gibsonia
The Café at the Frick
7227 Reynolds St., Point Breeze thefrickpittsburgh.org/cafe
If you’re looking for a leafy lunch spot that feels like a secret garden, The Café at the Frick delivers. Housed in a sandstone carriage house from 1910-11 and surrounded by 10 acres of manicured grounds in Point Breeze, this daytime-only café blends Gilded Age charm with a e ib e, modern menu
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook garden paths, heirloom roses, and curated herb beds that often make their way into the food. Summer brings beet and goat cheese salad with citrus vinaigrette, soups made from scratch, and delicate crab cakes dressed in Old Bay aioli. Nearly everything can be made gluten-free or egan Coc tai s i e the ora y d C ayton ome are o ered to go, erfect for a s ow stro through the grounds. Afternoon Tea (second Thursdays through October) is its own small ritual, complete with clotted cream, astries, and fine bone china
Happenstance Café
3832 Penn Ave., Lawrenceville. happenstancecafe.com
Set on a quiet stretch of Penn Avenue in Lawrenceville, Happenstance feels sprouted from the pages of a fairytale. The patio, shaded by apple and peach trees, is made for lazy afternoons sipping iced brews or Papa Joe’s wine (they serve as a satellite tasting room for Papa Joe’s). Head upstairs to find a cozy library with bookshelves, vintage furniture, and quiet nooks.
Owner Jill Boldin spent years living across the South and Midwest before opening the café, and the spot is an amalgamation of everywhere she’s lived. “Pimento cheese? That’s from Tennessee. Breakfast tacos? Houston. Fried green tomatoes? Mississippi. Soul and Motown in the background? That’s Detroit,” she tells Pittsburgh City Paper
The Southern-influenced menu features croffles, pulled pork mac and cheese, and seasonal salads made with local ingredients. It is a third space by design — a place where community and comfort thrive.
Hyeholde Restaurant
1516 Coraopolis Heights Rd., Coraopolis. hyeholde.com
Hyeholde is one of Pittsburgh’s most transportive dining experiences. This hand-built stone estate was originally crafted in the 1930s by William Kryskill as a promise to his bride, Clara. (He vowed to build her a castle on a cornfield crest.) Over the decades, the restaurant has evolved without losing its quiet grandeur: winding gardens, hidden courtyards, ivy-wrapped walls, and turreted dining rooms lit by stained glass and candlelight.
The menu, led by chef-owner Chris O’Brien, is classic with a strong point of view. It changes with the seasons but leans into bold, classic cooking. You might start with miso grilled mushrooms or Oysters Rockefeller. Main dishes include seafood tagliatelle, braised short rib, and local trout with latkes and kale. Desserts are layered and rich, like the dulce de leche torte or twice-baked apple tart. For a splurge, book the six-course Chef’s Table (just two reservations available nightly).
Perched under towering conifers and tucked between wildflower meadows, Canopy Café lets you eat among the trees, literally. There’s a sleek indoor space with vaulted glass walls and an outdoor patio that drops you right into the woods. Set inside the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden’s Welcome Center, the café overlooks 460 acres of forest, lily ponds, and winding trails.
The menu is fresh and local: za’atar-roasted chicken grain bowls, croque monsieur on Mediterra bread, tofu garden salads with balsamic glaze, and a daily rotating soup. Red Star Roasters espresso keeps things caffeinated, and, on summer evenings, the café turns into a ticketed dinner party with dishes like arancini and pasta alla norma paired with wine and a forest-filtered sunset. Don’t leave without trying the cannoli cake with pistachios.
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Pusadee's Garden in Lawrenceville
Narcisi Winery
4578 Gibsonia Rd., Gibsonia. narcisiwinery.com
Just 10 miles north of Pittsburgh in Gibsonia, Narcisi Winery offers a taste of Italy tucked into the rolling hills of Western Pennsylvania.
The setting feels like a Tuscan villa with terra-cotta hues, vineyard views, and live music. Founded in 2001 by the Narcisi family, whose winemaking roots trace back to early-1900s Abruzzo, it’s now a full-bodied summer destination (pun intended!).
The restaurant’s patio overlooks grapevines and a creekside stage, often buzzing with jazz or folk music. Menu favorites include wild mushroom ravioli, crab-stuffed cannelloni, and Neapolitan-style pizzas with roasted garlic oil. Try the Traminette, dry Chambourcin, or go seasonal with a wine slushie during their summer concert series.
The Porch
221 Schenley Dr., Oakland
120 Siena Dr., Upper St. Clair. dineattheporch.com
With locations at Schenley Plaza and Upper St. Clair, The Porch balances urban ease with garden charm. Rooftop beehives and herb beds supply ingredients for fresh cocktails and wood-fired fare.
At Schenley, the sun-dappled terrace is ideal for peoplewatching. Sip lavender gin spritzes, share fig and prosciutto flatbread, or dig into mussels in red coconut curry. It’s perfect for a late lunch after museum-hopping or a glass of chilled Grüner Veltliner under the trees.
OTB Bicycle Café at North Park
10301 Pearce Mill Rd., Allison Park. otbbicyclecafe.com
Tucked at the North Park Boathouse on North Park Lake, OTB Bicycle Café is a relaxed, rustic spot perfect post-ride or stroll. With wood-beam interiors, bike-themed décor, and big windows framing kayakers and paddleboarders, the view is hard to beat. Enjoy local craft beer on tap, weekend brunch, and casual lakeside picnic-table seating. The menu leans comfort-forward with standout burgers (like the BBQ-topped “Thick”), hearty sandwiches, satisfying salads, and a full lineup of appetizers like cheese curds and chicken tenders.
The vibe is laid-back with a front-row seat to one of Allegheny County’s most scenic parks.
Pusadee’s
Garden
Not to be dramatic, but if you’re only hitting one patio this summer, make it Pusadee’s Garden. This spot hides a jungle-chic courtyard out back, perfect for feasting on Thai small plates and sipping cocktails.
Yes, the garden-like setting is gorgeous, but the real star at Pusadee’s is the food. The menu fuses Northern Thai depth with bold flavors: braised beef-cheek khao soi swimming in green coconut-curry with roti, pan-roasted halibut dressed in lime and fresh herbs, and mushroom laab with a spicy kick.
Grab a seat outside if the weather’s nice. Rosé and Thai curry under the trees is peak summer magic. •
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Narcisi WInery in Gibsonia
PITTSBURGH BY BUS
The Pittsburgh Tour Company’s big red buses combine tried-and-true tourism with up-close looks at local history
BY: RACHEL WILKINSON
The Pittsburgh Tour Company’s big red bus has long been a fascination of mine. Before Pittsburgh City Paper moved from our river-facing office along Fort Pitt Boulevard, I can report that reliably, seven times a day during tourist season, the double-decker bus would pull into Station Square, sometimes stop, then drive past the Incline, standing out from all the other transit.
CP PHOTO: RACHEL WILKINSON
A view from the top of the bus, coming off the Birmingham Bridge into the South Side
Back when I worked at the University of Pittsburgh, I’d watch the red bus circle the Cathedral of Learning. People in sun hats would i e o at o diers and ai ors Memorial Hall, or in the middle of the street at orbes and e efie d, presumably to head to the Carnegie museums. They’d also wave from atop the bus, and I’d indulge them and wave back. I’ve been wondering for more than a decade: where is that big red bus going, and who’s on it? Is it from London? Could I just hop on (as advertised) and be whisked away, city buses be damned?
In the spirit of local tourism, I took the two-and-a-half-hour ride. (I toured at the end of the season last year, but Pittsburgh Tour Company buses are back daily for the summer.)
The sto narrated tour o ers a new vantage point of the city, some
fun and well-worn Pittsburgh history, and the chance to play tourist and have locals gawk at you.
The Pittsburgh Tour Company has been operating since 2009, and was founded by husband-and-wife team Vince and Manon LaMonica, who once owned the Pittsburgh Pirate hi
“MY
the same year that Beatlemania hit America. After the bus’ retirement, the LaMonicas traveled to Canada to pick it up 16 years ago.
Today, the Pittsburgh Tour Com any s eet of three doub e decker buses, called Charlotte, harron, and rancis, are merican
JAW DROPS PASSING ONLY FEET UNDER THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS ON THE WEST END BRIDGE.”
“I always wanted to put my own mark on Pittsburgh, give it something it never had before,” Vince LaMonica told the Tribune-Review of launching the Tour Company.
The com any s first red doub e decker bus, a 1964 Routemaster named Martha, was, in fact, from London, introduced to the city’s transit system
made, o ering greater accessibi ity, heating and air conditioning, and a “more modern frame.”
I happen to catch Charlotte on a clear, sunny day, the rarity of which seems lost on my fellow out-of-town passengers. But our tour guide, Patty a ies, is u beat he te s City Paper she leads the paid tours for fun in
CP PHOTO: RACHEL WILKINSON
A double decker tour bus picks up riders on Sidney Street on the South Side.
Sept. 4 - 6, 2025
Revel in the rich traditions of Scotland on the picturesque campus of PennWest University – Edinboro during the 31st annual Highland Games & Scottish Festival.
• Highland Dance Performances
• Kids’ Games and Crafts
• Heavy Athletic Competitions
• Scottish Clan Gatherings
• U.S. National Scottish Fiddle and Harp Championships
• Scottish Food
• Fine Gift Vendors
• Live Music
• Ceilidh Dinner
• And more!
FREE ADMISSION to events! * Scan the code for a full event schedule PennWest.edu/edinboro-highland-games
*All events are FREE except the Ceilidh.
addition to a full-time gig, and she doesn’t get tired of talking.
“I have four kids. I’ve done everything. I’ve been a Scoutmaster,” she says.
Davies says you’d be surprised how many people want to vacation or go sightseeing in Pittsburgh, naming PNC Park as the biggest draw. Big stadium games like the Backyard Brawl or concerts i e Tay or wift or Pear am a so fi out days of tours on the 60-seat bus and bring people from as far away as New Zealand.
“I get to meet people from everywhere,” Davies says. “I could talk about Pittsburgh all day, because I love it here, but mostly I like that we are meeting people from all over the whole world, and that s what miss in the o season, is getting to see new people and hear about their lives.”
On a Monday tour at 3:15 p.m., the last of the day, seven people board the bus, visiting from Ohio and Delaware. The
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON A Pittsburgh Tour Company bus
biggest group asks Davies about duckpin bowling, and exits near Shorty’s on North Shore Drive (Stop #7).
The bus tour runs in a loop, winding from the Pittsburgh Tour Company’s base in South S ide Works, up East Carson treet and a ong the onongahe a, around the con uence to the North Shore, then back through Downtown into Oakland and the South Side. Save for buying a special “just the tour” pass which did , riders can indeed ho on and o at designated stops tied to various attractions, and most do.
Davies says, in her experience, the Station Square stop near the incline is the most popular.
“But Andy Warhol is a big deal,” she says. “The Strip District. People love the Strip District.”
Beyond the halfway point at the North Shore and Rivers Casino, the tour hits some expected spots: the National Aviary, Heinz History Center, a special stop at Wholey’s (where Davies emphasizes the market’s correct pronunciation), the David L. Lawrence Convention Center (where I learn that Billy Porter went to Pittsburgh CAPA), and a handful of Downtown hotels, before heading toward Oakland.
The narration is mostly standard fare — and I’m not opposed to misinforming visitors that this is the City of Bridges with more bridges than Venice. But there were also gems for Pittsburgh history nerds like myself. For example, the city’s past as a premiere glassmaker often gets short shrift compared to steel, but, almost immediately, Davies drops that, in 1876, there were 76 glass factories on the South Side, producing half the nation’s glass. (Presidents Andrew Jackson and James Monroe both ordered glassware manufactured in Pittsburgh to the White House.) Some of my favorite historical markers also get shout-outs: the Downtown marker commemorating the St. Patrick’s Day Flood of 1936; the bronze plaque marking Abraham Lincoln’s isit to the egheny Post ffice, itse f a registered historic building.
For me, the double-decker view is worth the ticket. Maybe the appeal would diminish after multiple rides, and most cities run double-decker bus tours (even Gettysburg to see the battlefie d ut consider how often you get to stare at andmar s from 14 feet up — a little taller than one story and twice as high as the view from inside a PRT single-decker bus.
n the o en air, find myse f at eye e e with a the ictorian architectural details of buildings along East Carson Street Sailing through Downtown, we come so close to the gold marquee and ornate iron rail on the William Penn Hotel that I could reach out and touch them. The tour route doesn’t go on any highways, instead crossing three bridges, and my jaw dro s assing on y feet under the traffic ights on the est End Bridge, with a spectacular view of the yellow arches above. Crossing Millionaire’s Row on the North Side (not to be confused with the one in Shadyside), people enjoying the warm weather outside on their porches began to wave at the tour bus, even though it must pass by several times a day. But with a new understanding of the novelty, I’m glad to return the favor and wave back. •
FURRIES, COMICS, AND TOYS, OH MY !
In addition to Anthrocon, other conventions will see anime, comic book, and toy fans descend on the Steel City
deputy director of public outreach Chris “Osee” Mays. “I think last year, numbers were just over 17,000. We anticipate we’ll reach close to the same amount of attendance, but we did have to look at that cap because of that.”
Pittsburgh’s furry convention, this year running Thu., July 3 through Sun., July 6, maintains its gargantuan, infectious status, but this summer and the rest of the year also feature plenty of other conventions.
As of last week, the preregistration numbers for Anthrocon's weekend of furry fun totalled more than 15,000 — so many that the convention organizers decided to close registration until the Friday of the event to keep it from blowing past safety capacity at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
Conventions in and around the city through the end of the year cover a wide range of geeky interests, including anime, comic books, gaming, toys, cartoons, and more. While these conventions still generally appeal to niche interests, let’s face it: nerd culture is now mainstream culture. You’re likely to get something out of at least one of these. Anthrocon, which dates back to the late ’90s, has grown from an oddity to one of the nation’s leading furry conventions and something Pittsburghers have broadly embraced. It brings in massive amounts of money to the city — this year, organizers expect about $21.7 million in economic impact thanks to increased traffic at restaurants, hotels, and other businesses, according to Mays.
This year will also bring abnormally high temperatures, for which Anthrocon has prepared. For the first time, the City of Pittsburgh has agreed to close 10th Street between Penn Avenue and Fort Duquesne Boulevard so that pre-registration
“NERD CULTURE IS NOW MAINSTREAM CULTURE. YOU’RE LIKELY TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF AT LEAST ONE OF THESE.”
“This is our first year we had to consider a cap on attendance because we are growing [so] exponentially from what we were growing from last year,” says Anthrocon’s
lines can be formed under the shade of the convention center to mitigate dehydration concerns, Mays says. There will also be more water stations than usual.
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON
Comics on display at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center
with the most mainstream appeal, Steel City Con has become known for attracting a large number of celebrity guests. This year, the convention nabbed David Wenham, who played Faramir in The Lord of the Rings; Jon Bernthal, television’s Punisher; Jodie Sweetin, actor for Full House and Fuller House ’s Stephanie Tanner; White Lotus fan favorite Parker Posey; and even the outlandish Mike Tyson. (There appears to be no word of guests quite as controversial as last April’s Kevin Spacey.)
The Monroeville Convention Center will also host The Toypalooza Toy how, o ering hundreds of vendors selling toys and other collectibles on Sat., Sept. 20.
Anthrocon’s John “K.P.” Cole directs furries during a press conference kicking o the four-day event at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on July 3, 2024.
The convention has packed its four days with events, including its popular and explosive Fursuit Parade and block party, both on Saturday afternoon. Other than that, the conention oor wi feature a wide array of vendors and activities, featuring gaming, art, yoga, writing workshops, dance, puppets, and more. Many activities are family-friendly while others are adult-only and, yes, saucy.
Tekko, the top convention for anime fans, comes Thu., July 17-Sun., July 20, also at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. While it focuses on anime, the convention features a wide range of Japanese pop culture that extends to music, video games and more. Cosplay proves popular, so expect to see folks around town in colorful and elaborate costumes and much more inside the convention halls.
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center will also feature a few other cons this year. Toon Fusion, happening September 6-7 will be a celebration of cartoons. Voice actor guests include Matt Hill, Sam Vincent, and Tony Sampson, the respective leads of Ed, Edd n Eddy; Nick Apostolides, one of the most prominent voices of the Resident Evil character Leon S. Kennedy; and Lenore Zann, the voice of Rogue in the beloved ’90s cartoon X-Men: The Animated Series. Dec. 20 and 21 will also feature Animeverse Pittsburgh x Wrestleverse Fest Pittsburgh. Guests include wrestlers Sting and Lita as well as voice actor Marc Thomspson, who voices several Pokémon characters.
Most prominent outside the city, the Monroeville Convention Center will host Steel City Con from Fri., Aug. 8- Sun., Aug. 10. By far the convention
A newer convention on the scene, the Pittsburgh Comic Book Show, will have its second show this year on Sun., Nov. 23 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Bethel Park, near South Hills Village mall. Unlike the other cons mentioned, this show can make a proper claim to being a “comic-con,” as it focuses entirely on comics. Announced guests so far include Bob McLeod, co-creator of the X-Men team The New Mutants ; and Mike DeCarlo, an inker of classic comics artwork, including the iconic Batman storyline “A Death in the Family.”
If you’re in the city during the first wee of u y, you re going to see folks in colorful furry costumes wandering the streets. Let them pique your interest in something geeky to dig into this year, at Anthrocon or otherwise.
“We encourage the folks in the community of Pittsburgh to take to the streets, get to meet our attendees, talk to us. We love the interaction. A lot of our performers love to take hotos with the fo s nd we do o er day passes,” Mays says. “So if anybody from the general public of Pittsburgh has ever been curious of what’s going on, they can come in and not feel obligated to a full ticketed event.” •
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON
IN PITTSBURGH
THU., JULY 3
CONVENTION • DOWNTOWN
Tails will wag at David L. Lawrence Convention Center when Anthrocon returns for another weekend of furry fun. Attend seminars and workshops covering subjects ranging from fiction writing to costume creation, put your paws up in the air at nightly dance parties, and see a variety of live performances. And don’t miss the free public Fursuit Parade and block party open to everyone. 10 a.m. Continues through Sun., July 6. 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown. $80 in advance, $100 at the door. anthrocon.org
FILM • LAWRENCEVILLE
Sweded Film Festival. 7 p.m. Row House Cinema. 4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $12.50. rowhousecinemas.com
MUSIC • GARFIELD
Oldsoul with Pretty Bitter, Magazine Beach, and Heading North. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Mr. Roboto Project. 5106 Penn Ave., Garfield. $15 in advance, $18 at the door. therobotoproject.com
MUSIC • LAWRENCEVILLE
Astrology Now with Stupid Head and sorry face. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Spirit. 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $10. 21 and over. spiritpgh.com
MUSIC • BLOOMFIELD
Folk Music Trio with Ben Opie, Chi cha Trio, and Patrick Breiner. 8 p.m. Brillobox. 4104 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. 21 and over. brilloboxpgh.com
FRI., JULY 4
HOLIDAY • ALLENTOWN
Big Blast at Grandview: A Hilltop Summer Celebration 12 p.m. Grandview Park. 499 Bailey Ave., Allentown. Free. All ages. bottlerocketpgh.com
FESTIVAL • NORTH SIDE
Pittsburgh Caribbean Carnival 4 p.m.
Continues through Sat., July 5. Allegheny Commons Park West. West Ohio St., North Side. $39.19-108.55. pittsburghcarnival.org
MARKET • GARFIELD
Take a break from all the Fourth of July festivities at the Garfield Night Market. As part of the Unblurred First Friday Art Crawl, the ongoing event o ers local vendors, live performances, and kid-friendly activities. Swing by for food trucks, fun, and more while exploring the various galleries and storefronts on Penn Avenue. 6:30-9 p.m. Continues through Oct. 3. 113 N. Pacific Ave., Garfield. Free. All ages. instagram.com/bloomgarcorp
HOLIDAY • DOWNTOWN
Fourth of July Fireworks Paddle with Venture Outdoors. 8:30–10:30 p.m. 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown. $44-93. Tickets are limited. ventureoutdoors.org/events
SAT., JULY 5
PARTY • WEST END
Three Pittsburgh dance parties combine for a 15-hour disco extravaganza. Disco Sunday Disco, Jellyfish, and Hot Mass spotlight local and national DJs during Disco Saturday
Disco, an open-air event in the courtyard of the historic Old Stone Tavern. The all-ages day time portion includes a dunk tank and food by Taqueria El Pastorcito and Badamo’s Pizza, followed at 10 p.m. by an indoor, 21 and over after-party. Proceeds from Disco Saturday Disco go towards repairing the facade of Old Stone Tavern. 3-11 p.m. 10 p.m. after-party. Greentree Road and Woodville Avenue, West End. $21.80-43.60. hotmasspgh.com
WRESTLING • MILLVALE
Enjoy Wrestling presents HOT TO GO. 7 p.m. Doors at 6 p.m. Mr. Smalls Theatre. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. $36.25 in advance, $41.40 at the door. mrsmalls.com
MUSIC • NEW KENSINGTON
Orthodox: A Door Left Open with Mugshot, Omerta, and fromjoy 7 p.m. Doors at 6 p.m. Preserving Underground. 1105 5th Ave., New Kensington. $25.15. preservingconcerts.com/shows
MUSIC • NORTH
SIDE
Henry Cluney of Sti Little Fingers with Sub Machine, Garage League, and Muk Muk and the Kewks. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. The Government Center. 715 East St., North Side. $12. thegovernmentcenter.com/events
COMEDY • DOWNTOWN
Irony City: Am I the Jago ? 8 p.m. Arcade Comedy Theater. 943 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $15. arcadecomedytheater.com
SUN., JULY 6
MARKET • OAKLAND
The Neighborhood Flea. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Schenley Plaza. 4100 Forbes Ave., Oakland. Free. pittsburghparks.org
MUSIC • ALLISON PARK
Allegheny County Summer Concert Series presents the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra 8:15 p.m. Doors at 6 p.m. Hartwood Acres Amphitheater. 4000 Middle Rd., Allison Park. Free. All ages. alleghenycounty.us
MON., JULY 7
MUSIC • STRIP DISTRICT
The We Love Zappa Tour with Robert Marin, Scott Thunes, and Ray White. 7:30 p.m. Doors at 6 p.m. City Winery. 1627 Smallman St., Strip District. $32-40. citywinery.com/pittsburgh
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Anthrocon
TUE., JULY 8
LIT • LAWRENCEVILLE
Hemingway’s Summer Poetry Series with Halsey Hyer, Gail Langstroth, Marc Nieson, Ste an Triplet, and Anne Trubek. 7 p.m. Hop Farm Brewing Company. 5601 Butler St., Lawrenceville. Free. littsburgh.com
COMEDY • DOWNTOWN
An Evening with Patrick Hinds. 7 p.m. Greer Cabaret Theater. 655 Penn Ave., Downtown. $46.80-64.58. trustarts.org
THEATER • CARNEGIE
Pittsburgh International Classic Theatre presents Bards from the Burgh. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., July 13. Carnegie Stage. 25 W. Main St., Carnegie. Pay-what-youcan. picttheatre.org
WED., JULY 9
MUSIC • BURGETTSTOWN
The Lumineers: The Automatic World Tour with Hippo Campus 7:30 p.m. The Pavilion at Star Lake. 665 Route 18, Burgettstown. Tickets start at $66. pavilionstarlake.com/shows
PHOTO: NOAH GRIFFEL
The Lumineers at The Pavilion at Star Lake
PERSONALS
A happy guy who loves good food, great conversation, and even better company—just looking for someone who enjoys the same interests! Give me a call at 412-313-4320—and if I miss your call, leave a message and I’ll get back to you soon!
PERSONALS
MARKET PLACE
PUBLIC AUCTION
PUBLIC AUCTION
PUBLIC AUCTION
PUBLIC AUCTION
PUBLIC AUCTION
ESTATE NOTICE
White male, 56, health conscious, non-smoker, non-drinker. I’m very caring, talkative and loving. I enjoy oldies, nature, animal-lover. The simple things in life make me happy. Desire a girl with similar interest. 412-781-5989, best time 7p.m.-8:30p.m.
Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 110 Kisow Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15205 July 16, 2025 at 11:15AM. Charles Schaldenbrand-139, Jabril Lee-329. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.
Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.
Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
PUBLIC AUCTION
Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:
CENTRAL OPERATIONS BUILDING
• Chilled Water Plant Upgrades
• Mechanical and Electrical Primes
Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 880 Saw Mill Run Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15226, July 16, 2025, at 1:15 PM. Aaron Macario 1143, Samantha Taylor 2162. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 111 Hickory Grade Road, Bridgeville, PA 15017, July 16, 2025 at 12:30pm. Angela Walker 2083, Natasha Johnson 3207. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
PUBLIC AUCTION
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 1005 E Entry Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15216 on 7/16/2025 at 11:30 AM. Rolando Mays 3115, Charmaine Charles 4143, Justin Bush 4164, William Faulkner 5108, Oxana Lazzor 5125. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 141 N Braddock Ave, Pittsburgh PA, 15208 on July 16th, 2025 at 11:00 AM. 2051 Jessica Gainey, 2176A Jae Morgan, 6046 Muhammand Shazhad, 6097 Juan Harris, 3131A Winema Givener. The auction will be listed and advertised on www. storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
PUBLIC AUCTION
Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 1212 Madison Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. July 16th, 2025 at 1:30 pm. 4066 Ramon Trammell. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.
Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.
Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates, Life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 700 E Carson St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. July 18, 2025 at 12:15 PM. 146 Gustavo Pinilla, 179 Gustavo Pinilla, 2032 Rodger Alemna, 4075 James McDonald. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
PUBLIC AUCTION
Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at the location indicated: 6400 Hamilton Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15206. July 16, 2025 at 1:45 PM. Brkel Spearman-1009, Jingyi Hu-3003, Mary-Ellen Hayden-3007, Devaughn Matthews-4006, Anedra Williams-4055, Tekena Jones-4101. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.
Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.
Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
Extra Space Storage, on behalf of itself or its a iliates life Storage or Storage Express, will hold a Public Auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extras Space’s lien at the location indicated: 902 Brinton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15221 on July 16th, 2025 at 11:30am. Austin Turner 1056, Frank Kamara 2047, Torrell Gri in 2180,Margaret Reed 2220,Dawayne Green 2285. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures. com purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction. Extra Space Storage may refuse and bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the property.
ESTATE OF SOLOMON, LOIS L, A/K/A IF NECESSARY, SOLOMON, LOIS LIPMAN, DECEASED OF PITTSBURGH, PA No. 03960 of 2025. Wendy Solomon Extr. 5645 Hempstead Rd #4, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
NAME CHANGE
IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: NO. GD-25-5237, In re petition of Virginia Ann Easley, change of name to Ann Virginia Easley. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the Wednesday, July 30th, 2025, at 9:30 a.m, as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.
LEGAL
Mon-Fri 7am to 4pm PCT (AAN CAN) https://www.familycourtdirect. com/?network=1
NAME CHANGE
IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: NO. GD-25-005048, In re petition of Joseph H Kim, change of name to Joseph Kim Park. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the Wednesday, July 16th, 2025, at 9:30 a.m, as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for
ages 4-adult! Email kate.oczypok@gmail.com for more info!
NAME CHANGE
IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: NO. GD-24-014748, In re petition of Rachel Sandoval, change of name to Rachel Silva Stuart. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the Wednesday, July 9th, 2025, at 9:30 a.m, as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.
SERVICES
Buying old watches, broken or not, custom jewelry, coins, old silverware, gris walls pans, Call Mark 814-520-5670
Now
CLEANING ONE’S PLATE
BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY // BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM
Hiring
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ACROSS
1. [Surely you can’t mean!]
5. Decorative fabric
9. Anatomical dividers
14. Comic actress Faris
15. Website with a Watchlist page
16. Longed (for)
17. Total bozo
18. “Keep it going!”
19. Decreases?
20. Everything, during a mutlticourse meal?
23. Toss back a fish?
40. Gumbo vegetable
41. Appetizer bowlful
42. Swiss National Museum city
46. Figure things out
47. Bread for the barbecue
48. Knee part that gets torn, for short
49. Chinese principle
50. Everything, at the taqueria
54. Country whose flag has a red, yellow and green bars with a black star
55. Director Nair
8. Facial tic
9. Virtuous person
10. Almond-colored
11. Stage of development?
12. Sawbucks
13. Some have famous product lines
21. Go hungry
22. Ref. that added “birria” and “barbacoa” in 2025
27. Covers with Cottanelle
29. Disney movie with some songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda
30. Prying figure
34. Some clouds
35. [Mind blown!]
36. Installation pieces that use the natural environment
37. New Yorker cartoonist with the memoir Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?
38. Follow closely
41. Expected
43. Paesano’s land
44. O icers-to-be
45. Fake news sources
47. Ennui, with “the”
48. Lots of lots
24. Hotline ___ (Raspberry Moon band)
25. Soaked to the bone
26. Decide
28. Cancer chart?
30. Vicious punk rocker
31. Hoof sound
32. Line things up
34. Paint applications
35. Do something perfectly, or what you might do if you went 20-Across, or had the 50-Across
38. Photographer Arbus
39. “You’re drunk!”
56. Stand up comic Edelman
57. Welcome mat spot
58. Squeaks (out)
59. Little bugger?
60. Satisfies fully
61. Hatchling’s home
62. Charles Mingus’ instrument
DOWN
1. Embarrassing mistakes
2. Hooded jacket
3. Like an elititst
4. Hide, as during close-up magic
5. Citrusy desert with a crust
6. Surrounding
7. Be a kvetch
31. 28 Years Later star Jodie
33. Guys driving the train
51. A single time
52. Saucony rival
53. Souvlaki meat
54. App for a traveler
Saluted as a military-friendly workplace for the fourth consecutive year.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit is proud to be recognized as a 2025 Military Friendly® Employer for its continued commitment to supporting veterans in their transition from the military to civilian life. This marks the fourth consecutive year PRT has received this distinguished honor. We remain dedicated to employing and supporting individuals with military service.
More than 200 active military employees and veterans are currently employed at PRT. Scan the QR code to learn more about a career with Pittsburgh Regional Transit.