Fun Money-Saving Summer Activities in Pittsburgh!

Story by Yinzer Crazy Resident Fun Expert Charlotte Hopkins

Don't let high food bills and rising gas prices dampen your summer plans. The city of Pittsburgh and her neighboring communities will have plenty of activities that are affordable - and some are even free! The best part is that all of these events are family friendly and will not cost a small fortune! 

Crazy for Pickles – Pittsburgh is hosting their annual Picklesburgh on July 16th. The event will last all weekend, July 16-17th. The events for each day will run from noon until 10 PM. Enjoy live music, homemade pickle drinks, a pickle juice drinking contest, and pickle demos. 

Calling All Music Fans – If you have not visited, Revel Pittsburgh, a small diner nestled in the city, now is the time to go. They will host live music shows throughout the summer months. Follow their Facebook page for information on scheduled performances.

The Summer Concert Series is back as Hartwood Acres Park (4070 Middle Road, Allison Park) and South Park (3700 Farmshow Drive). Live concerts will be held every week in July and August, with the final concert at Hartwood Park on September 4th, and on September 2nd at South Park. You can bring chairs, popup tents, and umbrellas but when the show starts the umbrellas and tents must come down. Dogs are allowed but they must stay on their leash the whole time and be updated on their vaccinations.

What better way to listen to music but to have it accompanied with lasers! The Buhl Planetarium will host two of the amazing events - Laser Queen and Best of Laser Floyd. These shows will be held every day throughout June, July, and August, with the final show on August 29th. The Laser Queen show starts at 2:00 and Laser Floyd at 4:00 and costs $8, with members paying only $2. 

Gather your blanket and lawn chairs and enjoy concerts at Frick Park for their Summer Fridays at the Frick. There will be more than music to enjoy! The event will include food trucks, art making, and family-friendly activities. For the protection of visitors and historic structures they ask to keep all of your animals at home. They also ask for no frisbees, balls, hockey sticks, scooters, drones at home, smoking or vaping. 

The small town of Elizabeth Boro also holds concerts every week throughout July and August. They hold the concerts on Plum Street, the center of Elizabeth Borough. More information on who is performing can be found on their Facebook page, 

Kid's Day – Plum Street is also home to the Saturday Morning Market and on July 9th is Kid's Day! There will be face painting and candle making for the kids!

Schenley Park will also host a kid's day on July 10th from noon to 4:00 PM. The afternoon events include a balloon artist, crafts, a variety of entertainers, and rides on the PNC carousel – all for free!

Let's Get Going – Bike Pittsburgh is hosting OpenStreetsPgh on July 30th! There will be family fun activities, a free exercise class, and a tour of several Pittsburgh streets that are typically used by cars. But on this day, they are open for riding bikes, skates, walking and running – you choose how you want to enjoy this day. There are even free bike riding lessons!

Children's Plays All Summer Long – The South Park Theatre will hold children's plays all summer for only $5! The Rainbow Fish will run until July 6th, with the exception of July 4th. On was day there will be two performances at 10:00 AM and 6:30 PM. The Frog Princess will be held from July 11 – 20th. A Winnie the Pooh musical will run from July 25 – August 3rd. The summer theater program will end with The White Cat from August 8 – 17th. Performances for the White Cat will be held on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 6:30 PM. 

Lunchtime Fun – Every Wednesday from 12:00 – 2:00 stop by Mellon Square for “Summer in the Square.” Make it a family fun event or the best lunchbreak you will have all year! Enjoy the live music, fresh food for sale and a variety of activities.

For the Love of Art - Take a stroll through Pittsburgh and enjoy displays of light-up art. The tour is scheduled for July 8th and again on August 19th. It is less than a mile long and will be held from 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Enjoy creative artwork from six local artists that will light up the night! Tickets are $20. 

Take Me Out to the Ball Game – This is not your average Pirates baseball game. Take a step back in time and watch baseball being played in the early days of its formation. Teams include Somerset Frosty Sons of Thunder, Addison Mountain Stars, and the Keystone Baseball Club and they will play using direction from baseball's first rule book drafted on March 14, 1860. Did you know that in the early days of baseball, a flyball could bounce once before being caught and still be considered an out for the batter? Revisit the days before baseball gloves when players were called “ballists” and batters were called “strikers.” 

Red or Blue - Take a peek inside a day in the life of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Bomb Squad Unit with their tour – Red or Blue Wire: Click, Click, Boom! The tour will include bomb suits, tactical gear, robot platforms, equipment, and containment vessels. The event will be held July 15th, July 26th, and August 6th from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM and tickets are $15. Photography is allowed!

Beat the Heat – Enjoy a day of fun on a trip to Round Hill Farm at 651 Round Hill Road in Elizabeth. Start the day with a tour of the farm to see the many animals and feed the ducks. Your children will have fun at the playgrounds and can cool off at the splash park, which is a great relief during this heat wave. Pack food and cold drinks and enjoy your lunch at one of the many picnic tables throughout the park. This day of adventures is free!