The Pittsburgh Cultural Arts Meetup Group

Shadyside Arts Festival (during August 22-23)

Sat, Aug 22 · 10:00 AM EDT

Walnut Street in Shadyside, Walnut Street, Pittsburgh, PA, US

29th Annual Shadyside Arts Festival on Walnut Street August 22nd & 23rd, 2026

Saturday 10am - 5pm & Sunday 10am - 5pm

Free Admission!

This is a great opportunity to spend a weekend afternoon in a relaxing atmosphere at one of our region's signature festivals. We'll walk around a bit while checking out booths featuring local artists and artists from around the country working in a wide range of different mediums, such as painting, sculpture, etc.

This is also a chance to visit various Shadyside boutiques, shops, and galleries mingled with national retailers in a neighborhood of tree-lined streets, historic homes, and distinctive restaurants.

There is also plenty of time to take breaks for coffee/tea, ice cream, cool drinks, and perhaps even lunch or dinner.

The Shadyside Arts Festival includes over 140 artists/activities along Walnut Street -- centered primarily between the intersections with S. Aiken and Ivy. What started out as a neighborhood street fair, is now regarded as one of the top shows in our region.

MEETUP Considerations

1. While this is a general posting for the 2 Day Festival, people could be arriving or leaving on Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, Saturday night, Sunday morning, or Sunday afternoon.
2. One gathering spot will be at Dr Tea (736 Bellefonte Street, upper level) at 12 PM sharp on Saturday, August 22. Once people initially gather and meet at Dr Tea, they can quickly decide to:
   A) relax a bit enjoying bubble tea, frozen treats, etc. at Dr Tea from 12-12:30 PM
   B) go downstairs for lunch at KuJiRa Sushi & Bar in the lower level of 736 Bellefonte Street (below Dr Tea) which has an extensive menu, including "all you can eat" sushi options that begin at $32.99 per person on the weekends.
   C) check out the 29th Annual Shadyside Arts Festival on Walnut Street, and decide on lunch plans later on as there are many other nearby restaurants, coffee shops, etc.
3. At any given time during the Shadyside Arts Festival, there could be anywhere from 0-20 people from Meetup dispersed among many hundreds of arts enthusiasts, festival vendors/donors, Shadyside residents, general public, etc.
4. Please be mindful that most people are simply happy enough to say hi to whoever they already know -- and happen to run into -- as they walk around the festival.
5. As always, it is fine if people prefer to check out the festival on their own with family/friends or in smaller groups.
6. It is not realistic to post comments asking where other people in the group are and expecting a timely response. Many people are there to enjoy the festival without feeling the need to constantly check their cell phones.
7. Please be mindful that whenever gathering times/locations are provided for Meetup events, there is always a tradeoff as to how long people that show up 'on time' should be expected to 'wait around' for others that may or may not show up at a given time.

Parking
While there is a Pittsburgh Parking Authority garage in Shadyside that charges fairly reasonable rates ($3-$12 depending on how long one stays), the garage may be busy and thus, people may try street parking since there are many side streets in Shadyside. But if you want to try swinging by the garage, it is located at 714 Bellefonte Street or call 412-683-9017.

There is also public transportation with stops within 2 blocks of the festival (64, 71B, 71D, 75) and 3-5 blocks of the festival (P1, 71A, 71C, 82, 86)

Stay tuned for updates!

Jazz at the Cascades

Sun, Sep 6 · 4:45 PM EDT

South Park Cascades, 1 Stone Manse Drive, South Park, PA, US

Step into the rhythm of summer evenings with enchanting performances by Jazzmania Live! Set at the relaxing and stunning South Park Cascades, jazz concerts take place (usually twice per month during the summer) on Sunday evenings. Please note the September 6 concert will begin at 5 pm and end at 7 pm.

Visitors are encouraged to bring portable chairs, blankets, and snacks.

While these jazz concerts are free, donations are accepted.

For those not familiar with the area, South Park Cascades is located next to the historic Oliver Miller Homestead (which is open every Sunday from 1:30 – 4:30 PM) and less than a mile from South Park Ice Rink and Flora Park Creamery where visitors can enjoy 24 flavors of ice cream from Penn State Creamery, Chocolate Shoppe (Madison, WI), and other suppliers. Please note that Flora Park Creamery is open Tuesday-Sunday: 12 pm-9 pm and Monday: 4:30 pm-9 pm

Please note Jazz at the Cascades concerts are weather-permitting and in the event of inclement weather, please check the Allegheny County Parks Facebook page for updates.

Check out this South Park Cascades video. Built in 1930, the historic South Park Cascades were a manmade water feature using stratified rock quarried from the park itself. The brainchild of Paul B. Riis, the famed Swiss-born landscape architect, the Cascades were carefully composed to evoke a network of waterfalls and stone pools. Along with the cascading waterfalls, the large pools act as a water feature at which the public can soak up the sights and sounds of the park’s natural heritage and immerse themselves in nature. There are also nearby hiking trails. P

A Fair in the Park (during September 11-13)

Sat, Sep 12 · 11:30 AM EDT

Mellon Park, 6300 5th Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, US

A Fair in the Park is presented by the Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh. This annual contemporary fine art and fine craft festival takes place during September 11-13 in the lush surroundings of Pittsburgh’s Mellon Park in Shadyside on the edge of Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze at 6300 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232.

An estimated 20,000 visitors will enjoy the opportunity to interact with over 100 regional and national artists working in a variety of mediums including clay, fiber, wood, jewelry, glass, metal, mixed media, and two-dimensional art.

The festival hours are:
Friday: 1pm-7pm
Saturday: 10am-7pm
Sunday: 10am-5pm

This festival is free and open to the public and will be held rain or shine.

MEETUP Considerations

With over 22 hours of activities/entertainment (during Friday/Saturday/Sunday), a large crowd is expected as people will naturally be arriving and leaving at different times depending on the weather and what else they have planned for the weekend.

One gathering location will be in front of The Pickled Chef food truck on Saturday (9/12) at 11:30 AM sharp ... unless it is raining. In case of inclement weather, an alternate gathering time will be updated in the comments section below. Stay tuned for updates.

At any given time, there could be anywhere from 0-10+ people from the Meetup group although they'll be dispersed among many hundreds of others (general public) that will also be attending. Thus, you'll generally find more people from the Meetup if you walk around as compared to staying in just a few spots.

If the weather forecast looks good, we'll try to arrange Meetup groups for various times during the weekend.

As always, it is also fine if people prefer to check out the festival on their own with family/friends or in smaller groups.

Please be mindful that most people are simply happy enough to say hi to whoever they already know -- and happen to run into -- as they walk around the festival.

It is not realistic to post comments asking where other people in the group are and expecting a timely response. Many people are there to enjoy the festival without feeling the need to constantly check their cell phones.

Please be mindful that whenever gathering times/locations are provided for Meetup events, there is always a tradeoff as to how long people that show up 'on time' should be expected to 'wait around' for others that may or may not show up at a given time.

While some may spend only an hour or two at the festival, others will stay longer or may want to check out nearby places in Shadyside, Bakery Square, East Liberty, Point Breeze, Squirrel Hill, or Oakland.

Stay tuned for updates!

Brunch at Barcelona Wine Bar, PIJF & Afternoon Options in Cultural District

Sat, Sep 19 · 12:00 PM EDT

Barcelona Wine Bar, 922 Penn Avenue,, Pittsburgh, PA, US

Please join us for brunch at Barcelona Wine Bar which has an interesting brunch menu along with a wide selection of wines from around the world.

After brunch, people can check out various downtown galleries. In addition, there are other options such as taking in a movie at Harris Theater, theatre performances in the Cultural District, etc.

People may break off into smaller groups to check out the free outdoor concerts during the 16th Annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival (PIJF) taking place along Liberty Avenue near the August Wilson Center (980 Liberty Avenue).
It is recommended people bring portable chairs for the free outdoor jazz festival concerts on Saturday, September 19 from 11 AM to 10 PM.

Meetup Considerations
To assist with logistics, please RSVP now only if you're interested in brunch. Barcelona Wine Bar is a very popular restaurant and so it would be helpful to have a headcount to help ensure we have enough tables.

Please browse the brunch menu in advance to get an idea of the prices before deciding whether to RSVP or not.

Parking Here is the ParkPGH website with real-time info on downtown parking garage availability where you can also download apps, get garage availability via text messaging, etc. You can also call 412-423-8980.