Every year, for the past 20 years, Allegheny County’s Regional Asset District supports the areas of libraries, parks and recreation, cultural, sports and civic facilities and programs through RADical Days- a series of days that offer FREE admission to shows, museums, events and family attractions around the Pittsburgh region. Because they’re celebrating their 20th year, RADical Days will sponsor 20 DAYS of  free admission  to select locations from September 24th through November 9th!

I’ve added these events to the September, October and November event calendar… there’s so much going on! I be sure to  and cue reminders on the Play Pittsburgh Facebook and Twitter account. Be sure to ‘like‘ and ‘follow‘ to stay informed and up to date about Pittsburgh’s best family friendly events around the region!

 

Wednesday, September 24th

• FREE Tours of PNC Park: A behind-the-scenes tour of The Best Ballpark in America!

Thursday, September 25th

• Digital Lab Workshop @ Carnegie Library (West End): Students in 6th-12th Grade are invited to attend a free hands on workshop.
• Silver Eye Center for Photography ‘Charlotte Dumas: Anima’ Exhibit: Silver Eye Center for Photography is a nationally-recognized, non-collecting institution exclusively dedicated to contemporary photography.

Friday, September 26th

• Pittsburgh Cultural Trust: 10th Anniversary Gallery Crawl: Download the free walking guide online and enjoy the free quarterly showcase of art, music, dance, comedy, and film.

Saturday, September 27th

•  Society for Contemporary Craft: The new exhibition features the diverse and innovative work of 31 artists from around the country. Create your own masterpiece out of clay or explore food as humorous and unexpected subject matter in the Drop-In Studio.
• Hay Day @ Hartwood Acres + Allegheny Green Innovation Festival: Enjoy delicious local food, interactive demonstrations, and activities. Plus, the festival is held jointly with Hay Days, a fun family event with a petting zoo, tractor rides, and other activities for kids!

Sunday, September 28th

• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – World Kaleidoscope presents Pittsburgh Taiko: Free performance of Japanese drumming styles.
• Shaler North Hills Library Presents the Felicia Lynn Band:  One of the region’s top country-rock performers, Felicia Lynn (a singer/songwriter from Pittsburgh) will perform an acoustic show.

Monday, September 29th

• FREE Admission to Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Garden: The Victorian greenhouse showcases not only amazing plants and flowers, but also beautiful pieces of glass artwork as well.
• RADical Days @ Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall:The museum is a historical tribute to the men and women serving our country. Starting with the Civil War and continuing through present day, our exhibits are full of equipment, photos and mementos donated by veterans and their families.

Tuesday, September 30th

•  FREE Heinz Field Tours
• RADical Days @ Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall :The museum is a historical tribute to the men and women serving our country. Starting with the Civil War and continuing through present day, our exhibits are full of equipment, photos and mementos donated by veterans and their families.
• FREE Nighttime Owl Prowl @ Beechwood Farm Nature Reserve: FREE guided evening walk through the trails at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve to listen for owls and other creatures that come out a night. Appropriate for all ages. Reservation required.

Wednesday, October 1st

• Pittsburgh Center for the Arts : Biennial Artist Talk, in the PCA Galleries.

Thursday, October 2nd

• FREE Tour of David L. Lawrence Convention Center: 1.5 million square foot facility features 313,000 square feet of exhibit space, 37 loading docks, 53 meeting rooms , a 31,000 square foot ballroom, breath-taking views, open terraces, and a suspended roof structure.
• FREE Dance Performance @ Attack Theater: A sneak peak at their newest dance performance and a question and answer session with the artists.

Friday, October 3rd

• Glass Blowing Demonstration @ Pittsburgh Glass Center : Heat defying acts of art including glassblowing, flameworking and s’more-making demonstrations.
• Pittsburgh Center for Arts: Gallery tours and family-friendly art activities in the PCA Galleries.
• Ann Arbor Film Festival: Series of short films across all genres: experimental, documentary, animation, narrative and hybrids. Presented by the Pittsburgh Film Makers

Saturday, October 4th

• FREE Admission @ The National Aviary: The National Aviary has over 500 birds from over 150 species from around the world. There are 8 exhibits including three free flight areas that allow an incredible up close look at the feathery friends. Check their website for details and information about up-close encounters, live shows and feeding times.
• Bird Walk @ Beechwood Farms Nature Preserve: Beechwood Nature Preserve sits on 134 acres of sanctuary and includes 5 miles of trails.
• The Outdoor Classroom @ Boyce/Mayview Park: Guided nature hikes, geocaching, crafts and campfire treats (campfire 5:00 – 8:00 PM only).
• Allegheny  Land Trust: Variety of activities for all ages from guided nature walks about water and wildlife, to self-led fun such as bird watching and crafts.
• Ann Arbor Film Festival Touring Show: Series of short films across all genres: experimental, documentary, animation, narrative and hybrids. Presented by the Pittsburgh Film Makers

Sunday, October 5th

• FREE Admission @ Carnegie Science Center : Check out their new exhibit, BLUE!- enormous blocks to build with. Plus, FREE admission to everything (expect Omnimax films).
• Pittsburgh Center for Arts: Free admission to family-friendly art activities at the PCA School and Galleries.
• FREE Admission @ Children’s Museum:  FREE admission all day! Play with Real Stuff. Ink your own silkscreen in The Studio, build & tinker with old & new technologies, in MAKESHOP, pump & move water in all directions in the new Waterplay, catch words that fall from the sky at “Text Rain” & much more.
• Prime Stage and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh present Jekyl & Hyde: Free sneak preview of our world premiere of Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!
• Pittsburgh Opera- Rising Stars: Free admission to meet the 2014-15 Resident Artists as they introduce themselves through their favorite arias. Reservations are required.

Monday, October 6th

• Brentwood Public Library – Pittsburgh Poetry Exchange: Free to attend! Poets of all experience levels are invited to come share your work and give feedback to other writers.

Tuesday, October 7th

• Hands-On Workshop @ Carnegie Library– Learn to make your own homemade soap from local beeswax. Registration is required for this event but admission and materials are free!
• FREE Nighttime Owl Prowl @ Beech Farms Nature Preserve: FREE guided evening walk through the trails at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve to listen for owls and other creatures that come out a night. Appropriate for all ages. Reservation required.

Wednesday, October 8th

• Foreign Film Presentation @ Northland Public Library: Enjoy this adults only foreign film presentation and free refreshments.
• Design Workshop @ Carnegie Library (East Liberty): Open to students in grades 6-12, this teen-only workshop will focus on designing and fabricating props and costumes for CLP-East Liberty’s Haunted House, open to the public on November 1st.

Thursday, October 9th

• RADical Days @ Soldiers and Sailors: The museum is a historical tribute to the men and women serving our country. Starting with the Civil War and continuing through present day, our exhibits are full of equipment, photos and mementos donated by veterans and their families.

Friday, October 10th

• RADical Days @ Soldiers and Sailors: The museum is a historical tribute to the men and women serving our country. Starting with the Civil War and continuing through present day, our exhibits are full of equipment, photos and mementos donated by veterans and their families.
• Young Playwrights Finalists Play Readings @ City Theatre: As part of the 2014 Young Playwrights Festival, City Theatre will hold public readings of the top three finalists’ plays from the 2014 Contest.

Saturday, October 11th

• Bulgarian-Macedonian National Education and Cultural Center: Preserving and presenting the cultural values and rich traditions of the Bulgarian and Macedonian people, stop by for a tour of the largest collection of Bulgarian art, audio recordings, film, video, costumes, jewelry, textiles, books and artifacts in the United States.

• RADical Days @ Soldiers and Sailors: The museum is a historical tribute to the men and women serving our country. Starting with the Civil War and continuing through present day, our exhibits are full of equipment, photos and mementos donated by veterans and their families.

• RADical Days @ Fort Pitt Museum: Get to the Point of Pittsburgh’s history and experience the dramatic, world-changing events that occurred right here in Western Pennsylvania. Stand side-by-side with life-like museum figures, learn about the colonial era through hundreds of artifacts, and explore Pittsburgh life in the 18th century at the Fort Pitt Museum, located in historic Point State Park.
• Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Sketch Crawl: A four-hour drawing marathon!  Join in any time.  Bring a sketch book, drawing instruments, lunch and a chair. Draw what you see on a journey through some of Downtown’s scenic plazas. Rick Antolic, accomplished artist and illustrator, will be on-hand at each scheduled location to assist with sketches as needed. For all ages; children 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
• RADical Days @ Frick Art & Historical Center: Experience the Frick’s new Orientation Center; explore Clayton, the restored Frick family mansion, by taking free, self-guided tours; and enjoy a beautiful display of fine and decorative art at The Frick Art Museum. FREE family activities, including scavenger hunts, games, and art activities!
• FREE Admission to Carnegie Museum of Art and Carnegie Museum of Natural History: Come explore the history of life on Earth, then visit what is arguably the first museum of contemporary art in the United States, all in one dynamic destination!  Enjoy hands-on activities for kids and grown-ups, and see some of the most exciting collections of art and science anywhere on Earth.
• Brown Bag Concert @ Pittsburgh Opera: Free and open to the public, these one-hour concerts feature our Resident Artists and our arts partners in the George R. White Opera Studio at Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters. No reservations are required; doors open at 11:30. Bring your lunch!
• Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Ghost Stories: Gather the whole family in the Trust Arts Education Center to hear storyteller Alison K. Babusci share her most popular program featuring spine-tingling tales as well as hauntingly funny ones.  This program will delight all ages.  Bring your PJs and a pillow if you’d like.  Recommended for ages five and older; children must be accompanied by an adult.
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (Hazelwood) Ballet FUNdamentals: Get an insider’s look at the story, dancing and magic of the upcoming Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre performance of The Sleeping Beauty. Enjoy a special storytime and learn about ballet from a ballerina. Recommended for children age 3 to 11.
• MCG Jazz and Youth & Arts Festival: MCG Youth & Arts’ demonstrations and projects plus desserts from Bidwell Training Center’s culinary students. Open rehearsal at 6:30 pm in the MCG Jazz concert hall.

Sunday, October 12th

• FREE Admission @ Andy Warhol Museum: The largest museum in the country dedicated to a single artist!
• FREE Admission @ Sen. John Heinz History Center and Western PA Sports Museum: Heinz History Center is Pennsylvania’s largest history museum with an astounding 275,000 square-foot space. The museum highlights regional history and American experience with a Western Pennsylvania connection of archives and memorabilia. Adjoined visitors will also find the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, a 20,000 square-foot space with 70 hands-on interactive exhibits, and 20 audio-visual programs that present the history and growth of sports around the Pittsburgh region.
• FREE Admission @ The Mattress Factory: The Mattress Factory is a museum of contemporary art. Serving as a research and development lab and hosts the artists while they live within the space and create their works on site. The exhibits are engaging and inviting and certainly something people of all ages can appreciate.

Sunday, November 9th

• FREE Admission @ Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium: Enjoy one of Pittsburgh’s premier family attractions, the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. It’s home to thousands of animals representing more than 400 species. You’ll be able to walk through themed areas of the park including the African Safari, Asian Forest, Kids Kingdom, Tropical Rainforest, PPG Aquarium and the Kids Kingdom, which has an amazing area of shaded slides and play area.