RADical Days offer free fun for Pittsburgh families
It’s that time of year again! The annual RADical Days kick off on Friday, September 18th and continue for three weeks–giving families a free chance to explore more than 60 of the city’s favorite museums, sporting facilities, cultural institutions, parks, libraries and more.
“RADical Days are a thank you to the public for investing in the quality of life we have in this region,” says Julie Goetz, communications director for the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), the organization that sponsors RADical Days.
Goetz explains that RAD is funded by a portion of the county sales tax, which helps support our city’s “assets” like libraries, parks and museums. Each year, a growing number of these assets offers free programming during RADical Days to show their appreciation to the public. Here are some family-friendly highlights:
Exploring museums
One of the biggest perks of RADical Days are a chance to explore many of the city’s museums. Here are some free admission dates to mark on your calendar:
- Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Art on September 20th
- Phipps Conservatory on September 21st
- Soldier’s and Sailor’s Hall on September 21st and 28th
- Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh on September 27th
- Carnegie Science Center on September 27th
- Andy Warhol Museum on September 27th
- Mattress Factory on September 27th
- National Aviary on October 4th
- Frick Art and Historical Center on October 10th
- Fort Pitt Museum on October 10th
- Heinz History Center on October 11th
- Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium on October 11th
Touring sporting facilities
RADical Days also offer a chance to take free guided tours of some of the city’s most well-known sporting facilities.
- Heinz Field Tours on September 24th
- PNC Park Tours on October 7th
Connecting with nature
RADical Days offer a special chance to explore some of the natural spaces in Allegheny County:
On September 24th, the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania will offer a free, all-ages Owl Prowl, where families can take a naturalist-led evening walk through the trails of Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve to listen for owls and other creatures of the night.
On September 26th, The Allegheny County Parks Department will host its free Hay Day at Hartwood Acres, a fall celebration with hay rides, a barnyard petting zoo, pony rides, arts and crafts, a Halloween puppet show, a magician, food trucks and more.
On October 3rd, The Outdoor Classroom in Boyce Mayview Park invites families to join environmental educators for guided nature hikes, geocaching, crafts and campfire treats.
On October 8th, the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden will offer free admission and guided tours with special activities for children at its Discovery Cart.
Experiencing arts and culture
A major focus of RADical Days is promoting the arts and cultural organizations in the city:
On September 19th, Society for Contemporary Craft will offer free admission to the opening celebration of Mindful: Exploring Mental Health Through Art, an exhibit examining creativity’s role in resiliency and compassion. Attendees can meet participating artists, enjoy special performances and experiment with the meditative process of weaving.
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust will offer a number of events including a Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District on September 25th, which will kick off the India in Focus Festival with dance, theater, music and visual art. The Trust will also offer an all-ages sketch crawl and a Ghost Stories program on October 10th.
The Pittsburgh Musical Theater will offer a free Community Day on September 26th with entertainment and activities for the entire family.
On September 26th, the New Hazlett Theater and Texture Contemporary Ballet will present an excerpt from their piece Timescape, followed by an interactive portion during which children are invited onstage to participate.
Manchester Craftsman’s Guild will offer free MCG Youth & Arts demonstrations and hands-on projects with desserts prepared by Bidwell Training Center’s culinary students on October 1st.
On October 2nd, the Pittsburgh Glass Center will offer free admission to the opening of Indagare, an installation by Therman Statom that “feels like a cross between a children’s museum and a circus,” with glassblowing, flameworking and s’more making demonstrations.
The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts will offer free family art activities at its Shadyside Galleries on October 2nd and 4th.
Getting to know local libraries
Goetz says that this year’s RADical Days place an increasing emphasis on the region’s libraries:
The F.O.R Sto-Rox Library in McKees Rocks will partner with the Father Ryan Arts Center to offer free hands-on arts activities on September 19th.
On September 26th, the Bethel Park Library will partner with WQED to make healthy birthday treats with children. WQED’s education team will engage families and parents with supportive resources and conversation about healthy eating on a budget.
On September 27th, the Plum Community Library will also partner with WQED to offer a free All Aboard the Dinosaur Train program. Families will watch a special episode of Dinosaur Train, and explore science through hands-on activities.
On October 9th, the Carnegie Library of Lawrenceville will partner with Gateway to the Arts to present Three Billy Goats Gruff, which will engage children and bring this classic tale to life through dance, dramatic play, music and visual art exploration.
Finally, on October 11th, the Scott Township Library will partner with Pittsburgh Public Theater to offer a hands-on experience for students ages 7 to 13 to learn more about theater and try improvisation activities.
“Each of these places has something excellent to offer with a variety of things that would please any palate,” says Goetz. “What’s fun about RADical Days is that you can go to some old places that are your favorites, or explore some new places that you’ve never been to before.”
Featured photo: PNC Park tours, Photo courtesy of RAD
