We’ve reached the weekend — three days off for some on Columbus Day. Here are some ways to spend it.
Last call
The 16th annual and final Steel City Big Pour will be held on Saturday at Rockwell Park in North Point Breeze. There will be more than 20 restaurants and 45 craft breweries. There will also be five non-alcoholic beverage options and food.
Proceeds benefit Construction Junction, a nonprofit organization that promotes conservation through the reuse of building materials.
The event is ending because there are a lot of tasting events in the city and organizers said they want to create new fundraising opportunities.
Over the last 15 years, it has grossed more than $2.8 million.
The VIP session begins at 4 p.m. The general admission opens at 5 p.m.
General admission tickets are $75, VIP tickets are $125. Designated driver tickets are available.
Details: cjreuse.org/bigpour
Art events
In partnership with the Tomayko Foundation, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh presents “Commence,” a group exhibition of 14 artists centering around the themes of beginnings, history and nostalgia. The opening reception is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday at the Bloomfield gallery at the 5100 block of Liberty Avenue. Light snacks and refreshments will be served. Admission is free. The gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday and by appointment. The “Commence” exhibit asks guests to consider the question “What occurs between a beginning and an ending?”
It’s also the weekend for the Etna Art Tour, Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m. on Butler Street. Hosted by the Etna Economic Development Corporation and On The Rocks Designs, it will feature local artists and musicians.
Details: aapgh.org or facebook.com
Columbus Day Parade
Bloomfield, Pittsburgh’s Little Italy neighborhood, will once again play host to the annual Pittsburgh Columbus Day Parade, at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
There will be more than 100 bands, floats, organizations and businesses recognizing the contributions of the region’s Italian Americans.
The parade will honor former senior Judge Robert Gallo of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, who will serve as the parade’s grand marshal. Basil Russo, president of the Italian Sons and Daughters of Italy, which sponsors the parade, also will be recognized. The parade will also feature a number of high school marching bands, Shriners, business and government leaders and various multi-ethnic groups.
The parade begins near West Penn Hospital on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield and makes its way toward the Bloomfield Bridge.
Upcoming Local Events
Details: thecolumbusday.com
Chatham Baroque
To kick off the 2023-24 season, Chatham Baroque will present its annual “Art of the Trio” concert, a program that explores the idea of modern music for the violin, viola da gamba, and the orbo from the from the 16th, 17th, 18th and 21st centuries. The concert is on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale. It will be preceded by a tour of the murals of Maxo Vanka and a conservation lecture and demonstration at 6 p.m.
On Saturday, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m., performances will be held at Hicks Memorial Chapel on the campus of The Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in East Liberty.
The program features early innovators for their instruments Diego Ortiz and Giovanni Kapsperger, the 17th-century modern style of Dario Castello and Isabella Leonarda, and the florid fantastic style of Antonio Bertali and Heinrich Schmelzer. The program also includes the poignant 21st-century work “for Emily” by Pittsburgh composer David Stock, which was composed especially for Chatham Baroque in memory of its founding violinist, Emily Norman Davidson.
Tickets are $45 for adults, $35 for seniors and $20 for students.
Details: chathambaroque.org
Festival of Combustion
The Festival of Combustion, celebratings the industrial arts and American crafts, is on Saturday at the Carrie Blast Furnaces in Swissvale/Rankin area.
It’s a showcase of molten iron, liquified aluminum and performance pours, crafted for entertainment. There will also be hands-on crafts, live music, tours, flame performances, art installations, a makers’ marketplace, food trucks and fireworks.
Hours are 1 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $25, $20 in advance.
Details: riversofsteel.com