OpenStreetsPGH will have one of its longest and busiest events from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Streets will be mostly clear for walkers, bikers, skateboarders and other human-powered modes of transportation on a course that runs from Western and Allegheny avenues on the North Side, across the Roberto Clemente Bridge, through Downtown Pittsburgh and out Centre Avenue to Kirkpatrick Street in the Hill District. The 3.5-mile course will include special hubs at Market Square, Frankie Pace Park near PPG Paints Arena and the Thelma Lovette YMCA near Kirkpatrick, as well as random events along the way.
The goal of OpenStreets, presented by BikePGH, is for visitors to use the vehicle-free streets to meander through the neighborhoods, get some exercise and take advantage of special programs and deals from businesses along the way. This will be the first time in the program’s 10 years that the course will go to the Hill District.
On the North Side, participants can see local art at Gallery H or outer space at the Moonshot Museum, maybe stop for an ice ball at Gus and Ya-Ya’s, where they are celebrating their 90th anniversary.
At Market Square, there will be performances by Saiko and NLS Ron, a Zumba class and silent disco. Frankie Pace Park will have performances by the Sunburst School of Music and Squonk Opera, roller skating, music and bike-riding lessons, and Pittsburgh Penguins mascot Iceburgh.
The final stop at the YMCA will feature line dancing and dance fitness classes, games at Grandma and Grandpa’s Carnival Village or a self-guided tour of historical locations in the Hill District.
For a full schedule of events, many of which are free, go to https://openstreetspgh.org/schedule/.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.