Families and neighborhood residents can celebrate Earth Month in Westinghouse Park on April 5 and in McKinley Park on April 19.
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy leaders said the two events, set for 2 to 5 p.m., will highlight the vital role of parks as community gathering spaces while encouraging sustainable practices for a greener future, according to a news release.
Earth Month festivities include beats by local DJs, face-painting and nature crafts, hands-on learning activities, free hotdogs, and opportunities to connect with Parks Conservancy staff and other local conservation organizations. Scheduled partners include the Pittsburgh Park Rangers, Tree Pittsburgh and the Outdoor Inclusion Coalition, and they will offer tree adoptions, engaging science activities and more.
“Our Earth Month celebrations are all about bringing the community together to enjoy our city’s beautiful parks in a fun and meaningful way,” Director of Education and the Frick Environmental Center James Brown said in the release. “With music, hands-on activities, games and nature crafts, there’s something for everyone. These free events are a chance to celebrate and show love for Westinghouse Park and McKinley Park while connecting with amazing local organizations that are working hard to care for our planet.”
Westinghouse Park, located in Point Breeze, is a neighborhood park covering a city block that will also serve as the venue for the 27th annual PNC Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Spring Hat Luncheon, according to the release. McKinley Park, spanning 79 acres in Pittsburgh’s Beltzhoover neighborhood and extending into Bon Air and Knoxville, is the focal point of the conservancy’s Community Grove project. This initiative seeks to revitalize the park by developing a new community gathering space and implementing various enhancements, such as improved pathway connections and expanded ecological restoration sites.
“Westinghouse Park is full of history. It was once the estate of George Westinghouse Jr., a brilliant inventor who helped make railroads safer and brought electricity to more people. Today, visitors can still find pieces of that past — remnants of his mansion and underground tunnels — right in the park, which has been a cherished public space for over a century,” conservancy President and CEO Catherine Qureshi said in the release. “At the Parks Conservancy, we believe parks should be welcoming, vibrant places for everyone to enjoy. Our Earth Month celebrations are a wonderful way to bring people together and honor that vision.”
No registration is required. For more details, visit Pittsburghparks.org/earthmonth and follow the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy on social media.
Additionally, the conservancy offers a wide range of free and affordable programs during April, including a special Earth Month Forest Bathing series. Explore the full calendar at Pittsburghparks.org/events.
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