The first South Side Street Fest kicks off Saturday night on East Carson Street. The festival will span from 12th to 18th Street along East Carson and feature live music and entertainment from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. It will last every weekend until Sept. 12.John DeMauro, owner of The Urban Tap, La Bodega and El Dorado, which opens in July, is the president of the South Side Hospitality Partnership. He said the event aims to reintroduce the public to a fun and safe South Side. “The restaurant owners and the bar owners, they want the South Side to be exciting. They want people to come down here. They want individuals to consider South Side as one of the places that they want to go when they think of the city in totality,” DeMauro said.Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube ChannelSecurity is a key focus, with private security managing entry. Side streets will be blocked off starting at 9 p.m. every Friday and Saturday before gates open at 10 p.m. “No weapons allowed. It’s a plus-21 event. There’s also an accountability piece as well. We want to operate the street similarly to how you operate a high-standard venue. If you go to a venue and you do something inside a venue, you really can’t come back to the venue,” DeMauro said. The event is a collaboration between business owners, community groups and Pittsburgh Public Safety. Police will be present in the surrounding streets to assist with traffic and ensure public safety. “We want everybody to come down. We want people to just behave properly. That’s in the interest of the neighborhood, it’s in the best interest of the business and in the interest of public safety, and public safety has made a tremendous investment down here to make this work,” said Don Berman of the South Side Community Action Network. You can submit any concerns regarding the event to Pittsburgh Police. A QR code connecting to the Pittsburgh Public Safety site will be posted around the event.South Side Street Fest will run every Friday and Saturday night until Sept. 12.Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.

PITTSBURGH —

The first South Side Street Fest kicks off Saturday night on East Carson Street.

The festival will span from 12th to 18th Street along East Carson and feature live music and entertainment from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. It will last every weekend until Sept. 12.

John DeMauro, owner of The Urban Tap, La Bodega and El Dorado, which opens in July, is the president of the South Side Hospitality Partnership. He said the event aims to reintroduce the public to a fun and safe South Side.

“The restaurant owners and the bar owners, they want the South Side to be exciting. They want people to come down here. They want individuals to consider South Side as one of the places that they want to go when they think of the city in totality,” DeMauro said.

Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube Channel

Security is a key focus, with private security managing entry. Side streets will be blocked off starting at 9 p.m. every Friday and Saturday before gates open at 10 p.m.

“No weapons allowed. It’s a plus-21 event. There’s also an accountability piece as well. We want to operate the street similarly to how you operate a high-standard venue. If you go to a venue and you do something inside a venue, you really can’t come back to the venue,” DeMauro said.

The event is a collaboration between business owners, community groups and Pittsburgh Public Safety. Police will be present in the surrounding streets to assist with traffic and ensure public safety.

“We want everybody to come down. We want people to just behave properly. That’s in the interest of the neighborhood, it’s in the best interest of the business and in the interest of public safety, and public safety has made a tremendous investment down here to make this work,” said Don Berman of the South Side Community Action Network.

You can submit any concerns regarding the event to Pittsburgh Police. A QR code connecting to the Pittsburgh Public Safety site will be posted around the event.

South Side Street Fest will run every Friday and Saturday night until Sept. 12.

Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.