Say goodbye to summer! This weekend is the last hurrah before fall officially begins. How will you use these precious days? Here are some ideas.
Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival
Now in its 11th year, this is the largest outdoor celebration of Chinese culture in the region. The full-day, family-friendly festival is free to the public.
Included will be performances of both contemporary and traditional Chinese dance and music; a cultural marketplace with vendors selling unique wares; cultural exhibits to engage and educate; activities, including calligraphy and other traditional crafts, games and more. It’s a chance to learn about the thriving Chinese community in Pittsburgh.
The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Mellon Park. Admission is free. To learn more, visit the Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center’s website at pghccc.org.
Noir Film Festival
Join Jump Cut Pittsburgh for its Noir Film Festival. This event showcases one of the most engaging genres in film history, full of mystery, dark shadows and great characters.
The festival features independent filmmakers with short films that explore the neo-noir genre in two blocks throughout the afternoon and evening. Between the two blocks, they will show a total of 18 short films to satisfy those with a desire for mystery and grit.
The first block will be held at 4 p.m. and the second block will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Parkway Theater in McKees Rocks. To get tickets, visit jumpcutpgh.org.
Mexican War Streets House and Garden Tour
Explore the beautiful and historic Mexican War Streets on the North Side with the 54th annual House and Garden Tour from the Mexican War Streets Society.
The tour covers a number of beautifully restored homes throughout the neighborhood, showing off the ways that the traditional aspects of homes have been kept alive in a modern context. It will also cover a number of stunning gardens, both private and community-based.
The tour will be held on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $35 and will be sold only online with no tickets available on Sunday. You can pick them up in front of Boggs Mansion on tour day. To learn more and get tickets, visit mexicanwarstreets.org.
Mastodon
Hard rock fans who need a loud, cathartic night out won’t want to miss this weekend’s show by veteran heavy metal staples Mastodon.
The band, which dates back to the turn of the century, has released nine studio albums, charted singles in the top five of the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and earned Grammy Award nominations. Their most recent album, “Marrow Deep,” was just released last month.
The all-ages show will feature openers Deafheaven and Alcest. It will be held Saturday at the indoor venue at Stage AE on the North Shore. Doors open at 6 p.m. To learn more and get tickets, visit promowestlive.com.
Latin House and Dance Night
End the summer on a hot note with a night-long dance party. Join Bottlerocket Social Hall in the Allentown neighborhood for CASA BAILE, a Latin House and Dance Night this weekend.
The all-star lineup of DJs will spin tunes from artists as popular as Bad Bunny to deep cuts from Brazilian House music, keeping the beats quick and the fun turned up.
The party will start at 9:30 p.m. Friday at Bottlerocket Social Hall in Allentown. The event is 21+. To learn more, visit bottlerocketpgh.com.