🌳 Your guide to Pittsburgh pawpaws

New Route for City Cyclers

After almost a decade in the making, a $4.5 million bike infrastructure project along a Downtown section of the Great Allegheny Passage is reopening on Sept. 27. The Mon Wharf Trail, which runs along the Monongahela River to Point State Park, will no longer spit bikers out into a parking lot; instead, pedestrians will be welcomed directly into the park with a view of the confluence. [90.5 WESA]

County-Wide Call for Bowhunters

Qualified archers can apply to participate in the city’s deer management program in Frick and Riverview parks, which was approved by City Council on Wednesday. You must be an Allegheny County resident, pass a criminal background check, and have a clean record with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Archers will also need to purchase the 2B antlerless deer tag needed to hunt in Allegheny County. [90.5 WESA]

• 🎧 Concerned about hunting in city parks? I’m sharing how it’s going to work on the City Cast Pittsburgh podcast.

Higher Ed Counters Sexual Assault on Campus

The time between when the fall semester starts and Thanksgiving is known as The Red Zone — a period where more than half of campus assaults occur. A new state law, Act 55, has prompted schools to improve their prevention programming by partnering with rape crisis centers and domestic violence organizations to educate people on types of abuse, who to report to, and when to seek medical treatment. Read about how local career and trade schools are responding. [PublicSource]

☘️ 32nd Annual Pittsburgh Irish Festival | Friday-Sunday | Various Times

Celebrate Irish heritage, cuisine, music, folklore, and more at the Carrie Blast Furnaces. [$20-60, Rankin]

🌍 Climate Awakening: Crafting a Sustainable Future | Friday | 5:30-8 p.m.

Admire work at the opening reception of Contemporary Craft's fifth series of socially-conscious art experiences. [free, Lawrenceville]

🌃 Light-Based Public Art Tour | Friday | 7:30-8:30 p.m.

Join Doors Open to see the city's glowing collection of light-based public artwork and learn about its history along the way. [$25, Downtown]

🌈 Museum of Queer Curiosities | Friday | 6-8 p.m.

Find art that explores themes of confusion, authority, and trust, especially how it relates to queer identities, at the Artist Image Resource. [free, North Side]

🎉 RAD Days | Friday-Saturday | Various Times

Explore Pittsburgh arts and culture free of charge at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Allegheny Land Trust, Silver Eye Center for Photography, and more. [free, Various Locations]

The Tropical-Tasting Fruit That Grows in Pittsburgh

Pawpaws are ripe for tasting this time of year, and they grow right in our backyard, in our forests, and near our waterways. I’m on the mic today, sharing some history of this native tree, plus some tips and tricks for finding or foraging its tropical flavor.