City Cast Pittsburgh
🛶 Kayak hub coming to Downtown
April 4, 2025 · — Francesca Dabecco
Happy Buccos home opener! ⚾ Marc Fogel, the Butler County teacher who was recently freed from a Russian prison, is throwing out the first pitch on the North Shore at 4:12 p.m.
ICYMI, yinz have to hear how mad these Pirates fans are 👀🙊🎧
What's CITY Talking About?
📚 Inside Braddock Carnegie Library’s Revival
The 136-year-old library will soon return to its former glory — this time, with air conditioning and an elevator! The 45,000-square-foot space was steel mogul Andrew Carnegie's first in the U.S. Its $21 million renovation includes a refurbished 480-seat auditorium, adult and children libraries, a basketball court, a ceramic studio in the former basement “bath house,” and so much more.
- 🎉 Mark your calendar for the grand opening May 22. Stay tuned for details.
- 👀 Did yinz know it had a pool?! Learn about the “book dive” and more fun features that host Megan Harris and I saw on a special sneak peek tour. [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh]
💰 Nippon Is Still Trying To Buy US Steel
While President Trump initially opposed the nearly $15 billion sale of U.S. Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel, the companies are attempting to court the administration with a new offer — an additional investment of up to $7 billion into outdated facilities, including plants in the Mon Valley. [Semafor]
🏆 Fet-Fisk Gets Another James Beard Nod
The Bloomfield restaurant serving Scandi-modern dishes and creative cocktails is among 10 finalists for the James Beard Award’s “Best New Restaurant." Last year, Fet-Fisk was named a top restaurant in America by both Eater and The New York Times. [James Beard/Eater/NYT]
- 🐟 It all started as a pop-up. Hear how chef Nik Forsberg got started with his celebrated, seasonal, and sustainable menus. [🎧City Cast Pittsburgh]
- ⭐ Psst! This spot is on our list of must-try restaurants in 2025.
🛶 Kayak Hub Coming to Downtown
Venture Outdoors is raising money for a new kayak dock along the Allegheny River near the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on 10th Street. They hope to open the dock this spring or early summer. You can “adopt a kayak” to help them reach their goal.
- 🌳 Love the outdoors? The nonprofit is hiring for more than 60 positions. [Venture Outdoors]
Pop Quiz, Pittsburgh!
💥 Pop quiz, Pittsburgh! Test your knowledge of local history and current events. 🗓️
What To Do
Friday, April 4
- 🎭 La Voz que Soy at Kelly Strayhorn Theater (East Liberty)
- 🎤 Bindley Hardware Co. Live! at Thunderbird (Central Lawrenceville)
- 🏀 March Madness at Title 9 (East Liberty)
- 🎨 Unblurred First Friday on Penn Avenue (Bloomfield/Garfield/Friendship)
- 🎶 Neon Night at The Forge Urban Wine Bar (Homestead)
- 🥃 Whiskey, Straight Up at Iron City Distilling (Creighton)
- 🌿 Invasive Plant Workday at Girty’s Woods (Reserve Township)
- 🎨 Pop-up Art at Cotton Candy Machine (Mt. Lebanon)
Saturday, April 5
- 🤸 Pittsburgh Fitness Sampler at Franklin on Penn (Strip District)
- 📿 Floral Bracelet Class at Kingfly Spirits (Strip District)
- 🍵 Plan Your Herbal Tea Garden at Shiloh Farm (Point Breeze)
- 👕 Vintage Pittsburgh Retro Fair at Heinz History Center (Strip District)
- 🐈 Kitten Shower at The Black Cat Market (Garfield)
- 🌼 Color & Botanicals Class at Pittsburgh Glass Center (Friendship)
- 🎶 Title Town Soul & Funk Party at Spirit (Lawrenceville)
- 🐽 Pig Yoga with Pittsburgh Squealers (Tarentum)
- 🍳 Cooking Class with the Turkish Cultural Center (South Hills)
- 🧺 Sculptural Basketry at Contemporary Craft (Lawrenceville)
- 🌎 Earth Month at Westinghouse Park (Point Breeze)
Sunday, April 6
- 🌱 Plant Sale & Indie Mart with WorkshopPGH (Wilkinsburg)
- 🥣 Empty Bowls 2025 at Rodef Shalom Congregation (Shadyside)
- 🍅 Pittsburgh Vegan Pop-up at City Grows (Strip District)
- 🌿 Knotweed Land Art with Floodplain Studios (McKeesport)
- 💎 Rock & Radiance at Rosie’s Workshop (Lawrenceville)
- ✂️ Zine Workshop with Prototype (Oakland)
📚 Library week starts Sunday! Check out the Cranberry Public Library’s free screening of “Free For All: The Public Library,” 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday.
The film digs into the “revolutionary movement that made public libraries a cornerstone of democracy,” from the pioneering women behind the Free Library Movement to the people who continue to fight for these institutions today.
💛 Special thanks to Vicki, Amy, and Ashley for giving us a tour of Braddock Carnegie Library!
Free · Daily