MAIN EVENT: Fri., June 10 — Festivals
For the second year running, Pittsburgh has two simultaneous LGBTQIA-themed festivals: the longstanding Pittsburgh Pride and the fledgling Roots Pride Pittsburgh. The Delta Foundation-organized Pittsburgh Pride’s concluding week includes the citywide Fri., June 10, Pub Crawl ($20, chauffered), and Saturday night’s massive Pride in the Street Party ($38-65), with headliner Kesha and opener Angel Haze. At noon Sunday, Dykes on Bikes leads 130-plus organizations in the annual Equality March, Downtown, among Pittsburgh’s biggest civic parades. Immediately following is PrideFest, a free, day-long Downtown street fair with performers, games, vendors, a Cruze Bar-sponsored dance area and a closing performance by singer Dev. While Kesha is an outspoken LGBT advocate, and Angel Haze is an African-American and Native American rapper who identifies as agender, the issues that inspired Roots Pride remain: This festival was launched last year to honor what local activists called a more inclusive vision of the LGBT community on race, class and gender. The June 10 Roots Pride Rally and Party, at East Liberty’s Ace Hotel (suggested donation: $5-25) meshes protest, speakers and DJs until 2 a.m. June 11’s Roots Pride Potluck, BBQ and Water Balloon Fight (yes), at Schenley Park’s Westinghouse Pavilion is an all-ages daytime event. Roots Pride concludes with Sunday’s Meet Me by the River: Prayer and Walk, starting at 3 p.m. at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Bill O’Driscoll Pittsburgh Pride: www.pittsburghpride.org. Roots Pride: www.rootspridepgh.wix.com
Thu., June 9 — Talk
Nancy Moses has uncovered fascinating tales behind stuffy art history in her newest book, Stolen, Smuggled, Sold: On the Hunt for Cultural Treasures. Known to many for her award-winning 2008 book Lost in the Museum: Buried Treasures and the Stories They Tell, in her latest, Moses takes readers through the surprisingly winding (and often criminal) journeys cultural objects have taken, including a famous painting, a Lakota Ghost Dance shirt, North Carolina’s copy of the Bill of Rights and even a naked mummy. Moses lectures at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh tonight courtesy of Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures. Tyler Dague 6 p.m. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. Free. 412-622-8866 or www.pittsburghlectures.org
Fri., June 10 — Words
Tonight at The Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, it’s good stories for a good cause. Rick Sebak, himself no mean raconteur, emcees An Evening of Oakland Storytelling. The program, curated by Caliban Bookshop and The Moth in Pittsburgh, features Carnegie Mellon professor and poet Jim Daniels; Stephanie Flom, of Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures; and poet and Pitt professor Yona Harvey. The fundraiser, including food and cocktails by Legume, benefits Oakland Planning and Development Corp. Bill O’Driscoll 6-8:30 p.m. 201 N. Bellefield Ave., Oakland. $50. www.opdc.org
Fri., June 10 — Comedy
Chris Hardwick is taking over. Whether you know him as host of Comedy Central’s buzzy game show @midnight, AMC’s fan-focused spinoff Talking Dead, or his own hit Nerdist podcast, Hardwick has added a standup tour to his busy schedule. The comedian, dubbed “the Ryan Seacrest of nerds,” takes his blend of pop-culture fandom and revealing, hilarious stories about his personal life out on the Id1ot Tour, which hits the Carnegie Library of Homestead Music Hall tonight. TD 7 p.m. 510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. $37.50. 877-435-9849 or www.librarymusichall.com
Fri., June 10 — Music
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra begins a weekend of live performances. Tonight and Sunday, at Heinz Hall, cinematic music from Copland and Shostakovich prefaces The Earth: An HD Odyssey, stunning NASA footage accompanied by Strauss and John Adams. On Saturday, at the Three Rivers Arts Festival, assistant conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong leads a free program ranging from Dvorak and Mendelssohn to Bernstein, and FUSE@PSO creative director Steve Hackman conducts a mash-up of Beethoven’s Third Symphony and Coldplay, with vocalists Malia Civetz, Ben Jones and Will Post. TD The Earth: 8 p.m.; also 2:30 p.m. Sun., June 12 (600 Penn Ave., Downtown; $20-94). Three Rivers Arts Festival: 7:30 p.m. Sat., June 11 (Point State Park, Downtown; free). 412-392-4900 or www.pittsburghsymphony.org
Sat., June 11 — Exhibit
On the one hand, sings Lola (memorably played by Pittsburgh’s own Billy Porter) in the hit musical Kinky Boots, “The sex is in the heel.” On the other, high heels kinda torture feet and spines. On the third hand, there’s footwear as art object: That’s where Killer Heels: The Art of the High-Heeled Shoe comes in. The traveling exhibit organized by the Brooklyn Museum showcases 150 historic and contemporary heels, including often fantastical designs by names like Balenciaga, Louboutin, McQueen and Prada. It opens today at the Frick Art Museum, and note: Unlike most Frick exhibits, this one has an admission fee. BO 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Exhibit continues through Sept. 4. 7227 Reynolds St., Point Breeze. $12. 412-371-0800 or www.thefrickpittsburgh.org
Sat., June 11 — Exhibit
Won’t you be my neighbor? Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, TV’s animated spiritual successor to Fred Roger’s beloved children’s program, comes to the Children’s Museum in the form of the all-new exhibit Grr-ific. Featuring a wealth of options for creativity such as costumes, masks, custom blocks and musical instruments, the exhibit lets visitors step into the Neighborhood of Make-Believe and Daniel’s house. The opening weekend will feature special appearances by Daniel Tiger himself. TD 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Exhibit continues through Jan. 17. 10 Children’s Way, North Side. $13-14 (children under 2 are free). 412-322-5058 or www.pittsburghkids.org
Sat., June 11 — Game
There’s still time to register for the inaugural Scavenge the Strip scavenger hunt, starting at the Heinz History Center and continuing throughout the Strip District. Whether in teams of two or four or testing their clue-solving skills solo, searchers take photos at each site and post them to social media for a chance to win prizes. Scavenge the Strip ticket sales support Sister’s Place, a housing community assisting homeless families in Southwestern Pennsylvania. TD 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 1212 Smallman St., Strip District. $25-75. 412-233-3903 or www.scavengethestrip.com
Sat., June 11 — Comedy
“I just went to the doctor,” says Alex Stypula. “He told me I have to stop cutting myself: ‘I see you got all these deep cuts and lacerations all over your body.’ And I was just like, ‘Well, you find the microchips, asshole!’” The touring, Pittsburgh-based comic, whose sensibilities run toward the dark side, records his new live album tonight at Club Café. The late show is hosted by John Dick Winter, with special guests Felicia Gillespie and Tim Ross. BO 10:30 p.m. 56 S. 12th St., South Side. $10 (21 and over). 412-431-4950 or www.clubcafelive.com
Sun., June 12 — Screen
For a certain breed of fan, few Pittsburgh sports legacies are more cherished than that of Dock Ellis’ 1970 no-hitter, which the late Pirates pitcher famously threw on LSD. Today, Hyperboy Media, hardball blog Since1887.com and The Josh Gibson Foundation mark the anniversary of that amazing game with the inaugural Dock Ellis Day Celebration, at Culture Restaurant. Ellis was an outspoken advocate for the rights of African Americans and athletes, as covered in No No: A Dockumentary, Jeff Radice’s feature-length 2014 profile of Ellis. A No No screening is followed by a panel discussion featuring Ellis’ agent, Tom Reich; proceeds benefit the Gibson Foundation. BO Noon-4 p.m. 130 Seventh St., Downtown. Suggested donation: $17. www.Since1887.com
Sun., June 12 — Words
Free poetry, outdoors: Pittsburgh-based Autumn House Press’ monthly Pittsburgh Parks Summer Reading Series continues today in Allegheny Commons Park West (right by the currently waterless Lake Elizabeth). Today’s readers, all locally based, are Carnegie Mellon professor Kevin González; acclaimed Venezuelan-born writer Israel Centeno; and University of Pittsburgh professor and poetry-scene stalwart Judith Vollmer. The series continues July 16, with a reading in Highland Park. BO 4 p.m. North Side. Free. www.autumnhouse.org
Wed., June 15 — Comedy
Actor, comedian, author and radio host Jay Mohr did his first standup session at age 16. Joined the Saturday Night Live cast when he was only 23. Was cast alongside Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire at 26. And starred with Jennifer Aniston in Picture Perfect one year later. Despite decades in movies, television and radio, Mohr has never left standup behind, continuing to tour regularly. Mohr comes to Pittsburgh Improv for a special one-night comedy event. TD 8 p.m. 166 E. Bridge St., The Waterfront, Homestead. $27. 412- 462-5233 or www.pittsburgh.improv.com
