11 things to do at home this week in Pittsburgh (6/22-6/28)

It’s official: many of us in the western PA region can get back out and do things in public places, albeit with new restrictions and guidances. But if you’re not sure you’re ready to get out there and dive back into the socially-distanced mix, we’ve still got some ideas for you to do without leaving your own house and neighborhood.

Whether you are looking to entertain your children or blow of some steam and relax, we’ve got 11 things you can do this week without leaving your home!

Pittsburgh Rocks For Wishes 2020

Help make wishes come true during the first-ever Pittsburgh Rocks for Wishes Virtual Festival 2020! All proceeds raised will benefit Make-A-Wish Greater PA and WV. This 12-hour festival will highlight great talent from the greater Pittsburgh area to join together to bring hope to the community during these uncertain times. Enjoy the virtual concert on Saturday from noon until midnight on Facebook Live!

Virtual Beer Tasting with Bierport Pittsburgh

Enjoy pub night from the comfort of your home! This Wednesday at 7 p.m., Bierport Pittsburgh and The Cooper Siegel Community Library are teaming up for an exciting online guided tasting led by a local beer expert. Preorder a special 4 pack of locals from Bierport, and sign up for the guided Zoom tasting through the library for an awesome at-home beer experience! You can pre-order the 4-pack of local beers here, and register for the event here. You’ll sample and discuss 4 craft beers with others on Zoom, learn something new about beer, experience some community and connection, and maybe even discover a few brews and breweries you’ve never heard of!

PPT PlayTime: Lyon’s Den

Pittsburgh Public Theater’s PlayTime series returns with TJ Young’s Lyon’s Den, an affecting drama about a Black family who moves to a new neighborhood in hopes of putting a tragedy behind them. A Texas-born playwright now based in Pittsburgh, Mr. Young’s Lyon’s Den received the 2018 Harold and Mimi Steinberg Award for Distinguished Play. This week’s edition of PlayTime will be on Thursday at 8 p.m.; click here to join in.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Friday Night Concerts

As part of the PSO’s “Extraordinary Measures” series, enjoy this weekly Friday night web series hosted by Music Director Manfred Honeck. It’s a chance to enjoy some amazing musicians from your own personal concert hall! Every week, the concert is at 8 p.m. on Friday, and you can register to receive the video here.

Lunch And Learn: The Power of Seeds and Healthful Fats

Magnesium, ALA Omega-3s and protein are just a few of the nutrients seeds have to offer us. Learn about the health benefits of nuts and seeds as well as exploring some popular food myths about healthy fats with Registered Dietitian and Let’s Move Pittsburgh Coordinator Maris Altieri. This Zoom webinar is on Wednesday from 12:30-1 p.m. The class is $8 for non-members and $5 for members, and you can register here!

Weekly Art Meditations

Take a moment on Sunday to slow your pace in this 30-minute guided art meditation series with instructor Lydia Killian. Each week works of art from the Carnegie Museum of Art’s collection serve as inspiration for achieving balance and a sense of inner calm or insight. Visualization exercises, breath awareness, noting techniques, and loving-kindness meditations are just a few of the practices explored on this journey. Each event is $10 for non-members and $8 for members, or you can enjoy the entire series for $36 for non-members or $27 for members. You can register here.

Carnegie Science Center’s Daily Activities

Even though the Carnegie Science Center is closed right now, they are providing great resources to keep your family educated and entertained! Each day they list a daily roundup of science-y things to read, watch, and do on their Facebook and Twitter pages. You can also find simple science experiments you can do from home on their Instagram page every day!

Phipps Virtual Story Time

If you are looking for a fun story time experience for your children, look no further than Phipps! Every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. the Conservatory hosts a 15 minute story book reading. This week the kids will be learning about the letter “B” and the word “Bee.” Special guest Buttercup, puppeteered by Beth Ison, will be on hand to tell bee-related jokes. There will be a reading of The Bumblebee Queen by April Pulley Sayre, which will be followed by a lesson on bumblebees. After that, there will be a group singing of “Old MacDonald.” Make sure to register for either reading before hand.

Aviary Education

The National Aviary knows it isn’t easy to keep your children entertained and educated at the same time, so they are providing a number of educational programs on their website. CyBIRD Learning is an online platform to help your family learn all about birds from the experts at the Aviary. Learn about topics ranging from birds and their habitats, the rain forest, and penguins. The 30-40 minute programs are available daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can find more information on how to sign up here.

The Frick Museum Virtual Experience

Did you know you can explore the entire Frick Museum online right now? Now you do! The museum has posted a number of kids’ activities for children from early childhood through high school, including at home art projects. There are also some virtual events you can attend, such as Maker & Muse Curator’s Lecture on Wednesday, April 22nd at 7 p.m. The events are free, but make sure to register in advance if you plan to attend.

Shubrew Virtual Trivia

Up in Butler County, fan-favorite brewery Shubrew in Zelienople hosts a virtual trivia night for those who are looking for a more traditional bar trivia night. Enjoy trivia, laughs, and beer talk every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on the brewery’s twitch page. The top two teams win gift cards.

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