All info at www.kidsburgh.org
1. Party at Ballet Under the Stars
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre heads to the stage at Hartwood Acres on Aug. 22 for its annual Ballet Under the Stars celebration and performance. Pack a picnic and bring chairs and blankets to spread on the lawn. Before the 7:30 p.m. show, catch family activities beginning at 5 p.m. Expect dance lessons taught by PBT staff, crafts and food trucks. Ballet Under the Stars is free, unless you opt for the VIP Picnic in the Park under the big tent.
2. Make a mess
Anyone whose kitchen doubled as a lab for junior scientists knows: Science can be messy. Happily, the educators at Carnegie Science Center keep the mess onsite for the upcoming MessFest on Aug. 22. How messy will it get? For starters, think elephant toothpaste, slime in a baggie, egg drops and a super science dunk tank. MessFest is included in your general admission tickets. Buy them in advance to prevent disappointment as this popular day is likely to sell out.
3. Celebrate Picklesburgh
Twice voted the No. 1 Specialty Food Festival in the country, Picklesburgh returns this year in all its dilly glory. The giant pickle balloon will cast its shadow over crowds on the Andy Warhol Bridge from Aug. 20-22. Kids don’t necessarily need to have an appetite for pickles to enjoy the Li’l Gherkins KidsPlay area, where they’ll find activities like hands-on creative play and face painting. Their grownups will savor Pickle Cocktails and Pickle Beer and learn from DIY Pickling Demos. Music and food complete the festival atmosphere.
4. Take them out to the (old-timey) ballgame
Baseball fans, young and old, will get a kick out of the annual Vintage “Base Ball” Day at Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village on Aug. 21. Catch a doubleheader as the Somerset Frosty Sons of Thunder take on the Addison Mountain Stars with games beginning at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Players will be decked out in old-timey uniforms and play the game according to the 1860 rulebook. At that time, gloves were not worn by players, called “ballists.” If a ball hit by the batter, called the “striker,” is caught after one bounce, the striker is called out. It’s an interesting history lesson for young sports fans, who receive free admission throughout August and September.