Top 15 Family-Friendly Pittsburgh Events in June

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It is finally time to put on your flip flops, roll down the windows, turn up the music, pack up the kids and explore Pittsburgh.  Are you ready for a summer of fun? June is here! Stick with Pittsburgh Moms Blog as your guide for information on some of the best family-friendly events in the area. Here are our top 15 events in June you should not miss.

1.  Walk for Children’s:  June 4
Make a difference in the lives of children and families by participating in the first annual Walk for Children’s 5k and Patient Champion Parade at Flagstaff Hill in Schenley Park. Be inspired by current and former patients as they receive Patient Champion medals. Walk as an individual or create and recruit a team. Stay after the walk for live entertainment, a free helmet giveaway courtesy of Kohl’s Hard Helmet Program, face painting, bouncy houses and lawn games, a race car display by Kennedy Motorsports, and treats from Dairy Queen and Eat’N Park Cookie Cruiser. All proceeds benefit the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

2.  KidsDay at PNC Park:  June 5, 12, 26
Play Ball! PNC Park hosts “Kids Day” each Sunday. Check out the free Family Fun Zone on Federal Street before the game, receive a complimentary Pirates item at the gate for kids 14 & younger and “Run the Bases” on the field after the game.
June 5 at 1:35pm vs Los Angeles Angels
June 12 at 5:05 pm vs St. Louis Cardinals
June 26 at 1:35 pm vs Los Angeles Dodgers

3.  Three Rivers Arts Festival:  June 3 -12
The 57th Annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival is a free 10-day celebration of the arts in downtown Pittsburgh providing an extensive array of music, performance, visual arts, and art-making activities. The Artist’s Market features over 300 vendors showcasing jewelry, painting, woodworking, and photography. Musical performances by: Michael Franti and Spearhead, David Grisman Sextet, Ibeyi, Leftover Salmon, Charles Bradley and his Extraordinaires, Beth Orton, and Guster.

4.  Pittsburgh Summer Concert Series:  Starting June 2
Pack a picnic, grab a blanket, gather family and friends, and enjoy the many free outdoor concerts opportunities throughout Pittsburgh this summer.
Thursdays – Mellon Square Summer Concerts – Starting June 2
Fridays – South Park Summer Concert Series – Starting on June 3
Fridays – Summer Fridays at the Frick – Starting June 17
Saturdays – Stars at Riverview Jazz Series – Starting June 11
Sundays – Summer Concert Series at Hartwood Acres Park Amphitheater – Starting June 5
Sundays – Bach, Beethoven & Brunch Classical Music Series – Starting June 19

5.  Cinema in the Park:  Starting June 5
Make movie watching memorable this summer by heading to Cinema in the Park. June movies are Minions, The Land Before Time, Father of the Bride, The Walk, Jurassic World and Ant-Man. Visit website for show listings.
Monday – Highland Park – June 6
Monday – Mellon Square – June 20
Tuesdays – West End/Elliottt Overlook – June 7, 14, 21, 28
Thursdays – Brookline Memorial Park – June 9, 16, 23, 30
Fridays – Arsenal Park – June 10, 17, 24
Saturdays – Grandview Park in Mt. Washington – June 11, 18, 25
Saturdays – Riverview Park – June 11, 18, 25
Sundays and Wednesdays – Schenley Park  – June 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29

6.  16th Annual Summer Reading Extravaganza at Carnegie Library:  June 5
Kick off the summer right and get your family excited about reading! This annual library event features live performances, interactive storytimes, puppet shows, cooking and gardening demonstrations, and hands on science experiments. Browse the annual book sale, support the library by purchasing food from the food trucks, and sign up for the Summer Reading Program.

7.  Matilda the Musical at the Benedum:  June 1 – 12
Presented as part of the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh 2016 series and the Pittsburgh CLO 2016 summer season, Matilda the Musical is TIME Magazine’s #1 Show of the Year and winner of 50 international awards including four Tony Awards. Based on a novel by Roald Dahl, Matilda the Musical is a whimsical tale about a clever girl equipped with a huge imagination that is brave enough to change her own destiny.

8.  Riverview Park Heritage Day:  June 11
Celebrate Heritage Day at Riverview Park with an incredible amount of free activities and refreshments! Tour the Allegheny Observatory, view rare birds from the National Aviary, meet furry friends from the Humane Society, get crafty with Carnegie Science Center, check out the Bomb Squad robot, get an interactive and educational experience from a SWAT vehicle with the Department of Public Safety’s Police and Fire team, and try “Bike Rodeo” and “Bike Bowling” with Venture Outdoors. At the Chapel Shelter, children can experience life on the American frontier by riding horses, making trail mix, designing feather ties, painting totem poles and playing games as the area is transformed into Fort Heritage.

9.  Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, A Grrr-ific Opening Day at the Children’s Museum:  Opens June 11
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood! Step into Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood to play and learn as Daniel Tiger and his friends help children navigate their world at the Children’s Museum. Opportunities for children in this new exhibit include transforming into a favorite neighborhood character using costumes and the Imagination Stage, putting on a red sweater and building a new Neighborhood with blocks, writing a song and playing musical instruments, drawing a note to hang on the Thank You Tree, playing inside the Clock Factory, and finding special places using the interactive Neighborhood Map.

Special meet and greet with Daniel Tiger: 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm

10.  Strawberry Festivals at Pittsburgh Area Local Farms:  Mid June
Strawberry Festival at Soergels Orchard: Friday Evening, June 10
Spend your Friday summer evening on the farm and pick your own fresh strawberries! Evening activities along with food and strawberry desserts are available for the whole family.

Strawberry Festival at Trax Farms: June 11 – 12
Visit Trax Farms Strawberry Festival for an entire weekend of fun! Indulge on sweet strawberry treats and support your local farm by taking strawberries home. Festival features a bounce house, Rainbow Express Train Rides, live music, a garden craft and more.

Triple B Farms Pop’s Farm Yard Opening:  June 18
Starting June 1st, the strawberries are ready for picking! Make a whole day trip out of it by stopping by Pop’s Fun Yard, opening on June 18. The Fun Yard includes the Squirrel Hill Tunnel Slide, Rompin’ Rope Maze, Ducky Derby Race, Hay Bale Jump, Education Acres, Goatfield Street Bridge, Observation Beehive, Farm Playground, and Hayrides, and many farm animals. Don’t miss all the fun at the farm in June!

11.  Eat’n Park Family Week at Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium:  June 18 – 25
Take a trip around the world at the zoo! Meet the zookeepers and learn about new animals and their habitats each day from 11am – 3pm. Children can enjoy animal themed activities, special animal encounters, mascot appearances, live entertainment and more.
June 18: Undersea Exploration (PPG Aquarium)
June 20: Travel through the Tropics (Tropical Forest Complex)
June 21: African Safari Trek (Elephant Overlook)
June 22: Asian Adventure (Amur Leopard/Taiga Forest)
June 23: Polar Expedition (Water’s Edge)
June 24: The Islands Beach Bash
June 25: Outback Walkabout (Kids Kingdom Animal Connections Playground)

12.  Community Garden Party at the Mattress Factory:  June 19
Play and create at the free Community Garden Party at the Mattress Factory. Enjoy hula hooping with Pittsburgh Flow Collective, visit with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, have fun with face painting, create with AIR: Artists Image Resource and City of Play, and capture the all fun in the photo booth. Music provided by DJ Pete Spynda and Uke & Tuba. Food from Franktuary and Stickler’s Ice Pops available all day.

13.  Cirque du Soleil – Toruk at Consol Energy Center:  June 22 – 26
Make this your summertime splurge! Be transported into a world of imagination, discovery and possibility with the new Cirque du Soleil touring show Toruk: The First Flight. Inspired by James Cameron’s award-winning movie Avatar, this visually stunning live performance combines music, puppetry and cutting-edge visuals and leaves you with an unforgettable experience.

Click here to enter to win a pair of tickets from Pittsburgh Moms Blog.

14.  OpenStreets Pittsburgh:  June 26
What happens when you block off 3 ½ miles from Downtown to the Strip and all the way to Lawrenceville? OpenStreetsPGH! It’s a whole new way to experience the city. Walk, run, bike and skate the open road. Stop along the route to participate in outdoor Zumba, Pure Barre, Yoga, Boot Camp, Line Dancing, Spin classes and even Unicyling! Many local shops in the Strip and Butler streets offer discounts, sidewalk sales, and food and drink specials.

15.  Kidsfest at Kennywood:  June 28 – 29
KidsFest is a two-day celebration at Kennywood, one of the oldest Amusement Park’s in the country. Meet superheroes and princesses, get autographs from local Pittsburgh sports teams, and get a day of thrills on the 31 major rides ranging from Kiddie to Water and Classic Rides. Take a break and see a live performance or show. Junior Tickets are 30 percent off during Kid’s Fest.
Download Kidsfest Coupon

I hope these ideas are helpful as you plan your summertime in Pittsburgh. Visit the Pittsburgh Moms Blog Community Calendar for events happening every day in June.

Do you have an event to add our calendar? Click here to submit.

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Jamie Welnick
Community Events Manager - Jamie Welnick lives in the North Hills of Pittsburgh with her two year old son (Pete), husband of 5 years (Mark) and rescue dog (Dot). She is the go-to person for events in the region, and loves to pack up her family on weekends to check out a new community event, free concert, family fun run or outdoor hike. When Jamie is not exploring a new part of Pittsburgh, she enjoys running, restoring furniture and time at the lake. Her career experience includes management in corporate marketing, non-profit organizations, special events and media. These roles include Program and Events Manager at the Chamber of Commerce (in WI) and Marketing Director at Entercom Radio. In addition, she has volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club and is a strong advocate for early intervention programs in Pittsburgh. With Pittsburgh Moms, she hopes to connect families, share information about community happenings, and inspire others to engage in one of the many activities Pittsburgh has to offer.