Five Essential September Events in Pittsburgh
The Tingler, dachshunds, a whole bunch of scones and more upcoming delights.
Ah, September — our great seasonal battleground.
The battle for November has finally ceased, with the holiday season the victor. Like it or not, as soon as the Halloween candy runs out, you’ll be hearing “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” around every corner for the next 60 days.
But September is a puzzle. On the one hand, we are encouraged to wring out the last drops of summer during this ninth month; we seize warm evenings to continue our al fresco eating and drinking, we get in a few more outdoor concerts, we buy the year’s last baseball tickets. On the other hand, Halloween has begun a full-scale invasion of September; Hundred Acres Manor, for example, opens on Sept. 8.
Which season to embrace? Whichever makes you happy, of course. Sweat slightly in your hoodies or shiver slightly in your shorts. But regardless of which season you dress for, here are five fine reasons to leave the house.
Cindy Wilson
Sept. 5, Hard Rock Cafe
The longstanding pop group The B-52s are a collection of eccentric, musically rare idiosyncrasies. Chief among them: The band has three vocalists, all of whom could easily lead a more traditional band on their own. As if you needed proof, you’ll get to witness how strong a performer Cindy Wilson, one of those three vocalists, truly is when she gives a solo performance in Station Square. The Telephone Line, whom I featured in last month’s roundup, will open the show; get tickets here.
Third Annual Britsburgh Festival
Sept. 5-10
Whether your preferred version of British culture runs toward Shakespeare and high tea or Monty Python and strong ale, you will find an event to your taste during the third installment of the Britsburgh Festival. The signature event of the nonprofit British-American Connections Pittsburgh will hit venues throughout Allegheny County over five days; highlights include the tapping of a festival-exclusive ale at East End Brewing Co., walking tours courtesy of Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation and two installments of something delightfully dubbed “Sconehenge.”
Drive-In Super Monster-Rama
Sept. 8-9
I’ll never stop featuring this biannual festival of bygone schlock, as I truly believe it’s one of the best-kept secrets in the area. Venture north to Riverside Drive In (it’s only about an hour from Downtown) for two nights of mid-century chills, this time including the likes of “The Tingler,” “Attack of the 50-Foot-Woman,” “The Horror of Party Beach” and more. For $10, you get a dusk-til-nearly-dawn lineup of films; the dedicated can even camp out and wait for night two to begin. Oh, and go for the buffalo chicken pizza at the concession stand.
Silk Screen Film Festival
Sept. 16-24
As Pittsburgh’s long-running signature film festival faces an uncertain future, others continue to grow and thrive — particularly those with a proven track record of bringing global cinema to local screens. This year, the typically excellent Silk Screen Film Festival will show more than 30 movies at six venues, including suburban outposts at the Waterworks and in Cranberry. The featured films are selected from hundreds of submissions representing some of the most vibrant moviemaking cultures in the world, so you can be assured that any film you see will be worth your time. I’ll be reviewing a few in Popcorn for Dinner later in the month.
Running of the Wieners
Sept. 17, The Waterfront
Uhh, how did I not know that this was a thing? Seriously. There’s a yearly event wherein 130 dachshunds — most of whom are dressed in festive costumes — are encouraged to run en masse in the same direction, and I was unaware of it until this moment. Clearly I need to question my social circle at this point, because the fact that no one thought to inform me that a literal herd of dachshund makes an annual stampede through the pathways of West Homestead is truly inexcusable. I’m just trying to figure out how early I can line up along the race route.
