From the grand spectacle of a symphonic “Harry Potter” performance to the weirdness of a World Oddities Expo, there is a wide array of entertainment options in Pittsburgh this weekend.
‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ in Concert
This sounds like a can’t-miss event for “Harry Potter” fans. The pandemic made it hard to stage art behemoths such as this, but now they’re back. On Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. at Heinz Hall, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh join forces for a live performance of the famous John Williams-composed film score for “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” while the movie plays in high definition on the big screen.
Tickets are going fast but a few remain. For more information, visit pittsburghsymphony.org or call 412-392-4900.
Crawl After Dark until midnight
The Pittsburgh Cultural District winter ‘23 Gallery Crawl is happening Friday night with more than 15 stops, including new gallery exhibitions, public art and what’s being billed as a salsa Crawl After Dark experience to take the party to midnight.
The winter '23 Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District is in just two weeks! Expect brand-new gallery exhibitions, energetic performances, and more. All night, all free.
PLAN YOUR NIGHT ▶️ https://t.co/FzgaRKdK3X pic.twitter.com/CrLBs1PE1J
— Pittsburgh Cultural Trust (@CulturalTrust) January 13, 2023
This particular edition of the crawl is dedicated to the art of the late Natiq Jalil, founder of the Coloured Section Black Artists’ Collective, and features a celebration by the Collective that includes visual art, spoken word and music by DJ SMI. For more information, visit trustarts.org.
Coldest Night of the Year walk
Here’s one way to incentivize the winter exercise routine. Bethlehem Haven, which provides shelter and support to thousands of homeless individuals, is holding the Coldest Night of the Year walk from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday. It starts at Stage AE on the North Shore. Proceeds from the walk will support Bethlehem Haven’s mission to provide care for homeless people that leads to self-sufficiency. Walkers can choose their distance: there will be a 5K walk (about three miles) or a 2K (about 1.2 miles). The outdoor event is designed to give participants an idea of the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness in the winter.
Registration is free. For more information, including details on how to raise money for the homeless during the event, visit cnoy.com/location/Pittsburgh.
Western Pennsylvania Home & Outdoor Living Show
It’s the time of year when people start thinking about which home improvement projects they may want to conquer. Well, the Western Pennsylvania Home and Outdoor Living Show will have experts on hand to help on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Monroeville Convention Center. Organizers promise expert vendors for window installation, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, flooring, roofing and everything from hot tubs, saunas and pools to landscaping. Hours are Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
World Oddities Expo: Pittsburgh
For something a bit off the beaten path, Saturday might be a good day to head to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center for what’s billed as “A monumental oddities extravaganza with a show floor teeming with amazing treasures!” It’s the World Oddities Expo: Pittsburgh. Among the oddities are a hands-on taxidermy class where one can learn “valuable” techniques such as mounting and setting the eyes. There’s also a butterfly pinning workshop and an owl pellet dissection workshop where one can “learn about owls’ prey via pellet dissection.” A pellet, in ornithology, is the mass of undigested parts of a bird’s food. It’s one way of learning about an owl’s hunting habits. The World Oddities Expo runs from noon to 8 p.m. Be advised that there are no refunds. For more information, visit woetothee.com/pittsburgh2023.
