Category Archives: Free

Ben, Jerry, Dave & Andy – Let’s Talk Ice Cream

Today, Tuesday, April 8, 2014 is free cone day at Ben 7 Jerry’s Scoop Shops across the country.

The Pittsburgh location of Ben & Jerry’s is located downtown at 936 Penn Ave. This location is operated by the Pittsburgh non-profit Life’s Work and provides on-the-job training to youth who face employment barriers.

From the Life’s Work website:

Located at 936 Penn Avenue in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, Life’sWork’s Ben & Jerry’s PartnerShop is one of only three PartnerShops in the U.S. and is an important part of Ben & Jerry’s corporate social mission. The Ben & Jerry’s PartnerShop Training Program directly impacts the lives of youth with disabilities and at-risk youth and benefits the entire community.

By reducing the high school dropout rate, decreasing recidivism and providing an opportunity for youth to become wage-earning, tax-paying citizens, the Ben & Jerry’s PartnerShop Training Program has seen graduates who are more focused and have a higher self-esteem.

In addition, by identifying potential dropouts as early as possible and providing intensive intervention, the Ben & Jerry’s PartnerShop Training Program has helped to decrease the need for students to rely on public assistance and other social programs throughout their lives.

Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day in Pittsburgh

I’ve checked the free cone finder and the Facebook Page for the Pittsburgh Ben & Jerry’s location. Stop by anytime between noon and 8pm on Tuesday, April 8, 2014 for a free ice cream cone.

What about Dave & Andy?

A little pixelated – but one of my favorite IheartPGH photos

I don’t like to write about Pittsburgh ice cream with out mentioning Dave & Andy. I usually skip the line for free cone day and head over to Oakland to buy an ice cream cone from Dave & Andy’s Homemade Ice Cream.

Dave & Andy’s has been making ice cream in Pittsburgh since 1983. They have incredible flavors in ice cream and frozen yogurt.

You can follow them on twitter @DaveandAndys

But wait, there’s more … more free stuff in Pittsburgh

Looking for more free things to do in Pittsburgh – make sure you check out the Free and Almost Free in Pittsburgh MeetUp group.

This MeetUp group currently has 50 upcoming events that are free (or almost free). The organizers recently started a Free and Almost Free in Pittsburgh Facebook group here.

One more free item to share – if you haven’t tried the ride-service Lyft yet – you can use this link to get a free Lyft ride upto $25. That is more than enough to take a Lyft ride from anywhere in the city to Ben & Jerry’s or Dave & Andy’s. I’m pretty sure your Lyft driver would be happy to join you for some ice cream.

Ben & Jerry’s giving away free ice cream cones in Pittsburgh (wtae.com)
Just Putting It Out There…..Ben & Jerry’s FREE Cone Day today! (carlitamiller1972.wordpress.com)
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream: Free Cone Day {Today Only!} (livingrichwithcoupons.com)

Regent Square Theater is premiering the new AMC series Low Winter Sun on July 29 for free

Regent Square Theater is showing a sneak peek of the premiere of Low Winter Sun, the newest AMC series, on Monday, July 29 at 8pm. Described as “a story of murder, deception, revenge and corruption in a world where the line between the cops and the criminals is blurred,” hopes are high for this complex drama.

Up to 4 tickets are available for free on a first-come, first-served basis at the theater’s box office or the Pittsburgh Filmmakers front desk (open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm). There’s a nationwide Q & A session via Skype afterwards with the director, producer, and some of the cast members.

Filmed on location in Detroit, director Ernest Dickerson describes it as a film noir. “It’s about a hero who finds himself at the center of some very dark events, who has to try to get out, who wants redemption.”

Lennie James, one of the show’s main stars (Walking Dead viewers will remember him as Morgan, Rick’s saving grace in the first episode), said “this isn’t a story about the minutiae of police work. This is a thriller about people who have secrets and have ulterior motives.”

AMC has produced some of the most promising shows in recent memory, such as Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and The Walking Dead. Low Winter Sun is set to premiere on TV on August 11, after the premiere of the final season of Breaking Bad (who else cannot wait for this??). And by the way, Breaking Bad fans, David Costabile aka Gale has a role in this new series.

Polish Hill’s Annual Arts Festival this Sunday

What could be a better way to beat the Sunday blues than heading over to Polish Hill for its annual arts festival? Started in 2008, the festival features crafters, food trucks, and live music.

There will be over 30 vendors present, and these aren’t your rinky-dink, run of the mill crafts. Polish Hill Arts Festival posted “previews” of the some vendors, and they are selling truly unique and beautiful art (including the previously featured John the Craftist). From wall art to silver jewelry, the festival offers a wide range of vendors–there’s something for everyone.

The event appeals to all ages, offering free arts and crafts activities for adults and children alike. If you aren’t feeling crafty, there will also be live performances throughout the day, featuring local bands.

The festival runs from noon-9p.m. on Sunday July 21st. You can find all the action at the intersection of Brereton and Dobson streets. For more information check out Polish Hill Arts Festival’s Facebook page.

Cultural District’s Gallery Crawl Tonight

Looking for something to do tonight? Want to do something free? Want to culture yourself? Impress your friends with newfound knowledge of artistry? (Maybe that last part’s just me.) Come join other partons of the arts at the Cultural District’s free quarterly Gallery Crawl. The crawl runs tonight, Friday, July 12th, from 5:30-9 p.m., and participants can start from any of the many locations.

There is so much going on at the crawl tonight, but I’ll include some unique highlights here. There’s comedy, a cell phone disco, documentaries, live music, photography, yoga, a night arts market, dance lessons, and, of course art.

Check out the Cultural Trust’s page or the brochure below for more details.

TechShop Open House – Try the Plasma Cutter, Weld a Custom Branding Iron, And More!

TechShop Pittsburgh, located in Bakery Square, is hosting an all day summer social Saturday, June 22. The communal space offers a ton of different professional equipment and workshops for members to start creating. The interns took a field trip there today, and I have to say we were impressed. There are so many machines and cool projects going on, the place is definitely a must-see. From 3D printers to sewing machines, this place has it all. TechShop is only located in a few cities in the country, and Pittsburgh is lucky enough to be one of them.

The TechShop Summer Kickoff, held from 10a.m. to 5p.m. will feature a lot of DIY workshops where you can create your own craft to take home.Some of the Make-It, Take-It workshops include: vacuum formed chocolate molds, custom steak branding irons, silkscreened totes and bandanas, laser etched beer mugs, and more. The workshops are low cost and open to everyone, plus you take home the project that day (thus the “Make-It, Take-It:). These classes are limited numbers, so sign up here before you go.

There will also be food, music, demos, and exhibitions throughout the day.

The event is free, but you do have to RSVP. For more info, check out their Facebook Event.