Category Archives: Just Outside of Pittsburgh

Scottish and Scutching in the Laurel Highlands This Weekend

Image by AlxTheRed via Flickr

History lovers, hold on to your hats and pack up your wagons (station wagons) and head out route 30 east to the laurel highlands this weekend – it is a double header of cultural festivals. We are often asked about what are the must-do events around Pittsburgh. Both of these festivals are on our list of favorites. And they happen to be on the same weekend so you can catch a double header of history celebration just outside of Pittsburgh this weekend.

First stop – break out your bag pipes and kilt for the Ligonier Highland Games – a day long celebration of Scottish hertiage. There will be athletic events such as tossing the caber (throwing a big tree trunk) and the Scottish hammer throw.

Then steer your wagon (or mini van) down 711 south to Stahlstown – time to celebrate the important fiber of flax. Flax is what linen fabric is made out of. The Stahlstown Flax Scutching Festival is the 2nd oldest Scutching festival in the United States. They have been celebrating the scutching every year since 1907. Yep, 1907 – so join them for the 105th annual Flax Scutching festival to learn about how the flax plant is turned into linen cloth and snack on some buckweat pancakes too.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IRMvC1eDxo&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Ligonier Highland Games – Saturday, September 10, 2011 @ Idelwild Park

Flax Scutching Festival – Saturday & Sunday, September 10 & 11, 2011 @ Stahlstown Flax Scutching Festival Fairgrounds

Here is a map that includes both festivals and 2 other places that you should consider stopping – Joe’s Bar in Ligonier has the largest collection of taxidermy in North America and the Pie Shoppe in Laughlintown has good sandwiches and pumpkin cookies. The Google location for the Pie Shoppe is not correct – the Pie Shoppe is right on Route 30 – directly across from the Ligonier Country Inn.

5 Reasons to Attend the Millvale Brewfest

Image via Wikipedia

Just across the river from Lawrenceville, Millvale has got a ton of cool stuff going on:

New Sun Rising – a non profit organization that is supporting and funding more community projects in Millvale
The Saxifrage School – an innovative project that is getting started in a Millvale storefront to rethink college educations
Millvale Community Library – Millvale doesn’t have a library so the community is working to set one up.

You can drink beer and support Millvale this weeked at their annual Brew Fest. The Millvale Brew Fest celebrates their 5th annual festival Saturday, August 13, 2011. The Millvale brewfest is almost as old as IheartPGH and we can’t believe it has been 5 years since we blogged about the first festival. We have attended some of the past festivals and it is a lovely way to spend an August afternoon. One of the great things about this festival is that many members of the community come out to volunteer to make sure it is a success. In the past the atmosphere of this festival has been super laid back, lots of nice people supporting Millvale.

In honor of the 5th anniversay here are 5 reasons why we think this is a great way to spend your Saturday:

1. Waterfront Refreshment

This is the only beer fest we know about that is held right next to the river. The Millvale Brew Fest takes place at the Millvale riverfront park

2. Affordable Beer Festival Fun

Tickets for the Millvale Brew Fest are just $30 and available online here. Designated Driver tickets are $12. $30 is a steal compared to the price of some other popular Pittsburgh fall beer festivals.

3. Awesome Brew Festival Poster

We are about to hunt down one of these for the wall. Designed by Millvale resident Tom Walker (who is also known as the guy who kayaks to his office in the Strip District). Tom has been designing the brew fest posters for a few years.

4. It’s for a Good Cause.

The proceeds from the Millvale Brew Fest go to support the Nonprofit Millvale Borough Development Corporation and Millvale Main Street stabilize, revitalize and rejuvenate Millvale’s neighborhoods, through the development of housing, and businesses (and support the awesome projects listed above too).

5. Local Beer

While there are ton of breweries who will be at the fest or will have their beers served by a local distributor. There are also a number of local brewers who will be there too – East End Brewing, Church Brew Works, Full Pint Brewing are just a few of the confirmed breweries.

The Important Details:

Millvale Brew Fest
Saturday, August 13, 2011
1-4pm $30 Advance/$35
5-8pm SOLD OUT
http://www.millvalepa.com/BrewFest.aspx

World Champion Pinball Right Here in Pittsburgh

The Professional & Amateur Pinball Association, aka PAPA, happens to be headquartered right here in Pittsburgh. PAPA has a huge, 30,000 square feet, facility just outside of Pittsburgh, with more than 400 pinball machines and it is only open to the public a few times a year.

This week is PAPA 14 World Pinball Championships – pinball players from around the world are heading to Pittsburgh to compete for over $40,000 in prizes.

We have blogged about PAPA events before – but this is definitely worth another mention as the PAPA event is free to attend and something that is pretty unique here in Pittsburgh.

The tournament is free to watch and it looks like anyone can enter to compete. Complete competition details are available here. Online registration has ended but you can still sign up at the tournament.

Check out this nifty video from artist and CMU professor Douglas Cooper and CMU’s PigPen Theater in which the city of Pittsburgh becomes a pinball game. (h/t pair Networks blog for the video)

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/15749259[/vimeo]

PAPA 14 World Pinball Championships
August 11-14, 2011
PAPA HQ, Scott Township – directions are available here.
Facebook Event – http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=121552544586672

Urban Hike Heads to Ambridge

Ambridge is a borough located north of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. The borough was incorporated in 1905 and named after the American Bridge Company. I haven’t been out to Ambridge in a while. A few years ago there was a lovely little coffee shop there – I think it was called the Silk House.

This Saturday is your chance to check out Ambridge with the folks of Urban Hike. Urban Hike is a group that plans out hikes around different urban areas. The organizers do a great job of mapping out the hike ahead of time and planning out interesting stops along the way. Usually local experts join along to share history and info about each area. There was a great group of hikers for the last Urban Hike in Oakland. A great way to explore a new area with a nice group of folks. There is no charge to participate in the hike – just make sure to thank the organizers.

Urban Hike Ambridge

When: Saturday, July 16th at 10am
Where: Circle K at 1599 Duss Ave, 15003 – Map
What: Urban Hike Path to the Past
Who: Come one and all, and bring friends
How to get there: drive, take the bus – the 14 bus goes from Downtown to Ambridge, or contact info@urbanhike.org about carpooling.

Head Up To Harmony – Community Day on Saturday, June 18

Just a short drive north of Pittsburgh on 79N. is the tiny but historic town of Harmony, Pa. The town may be small – but they have got some big things going on. Saturday is the perfect day to drive up and check out Harmony.

Harmony Community Day – Saturday, June 18, 2011
11am-6pm
website for more info – http://historicharmony.com/communityday.html

Car Cruise

Kids Stuff

Music

Food

Visit the Harmony Musueum for just $1

Hot Dog Eating Contest – 3pm

A Very Brief History of Harmony

Harmony, PA was home to the Harmonities Society – which was founded in 1804 by Father Rapp. The Harmonites were in Harmony for about 10 years, then they moved to Indiana and eventually setted in what is now Ambridge. There isn’t much more to the story of the HArmonities – they were a celebate group so that eventually put an end to their group. But the town exists with lots of well preserved buildings. We have included some links to places to visit below.