Belt Bets: Pittsburgh, September 25-October 1

This Friday, India in Focus kicks off in the cultural district downtown Pittsburgh. With a gallery crawl and street party featuring music DJ Rekha, India in Focus is starting its six week exploration of art and culture strong.
–@culturaltrust

–@djrekha

While Homestead’s Fall Fest at the Waterfront will feature plenty of free music, art, and pumpkin decorating, the biggest draw will be the sixth annual Running of the Wieners, a free and open dog race for smaller pups to compete, in costume no less.
–@WaterfrontPGH

Chefs and food purveyors are coming together this Sunday for the Braddock Feast; in collaboration with Grow Pittsburgh, food grown at Braddock Farms will be prepared for a feast served along a table running the length of the farm (and decorated by local artists)!
–@isesPittsburgh

–@GrowPittsburgh

As part of RADical Days, an annual celebration of Pittsburgh’s many cultural assets, is taking place throughout the Fall; this Monday, Oakland’s Soldiers & Sailors museum will be free of admission — but check RAD’s calendar for even more events!
–@SSMHnM

Tuesday, September 29
For anyone still floored by Pope Francis’ recent speech on climate control–or just anyone living in Pittsburgh (a city in the top 2% for cancer rates within America), it may be worth visiting Pittsburgh Filmmakers for Climate Action: Creating Bridges of Clean Air. Showing films concerning climate change, the evening promises to find common ground for creativity within activism.
–@pghfilmmakers

Wednesday, September 30
Some of the most important books we’ve ever read are the ones we weren’t supposed to read. To celebrate the power of banned books, the ACLU is hosting the 20th annual Freadom event. Various Pittsburgh personalities, from Rick Sebak The Pittsburgh Anthology’s own Terrance Hayes, will be reading from their favorite banned books at the Carnegie Museum of Art’s theatre.
–@ACLUPA

–@CMOA

Margee Kerr is a local sociologist who works for Scarehouse, the Pittsburgh haunted house consistently ranked among the top scare attractions in the country. Kerr’s job is to make it as scary as possible using psychologically-based technique; in studying the nature of fear she has a completed a book, Scream, which explores what it means to be scared — and why we love it so much. This Thursday, don’t be afraid to visit East End Book Exchange for Scream’s launch party, featuring a reading by the author, as well as Q&A and signing.
–@EastEndBooksPGH
–@MargeeKerr

Banner photo by Brian Donovan (https://www.flickr.com/people/58621196@N05)