things to do this weekend

5 (free!) things to do this weekend, from treasure hunting and forest hiking to crashing the Carnegies

Looking for cool things to do this weekend in Pittsburgh with your offspring? Here are five great ideas:
Saturday, Nov. 6: PGH Vintage Mixer at Nova Place
9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
One of the things Pittsburghers missed the most during the pandemic shutdown was the chance to spark spontaneous conversations and enjoy people-watching at cool events like the PGH Vintage Mixer. There’s no better place for window shopping and treasure hunting than at this one-of-a-kind happening. Equal parts flea market, swap meet, antique mall and thrift store, the thoughtfully curated fair gathers 50 of the region’s top sellers of authentic vintage goods under one roof inside the former Allegheny Center Mall. It’s the perfect place to spark your kids’ imaginations for craft and upcycling projects of their own (while getting a head start on affordable holiday gift shopping)!

Photo courtesy of PGH Vintage Mixer.

Saturday, Nov. 6: Saturday Crafternoon at Assemble 
1-3 p.m.
After a pandemic-precaution hiatus, Crafternoons are back in person! Saturday Crafternoons are a free weekly drop-in program for youth ages 5 to 11. Each week features a new guest expert artist, maker, or technologist leading us through a hands-on project. It is a great way to learn about STEAM topics while making new friends. Snacks are also provided.

Saturday, Nov. 6: Autumn Changes Hike at South Park
2-4 p.m.
Autumn in Western PA is dazzling but will be over before you know it. So don’t miss this guided hike through the South Park Game Preserve. Led by park rangers, the two-mile hike will focus on the season of transition and beauty — from the vibrant colors of leaves to the peculiar behaviors of wildlife preparing for winter. Register for free.

Photo courtesy of Carnegie Museum of Art.
Photo courtesy of Carnegie Museum of Art.

Saturday, Nov. 6 and Sunday, Nov. 7: Crash The Carnegies
10 a.m.-5 p.m.

You don’t need to be an A-lister to crash this party. The name Carnegie is synonymous with Pittsburgh and you’re invited to celebrate a legacy of public cultural institutions that’s 125 years in the making. All weekend long, admission to Carnegie Library and Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History is free. Getting in on the fun will be The Warhol Museum, Carnegie Science Center and a host of regional organizations that will present performances, art and science activities, tours of the historic Oakland campus and storytelling events. The festivities will also include a sensory-friendly space, teen projects and a scavenger hunt. Register for free.

Saturday, Nov. 6: Sto-Rox Coder Dojo
3:30-5 p.m.
Check out this virtual coding club for folks 12 and up. No experience necessary, just a desire to learn and collaborate with others. The Sto-Rox Coder Dojo group is currently learning to use Roblox Studio to create in 3D and code using Lua programming language. They also do some Python coding and recently worked on speech-to-text projects.  Can’t meet in person? They also have a Discord channel for collaboration on projects.

Looking for more free and fun stuff to do? Bring out your kids to cheer on the runners at this year’s EQT Pittsburgh 10-Miler, happening on Sunday, Nov. 7. And check out our guide to 10 great places where Pittsburgh families can volunteer!