For my first ever visit and show at the CLO, this was a great experience!…read more Walking into the theatre you immediately notice the intimate size room. Definitely big enough for a large group of tables, but close enough to the stage that you never feel like you have a bad seat in the house. The menu includes themed drinks and a range of food choices which you can order prior to showtime. The staff is friendly and attentive to the tables through the first part of the show. The show itself was exciting and tongue in cheek at times. The Altar Boyz brought energy and comedy to the room and kept everyone engaged - even bringing up an audience member for one of the numbers! Great reminder for me to never sit in the front! Haha I can't wait to come back to see another show soon! Thanks to Rachel and the CLO for another great event!

We visited the CLO for the first time this last week. I was very impressed with the facilities. I…read morereally like the set up with the tables, reminds me a little of the Improv design, except those tables were entirely too small for four people to actually eat at, so good thing we were just nibbling on the yummy Yelp snacks. I can't say enough about the show we saw, Judge Jackie Justice. I would go see this show again in the future it was that good and the CLO seemed to accommodate the backdrop for the show perfectly. The staff seemed very professional but also extremely on the slow side. We ordered some drinks right when we got there and we were 30 minutes early for the show. Well the drinks showed up about two minutes before the show and not all at the same time. I got mine while my H was still waiting for his. 30 minutes is really excessive to wait for a drink, and they weren't cheap so please don't make me wait so long to wet my whistle. Continued with the slower service the waiters waited until the end to hand out checks. I guess this was ok, but it seems like they should have handed those out 15-20 minutes before the show was over so people could square up and leave when the show was over, not wait for 15-20 minutes more to give your check with payment to the server so they can charge you. We thought we could go out to the bar and pay there. Well we were wrong. I actually ended up ordering another drink finished it and paid for that one at the bar before our waiter came to collect our tab. I think in the future my best bet maybe to just pay cash or order at the bar to begin with. Otherwise loved the place and look forward to coming back to see another great show!

Here in the "rust belt" of southwestern Pennsylvania, in Ambridge, PA, on the outskirts of…read morePittsburgh, is a gem of a community theater. Since 2016 this non-profit group of folks has been bringing some delightful productions to the community with some very talented thespians, directors, production crews, and artists of all kinds to put on a variety of outstanding productions. My daughter has been in shows here and I had a distinct pleasure, on Father's day, of attending a most excellent production of "Harps and Harmonicas". She is currently looking to be in one or more productions here in the near future and I have been impressed with the people involved in this great little community theater both out front and behind the scenes. This season (202) has The Boys Next Door, The Mad Ones, Doubt: A Parable and Musical on tap so far this season. Bottom line: They need more parking so if you don't arrive early you might be pressed to seek it out on the surrounding streets, the theater isn't huge but it's quaint and there are some really talented folks here with a lot of heart. Recommended! http://www.ironhorsetheatrecompany.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ironhorsetheatrecompany

A wonderful new theatre space in a city that doesn't have one! Iron Horse offers an intimate…read moretheatre experience with great talent. They have plans to have other events and offer a second floor room for classes, gallery showings and more. This is a really exciting addition to the city of Ambridge!

This is one of the absolute highlights of the Science Center!…read moreThe detail on the village is simply astounding. It creates landmarks and landscapes of the Pittsburgh area. Everything from amusement parks (complete with moving/working rides) to Fallingwater! You enter and have one way to walk through to keep the traffic flowing. It can get crowded, but the staff is generally good at keeping it moving or managing when people are trying to see the same areas. I think one of the most interesting features is that the lighting changes so you can get a view of what it looks like with daylight and simulated night. The night really shows off all the details of the street lights, the lights on the rides etc. They seem to add new elements every year. This year there is currently a vote on which Pittsburgh bridge they will add. (I am hoping Smithfield Street Bridge is the one ultimately added). They will often do fun additions when there is a big attraction in town. For example, when Taylor Swift was here, they "hid" her several places throughout the train display. In the back middle, there is a conductor who will let you blow the train whistle. Don't be shy, adults can have fun pressing it too! If you are at the science center, make sure you don't miss a visit here!

Very nice exhibit within the Carnegie Science Center. The live action minuatures and scavenger…read morehunt game they have enhance the experience. Good experience for all ages.

My mom and I were lucky enough to tour the space with a woman who is on their board. She was such…read morean amazing tour guide. She knew all about the space and not only shared great insights into August, his family and what they're doing currently to honor his contributions and memory. It was also more interesting because she grew up in the Hill and had some of her own relatable stories to share. We were also lucky enough to meet Tammy who was the first Art for August winner and hear her insights. What a treat! The people who were exhibiting their art there were so talented. I especially loved the instruments down stairs and work upstairs related to his work. It was also great to hear the stories of all the different immigrants who previously lived together in the Hill. I also loved some of the Teeny Harris photos because he's my favorite photographer. There were also people who grew up in the Hill on the tour who shared some of their stories too which made it even better. Would love to come back for a workshop or special event to meet with other creatives. What a wonderful space donated by such a talented man who loved and still cares for his community.

The wonderfully talented playwright, August Wilson hailed from Pittsburgh, PA. The Hill District…read moreneighbohood of the city to be exact. His childhood home still stands today and is considered an historic landmark. Since 2016, there have been community block parties held at his home and on the street (Bedford Avenue) surrounding it to celebrate his birthday. I have had the pleasure of attending for several years and it's always something to look forward to. The block parties have live music, dancers, DJs, play, craft/art areas for kids, food trucks, and lots more. August Wilson was just 60 years old when he died in 2005 from liver cancer. In addtion to his childhood home, downtown Pittsburgh boasts a state-of-the-art building for the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. The center is a multi-use space with art galleries and more for promotion of Black artists.

4.5 stars. The Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival is set up to look like a 16th-century Medieval…read moreamusement park. In 2026, the festival is being held for several weeks in the late summer and early fall. Tickets are for a specific single day and cost $27 per adult and $12 per child at the gate and slightly less online. Some weekends are themed: Celtic, children's, mead and whiskey, pirate, and wine revelry and romance. For about 12 years, I have been a customer of the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival. In 2026, through the website, I purchased tickets for my husband and me for opening day. Unfortunately, the weather had been rainy in previous days, so we drove one hour to the festival, and an employee at the gate told the visitors that the festival was too muddy and unsafe and thus would open one week later! I had looked at the website on the previous day, but apparently it had not yet been updated about the delayed opening date. So we returned the following weekend, and thankfully the festival was open. At the entrance an employee promptly scanned our tickets and admitted us. As we walked around, we saw employees and many visitors wearing costumes. Entertainment included knight jousting, washing-well wenches, music and singing, witch trial, flame-throwing, sword swallowing, juggling, archery, axe throwing, and more. Several dozen shops sold a variety of clothing, accessories, paintings, armor, pottery, soaps, leather goods, swords and shields, candles, incense, etcetera. I felt most interested in eating the foods. Many restaurants and drink stations sold turkey drumstick, steak on a stake, sausage on a stick, sausage knave sandwich, smoked bratwurst, scotch egg, pretzel, soup in bread bowl, kettle corn, fruit cobbler a la mode, roasted nuts, root-beer float, beer, etcetera. I bought several of these, and I thought that the flavors were OK to very good.

I last reviewed the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival twelve years ago (!!!), when I was still a…read moreregular and went every year. Now though? Well...now I'm not a regular and I don't go every year. I actually took a long break and skipped attending the Fair for many years. I reached a point where I couldn't justify paying the entrance fee to hear the same jokes as the year prior, or to spend more money shopping for trinkets I didn't need. So once one of their regular performers retired, I took it as a sign and I stepped away. That was until that regular came out of retirement - that was enough reason for me to come back; so I figure now is as good a time as any to update my review of the Ren Fair overall. On a positive note: there are now multiple new performers at this Ren Fair. I was very happy to spend a full day walking around hearing new music, watching new acts, and so forth. (I especially appreciated the new additions after walking by a returning comedy act and hearing the exact same jokes that I remembered from "BC"...you know, "Before COVID"...) Something else has changed in the years since I last visited the Fair. There's a relatively new app on the block now called TikTok - you might have heard of it. Well let me tell you, nerds like me love it. And we post about the shenanigans we get into, such as going to the local Ren Fair. Well videos of the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival took off this year, and they definitely got the attention of some new attendees. So for the first time that I can remember, when I drove out this year, traffic to get into the Fair was backed up not just onto the road...but onto I-70 itself. (I'll interrupt my own story time now to admit there might have been other factors too...but I vividly remember seeing NUMEROUS TikTok videos about the Ren Fair, way more than usual. Make of this anecdote what you will.) The additional foot traffic was good for the Fair I'm sure, but there's really not that much this Fair can do in the way of expanding to accommodate said foot traffic. The crowds being what they were, I didn't even attempt to watch the jousts. I also made sure I planned my day and got to other shows super early so I could find a seat for them. Final thoughts: it was good to see some updates to the Fair lineup this year. But generally speaking, my visit felt like 'same Ren Fair, different year'...yet was simultaneously the busiest weekend I can remember. Go figure. I'm most likely to come back to this Ren Fair if: 1) My favorite performer continues to come back. 2) My friends want to go. Otherwise, I'm probably skipping. It's not that the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival itself is bad; it's that after being a regular for literal decades, I'm OK with no longer being an annual patron. (And my wallet is OK with that decision, too!)

The Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh is quite possibly the best museum of its kind. Off the top…read moreof my head, I can't think of another major city among the many I have been to across the country that does a better job of encompassing its city's history so well in a museum. I'm glad I finally took the time out to visit, as I had not visited on my many prior visits to Pittsburgh. The museum does have a few exhibits dedicated to Heinz ketchup, but there's so much more from natural history to sports history to the periods of time where Pittsburgh was a national leader in steel and glass-making. I especially liked the "Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation" area and the small space they have dedicated to Mister Rogers Neighborhood. The Pittsburgh sports exhibits are really comprehensive, covering non-traditional sports in addition to their major teams (Penguins, Steelers, & Pirates). Even if you don't care for sports, there's a decent variety of exhibits that are sure to catch your interest. The facility itself is wonderfully modern and well organized, such that it's easy to get from exhibit to exhibit without getting lost. There is a decent gift shop and cafe on the first floor. I'd highly recommend a visit to the Senator John Heinz History Center if you're interested in learning about the history of the city of Pittsburgh, or are a first time visitor.

More of a 3.8…read more This place came up over, and over, and over again on lists of places to go to when visiting Pitt. And, I get why. The place has a bunch of random (could choose a better word here) history pieces. Where the place could do better is expand on some of these pieces. Example, as a huge fan of Mr. Rogers and saying you have a part of the set, ok, yeah, you do, and it was awesome to see, but it was such a small fixture, there could have been more. At 20/person to enter, it's worth the trip since it's relatively affordable compared to some 40-50/pp spots. Can easily do 1.5 hours here.

Beautiful venue. I…read morewas here for a formal Pitt event, and was very impressed with the beautiful facilities, which do honor to the memories of Soldiers and Sailors who have served the United States. The auditorium is expansive and really beautiful, and the exhibits honoring different groups of soldiers and sailors who fought in different conflicts is impressive. It was originally built to honor Union soldiers from the US Civil War, and expanded over the years - well worth a visit to learn about these events and know your History!

This is one of those Pittsburgh attractions that everyone knows exists but many people have never…read morebeen inside. It is part museum, part event venue and works well for both. There is a parking lot under the lawn of the museum that is very reasonably priced, but there is also street parking in the area along with other surface lots. The museum portion of the space is interesting, but you get a lot more out of it if you are able to take a tour. There is just some information that can't be conveyed well with just looking at the objects. It is an absolutely beautiful space and while the exhibits might not take a large amount of time to go through, you'll enjoy the time you spend there. The auditorium is well maintained and the seats fairly comfortable, especially for an older venue. It is the type of place where you can't really have a bad seat. Overall, a great place to spend some time and absolutely worth a visit.

We selected this beautiful venue for our wedding reception for several reasons…read more This venue offers a blank canvas to allow a bride, groom or party planner the ability to paint and design your vision into a reality. You are permitted to select any vendors, rental equipment, bartenders and other support staff for this venue. We loved this! We worked with Sarah Cowing, Production Coordinator for the planning, contract issuance, billing, etc. majority of the questions we had. She provided any restrictions and other particulars regarding the venue along the way. She was point for vendors deliveries too. She remained on site during our rental period and setup the day before; monitoring and helping as needed ensuring all rules were followed. She also helped with chairs, provided carts and other direction as needed. We were grateful for the Flex Time she permitted during setup. Thanks a bunch! Mr. Phil Irvin: We cannot say enough great things about Mr Irvin. He was an absolute star! We were so glad he was assigned to be our onsite contact for the day of! He was also our point at the final walk through and was there to answer any questions we had about the layout. He was everything to us the day of our wedding reception. He was extremely knowledgeable and ensured everything flowed smoothly! He gave us ideas, received all vendors, studied and ensured our itinerary was followed, made sure the parking was managed, ensured the wedding party was escorted in without guests seeing us, made sure we were fed upon arrival from wedding photos, and remained at our side as the bride and groom the entire night! Guided clean you name it. He quickly worked with our points to resolve any issues that arose. We were soo thankful for him, his support and services! We could not have done it without him! Sir, you are a gem! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything! Everyone echoed the same sentiments! Rules and other helpful info we wanted to share are as following. The price to rent this venue includes tables and chairs (although we rented banquet tables) a wood bar station, warming kitchen and a day of assistant. Our rental included 12 hours plus 1 additional hour for clean up. * Capacity - The venue can seat 200 guests in a dinner-style set up and 300 guests in a cocktail hour style set up * Setup/breakdown - You and your vendors can drop off items the day before your event, but if you want to do any decorating or hold a rehearsal there, they charge an additional hourly rate of $400 ph for the hours you're in the building or $1450.00 for 4 hours. They prefer for your rental time period to be during their business hours with the latest time permitted for rental for a Friday as an example being no later than 4:30pm so staff could be present. They prefer for all personal items to be removed from the building at the end of the night following your event but do make exceptions to hold them until Monday morning if they've been gathered into one area and all food and gifts have been removed. * Dance floors are only permitted if you are renting one. They do not allow anything directly on the floor with tape or glue. Vinyl flooring or anything directly on the floor is not permitted. * They do have restricted items and they will share those with you in your contract. * You will be provided with free access to a social table app to design the room to meet your configuration and they will ensure the tables are setup to meet your specification's. It was the best! We highly recommend this beautiful and vintage venue neatly tucked in the Strip District. We hope that our tips provided can help others in their event planning. Thank you Pittsburgh Opera team! Our reception was an absolute dream!

My husband and I had the opportunity to see Florencia en el Amazonas this past Sunday. Neither of…read moreus had ever been to the Opera before so we really didn't know what to expect. I'm happy to say that the performance exceeded my expectations. It was very easy to pick up our tickets at the box office before the show. Upon entering the Benedum we went to see where our seats were. We were in Orchestra Right Center Row R. They were great seats as it was very easy to read the subtitles at the top of the screen. The performance was well rehearsed and kind of funny in parts. I loved how they made me feel like the boat was actually moving through water on the stage. The orchestra was great and probably never gets enough credit for their hard work. For my first trip to the Opera, I would say it was a success. Great job Pittsburgh Opera!