Art Festival on Walnut in Shadyside Kicks Off; Greensburg Music Fest, and Banana Split Festival in Westmoreland (Sat., 8/24/24)

THE ART FESTIVAL ON WALNUT STREET— August 24 – 25, Shadyside.

August is a great month for strolling the tree-lined streets of Shadyside and enjoying the fine arts and crafts during the Art Festival on Walnut Street. (Photo: Rick Handler)

1) “Hip”—as in “Get hip,” rather than “Get a hip replacement”—is one of the oldest American slang terms still in wide use, and Shadyside’s Walnut Street is perhaps the longest-running hip district in Pittsburgh. Incredibly, it gets even hipper during the Art Festival on Walnut Street in late August. The Festival is popular, in part, because there’s so much art. The Walnut biz district is closed to motor vehicles and packed with booths where artists and craft people display paintings, prints, ceramics, handmade jewelry, and so forth ad infinitum. In addition: Some Walnut Street merchants bring out selected goods for sidewalk sales. Exotic food vendors descend. Established restaurants, coffee shops, and night spots operate in peak mode. And, music being the food of love and other good things, musicians play on. Official hours for the art and craft booths are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. August 24 and 25, but you can bet that on Saturday the 24th, merrymaking will continue into the night. Walnut St. between S. Aiken and Ivy Streets with further activities adjacent, Shadyside. (M.V.)

2) There’s big doings in Westmoreland County this weekend with the Greensburg Music Festival and the Robindale Great American Banana Split Festival. The Greensburg Music Festival is a free event with bands, vendors, and food trucks. Highlights include 15 bands, five stages, and three locations. Scheduled to perform are Essential Machine, the Nied’s Hotel Band, Band Together, Bad Boys Acoustic, Pratt & Szallar, and more. The banana split was originally created by a soda jerk at a store in Latrobe in 1904. This weekend they will celebrate it with a festival in its honor. Festivities include the Banana Split Princesses, Yellow Tie Gala, Car Show, Pie-Eating Contest, a 5K Banana Run, Cornhole, and of course banana splits! Bands will also be performing both days including Jim Donovan & Sun King Warriors and East Coast Turnaround. Free.

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