ALL WEEKEND
Fair rolls on
The Westmoreland Fair runs through Saturday with a few days action-packed days left.
In the grandstand: super stock 4-by-4 trucks, limited pro/super stock farm tractors, pro modified 4wd & mini modified tractors pull (7:30 tonight); pro stock/super stock tractors, modified 4wd trucks, 2.6 diesel 4-by-4 trucks and stock semi trucks (7:30 p.m. Friday); demolition derby, compact and powder puff derby (7:30 p.m. Saturday).
Switch performs at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Big 104.7 Radio Show Arena.
Daily family events include the Bar C Ranch petting zoo and camel rides, magician and balloon artist Dennie Huber and Marvelous Mutts Canine Spectacular.
Admission is $7; extra fees for some events; children 2 and under free.
Take the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the Irwin exit and head east toward Greensburg. Follow Route 30 to the Mount Pleasant exit and go south 6 miles. Information: 724-423-5005 or www.westmorelandfair.com.
ALL WEEKEND
Sommore comedy
Sommore, best known as one of the stars of the 2001 film “Queens of Comedy,” appears at the Pittsburgh Improv at The Waterfront, Homestead this weekend.
The comedian has written and produced her own comedy specials, “The Queen Stands Alone,” in 2008 and “Chandelier Status” in 2012. She also has appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” “The View” and “Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher.”
Times are 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Friday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $25; www.improv.com or 412-462-5233.
THURSDAY
Piano stunts
The Piano Guys, YouTube sensations who join music with special effects and “piano stunts,” will do it live at the Benedum Center at 8 tonight.
The quartet — Jon Schmidt (pianist/songwriter), Steven Sharp Nelson (cellist/songwriter), Paul Anderson (producer/videographer) and Al van der Beek (music producer/songwriter) — started as a way to market a piano store run by Mr. Anderson in southern Utah.
They do popular hits and original songs with a classical twist, including their popular take on One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful”/Disney’s “Let It Go,” that has 43 million views on YouTube.
Tickets are $32.25-$62.25; www.TrustArts.org, 412-456-6666.
FRIDAY
Smokin’ Betties live
The seven ladies of burlesque troupe The Smokin’ Betties perform 10:30 p.m. Friday at Club Cafe with a handful of special guests:
Macabre Noir (“Pittsburgh’s beloved Madame of Sideshow”), Freak of the Year (glasswalker and burlesque vixen with sideshow troupe Kabarett Vulgare), Kat De Lac (co-founder of the international Burlypicks competition), Elsie Marley (singer, dancer and host from Germany) and Just Jingles (performer and ukulele player).
Doors are at 10 p.m. Tickets are $10; ticketweb.com.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY
Improv troupe
The Second City, the improv comedy troupe that counts Tina Fey, Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert among its alumni, returns to Pittsburgh for a “Fully Loaded” show at the Pittsburgh Public Theater, Downtown. Performances are 8 p.m. Friday and 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday. See page W-12.
SATURDAY
Fair opening
The Indiana County Fair opens Saturday and runs through Sept. 5.
Highlights include modified and farm tractor pull (7 p.m. Saturday), antique motor and machinery show (noon Sunday) and country singer Casey James (8 p.m. Monday).
Admission is $8; free on Sunday. From Route 422 or Route 119, take the Wayne Avenue exit and follow Wayne Avenue to Jimmy Stewart Boulevard to the Fairgrounds. Information: 724-465-6703, 724-463-8641 or www.indianacountyfair.com.
SATURDAY
Roots fest
ROOTS: A Roots Reggae Family Friendly Festival takes place at the Bayardstown Social Club, 3008 Penn Ave., Strip District, Saturday with Oriel Barry, Jah Ques, (Tentative) Truth and Rites,
There will be music by DJs Original Dangsta, Selecta, Soy Sos and more; live artist painting by WhoDali; face painting by Takara Canty; craft vendors; and Jamaican food by Rasta House,
It runs from noon to midnight. Admission is $10. Information: vibrantpittsburgh.org/event/roots-reggae.
SATURDAY
Performance Art fest
Bunker Projects, a residency program and experimental gallery, and The Mr. Roberto Project join forces for Performance Art Festival 15, presenting site-specific performances and art by multimedia artists from the U.S. and abroad.
The festival’s intent is to expose people to a large cross-section of contemporary performance. More than 25 artists and collaborators from Australia, France, South Korea and the United Kingdom will appear, including Hudson Rush, Jono Mi Lo, Emilia Javanica, Slowdanger, Tomji St. George, Julia Kurek, Cosima Storz and Tracing Pathways.
It runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Bunker Projects, 5106 Penn Ave., Garfield. Family-friendly artworks will be presented during the first half of the day and works for a mature audience in the evening. Admission is $10. www.bunkerprojects.org.
SATURDAY
Market House party
The South Side Market House Centennial Celebration, at 12th and Bingham streets on the South Side, is an indoor/outdoor block party with ethnic foods, a health fair, kids corner and live music. It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The 11 a.m. stage ceremony will include the unveiling of the contents found in the building’s historical time capsule. Performing will be African Drumming Group (noon), Harmoneyes (12:30 p.m.), Mt. Ararat Men’s Choir (1 p.m.) and Barbara Ray (2:30 p.m.). Mr. McFeely will appear at 2 p.m. www.Citiparks.net or 412-488-8404.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY
Festival on Walnut
Shadyside … The Art Festival, presented by the Florida-based Howard Alan Events, returns to Walnut Street in Shadyside on Saturday and Sunday with 200 artists from 30 states showing work ranging in price from $25 to $30,000.
There also will be live music, and the public can register to win the free art giveaway featuring the work of abstract atmospheric expressionist Melanie Rolfes.
Uber Pittsburgh is once again partnering with the promoter to provide transportation to and from the art show. New users in attendance can get a free ride up to $20 on their first Uber Pittsburgh ride with the promotional code artfestpgh815.
Admission is free. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Information: www.artfestival.com.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY
Last line dancing
Citiparks continues its Summer Soul Line Dancing lessons in Highland Park and Schenley Park with instructor Roland Ford incorporating R&B music in classes that begin with basic steps and finish with more advanced moves.
The Schenley Park session, Schenley Plaza in Oakland, will be Saturday at 3 p.m. The Highland Park session, at Highland Avenue and Reservoir Drive, takes place at 7 p.m. Sunday, and Information: www.Citiparks.net.
SUNDAY
McGraw in Burgettstown
Country star Tim McGraw pulls into the First Niagara Pavilion on Sunday on his Shotgun Rider Tour.
The 48-year-old singer from Louisiana, who has sold more than 40 million records, has scored 36 No. 1 country singles (including “Something Like That,” “Live Like You Were Dying” and “Over and Over”) and won three Grammys, 16 Academy of Country Music Awards and 14 Country Music Association Awards. He has also appeared in the films “Friday Night Lights” and “The Blind Side.”
He just released the single “Top of the World,” from a 14th studio album coming in the fall. He’s joined by Billy Currington and Chase Bryant at 7 p.m. Tickets are $32-$73; ticketmaster.com.
SUNDAY
Hiatt and Mahal
One of the better package tours for the adult-rock demo, John Hiatt and the Combo with the Taj Mahal Trio, stops at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
Mr. Hiatt, whose popularity spiked in the late ’80s with the albums “Bring the Family” and “Slow Turning,” earned two Grammy nominations last year for his latest album, “Terms of My Surrender.”
Mahal, a blues/reggae legend and two-time Grammer, recently received the Lifetime Achievement for Performance Award at the Americana Honors and Awards.
Tickets are $49-$69; ticketfly.com.
Schubert on the Bluff
Duquesne University launches the first installment of “Schubert on the Bluff,” a three-year series focusing on the works of Franz Schubert. The series will highlight some of the Austrian composer’s lesser known chamber music, and each season will showcase works by a guest composer — this year, Pittsburgh composer and former Duquesne professor David Stock.
Sunday’s concert, 3 p.m. at PNC Recital Hall on the Duquesne campus, includes Schubert’s “The Shepherd on the Rock” (Sari Gruber, soprano; Ron Samuels, clarinet; Benjamin Binder, piano); Mr. Stock’s “Two for the Road” for Two Violins (Charles Stegeman and Rachel Stegeman, violins); Schubert’s “Die Forelle” (“The Trout”) (Ms. Gruber, Mr. Binder); and Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet (David Allen Wehr, piano; Ms. Stegeman; Marylene Gingras-Roy, viola; David Premo, cello; Jeffrey Turner, contrabass).
Tickets: $10; 412-232-3853 or www.duq.edu/schubert. Season tickets available.
FREE STUFF
Friday
• Duquesne University Tamburitzans perform at South Park Amphitheatre at 7:30 p.m. Friday as part of the Allegheny County Summer Concert Series.
• Station Square Summer Jam series comes to a close with The Gathering Field and Nameless in August at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
• Local country band The Stickers play the Summersounds series at St. Clair Park, Greensburg, at 7 p.m. Friday. www.summersounds.com.
Saturday
Dwayne Dolphin performs the final concert in the Stars at Riverview Jazz Series at 7 p.m. Saturday at Observatory Hill, Riverview Park. 412-255-2493 and www.Citiparks.net
Sunday
• River City Brass Band performs at Hartwood Acres at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the last free concert of the Allegheny County Summer Concert Series.
• Wilson/Barnes/Throckmorton Trio plays the Reservoir of Jazz Concert Series in Highland Park at 5 p.m. Sunday. www.Citiparks.net.
Cinema in the Park
Citiparks’ Dollar Bank Cinema in the Park screens “McFarland, USA” at Brookline Memorial Park, Oakridge Street, tonight; at Arsenal Park, Lawrenceville, Friday; and at Grandview Park, Mount Washington, Saturday. “Guardians of the Galaxy” is screened at Riverview Park, Observatory Hill, on Saturday. “DisneyNature’s Bears” concludes the series at Schenley Park, Flagstaff Hill, Sunday. All films start at dusk. www.citiparks.net.
First Published: August 27, 2015, 4:00 a.m.
