Glorious Pittsburgh

Oh, Pittsburgh, you're a glorious gem of a city. You're superb, fantastic, superior in every way. Words cannot describe just how much you rock ... errr, maybe just not my egregiously ineloquent words. We'll leave that to the professionals.

American Shorts Reading Series and Creative Nonfiction present [trumpet sound] "Pittsburgh in Words." See? Apparently, it can be done.

Seven writers from Creative Nonfiction's newest publication will read their essays about the 'Burgh. Between readings, you can ponder just what "creative nonfiction" means. Is it nonfiction written creatively? So does that mean it's not entirely true? In which case, should it really fall under the category of nonfiction? Or is it just nonfiction written well? In which case, why call it "creative"? Or you can just grab a cold one from Penn Brewery, which will be on hand. Nine out of 10 recommend the latter.

After the readings, John Rice's "Milk Crate" will be screened. It's part of "Greeting from Pittsburgh: Neighborhood Narratives."

Readings, screenings and pondering all goes down at WYEP Community Broadcast Center, South Side, at 7:30 tonight. Tickets are $10. Call 412-622-8866 for tickets or visit www.pittsburghlectures.org.

-- Kate McCaffrey

Gallery Crawl

An exhibit of political cartoons, a father-son exhibition at CAPA and a dance performance by the Pillow Project are on the agenda for the Gallery Crawl Downtown Friday.

Presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the Gallery Crawl is free and runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m.

Here are a few of the highlights:

• Wood Street Galleries, 601 Wood St.: ZEE[RANGE], Art by Kurt Hentschlager.

709 Penn Gallery, 709 Penn Ave.: "Dreams Inside Reality": Leslie Ansley's images of the Hill District's hopes to regain its identity while facing obstacles towards change. Live music by Carolyn Perteete Band

• 820 Liberty: "American Dread": An exhibit of political and humor cartoons by Gary Huck, featuring a voter's guide to anxiety about the upcoming election.

• 937 3rd floor, 937 Liberty Ave.: ArtUp presents: The People's History Project: Mike Konopacki (political cartoonist) leads the audience through an installation tour of converting Howard Zinn's written history into a graphic one. Amy Trompetter (and the Wobbly Bucket Brigade) exhibits her world renowned puppets and traveling show of Howard Zinn's work, co-presented by the Black Sheep Puppet Festival.

• CAPA Gallery, 111 Ninth St.: "DNA: Dennis-Nick-Art": Father and son Dennis and Nick Childers explore the differences and similarities in their work featuring video, sound, sculpture and painting.

• 121 Seventh St.: The Design Pittsburgh 2008 Exhibit and Live music by The Metropolitans.

• Katz Plaza, Seventh Street and Penn Avenue: Live Dance by The Pillow Project, performed every 45 minutes

For more information, visit www.pgharts.org or call 412-456-6666.

German imports

Over in the Strip District a reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Society for Contemporary Craft, 2100 Smallman St., welcomes two exhibitions inspired by the badge collection of the Museum der Arbeit, Germany.

"The Enamel Experience," from the University of the West of England, Bristol, comprises new works by 23 artists ranging from design-based expression to political platform to family memento. "TAG" exhibits small metal works by graduate students from East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C.

They'll talk about their works from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday. At 6:30 tonight, exhibiting metalsmith Robert Ebendorf and show curator Elizabeth Turrell lecture (free). Call for information on weekend workshops, 412-261-7003, ext.15.

Party in 1958

Party like it's the '50s from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at The Andy Warhol Museum, ushering in "1958" (remember Elvis, Nikita and "Zhivago"?) -- with "Detroit, Carbo Prints, 1958," photographs by McDermott and McGough shot at The Henry Ford Museum, and "Isn't That Amazing! The Appeal and Spiel of Ronco and Popeil," gadgets from the heyday of the entrepreneurial Chicago family ($15, cash bar and light bites, 412-237-8300).

-- Mary Thomas

Shack Shakers

Imagine Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Cramps meeting in a roadhouse and you get some of idea of Th' Legendary Shack Shakers, rising up from Kentucky Friday to shake the Thunderbird Cafe in Lawrenceville.

The Shack Shakers, having just released the album "Swampblood," are led by Colonel JD Wilkes, a singer-harpist with a dangerous disposition, and former Jesus Lizard guitarist Duane Denison.

A beer-drinking, hell-raising time will be had by just about all. It begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12-$14. Call 412-323-1919

-- Scott Mervis

Magical musical

"Magic Tree House: The Musical," a Broadway-style show based on Mary Pope Osborne's best-selling children's book, gets a weekend run 7 p.m. Friday and 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday at the Byham Theater, Downtown.

Osborne has endorsed the stage version of her books, saying, "Reading and writing are about the magic of the imagination. This musical, in my opinion, multiplies that magic 10 times."

The musical sends Jack and Annie, the series' brother-sister team, on a quest to restore joy and magic to King Arthur's kingdom.

Upcoming Trust Presents children's theater, all based on popular books: "If You Give a Pig a Pancake" (Oct. 19-27), "The Velveteen Rabbit" (Nov. 19-23) and "Nate the Great" (Jan. 11-18).

Tickets: $15-$42; the Box Office at Theater Square, www.pgharts.org or 412-456-6666.

-- Sharon Eberson

Thrillbilly jam

LeeAnn Womack, two-time Grammy winner behind the hit "I Hope You Dance," headlines the Y108 Thrillbilly Country Bash Saturday at the Lernerville Speedway in Sarver. Also performing will be Sarah Marince, Y108/Kenny Chesney "Next Big Star" winner NOMaD, the Chris Higbee Project and The Lost Trailers, with the breakout hit "Holler Back!"

Between acts, there will be a Monster Truck show with AfterShock and Warrior. Gates will open at 3 p.m.; show at 4 p.m. Tickets are $20; $10 children 5-15; under 4 free. Go to www.Lernerville.com or call 724-353-1511.

Opera Open House

The Pittsburgh Opera is throwing open its doors to show off its huge new digs in the Strip Saturday with a raft of free public concerts. In addition to a Brown Bag Opera performance by the company's young and talented resident artists, the Opera has invited other local groups it often partners with to join in the festivities: Attack Theatre, Children's Festival Chorus and Chatham Baroque. There also will be family activities in the costume & prop areas and refreshments. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and shows run until 3:30 p.m. The Opera building is at 2425 Liberty Ave.; call 412-281-0912 for information.

-- Andrew Druckenbrod

Cat comes back

Got an aspiring Gershwin at home? Trying to dissuade your son from playing the recorder? Listened to your daughter's recital piece too many times? Take 'em dahntahn to Heinz Hall for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Fiddlesticks performance. Conductor Lawrence Loh and the PSO will perform selections from "Annie," "Sound of Music" and, just for good measure, Mozart's "The Magic Flute."

Before the concert, kids can meet PSO musicians, learn songs and participate in musical activities, all part of Discovery Time Adventures.

The concert begins at 11:15 a.m. and pre-concert fun at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $16, $19. 412-392-4900 or visit www.pitts-burghsymphony.org.

-- McCaffrey

• Artist and educator Elizabeth Asche Douglas will lecture on "African American Artists: Community, Collaboration & the Quest for Social Justice," from the Harlem Renaissance to the present, at 6 p.m. Friday in Sweetwater Center for the Arts, 200 Broad St., Sewickley. Wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served ($10, at the door or register at 412-741-4405).

• The annual PumpkinFest Bicycle Ride from Ohiopyle to Confluence along the Great Allegheny Passage will be Sunday. Riders meet in the parking lot of the Western Maryland Railway station in Ohiopyle at 10 a.m. and depart for Confluence shortly afterward for an easy 11-mile ride along the Youghiogheny River. The festival will offer all types of food -- from traditional barbecue to Asian specialities -- and a variety of desserts. For details, call 1-800-992-7238.

• The Midwife Center for Birth & Women's Health is sponsoring a screening of Ricki Lake's documentary about birth, "The Business of Being Born," at Waterworks Cinema in Aspinwall on Saturday. The event begins at 9:30 a.m. with a bagels-and-coffee reception, with an introduction and screening at 10 a.m, followed by a Q&A session with nurse-midwives. Tickets are $10; two for $15 with proceeds benefiting The Midwife Center. Visit www.midwifecenter.org or call 412- 321-6884.

• The 63rd season of Music for Mt. Lebanon begins Saturday with The Pied Pipers backed by The Clambake Seven. The Pied Pipers were the vocal group that joined the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and Frank Sinatra in 1940 and soon recorded their legendary hit, "I'll Never Smile Again." The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001. It begins at 7:30 p.m. at Mt. Lebanon High School auditorium. Tickets are $25 to $30. Call 412-264-3354.