Fest for kids

The Pittsburgh International Children's Festival is under way in the heart of Oakland's cultural center this week. The 24th annual festival brings an international roster of children's performance groups to town, along with a slew of free activities for kids and families. Performances explore themes such as conservation, imagination, friendship and more.

One highlight is a world premiere by a local ensemble. "Beppe's Elephant," a production by Zany Umbrella Circus, combines circus arts, puppetry, video and music.

Two performances will have U.S. premieres: "The Man Who Planted Trees" by the Puppet State Theatre Company of Scotland, and "Droplets" by La Societa Della Civetta of Italy.

The rest of the performance lineup includes "Aga-Boom," a Russia/U.S. production created by Dimitri Bogatirev; "Bathtime" by Theatre Bouches Decousues of Quebec; and a performance by the Mapapa Acrobats of Kenya.

An interactive technology installation created by Pittsburgh-based artists Fouad Bou-Joude, Amer Obeidah and Jason Smith features a digital harp with laser light strings, and a sound pad that creates music from the nations featured in this year's festival.

The festival runs through Sunday. Performances take place indoors at the University of Pittsburgh's Charity Randall Theatre, Studio Theatre and the Bellefield Hall Auditorium, and outdoors in Schenley Plaza and the green spaces near the University of Pittsburgh.

Hours for the free outdoor activities and performances are weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information: 412-456-6666 or www.pghkids.org.

'Sublime' exhibit

Just in time for summer, "Small but Sublime: Intimate 19th Century American Landscapes," paintings from the Newark Museum spanning the Hudson River School to American Impressionism, opens with a reception from 6 to 8 tonight at The Frick Art & Historical Center.

The exhibition features 22 small-scale paintings and drawings by 18 American artists, ranging from the realism of the Hudson River School to the colorful canvases of the American Impressionists.

"Small but Sublime" opens Friday and runs through Sept. 5. Admission is free. The reception is $12; members $10; reservations recommended at 412-371-0600.

Comedy Factory

Inspired by Warhol's Factory parties in New York City, the third installment of Gab Bonesso's Comedy Party features rock band School of Athens, comedian John McIntire, actor Jay Keenan, puppeteer Flora Shepherd, Phineas (the shark), musician Neal Rosenblat, City Theatre's Natalie Hatcher and the DVE Morning Show's Sean Collier. Ms. Bonesso will close the show with a full-length set from her "Gab Bonesso: Living Life at a 3rd Grade Level Tour."

It's at Bricolage Theater, 937 Liberty Ave., Downtown, at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $10 at the door. Information: www.webbricolage.org or 412-381-6999.

Musical 'Beauty'

Starting in 1989, "Beauty Shop" began touring the United States on a three-year run that included 65 cities, including 13 weeks at the 2,800-seat New Beacon Theatre in New York City.

The 2010 version of playwright Shelly Garrett's show, an all-African-American production that has been going strong in various incarnations for 20 years, takes the stage at the August Wilson Center for three shows Saturday and Sunday.

The performers bring the show into the audience so that they can feel a part of the music and gossip and the general mayhem at the Pamper Me salon.

Showtimes are 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $28-$38 at 412-456-6666 or pgharts.org.

Riding Pittsburgh

Get your bike out on Sunday for Pedal Pittsburgh 2010, which offers a variety of courses geared for bicyclists of all abilities. The rain-or-shine rides, which begin and end at the SouthSide Works, cover 6, 15, 25, 35, 50 and 60 miles.

The event is organized by the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, a nonprofit group dedicated to improving "the quality of life through design of the built environment." Riders will be able to participate in something new this year -- interactive activities at some rest areas. Among other things, they will be invited to create a three-dimensional picture plan of their ideas for Pittsburgh; appear in front of video cameras to talk about Pittsburgh parks; create a "Wordle" -- a "cool collage of words" -- to describe Pittsburgh's trails and public spaces.

The courses will be marked with directional signs. Cue sheets describing course turns will be available at preregistration and packet pickup locations, at the start and at rest stops -- Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, Riverview Park, Highland Park, Schenley Park and Station Square, which will have water and/or light snacks.

Registration fees are $30 for individuals and $60 for families of up to five members -- up to two adults and three children 17 or younger. You also can register as early as 6:30 a.m. Sunday. The fee includes lunch and entertainment after the ride. If you need a bike for the ride, Golden Triangle Bike Rental offers a variety of bicycles for adults and children. The cost includes a helmet and delivery and pickup at the SouthSide Works. It also has child trailers. Proceeds benefit the center's various programs. Information: www.pedalpittsburgh.org or 412-232-3545.

• Grammy-winning conscious hip-hop band Arrested Development, which scored such hits as "Tennessee" and "People Everyday," will play a benefit concert at Shady Side Academy, 423 Fox Chapel Road, at 6 p.m. Saturday for Gilda's Club of Western Pennsylvania. Tickets are $20; $15 for students of any school; each adult may bring one child age 13 and under for free, and additional children's tickets are $5. All tickets at the gate are $20. Information: www.shadysideacademy.org or 412-968-3160. Gilda's Club is an organization that works to provide people living with cancer and their families.

• Inventive photographer extraordinaire Maggie Taylor will present a lecture, followed by a book signing, at 6:30 p.m. today in the Carnegie Museum of Art Theater (free, seating limited). Friday, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., an opening reception will be held for her exhibition "These Strange Adventures: The Art of Maggie Taylor" at Silver Eye Center for Photography ($6, members free). Ms. Taylor and her husband, photographer Jerry Uelsmann, will attend (412-431-1810).

• The Oliver Miller Homestead in South Park will hold its annual Wool Day on Sunday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sheep from a local farm will be sheared, lambs will be penned for petting and docents will also demonstrate the steps needed to take the wool from the sheep to articles of clothing. Admission is $2. Information: 412-835-1554 or www.olivermiller.org.

• Students with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School's pre-professional division perform classic and contemporary works, accompanied by the Carnegie Mellon University String Quartet, at three performances. Excerpts from "Tarantella," "Etudes," "Flames of Paris," "Sleeping Beauty" and premieres by PBT faculty member Alan Obuzor and choreographer Viktor Plotnikov will be staged. 7 p.m. Friday; 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. Sunday. GRW Performance Studio, Point Park University, Downtown. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased by calling 412-281-6727.

• Dierks Bentley, playing a sold-out show at Mr. Small's tonight, is out on the Up on the Ridge Tour, previewing his upcoming bluegrass/roots/acoustic-inspired album (due June 8) that features the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Alison Kraus, Del McCoury and Vince Gill.

Critics Andrew Druckenbrod and Scott Mervis talk about music on "The Beat," available exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.