Celebrate Earth Day with high-end dinner, pub crawl
p.m. pre-reception with extra entertainment. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to Sustainable Pittsburgh and 412 Food Rescue.
For tickets: showclix.
Other food-related Earth Day events include:
Solar Powered Food Truck Festival: From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 21 and 22, food trucks will sell their goods under solar power along Fourth Street adjacent to Market Square and PPG. Participating food trucks are BRGR, BullDawg’s, Evil Swine BBQ, Franktuary, Hott Dawgz, Kona Ice Pittsburgh, Mac & Gold, Mobile Chef, Nakama, Oh My Grill, PGH Crepes, PGH Halal, Pgh Po’boy, The Sandwich Truck, South Side BBQ Company, Stickler’s, Sugar & Spice, Wings & Things, Wood Fired Flatbreads and Wok of Life. Zero Fossil Energy Outfitters, Pittsburgh Earth Day’s energy sponsor, will provide the solar-powered setup for the day. Mobile fashion trucks Magnolia on Main, The Vintage Valet and Style Truck will also bring their inventories.
PNC Sustainable Lunch + Learn: From noon to 2 p.m. April 21 sustainability leaders will discuss the “wellness” aspect of sustainability. Panelists will include Leah Lizarondo of 412 Food Rescue, Erin Hart of Farm to Table and Jake Seltman of Grow Pittsburgh. The keynote speaker is FoodCorps’ Curt Ellis, a national speaker who leads efforts to connect kids to healthy food in school. Lunch will be catered by Downtown’s Capital Grille, which will bring a sustainable menu. Lunch will be held in The Tower at PNC Plaza, Downtown. Admission is free, but advance tickets are required: showclix.com/event/pgh-earthday
Sustainable Sips Pub Crawl: Also a first-time event, the pub crawl from 1 to 5 p.m. April 22 features stops at seven Downtown bars: Diamont Market, Wingharts, The Yard, Primanti Bros., Revel + Roost, Nola on the Square and Cityworks. Participants must stop by Great Lakes Brewing Company’s tent in Market Square to pick up a Pub Crawl Passport. They can then go to each bar, have a beer and get their passports stamped. For every five completed passports returned to the tent, Great Lakes Brewing will plant a tree.
For details on all the attractions, go to pittsburghearthday.
More Earth Day events
Under the Green Dome: Executive chef Chuck Ney presents make-your-own mozzarella demos. 6 and 7:30 p.m. April 21 at Braddock’s Pittsburgh Brasserie Street Side Bar, Downtown. Between demos, meet local artist Mia Tarducci and explore her artwork in the lobby of the Renaissance Hotel. Ages 21 and up can also enjoy an Earth Day-inspired Braddock’s cocktail.
Eat and Drink the Earth: Speed talks with earth-friendly and influential Pittsburgh food and drink makers, including talks about baking with local grains and native plants that support pollinators. Also, tastings of Wigle honey spirits from noon to 1:30 p.m. and a market and sampling from 1:30 to 3 p.m. April 23 at Wigle Whiskey, Strip District. Free, but register ahead at wiglewhiskey.com.
Fundraisers
North Hills Brewfest: Home-brewed beer competition, games, food and more. 7 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at Teutonia Mannerchor, North Side. $35; $8 for designated drivers. Benefits Wesley Spectrum. Tickets: 412952-7215.
Neighborhood Block Party: All-ages event with food stations, live music, appearances by Pittsburgh Princesses and World Yo-yo Champion Ky Zizan, face painting, games, silent auction and more. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 27 at The Chadwick in McCandless. $30; $15 for ages 3-10. Benefits North Hills Community Outreach. Register by Thursday. nhco.org/2017-neighborhood
Looking back
Cocktails & Camaraderie: Vintage cocktails and music popular during the Civil War, World War I and Vietnam, plus appetizers, cash bar and museum exhibits. 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall, Oakland. $5 in advance; $10 at the door. brownpapertickets.com/event/2882604.
Food contests
Pizza competition: Three chefs from Caliente Pizza & Draft House won first-place honors last month at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Eric Von Hansen won best nontraditional pizza in the Northeast division for his “Hanger 18.” Nick Fink won best traditional pizza in the Northeast division for his “Classico.” Matt Hickey claimed the World Pizza Games gold medal for largest dough stretch. Caliente has locations in Bloomfield, Hampton and Mt. Lebanon.
Chef competition: The American Academy of Culinary Arts at Pittsburgh Technical College in Oakdale played host to the Chaine de Rotisseurs competition on March 21. The winner of the pastry chef portion of the competition was Will Racin of Downtown’s Duquesne Club.
Polish Easter tradition with pierogies, kielbasa & kraut sandwiches, desserts, live polka music, Polish merchandise vendors. 2 to 8 p.m. Monday at Polish Falcons of America Nest 8, South Side. $3 per person admission. facebook.com (search on “Dyngus Day”).