Britsburgh launches two new societies during festival
This year’s Britsburgh Festival, the third, launches two more channels for exploring “the connections that link the Pittsburgh region with Britain and the Commonwealth of Nations.”
So says Robert Charlesworth, chairman of the nonprofit British-American Connections Pittsburgh that sponsors the Britsburgh brand and fest as part of its mission of “Building bridges across communities by driving growth in British-American culture, education, history, tradition and trade in Pittsburgh.”
During the 20-plus events, which run Tuesday through next Sunday, two “societies” will be started: a History Society and Commonwealth Dining Society.
The latter’s first event will be on Saturday — a buffet of Southern Indian dishes, which are very popular in Britain, at Tamarind Flavor of India in Oakland. Following a BYOB reception and meal, the event keynote will be a restaurant staff presentation about the food and the culture.
Other existing Britsburgh societies — Arts, Beer, Innovators, Literary and Tea — are aligned with other events. For instance, the beer society will kick things off Tuesday at East End Brewing Co. in Larimer with a tribute to the man who helped launch that group: Tony “The Beerman” Knipling, who died at the end of July. Attendees can try a “Tony Knipling Cask” ale with British food available for purchase and live music. That beer, an extra special bitter made entirely with United Kingdom ingredients, also will be poured at Saturday’s Steel City Big Pour at Construction Junction in Point Breeze.
More in the mood for tea? There’s a A Right Royal Afternoon Tea at Mansions on Fifth on Tuesday afternoon, and “Sconehenge” is back, too, with “A Game of Scones” theme, Thursday at Anchor & Anvil in Ben Avon and Sunday at Anchor & Anvil in Coraopolis.
Britsburgh society members receive discounted or free registration for themselves and friends for most festival events. Plans start at $6 per month for an individual to join one society or $8 to join them all, and there are family and corporate plans as well. A travel one is to launch next month with a “Jane Austen, The Brontes, Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter Literary Tour” of England. Visit britsburgh.com for a full festival schedule. Other events include:
Wednesday: “Music by Moonlight” at Hartwood Acres Mansion. Attendees can dress up, wear hats, enjoy a BYOB picnic and be entertained by Pittsburgh Savoyards, Musical Theatre Artists of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Festival Opera performers — under a full moon. Also: morning and afternoon Downtown walking tours, an art program at Trinity Cathedral and a music program at Heinz Memorial Chapel.
Thursday: A “quintessentially British afternoon of lawn bowling” at Frick Park and an evening of British comedy — “Quest for the Grail & Ale” — at Leaning Cask Brewing Co. in Springdale, serving up another Britsburgh ESB
with food truck British grub. Plus, “The History of Rolls-Royce” at The Frick Pittsburgh. Friday: A morning Beatrix Potter reading and afternoon tea/talk on Simon Girty in Millvale; Unrehearsed Shakespeare Project’s “Two Gentlemen of Verona” at Hartwood Acres Mansion; and “Scandal! Mary Schenley revealed” in the English Nationality Room of the Cathedral of Learning in Oakland.
Saturday: A lecture and British pie tasting at Bushy Run Battlefield in Jeannette and a lunch discussion and quiz about Sherlock Holmes and “The Adventure of the Six Napoleons” at Old Town Buffet.
Sunday: A Very British Day Out II at Sewickley’s Linwood Park. A celebration of British and Commonwealth sports such as cricket, rugby and football (that’s played with a round ball), as well as family sack, three-legged, egg and spoon racing; wellie throwing; live music; British cars; fancy dress and the Great British baking competitions; and more. There’s also BBC (British film, Brunch and Cinema) at Dormont’s Hollywood Theater, an afternoon tea in the officer’s tent and military miniatures at Woodville Plantation in Collier and a free Highland Park performance of “Henry V.”