Families can take “Flights of Fancy” this Sunday at the Pittsburgh Park Conservancy’s free Family Day at Schenley Plaza in Oakland and walk on over to enjoy Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Summer Reading Extravaganza, too.
In partnership with the library, books will be brought to life through storytelling at the conservancy event, along with live bird encounters, free rides on the PNC carousel, crafts, costumed characters and more, according to a conservancy news release. The event takes place from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
On the schedule is an Autism Pittsburgh Azure Family Concerts’ Flights of Imagination Musical Adventure from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Schenley Plaza tent. It includes 45 minutes of live music, during which audience members of all behaviors are welcome to sit, stand, walk around, dance and more, according to the organization’s website. Following the performance attendees may participate in an “Instrument Petting Zoo,” where they can learn more about, hold and play instruments. To attend, RSVP on the organization’s website.
The library’s family-friendly outdoor festival includes music, activities, crafts, storytelling, food trucks and more, and it starts at noon and ends at 5 p.m. Author Antwan Eady will be signing copies of his book “Nigel and the Moon,” and free copies will be available while the supply lasts. Other highlights include a Storytime Under the Moon, courtesy of the Moonshoot Museum; Puppets for Pittsburgh presenting its version of “Aesop’s Fables several times”; and Squonk performing the boisterous outdoor spectacle “Brouhaha,” according to the library’s website.
This year the conservancy’s free Family Day has been extended to other city parks, including Allegheny Commons and Riverview Park. It will continue through October, according to the news release, to ensure “all families can enjoy the magic of park programs together — no admission fee required.”
Funding from Peoples Gas helped enable the series expansion, “focusing on ensuring that children can play, learn and connect in the city’s parks.” The conservancy said Little Spoon is supporting this August Family Day event.
The library will celebrate surpassing its Summer Reading goal of 80,000 books read and logged on Sunday, according to its website. That means “our gravity-defying grand prize has been unlocked, and the lucky winner of a special 2026 ‘Wicked Experience’ with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust will be revealed during the event.”
Helen is a copy editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but she's currently on strike. Contact her at hfallon@unionprogress.com.