RADical Days feature weeks of free events at more than 60 locations
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — RADical Days 2022 begins Sept. 9 and offers more than five weeks of free events at more than 60 locations around the region.
The Regional Asset District works by getting one cent from every tax dollar in Allegheny County, and half of that goes to regional assets like libraries, museums, parks, arts organizations and other regional attractions.
Those places are now giving back.
RADical Days can be a great chance to try something you've never done before. On Sept. 14, Squonk brings its outdoor music spectacle called "Hand to Hand" to RADdays on the Rachel Carson Bridge.
Founded in Pittsburgh 30 years ago and now an international touring company, the free show features 25-foot-tall hands moving to the music.
Steve O'Hearn, Squonk's co-artistic director, said, "Hands are how we do things as humans, how we make things happen. It gives us our capacity to do things, and there's a lot of really interesting bioengineering and evolution."
Kids and adults get to be part of the show and participate in workshops, learning how the giant hands operate and how the artists create the whole spectacle.
Another free show to try is from Pittsburgh Opera. It usually performs at the Benedum Center with full-scale productions, but it is offering an introduction to opera for anyone who may want to try it for the first time.
Chris Cox, Pittsburgh Opera's marketing and communications director, said, "If folks out there haven't been to opera, maybe they like musicals but don't know much about opera, this is a very, very easy, low-risk way to come check it out."
The rising stars of the Pittsburgh Opera, who are professional resident artists, will sing a variety of musical styles, and the audience chooses the finale. The show is on Sept. 11 at 6 p.m.
RAD funding was a huge help to many arts organizations that struggled without ticket sales during the pandemic, and it demonstrates the region's commitment to a high quality of life for residents.
"They recognize that to be a world-class place to live, you have to have a lot of fun things to do, including world-class performing arts organizations," Cox said.
These are just a handful of the more than 75 free events from Sept. 9 through Oct. 16. To see the complete calendar of events, click here.
For events happening for kids and families all year long, go to Kidsburgh's website.
