featureBy Nicole Barley, aNdrea Bosco, aNd rachel JoNes

coNtriButiNg Writer KatheriNe christoff

Looking to turn up the heat on your summer caLendar? these concerts, gaLas, and gatherings wiLL have you ceLebrating the season in styLe. pLus,

we’re commemorating the return of the point state park fountain!

Photograph by Cayla Zahoran, from Venture Outdoors.

Water Worksthe fountain at point state park is a point of reference, an undeniable icon, a sentinel of the city’s three rivers — and this June marked the magnificent return of the water sculpture. after a dry spell due to two year’s worth of

renovations, the reinvigorated fountain and surrounding park, first established in 1974, is the largest reconstruction in pennsylvania state park history. the fountain’s central column reaches heights of 150 feet, and improvements include a cascade waterfall, new stone paving surfaces, plumbing, and lighting. the fountains three fanned water features, referred to as “peacock tails,” symbolize the three rivers, and so, the magical place where the allegheny, ohio, and monongahela rivers converge (along with the wisconsin glacial flow aquifer, which runs quietly and powerfully underground) is the point where we begin our summer in the city. from kayaking to biking, picnics to people watching, there’s plenty to see and do along pittsburgh’s riverfront. visit the fountain between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., spring through fall, and soak in the beauty of the city. For more information, visit pointstatepark.com.

Venture Outdoors: Kayak Pittsburghbreathe in the great outdoors with pittsburgh’s trails, parks, and waterways. kayak pittsburgh, a project of venture outdoors, offers hourly kayak and bicycle rentals in the north shore, millvale riverfront park, and north park. several guided, themed kayaking programs are available all summer through venture outdoors for $30-$75. alyson walls of venture outdoors says kayaking on pittsburgh’s three rivers is popular with tourists and long-time residents. “it’s a great way to see the sights — including the city skyline, point state park, historic bridges, pnc park, and heinz field — from a new vantage point and experience the tranquility of the water,” walls says. “you might also spot birds, fish, and other wildlife along the shore.” even first-time kayakers need not worry. the flat-water kayaking is perfect for beginners, and it’s easy to pick up the technique after just a few minutes of instructions from the staff. but you will definitely feel the burn! “it’s a great upper body and core workout,” walls says. “i also find it very peaceful, quiet, and relaxing to listen to the water lapping around your kayak and paddle. solo kayaks are $16/hour, tandem kayaks are $21.50/hour, and bicycles are $8/hour. Kayak Pittsburgh, kayakpittsburgh.org.

The Grand Slam Packagefairmont pittsburgh is teaming up with the pittsburgh pirates to offer the grand slam package. enjoy two tickets to a pittsburgh pirates game at pnc park, overnight accommodations in a pnc park-view guest room at fairmont pittsburgh, hotel parking, homemade cracker Jacks, a baseball glove to take to the game, and use of an in-room nintendo wii baseball game. get in on this home run deal thursday through sunday until September 22. rates start at $329 per night. Fairmont Pittsburgh, Downtown. fairmont.com/pittsburgh. PNC Park, North Shore. pirates.com.

Save the Sea Turtlesmake a splash with the save the sea turtles package, which includes overnight accommodations at fairmont pittsburgh, four tickets to the pittsburgh Zoo & ppg aquarium, a sea turtle stuffed animal, and a $25 donation to the pittsburgh Zoo’s sea turtle second chance program. the program rescues injured sea turtles from north carolina, south carolina, and virginia beaches and sends them to the pittsburgh Zoo for rehab. soak up this special thursday through sunday until August 31. rates start at $299 per night. Fairmont Pittsburgh, Downtown. fairmont.com/pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, Highland Park. pittsburghzoo.org.

Bruno Marscelebrate fourth of July early with an explosive performance by bruno mars. the smooth singer is performing at consoL energy center with special guest ellie goulding. as part of the moonshine Jungle world tour, this show will have you dancing, singing, and swooning all night. missing this concert will definitely feel like getting locked out of heaven! CONSOL Energy Center, Uptown. ticketmaster.com. Bruno Mars, brunomars.com.

Summer in the City

July 2 Available until August 31

Available until September 22 July 2 -4

Photographs from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Three Rivers Regatta, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, CONSOL Energy Center.

Three Rivers Regattathe three rivers regatta is the largest event of its kind in the country, and, in its 36th year in the city, this year’s celebration promises to be a surging success. attend the free festivities at point state park, including two fireworks shows, presented by Zambelli fireworks, on July 3 and of course, on July 4. Jefferson starship will headline the main stage, and the powerboat north american championships will have the rivers rocking. Get the complete schedule at threeriversregatta.net.

Deutschtown Music Festivalcelebrate the booming local music scene with an all-day festival in historic deutschtown! more than 40 live bands, ranging from rock and blues to bluegrass and electronica, will play in a variety of indoor and outdoor venues across the north side. food trucks will be available, but admission is free. after running two successful deutschtown bar crawls in the fall, cody walters was inspired to host a summer event. “with the music we already have in this neighbor-hood — be it the parkhouse, James st., or the elks — music was a natural choice as a new venture,” walters says. “my hope is to inspire new people to come and see how awe-some our neighborhood is and for some of our other venues to take on having live music.” Deutschtown Music Festival, deutschtownmusicfestival.org.

Cosmopolitan Pittsburghpittsburgh cultural trust partners board and presenting sponsors upmc and upmc health plan are hosting the seventh annual consoL energy cosmopolitan pittsburgh. the festivities kick off with a gallery crawl at 5:30 p.m. and close at 9 p.m. with a dance party at the byham theater for desserts! “it’s an exciting venue because people have the chance to go to the byham to see shows, but they don’t have the chance to go on-stage themselves,” says pct manager of individual giving heather masterson. the all-inclusive event features an exclusive dinner party; sensational, unlimited cocktails; a private art show; and music by the boilermaker Jazz band. “it’s a terrific way to enjoy the city on a summer night.” Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Downtown. trustarts.culturaldistrict.org.

Ticket packages include: General admission: • $40 in advance for members • $50 in advance for non-members • $75 day-of and at the door includes passport to gallery crawl and dance party

VIP admission: • $85 in advance for members • $95 in advance for non-members • $125 day-of and at the doorincludes complimentary reserved parking at theater square, passport to gallery crawl and dance party, access to two secret vip destinations during the crawl with distinct menu items, speciality cocktails, and installations by local artists.

Jetsetter admission: • $500 in advance includes two vip tickets, complimentary reserved parking at theater square garage, a pittsburgh cultural trust membership at the Leader partner level for one year, and special recognition as a Jetsetter individual sponsor.

Disney’s The Little Mermaidpittsburgh is heading under the sea for the first time, as the pittsburgh cLo presents Disney’s The Little Mermaid. the broadway hit tells the treasured tale of a mermaid, ariel, who dreams of a life as a human. Jessica grové, who plays the magical mermaid, and an outstanding cast sing the favorite tunes by eight-time academy award winner alan menken, like “part of your world” and “kiss the girl.” the stunning set at the benedum center is sure to delight children and adults alike. Benedum Center, Downtown. pittsburghclo.org.

Mac Millerwelcome home! mac miller

returns to his old stomping grounds as part of the

space migration tour. the one-time whirL cover star will be tearing up stage ae with special guests chance

the rapper, vince staples, and the internet. we know

he’ll be reppin’ his hometown with some of our favorite

tracks, including “party on fifth ave.,” “knock knock,”

and “frick park market.” Stage AE, North Shore.

promowestlive.com. Mac Miller, macmillerofficial.com.

Deutsch

town music Festiva

l

-july 6 2013-

park house, james street gastropub, the rathskellar @ max's allegheny tavern, main stage @ foreland st., stedeford's re-cords, artists image resource, peanutz, key west, bistro to go & Co. & more...

Meeting of Important People, The Harlan Twins, Bastard Bearded Irishmen, Round Black Ghosts, Locks and Dams, Chet Vincent and The Big Bend, Autobahn, Ishtar, Grand Piano, Big Gypsy, The Red Western, Brewer's Row, Dave O'Brien

Trio, Triggers, Legs Like Tree Trunks, The FED, Nic Lawless and his Young Crimina-les, Neighbours, Nerve Ending, Gene Stovall, Mega Def, Tracksploitation, DJ Three, Chrome Baby Jesus, DJ Harry Lurker, The Wreckids, Blue X Baxter, Faithful Sin-ners, Dan Pritchard, Ike Mississippi, Tyree Morgan, Household Stories, Blue Red-shift, Motometer, Weird Paul, Casino Bulldogs, Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo, The Dressed Frets, Adadsdad, The Banned, & Hot Metal Bridge

bands

venues

www.deutschtownmusicfestival.org www.facebook.com/DeutschtownMusicFestival

July 6

July 9-21

July 12

July 12

Photographs from Billy Bustamante, by Adam Milliron, Cayla Zahoran.

Summer in the City

Night in the Tropicsspend a “night in the tropics,” surrounded by exotic birds and reggae tunes at the national aviary’s annual summer party. the fundraiser, which benefits the aviary’s programs, will offer signature drinks and dining selections from 30 of the city’s best restaurants and bakeries. groove to music by the freedom band and enter raffles to win penguin and parrot paintings, and a caribbean cruise! this year, a special rate is being offered for groups of six or more: $45 per person. doors open for vip ticket holders ($125/per person) at 6 p.m. and at 7 p.m. for general admission ($60/per person). National Aviary, North Side. aviary.org.

A Toast to Little Heartsexperience a summer evening in shadyside tasting fine wines and viewing the unique collection of automobiles housed at auto palace porsche at a toast to Little hearts, a benefit supporting the heart institute at children’s hospital of pittsburgh of upmc. presented by the children’s hospital of pittsburgh foundation heart institute auxiliary and morgan stanley, guests are invited to attend the vip reception from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and general admission from 6:30-9 p.m. dress is summer corporate casual. a limited number of vip tickets are available for $175 per person. general admission tickets are $125. To order online, visit showclix.com/atoasttolittlehearts, or for questions, call Karen Depperman at 412.692.3933.

ArtCity: Green ArtistsJoin artist educator alison k. babusci for a week of making art and helping the planet. at artcity: green artists, children are invited to explore creating works of art out of recyclable materials and traditional mediums. after looking for inspiration in pittsburgh’s cultural district and contemporary artists who use recyclable materials, the students can experiment and discover in groups how to create something beautiful out of what was supposed to be trash. registration fees are $95 for the first child, and $75 for subsequent siblings. Trust Arts Education Center, Downtown. Register online at TrustArts.org.

19th Annual Pittsburgh Blues Festivalthe blues fest is back for another year of food, fun, and vendors — accompanied by the music of popular, local blues bands! presented by peoples natural gas, the event will be held at hartwood acres and will benefit the greater pittsburgh community food bank. bring a bag of groceries for donation, and friday’s admission is free! Listen to smooth sounds by Los Lonely boys, miss freddye & blue faze, youngblood blues camp, and more. plus, grab treats at Joyce’s copper kettle fudge or take a hot-air balloon ride — perhaps after a stroll to the food trucks. a kidZone, featuring arts, crafts, and healthy snacks will be available. the personal cooler donation fee is $15. admission on saturday and sunday is $30 per day, in advance ($35 at gate), or $50 for a weekend pass — kids’ admission is free. a shuttle bus is available from pittsburgh to hartwood. Pittsburgh Blues Festival, 412.460.BLUE. pghblues.com.

The EaglesLast february, the eagles released a documentary of its career called “the history of the eagles.” to celebrate the event, the band launched a summer tour of the same name and it swoops down to pittsburgh this month. check into the hotel california, er, we mean consoL energy center, and enjoy a stellar show. CONSOL Energy Center, Uptown. ticketmaster.com. Eagles, eaglesband.com.

Ruckus Pittsburghgrab a buddy, and let’s get muddy! ruckus pittsburgh offers a challenging yet manageable obstacle adventure in 2-mile, 4-mile, or kids mini ruckus courses. the real feat will be conquering mt. ruckmore, a 2.5-story, 60,000-pound monster that’s seven obstacles rolled into one. if admiring a birds-eye view of the course is more your speed, stick around for the after-party for just as much fun. Washington County Fairgrounds, Washington. Ruckus Sports, runruckus.com.

Sign uponline with the

code WHIRLJULYfor $10 off!

July 13

July 13 July 18

July 19-21

July 22-26

July 23

Photographs from Ruckus Sports, CONSOL Energy Center, by Christina Shields, from Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

Summer in the City • Visit whirlmagazine.com for more events!

Under the Sun Tour 2013attention all 90s fans: the summer tour of your dreams is coming to stage ae! the under the sun tour features smash mouth, sugar ray, gin blossoms, vertical horizon, and fastball for the ultimate pop-alternative-rock fusion. from “all star” to “every morning” and everything in between, this show is the best we’ve ever had. Stage AE, North Shore. promowestlive.com. Under the Sun Tour, underthesuntour.com.

July 2gregg allman, Byham Theater

July 6taylor swift with ed sheeran, Heinz Field

July 8one direction, CONSOL Energy Center

July 8fitz & the tantrums, Mr. Smalls Funhouse

July 11o.a.r., Stage AE

July 13belle and sebastian, Stage AE

July 14big time rush and victoria Justice, First Niagara Pavilion

July 14great big sea, Hartwood Acres

July 16the flaming Lips, Stage AE

July 17vans warped tour, First Niagara Pavilion

July 18music of Led Zeppelin with pittsburgh symphony orchestra, Heinz Hall

July 18Jimmy buffett, First Niagara Pavilion

July 19the clarks, Stage AE

July 19Lynrd skynrd & bad company, First Niagara Pavilion

July 20Zac brown band, First Niagara Pavilion

July 21the heartbreaker tour: heart with Jason bonham’s Led Zeppelin experience, First Niagara Pavilion

July 28Joy ike with Johnny miller, Hartwood Acres

Zoo La La! swing by the pittsburgh Zoo & ppg aquarium for its 15th annual summer safari, “Zoo La La!” partiers can stroll while enjoying live entertainment, tasty bites, and the zoo’s award-winning exhibits. guests can quench their thirst with libations by bacardi and clique vodka. chaired by anita and Joe moran, the event will feature sounds by the standard band, the inconsiderate few, dJ mike mason, calypso gypsies steel drum band, and d.i.J.t. if you’re looking to go vip, tickets are $125 and include optimal parking, a private party area — sponsored by duane morris — from 5:30-7:30 p.m. with live entertainment, massages by massage envy, and vip-only lines at all bars. general admission tickets are $80 in advance and additionally include five drink vouchers. get there! Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, Highland Park. pittsburghzoo.org.

Buddy — The Buddy Holly Storyrelive the glory days of rock ‘n’ roll with buddy —the buddy holly story at the benedum center. charles hardin “buddy” holly took the music world by storm with his pop hits and amazing stage presence before his tragic death at age 22. the broadway show tells his story through more than 20 of buddy holly’s hit songs, including “peggy sue” and “everyday.” with his trademark glasses and slicked back hair, “buddy” is ready to shine. oh, boy! Benedum Center, Downtown. pittsburghclo.org.

MoRe MUSIc!

July 24 July 26

July 30-August 4

Photographs from Amy O’Neill/Pittsburgh Zoo,

Alison Whitlock.