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Nippy Jack Frost weather doesn’t slow down families who are looking for fun in January. Bundle up and head to the great outdoors where kids can get energized with guided hikes and educational play.
Excite your summer dreams of peanuts, popcorn and Cracker Jack with a stop at PiratesFest. Live entertainment includes a look at Rosa Parks, the mind-blowing Cirque du Soleil on ice and a new presentation of the classic “Call of the Wild.”
Here are our Top 10 picks for Pittsburgh family fun in January.
1. Jan. 6: PiratesFest 2024, David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Hope springs eternal for Bucco fans who can taste the excitement of a winning season. Head to PiratesFest, which expands into David L. Lawrence Convention Center this year. Family fun includes interactive games and photo opportunities with the Pirate Parrot, current players and favorite stars from the past. Visit the pop-up team store and find all the gear you’ll need for opening day. Free autograph sessions will be available for kids ages 14 and younger. Adult autograph sessions are $25, with the proceeds to benefit Pirates Charities. PiratesFest admission is free with registration. Let’s go Bucs!
2. Jan. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27: Guided Hikes, Allegheny County Parks
Enjoy fresh-air outings at Allegheny County Parks throughout the month. Park rangers will lead the guided hikes at eight parks where your family can enjoy the winter scenery. Each all-ages hike covers about 2 miles with some elevation. The sessions are guaranteed to energize even the most sedentary couch potatoes. The rangers remind participants to dress for the weather, wear proper shoes and bring a bottle of water. Registration is free but required.
3. Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31: Seedlings: Wonderful Winter, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden
Just because it’s winter and most plants and trees are dormant doesn’t mean we should forget about outdoor learning. Every Wednesday throughout January and February, kids ages 3-6 years are invited to Seedlings: Wonderful Winter for weekly indoor and outdoor sessions that are designed to discover nature in the garden’s quiet season. Different themes are explored each week beginning with a talk, then heading outdoors to investigate different habitats. Kids will also participate in a story time session and free play. Registration for each session is $15, which includes an adult admission.
4. Jan. 13: Discovery Time: Taking Care of Nature, Frick Environmental Center
The educators at the Frick Environmental Center are planning a fun afternoon of activities that teach kids how to care for the Earth. The lessons include learning about the relationship the Potawatomi tribe had with the environment. Hands-on crafts include making an envelope out of recycled paper and creating seed balls that can be tossed outdoors to grow native flowers and plants. This session is best for ages 3-9 years. Registration is free but required.
5. Jan. 13-14: Locomotion Weekend, Carnegie Science Center
Locomotion Weekend chugs into Carnegie Science Center with a building-wide explosion of model train excitement. A stop at the Miniature Railroad is always a must: The family tradition of pointing out details and watching the model trains has surpassed more than 100 years. Additional, privately owned model train layouts will be displayed throughout the Science Center. You can count on plenty of hands-on activities, too. Locomotion Weekend is included in general admission. Advance tickets are recommended for this highly anticipated event.
6. Jan. 17-23: Schooltime: The Courage to Stand, Heinz Hall
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra hosts school groups for a special presentation of artistic defiance. Consider Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and the opening notes that bombard the audience. Listen to the groundbreaking jazz poetry of Langston Hughes. Other music selections include pieces from Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring,” Jessie Montgomery’s “Banner” and Valerie Coleman’s “Umoja Anthem of Unity.” Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre principal dancer Yoshiaski Nakano is included among the performers. The public can buy tickets for the Jan. 17 evening concert with pay-what-you-wish admission priced from free to $40. This dynamic exploration of artists who push the envelope is not to be missed. Preview the playlist here.
7. Jan. 18-21: Cirque du Soleil: “Crystal,” PPG Paints Arena
This is not your grandmother’s Ice Capades. Cirque du Soleil takes its breathtaking acrobatics to the ice. The stunning feats that make us catch our breath become even more perilous with the addition of razor-sharp ice skates. In “Crystal,” the players combine skating, circus feats and acrobatic skills in a bright, colorful production that will keep your family in thrall. Expect a swinging trapeze, synchronized skating, juggling, freestyle figure skating and extreme skating that will wow. Tickets start at $60.
8. Jan. 19-21: 2024 World of Wheels Custom Car Show, David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Gearhead kids who love their Hot Wheels and teens who are into full-size models will want to cruise down to the 63rd annual World of Wheels. This year, five generations of Batmobiles from Gotham City will be on display. Catch the excitement of FMX Freestyle Motocross with multiple performances daily. Student Career Day takes place on Jan. 19 (with $10 registration due by Jan. 9), when teens will preview the show before opening, interact with car owners and builders and learn about careers in the automotive industry. Regular admission is $24 for grownups, $8 for ages 6-12, free for ages 5 and younger. You can find discount tickets at O’Reilly Auto Parts.
9. Jan. 19-28: “Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott,” Hazlett Theater
Prime Stage Theatre continues its Prime Stage Sprouts series with a production of “Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott” by Sue Greenberg. The play focuses on Parks’ part in spearheading the civil rights fight to desegregate buses in Montgomery, Alabama. When the 42-year-old seamstress refused to give up her seat to a white man, she was arrested and jailed. In reaction, the Black community came together with a bus boycott that lasted over a year – 381 days, to be exact – and brought Martin Luther King Jr. into the spotlight. This compelling history lesson is best for third graders through adults. Tickets are $14 for students and $24 for grownups. Look for pay-what-you-want preview tickets on Jan. 19, as well as sensory-inclusive and audio-described performances.
10. Jan. 20: “Call of the Wild: Illustrated Edition,” Byham Theater
Austin, Texas-based Theater Heroes brings its “Call of the Wild: Illustrated Edition” to the Bridge Theater Series. Based on Jack London’s classic book, the multimedia presentation combines storytelling with projected images. Buck is a beautiful dog, a cross between a St. Bernard and a Scottish Collie, who lives a comfortable life on a California estate. When Buck is kidnapped and sent north to become part of a dog sled team, he must learn to adapt and connect to his primal ancestors to survive. Best for ages 8 and older. Tickets are $12.
Bonus events
Jan. 5-Feb 25: Laser Beatles, Carnegie Science Center
Saturdays and Sundays through February: Penguins on Parade, Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium
Jan. 6-7: Greenberg’s Great Train and Toy Show, Monroeville Convention Center
Jan. 11: Youth Pool Kayaking, Venture Outdoors
Jan. 20-21: “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” in Concert, Heinz Hall
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