Weather permitting, the concert series will take place in Hazelwood for another year

Get ready for a great summer with the Weather Permitting Concert Series, a free monthly event hosted by Hazelwood Local at Hazelwood Green Plaza. Organizers promise a family-friendly evening of live music, food trucks, vendors and fun for the whole family.

The series kicks off on Sunday with WITCH taking the stage alongside local talent. The Zambian rock band – whose acronym stands for We Intend to Cause Havoc – is known for its mix of psychedelic rock and Afrobeat, according to a press release about the event. Special guests include The Garment District and Astrology Now.

“We are thrilled to bring back the weather-dependent concert series,” said co-organizer Nikki Martin of Hazelwood Local in the press release. “It’s a celebration of music and community set against the backdrop of Pittsburgh’s beautiful Hazelwood Green.”

This event will take place weather permitting only. Participants are asked to check social media for updates on weather-related changes.

Concertgoers can bring chairs and blankets. Planned food trucks will offer a variety of culinary dishes from local favorites such as Community Kitchen, Kilimanjaro Flavour and Mr Bulgogi. A variety of vendors will offer unique crafts and goods.

Free water activities and roller skating by Wicked SkateWear will begin at 5 p.m., with music starting around 6 p.m., according to Hazelwood Local’s website, where reservations can be made. A donation box will be set up to collect non-perishable food items for Fishes & Loaves. All festivities are expected to end at 9 p.m.

Hazelwood Green Plaza is located at 4501 Lytle St., Pittsburgh, PA 15207. Free on-street and in-lot parking is available.

Hazelwood Local is a hub for creative programming in the Hazelwood Green Plaza and for exploring Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood, according to the press release. Since 2020, Hazelwood Local has hosted over 50 free community events throughout Hazelwood and the plaza, as well as the 2021 art installations along historic Second Avenue.

Next concerts in the series:

July 28 – Los Gaiteros De San Jacinto: A traditional Colombian cumbia folk group founded in the Caribbean region of Colombia and active since 1940. Their folkloric music preserves the traditional rhythms and sounds that come from a mixture of indigenous Colombian, Spanish and Afro-Colombian heritage.

25 August – Moneka Arabic Jazz: Led by charismatic bandleader Ahmed Moneka, Moneka Arabic Jazz is a project that reflects his life and artistic journey from Baghdad to Toronto. It presents melodies from his native Iraq mixed with the African grooves and rhythms he inherited from his Afro-Arab heritage. A true reflection of Toronto’s multiculturalism, the band blends styles and influences from the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East and North America. The band is comprised of members from all over the world.

For more information, visit www.hazelwoodlocal.com or follow @hazelwoodlocal on social media.

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