What’s going on in Pittsburgh this weekend, Jan. 1-4? Find out here. Know of a cool event? Email us. Thursday, Jan. 1: Pittsburgh Polar Bear Club Plunge at the Mon Wharf9:30 a.m.Wake up briskly to the first day of 2026 by making a splash in the Mon. Your courageous leap into cold waters will help keep local children and seniors warm this winter through WTAE-TV’s project Bundle-Up, which benefits The Salvation Army. There will be strength — and warmth — in numbers as you join fellow Polar Bear Clubbers to start the new year boosting for a very good cause. The event is free, but you’ll want to buy a commemorative T-shirt for $20-$25 to support project Bundle-Up. Not steely enough to take the plunge? Don’t worry, you can still donate here. Information. Winter in Frick Park. Photo by Melissa McMasters. Thursday, Jan. 1: First Day Hike at Frick Park11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.Take a break from bingeing on Christmas movies and leftovers on the couch to get out into the woods. Bundle up and join 3 Rivers Outdoor Co. to welcome the first day of 2026 and experience wintertime magic in Pittsburgh’s largest historic park. Starting at the Frick Park Tennis Courts, the 3-mile hike is an opportunity to explore idyllic wooded trails on a crisp January afternoon. Open to all, the route is considered easy to moderate. No registration is required. Information. Photo courtesy of Amazing Books Records. Thursday, Jan. 1: New Year’s Day Party at Amazing Books Records10 a.m.-9 p.m. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.Gather with fellow bookworms and music lovers to ring in the New Year with stories on the page and on wax. One of Pittsburgh’s beloved independent bookshops is hosting New Year’s Day festivities at its two locations, with special offerings in Shadyside and in Squirrel Hill. Enjoy the company of other readers and listeners while browsing a vast selection of used, nearly new and brand new books and records. While hunting for treasures to add to your own collection, sip warm hot cocoa, tea and coffee during the day and refreshing libations at night. Patrons will get a free used book or record (priced up to $10) with every three items purchased. Information. Thursday, Jan. 1: New Year’s Day Party at Hot Mass10 a.m.-7 p.m.Nightclubs are not just for evening hours anymore. Downtown’s nightlife mecca is on a mission to make sure you don’t have a sleepy New Year’s Day. That means you can dance your way through the first day of 2026 from morning until night. The festivities kick off with the “slinky bass and rave-ready weirdo rhythms” of DJ Physical Therapy. Next up on the decks will be Sweet Abyss DJ Carrie Sours, who just released her debut EP, “Advanced Yearning.” Detroit’s own DJ Beige will take the party into dusk with their blend of “smooth RB and downtempo soul, crunchy electro, cheeky disco edits or oddball tech house.” The night culminates with rising star Pittsburgh DJ Rojo, who will share an empowering set of “deep, groovy, mood-boosting blends of house, disco, funk, soul and beyond.” Food will be available at the club. Advance tickets are required. Thursday, Jan. 1: Public Domain Day at Row House Cinema12:15-11 p.m.Look ahead to 2026 with a look back at the pioneering history of early cinema. Showcasing films from 1930, which come into the public domain on Jan. 1, 2026, this unique event celebrates five trailblazing movies by world-renowned auteurs. Screenings will include insightful introductions by experts from the local film community along with discounted admission all day. The mini fest kicks off with the French film, “L’Âge d’or,” Luis Bunuel’s surrealist tour de force satirizing the hypocrisies of modern society, life and religion. The mood will lighten with the irresistible Marx Brothers flick, “Animal Crackers,” which follows the “mayhem and zaniness” in the aftermath of an art heist. Attendees will also get to watch two films by Josef von Sternberg starring Hollywood icon Marlene Dietrich: “The Blue Angel” and “Morocco.” Rounding out the lineup will be “All Quiet on the Western Front,” Lewis Milestone’s timeless and poignant anti-war film based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque. Schedule and tickets. The company of the second North American tour of “Clue.” Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade. Thursday, Jan. 1-Sunday, Jan. 4: “Clue” at the Benedum CenterVarious timesIf you grew up playing the iconic Hasbro board game or were mesmerized by the 1985 star-studded Paramount Pictures film, you can’t miss “the ultimate whodunit” live on the Benedum stage. You have six more chances to discover what transpires when six mysterious guests gather at Boddy Manor. Help answer all those classic burning questions — like “Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench?” Fusing murder, mystery, comedy and revenge, the gripping production will have you on the edge of your seat LOLing while guessing your way through every wild plot twist. Based on Jonathan Lynn’s screenplay, “Clue” is led by Broadway director Casey Hushion. Written by Sandy Rustin, with additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price, the production features original music by Michael Holland. Tickets.Friday, Jan. 2: The Two Revolutions of 1776 at the Heinz History Center11 a.m.Start off the new year by examining Pittsburgh’s role in two pivotal historic events — the American Revolution and the Industrial Revolution. Discover how “Pittsburgh was forged by democratic ideals and industrial might,” from the events leading up to the Declaration of American Independence in 1776 to the commercial use of the Watt steam engine. The talk will explore how these catalytic events impacted the course of history and the entire world forever. Part of the history center’s yearlong commemoration of the U.S. Semiquincentennial in partnership with America250PA, the program marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Tickets.Friday, Jan. 2: Unblurred: First Fridays Penn Avenue Art Crawl4-10 p.m.If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to experience more art, then you can’t miss this dynamic neighborhood-wide celebration. For its first open house of 2026, Unblurred showcases the bustling corridor spanning 4800 to 5500 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh’s longest-running art crawl offers a welcoming creative atmosphere for all ages. There’s truly something for everyone to experience at cultural, commercial and dining destinations lining the avenue, from art openings and boutique shopping, to hands-on activities and live performances. And it’s all free. Head to the Irma Freeman Center for Imagination for the opening of “Fabrics of Perception” with the artists from 6 to 9 p.m. Additional featured venues span Pittsburgh Glass Center, Boom Concepts, Assemble, Bunker Projects, Mr. Roboto Project, Silver Eye Center for Photography, Bantha Tea Bar, Pullproof Studio and many more. Information. “Mary Cardwell Dawson,” Iris Lee Marcus, 2023; Courtesy of the artist and New England Conservatory. Saturday, Jan. 3: Sounds for the Season: National Association of Negro Musicians2-3 p.m.After all the holiday stress, treat yourself to soothing sounds of winter traditions from around the world. For the New Year edition of its Sounds for the Season series, the museum welcomes the country’s oldest organization dedicated to the “preservation, encouragement and advocacy of all genres of the music of Black Americans.” Enjoy a live performance in the Hall of Architecture surrounded by the majestic Fraser firs trimmed with shimmering baubles, lights and snow. Paying homage to Jules Verne’s classic novel set in 1872, the imaginative theme for this year’s Carnegie Trees display is “Around the World in 80 Days.” Inspired by its namesake, the Madame Mary Cardwell Dawson Chapter of the National Association of Negro Musicians seeks to “cultivate, expand and facilitate constructive life-changing experiences for all through music.” Growing up in Homestead, Dawson participated in the music ministry at Park Place A.M.E. Church. After studying at the New England Conservatory of Music, Chicago Musical College and The Met, she returned to Pittsburgh in 1925 to open the Cardwell School of Music in East Liberty. After the concert, be sure to visit the Neapolitan presepio — one of the world’s most remarkable nativity scenes — handcrafted by artists in the Royal Court of Naples between 1700 and 1830. The concert is free with museum admission. Photo courtesy of Title Town Soul Funk Dance Party. Saturday, Jan. 3: Title Town Soul Funk Dance Party at Spirit9 p.m.-2 a.m.Banish the winter blues at one of the country’s premier soul and funk revival parties. Title Town tastemakers Gordy G. and J. Malls will heat up Spirit Lodge with energizing DJ sets showcasing their impeccable vinyl collections. Groove with friends new and old to five hours of feel-good funk, soul, disco, Latin boogaloo, Northern Soul and more, spanning the early 1960s through the late 1980s. Discover hand-selected 45 rpm rarities from regional soul scenes around the U.S., including hot tunes recorded right here in the Steel City. Tickets. 8 more things to do this weekend Thursday, Jan. 1: Allegheny Group of the Sierra Club presents a First Day Hike in Frick Park, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.Friday, Jan. 2: Bottle Talks: A Lecture Series with Isaac Pleta, Leslie A. Pryzbylek and Zach Funk at Bottlerocket Social Hall, 7:30 p.m.Friday, Jan. 2: TWIRL: A House Music Party at Cobra, 10 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 3, Sunday, Jan. 4: Penguins on Parade at the Pittsburgh Zoo Aquarium, 11:30 a.m.Saturday, Jan. 3: Curatorial Close Look: “Black Photojournalism” Tour, at the Carnegie Museum of Art, 1 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 3: Family Nature Walk at Powdermill Nature Reserve, 2-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 3: “Irony City: Am I The Jagoff?” at Arcade Comedy Theater, 8 p.m.Sunday, Jan. 4: Final Steelers Watch Party at Pittsburgh Brewing Co., Tap Room opens at 4 p.m.; kickoff at 8:20 p.m. For more things to do in January with NEXT, don’t miss our Holiday Guides, Pittsburgh Concert Guide and NEXT in the Gallery series. The post 10+ things to do this weekend in Pittsburgh, from the Polar Bear Club Plunge to Public Domain Day appeared first on NEXTpittsburgh. ...read more read less