What’s going on in Pittsburgh this weekend, Jan. 22-25? Find out here. Know of a cool event? Email us. Thursday, Jan. 22: “In Full Bloom” at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden5:30-8:30 p.m.A winter’s night is the perfect time to experience the vibrant art and rich tradition of quilting. Join the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden to celebrate the talented Pittsburgh-based African American women quilt artists who are “transforming fabric into a meaningful expression of culture and legacy.” Meet the artists and hear them speak about their creative process, inspiration and connection to nature, and visit “In Full Bloom” before the exhibition closes on Jan. 26. The Welcome Center reception includes hors d’oeuvres, charcuterie, seasonal vegetables and more. Tickets.Thursday, Jan. 22: Jim Daniels at Carnegie Library Lecture Hall7 p.m.Fans of contemporary poetry can’t miss this free event presented by Pittsburgh Arts Lectures. The reading features Pittsburgh-based writer James Daniels, author of numerous books of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. From 1981 to 2021, Daniels served on the creative writing faculty at Carnegie Mellon University. A recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Daniels has just published “Late Invocation for Magic” via Michigan State University Press. In the new book, Daniels “focuses on Detroit and other Rust Belt cities, where issues of class and race and justice play out in the streets and kitchens and backyards and garages of the Americans trying to live and make a living there.” Register for free. Photo courtesy of World of Wheels. Friday, Jan. 23-Sunday, Jan. 25: World of Wheels at the David L. Lawrence Convention CenterVarious timesAccelerate into 2026 when the convention center morphs into a four-day “Autorama.” World of Wheels rolls into Downtown Pittsburgh for its 65th annual showcase of the hottest hot rods, classics, custom cars, boats, trucks, motorcycles and more. Watch the full-size MegaMorph automobile transform into a giant robot, check out the Pedal Car Challenge and explore Student Career Day. Fans of “The Dukes of Hazard” should cruise over to the event’s special show reunion featuring TV cousins Daisy (Catherine Bach) and Bo (John Schneider). Feast your eyes on award-winning vehicles like a 1936 Ford Roadster and a 1955 Chevrolet Nomad Gray Madder. Get your speed fix as you peruse special exhibits, meet celeb guests and see who wins the prestigious Ridler prize. Tickets. Read more about World of Wheels in NEXT. Friday, Jan. 23-Sunday, Jan. 25: Pittsburgh Travel Showcase at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center10 a.m.-6 p.m. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.What travel destinations are on your bucket list? Beat the winter blues and turn those tourism dreams into reality at the country’s largest travel booking show. Be transported to seven continents all under one roof at the region’s only travel and tourism event. Presented by AAA Travel, the Showcase boasts 100,000 square feet of displays highlighting every adventure imaginable, from scenic train rides, all-inclusive resorts and luxury cruises, to road trips and tour bus excursions. The three-day showcase also features vacation planning seminars, AAA member benefits, an on-site travel store and more. Meet with representatives from travel vendors across the world to cure your wanderlust and book your next trip. From Japan, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, to South America, Vietnam and Egypt, you’ll discover how to get there. This year, the showcase welcomes Aer Lingus, the newest nonstop service provider at Pittsburgh International Airport. That means Pittsburghers can learn about faster ways to fly and avoid layovers to Dublin, London, Paris, Rome and more. Tickets. Friday, Jan. 23-Sunday, Jan. 25: “Freedom House: Giving Life a Second Chance” at the New Hazlett Theater7:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m.Did you know that the country’s first emergency medical service staffed by paramedics started in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District? Prime Stage Theatre brings this remarkable story to life via the world premiere of “Freedom House: Giving Life a Second Chance.” Written by frequent NEXT contributor L.E. McCullough, the play dramatizes the 1967 creation of Freedom House Ambulance Service. Presented with live music, this first-ever stage production depicts the true story of the country’s first mobile Emergency Medical Unit, when doctors trained African American residents of the Hill District “to become the first local, national and international paramedics.” During its eight-year tenure, Freedom House set international standards of emergency medical care, community medicine and paramedic training that are still followed today. “Freedom House” is directed by Scott Calhoon and includes in its cast: Willa “Katy” Cotten, Cynthia Dallas, Justin Mohr, Darrin Mosley Jr., Anne Rematt, DeVaughn Robinson and Ryan Warsing. With seven shows running from Jan. 23 through Feb. 1, it will give audiences “uniquely Pittsburgh story of innovation, compassion and civic empowerment.” At a time when “America’s public health resources face an ongoing wave of new challenges,” the powerful production seems even more relevant. For Preview Night on Friday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m., the production offers pay-what-you-can admission. On Saturday, Jan. 24, the post-play discussion will feature special guests Dr. Rickquel (Ricky) Tripp of UPMC, and Beatrice Charles, wife of board president of Freedom House Enterprises Inc., Edward Charles. Tickets. Friday, Jan. 23: Farm Fresh Trivia at Goodlander Cocktail Brewery6-9 p.m.Love trivia, have a green thumb and want to support Pittsburgh’s urban gardens? Have we got an event for you. Join Drew’s Clues to test your garden smarts during this lively trivia fundraiser supporting Grow Pittsburgh. Form a team with up to six members, or get assigned to a team at the event. Bring your appetite, because tickets include a meal catered by El Burro, with vegan and vegetarian options available. Event proceeds support Grow Pittsburgh’s mission to “teach people how to grow food and to promote the benefits that gardens bring to our neighborhoods.” Tickets. Photo courtesy of Jellyfish. Friday, Jan. 23: Jellyfish at Spirit8 p.m.-2 a.m.Pittsburgh’s premier queer dance party is kicking off 2026 with an extra special lineup filling both floors of Spirit. So leave the stress of the world at the door and get ready to dance your way into the new year as Jellyfish welcomes a lineup of DJ luminaries from all over North America — from Guadalajara and San Francisco to Brooklyn and the Burgh. Joining resident Jellyfish DJs Formosa and Ricky Mawzlin on the decks will be Mystery Affair, Dat Kat (Analog Soul) Jumpr, and Jack M. Groove, along with hundreds of your new besties to six hours of retro disco, italo, new wave, house and any other global sounds that inspire. The night gets even sweeter with a special performance by hometown poetess Rachel Ann Bovier. Jellyfish is dedicated to presenting events for all across the queer and trans spectrum and allies. Tickets. Photo courtesy of the National Aviary. Saturday, Jan. 24, Sunday, Jan. 25: Penguin-Palooza at The National Aviary10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.Waddle into 2026 with everyone’s favorite flightless feathered friends. Even if you dread gloomy winter, you can’t help but perk up with a smile and feel warm inside when penguins become your new besties. Fresh on the (webbed) heels of International Penguin Awareness Day, the North Side becomes penguin central. Meet the resident colony of African Penguins and hear insightful talks by avian experts. Pop into the Penguin Discovery Zone to explore what makes these aquatic avians unique, learn about penguin adaptations and play trivia. Make penguin-themed crafts, join a scavenger hunt and do your part to help protect marine life. Watch a penguin feeding, mingle with other bird nerds and experience a day in the life of a penguin with a park ranger. Tickets. Read more about Penguin-Palooza in NEXT. Tapescape. All photos courtesy of the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. Saturday, Jan. 24, Sunday, Jan. 25: “Tapescape” Opening Weekend at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh11 a.m .-4 p.m.Have kids who are experiencing cabin fever this winter? Starting this weekend, they can climb, slide and roll inside an art installation made of 50 miles of packing tape! Join in on all the sticky fun when the Children’s Museum opens its fourth version of the indoor installation dubbed “Tapescape.” Stretched over a steel frame, the multisensory experience was designed by Los Angeles-based artist Eric Lennartson. During opening weekend, families will experience exclusive tape-themed activities and hands-on projects. Make a duct tape wallet, maneuver through a tape obstacle course and add to a colorful, collaborative art piece. While exploring, kids can crawl through the “twisting tunnels and curving walls” of this “unique climbing terrain showcasing an unexpected and delightful use” of an everyday material we all have around our homes. Tickets. Saturday, Jan. 24: The Black Archive Speaker Series at Alma l Lewis2-4 p.m.A new speaker series pairing Black material culture with talks by scholars, writers and artists invites the public to take part in “thoughtful conversation, collective learning and community rooted in care.” Don’t miss the inaugural edition of The Black Archive winter speaker series at Alma l Lewis in Point Breeze. For its kickoff, the free series welcomes the award-winning cultural worker and writer Lissette Norman, author of picture books such as “My Feet Are Laughing,” “Plátanos Go with Everything” and “Abuela’s Library.” Norman, whose practice examines “family, memory, place and the diverse textures of Black life,” will introduce her new body of work titled, “Black is My Luck.” Joining Norman in conversation by Alma l Lewis alumni Kleaver Cruz. Register for free. Photo courtesy of Con Alma. Sunday, Jan. 25: Fundraising Gala at Con Alma5:30-9 p.m.Con Alma has emerged as a regional destination for experiencing innovative cuisine, world-class jazz and an artistic ambience. If you’ve enjoyed nights there in Downtown Pittsburgh, then consider supporting the cultural hub during this immersive fundraising gala. This is not just another fundraiser, because the evening will feature live jazz with star trumpeter Sean Jones along with friends. While being treated to a “one-of-a-kind jazz experience rooted in spontaneity and collaboration,” attendees will enjoy chef-driven cuisine and handcrafted cocktails. The event’s silent auction supports the legacy of live jazz and independent hospitality in Pittsburgh with thoughtfully curated offerings, including an exclusive “vinyl vibe gift basket.” Emceed by Pittsburgh media personality Bill Crawford the gala aims to “honor the soul of jazz” while creating connections between music, food, culture and community. Tickets. Nadine Strossen and Jacob Mchangama. Photos courtesy of City of Asylum. Sunday, Jan. 25: On Topic: Free Expression with Jacob Mchangama Nadine Strossen at Alphabet City3-5 p.m.The fascinating history and vital importance of free expression in society takes center stage when City of Asylum welcomes Nadine Strossen and Jacob Mchangama for this timely discussion on the North Side. Strossen is New York Law School Professor Emerita and former president of the American Civil Liberties Union, while Mchangama is founder and executive director of The Future of Free Speech and a Senior Fellow at The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. The thoughtful discussion will span the origins of free speech during the Enlightenment to the history of the First Amendment to “how the Supreme Court has applied these timeless principles to thorny legal issues.” Led by these two free speech experts, the conversation will provide audience with “salient background and context to current controversies and highlight the centrality of free expression to the maintenance of democratic government.” The free program is presented in partnership with the National Constitution Center. Make a day or night of it on the North Side at City of Asylum’s in-house restaurant, Cucina Alfabeto, which is open for brunch from 9:30 to 2 p.m. and for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Register for free. 7 more things to do this weekend Thursday, Jan. 22: Rachel Ann Bovier One-Woman Show at Club Cafe, 7 p..m.Friday, Jan. 23: The Alien Everywhere Tour – An evening of standup with TJ at the Millvale Food + Energy Hub, 8-9:30 p.m.Friday, Jan. 23: Donora’s album release party for “Out Here Bleeding Again” at The Original Pittsburgh Winery, 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, Sunday, Jan 25: Penn Avenue Closing Sale Winter Garage Sale at Workshop PGH, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 24: Pittsburgh Opera presents “Curlew River” at Calvary Episcopal Church, 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24: Eddie Griffin at the Byham Theater, 9 p.m.Sunday, Jan. 25: Steel City Horror Show at the Harris Theater, 7:30 p.m. For more things to do with NEXT, don’t miss our January Event Guide, NEXT in the Gallery series Date Night series. The post 12+ things to do this weekend, from Penguin-Palooza to World of Wheels to Tapescape appeared first on NEXTpittsburgh. ...read more read less