What’s going on in Pittsburgh this weekend, April 2-5? Find out here. Know of a cool event? Email us.

Thursday, April 2-Saturday, April 4: SONA Immersive Storytelling Festival at Carnegie Mellon University
Various times
After its successful debut last year, this first-of-its-kind Pittsburgh festival returns to explore cutting-edge storytelling practices and wide-ranging themes. Highlighting the work of artists, filmmakers and creators working in VR, 360° video and immersive media, SONA also provides a “platform for diverse voices and groundbreaking stories that redefine the boundaries of storytelling and technology.” Events are free and open to the public and include VR screenings, talks, workshops, artist Q&As, networking, a gala and more.

Presented by CMU’s Department of Languages, Cultures and Applied Linguistics, this year’s program is centered on immersive documentary, Indigenous and Afrofuturist storytelling, and work exploring heritage and memory. Featured speakers include Uju Anya, Mame-Fatou Niang, Drew Davidson and J. Dakota Powell. New this year will be the Heritage Award category, with the inaugural prize being presented to Judi Alston and Andy Campbell for their immersive work on the 1984-85 British miners’ strike. Other highlights include a Gala Prize Giving event on Friday and a Saturday evening after-party at the Commonwealth Press warehouse in Allentown. Information.

Thursday, April 2: Weird Monsters Art Show Opening Reception at Get Hip Recordings
6 p.m.
The monsters are due on Columbus Avenue. See how artists channel their perceptions about current events into creativity at this multimedia happening in Chateau. Be the first to see new work by Pittsburgh native Mike Gabriel, a Carnegie Mellon University graduate who also worked as a film projectionist for Pittsburgh Filmmakers. An artist, designer and musician based in San Francisco, Gabriel will share his latest “Monster series,” which digitally merged 50 classic Hollywood movie monsters with “new political fiends, despots, and creeps previously unseen lurking in the shadows of a corrupt administration.”

Gabriel has also designed album artwork for numerous record labels and was a member of the Pittsburgh-based garage band, Mount McKinleys (Get Hip Recordings). Open to all ages, the festivities will feature performances by Tuff Sunshine and The Count McKinleys, plus a reading by NYC-based author Peter Aaron. Information.

Thursday, April 2-Sunday, April 5: “Water for Elephants” at the Benedum Center
7:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 1 p.m., 6:30 p.m.
Run away with the circus and fall in love for a night. If you loved Sara Gruen’s bestselling novel, “Water for Elephants,” or you were glued to the film adaption starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson, then it’s time to hop aboard this new musical in the Cultural District. It will be a journey for the ears, eyes and heart when this imaginative musical brings Gruen’s historical romance to life on stage. You only have six more chances to experience the spellbinding show as part of the PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh series.

Set in in Depression-era America, the gripping story follows a young veterinarian who experiences unimaginable loss after a family tragedy. Grief-stricken, he jumps onto a train “that turns out to be carrying a traveling circus and needs a medic for the animals.” The show features a book by four-time Tony Award-nominee Rick Elice and a soaring score by acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co. The creative team features Tony Award-nominated director Jessica Stone. Tickets.

Friday, April 3-Sunday, April 5: Jurassic Quest & Brick Fest at Monroeville Convention Center
9 a.m. to 8 p.m. & 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Gigantic animatronic dinosaurs will converge with millions of iconic colorful bricks all weekend in Monroeville. North America’s largest and most scientifically accurate dinosaur experience gets supersized when it teams up with Brick Fest Live for the very first time. Be transported through 165 million years of history as “moving, roaring and breathing dinosaurs come alive in a fully immersive walk-through experience.”

Encounter 80 life-size dinosaurs brought to life in partnership with leading paleontologists using realistic likenesses, movements and sounds. Budding paleontologists can meet adorable baby dinosaurs, roam through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and become junior park rangers during scavenger hunts. Be dazzled by colossal creatures that once ruled planet Earth, from the towering T-Rex to the sky-scraping Spinosaurus. Check out real fossils like T-Rex teeth and a triceratops horn, see live dinosaur shows and don’t miss the raptor training experience. The event also features the largest rideable dinosaurs in North America, interactive STEAM activities and a
Triceratots soft play area.

The family fun continues with hands-on stations designed to spark creativity and play at Brick Fest Live. Start building with unlimited access to millions of bricks, join a Guinness World Record challenge to help create a massive floor mosaic and unleash your creativity in LEGO-themed play zones. Build your own derby car and race it down a thrilling 35-foot-long track, meet LEGO pros and join exhilarating brick challenges. Experiment with glow-in-the-dark bricks, check out rare LEGO merchandise, and see life-size models. The event also offers a Sensory Hour on Saturday morning with adjusted sound and lighting for families who benefit from a calmer environment. Tickets.

Friday, April 3, & Saturday, April 4: “Dressed in Red” at KST’s Alloy Studios
7:30-9 p.m.
Audiences have the chance to experience the creative process in progress via the Kelly Strayhorn Theater’s innovative Freshworks Residency Program. For its next installment, the KST welcomes artist Lucy Chen, who will present her live work in progress and host a post-show discussion. Designed to for emerging artists and collaborators based in the greater Pittsburgh region, Freshworks supports interdisciplinary work in contemporary dance, theater, music and multimedia.

With “Dressed in Red,” dancer, choreographer and designer Chen draws upon her experiences growing up Asian American and half-Asian to explore femininity and societal expectations. Inspired by Classical Chinese dance and contemporary movement, the work reflects Chen’s experiences of the “complex relationship between how we see ourselves, how we present ourselves and how others see us.” Tickets are offered at a “pay what moves you” scale.

Saturday, April 4: Artist in Residence Gallery Show at Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse
6-8 p.m.
Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse annual Artist in Residence presents its eighth annual featuring work by Sara Jean Ruiz. Don’t miss Saturday night’s free opening reception where attendees can meet the artist. Be the first to see her new exhibition titled, “grief is a beautiful name for a baby girl.” About her creative process, Ruiz writes: “In this body of work, I use repurposed textiles and my own childhood images along with found images printed onto recycled fabrics to stitch together the felt memory of loss in its many forms.” Through the work, gallery-goers will explore questions such as “What does it mean to lose something, to lose someone? What fills in the space in your chest?” Ruiz, who grew up in South Texas and has been based in Pittsburgh since 2023, will have her work on view at the center through June. As part of its mission, the North Point Breeze nonprofit operates a thrift shop focusing on sustainable art and craft supplies and vintage goods, and offers hands-on creative experiences for people of all ages. .

Friday, April 3, & Saturday, April 4: Eggstravaganza at The National Aviary
10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Hop on over to the North Side for this signature springtime celebration at The National Aviary. Have an egg-traordinary day as you explore the aviary’s immersive habitats with themed activations. Snap photos with the Easter Bunny, make DIY egg crafts and learn about migration season and bird-safe glass. Play trivia and match games to learn about the science behind eggs; explore biofacts and meet the “egg-sperts” during avian talks in the FliteZone Theater. Flock to the springtime selfie station and book nook and hand in your completed scavenger hunt for a prize. Added bonus: Visit the Southern Three-banded Armadillo — longtime National Aviary animal ambassador, Willy— who has officially taken up residence in the Grasslands Habitat. Tickets.

Saturday, April 4: Northside Community in Bloom at the New Hazlett Theater
12-4 p.m.
Help the North Side emerge from hibernation at this . The New Hazlett Theater is throwing open the doors to its historic HQ to celebrate the long-awaited change of seasons. Lifelong North Siders, visitors, weekend adventurers and neighbors alike are invited to gather to experience “what’s sprouting in community’s vibrant arts scene.” Build your own stunning arrangement with the pros from The Farmer’s Daughter Flowers, and participate in fun outdoor activities with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and MuseumLab. Watch the team at Crazy Fox Balloons turn air into art right before your eyes or get a fresh spring look with face painting by Patty Ewing. Take a guided tour of the historic theater and get an exclusive sneak peek at new work “growing in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Northside.” .

Saturday, April 4: Vintage Pittsburgh Retro Fair at The Senator John Heinz History Center
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Retro goods and rich history will converge for a day of vibrant shopping and discovery in the Strip District. Surrounded by local history, more than 50 vintage vendors and creative makers from around the region will be showcasing treasures, keepsakes and gems inside the Smithsonian’s home in Pittsburgh. Everyone from Rust Belt Retro, The Ardent Forager and Yintage Vintage, to Archaic Allegheny, Toysburgh, Keystone Relics and many others will be on hand selling one-of-a-kind clothing, accessories, home décor, vinyl records, memorabilia and more. PGH Crepes and Main Squeeze food trucks will be parked in front of the museum, and Nedal Gyro and Piebird pastry kitchen will be located on the third floor. After shopping, explore six floors of exhibitions, including rare and never-before-seen objects and contemporary art. Tickets. Read more about the retro fair in NEXT.

Friday, April 3, & Saturday, April 4: HUMP! Film Festival at The Parkway Theater
6:30 p.m. & 9 p.m.
Sex-positive storytelling is coming to the big screen in McKees Rocks. Founded in 2005 by sex advice columnist, author and LGBTQ community activist Dan Savage, HUMP! is a one-of-a-kind independent film festival exploring the intersection of “intimacy, humor and art.” Riding back into town with a brand new lineup, HUMP is all about championing diversity, communal joy and fearless curation. Remaining staunchly true to its mission, the program showcases all body shapes, ages, colors, sexualities, genders, kinks and fetishes.

What began as an informal call for Seattleites to anonymously submit homemade sex tapes has become a liberating and pioneering festival that continues to tour the globe each year. Every year, five-minute shorts are submitted by creators from around the world, and the HUMP! Jury selects “the best of the best to create joyful, sex-positive and inclusive feature-length lineups.” Showcasing genre-bending adult cinema and ethical adult content creation, these “erotic films by real people for real people” are sure to spark conversations afterward. With no censoring, films are selected for “creativity, originality and emotional impact.” Audience votes help award cash prizes to filmmakers, and a share of ticket sales goes to the performers. Read more about HUMP! in NEXT. Tickets.

Friday, April 3, & Saturday, April 4: Quantum’s Theatre’s “10 out of 12” at the Mellon Institute
7:30 p.m. & 2 p.m.
What if you could step backstage behind the red velvet curtain without leaving your seat? With Quantum’s latest inventive production, theater lovers get a rare behind-the-scenes look at the “rhythms, joys, and frustrations of making theatre.” Always pushing the boundaries of what defines live theater, Quantum takes the show to a whole new level with “10 out of 12.” Wearing headsets — the “one-earpiece staple of stage managers everywhere” — attendees will be able to literally “eavesdrop” on all the backstage drama. Written by acclaimed playwright Anne Washburn, the drama unfolds inside the Art Deco auditorium nestled below ground level in the foreboding Mellon Institute. Inside this local landmark, attendees will experience “the magical chaos of a tech rehearsal when lights, sound and costumes collide with nerves (and personalities) in anticipation of opening night.”

The play is directed by Andrew William Smith; its title refers to the Actors’ Equity Association rule allowing members to work 10 hours within an intense 12-hour period during tech rehearsals. Quantum writes that “Washburn’s clever comedy is an ultimately moving love letter to the theater and to the people who work to create the beautiful, funny, unexpected worlds that live on the stage.” During Saturday’s Behind the Curtain preshow event, Mellon Institute Building and Facilities Manager Walter Pitts will share the site’s history during a VIP tour. Tickets.

Saturday, April 4: Music on the Edge presents Nois Saxophone Quartet at the Andy Warhol Museum
8 p.m.
Take your ears to cutting-edge sonic terrains when Music on the Edge presents the culminating concert in its 2026 season. Fans of classical and contemporary music alike won’t want to miss this special Pittsburgh debut of the Nois Saxophone Quartet. Celebrated for its “precision, adventurous programming and commitment to new music,” the acclaimed Chicago-based ensemble will fill the intimate Warhol Theater with its dynamic sounds.

Marking their first appearance with the MOTE series, the quartet is known for “championing emerging and established composers through thoughtfully curated performances.” Showcasing a diverse exploration of contemporary sounds, the program features works by Elijah Daniel Smith, Kelly Sheehan, Bobby Ge, Ethan Isaac, Luis Delgado and Danny Fratina. Co-directed by Eric Moe, Mathew Rosenblum and Amy Williams, MOTE is the only presenting organization in Pittsburgh dedicated exclusively to contemporary chamber music. Tickets.

7 more things to do this weekend

Friday, April 3: Cod Have Mercy Nied’s Fish Fry with Slim Forsythe & The Boss Stingrays at Spirit, 11 a.m. until sold-out (vegan options available)

Friday, April 3: Unblurred: First Fridays Art Crawl on Penn Avenue, 4-10 p.m.

Saturday, April 4: Bunny Fun Cruise on the Gateway Clipper, 9:45 a.m. & 12:45 p.m.

Saturday, April 4: Picture Mixer: Discover Emerging Artists at Silver Eye Center for Photography, 1-3:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 4: Bill Boichel: Pittsburgh Film-Makers Fliers, Posters & Calendars, 1982-1984 opening reception at Bottom Feeder Books, 6-8 p.m.

Saturday, April 4: On Cinema: The Certified Five Bags of Popcorn Tour with Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington at Stage AE, 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 4: Title Town Soul & Funk Party at Spirit Lodge, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.

For more things to do with NEXT, don’t miss our April Event Guide, NEXT in the Gallery feature and Dates under $40 series.

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PHOENIX, AZ — The Pittsburgh Steelers believe Aaron Rodgers is returning for another season. At least that’s what you can pick up from what they’re saying at the 2026 NFL League Meetings. And if not, they have their backup plans ready. Maybe they have another plan ready to put into place as well.

One thing became very clear speaking with head coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Omar Khan in Phoenix, Arizona – the Steelers are open to anything in the 2026 NFL Draft. And when they say anything, they mean anything.

McCarthy admitted to local media that he didn’t get to watch much of the college football season during the year because he was removed from the game. He believes that gave him “blinders” to be more open to the class than most who view it as weak.

At the beginning of the season, the 2026 class was looking pretty good. Today, many believe it has evaporated. For the Steelers, they aren’t looking at it that way and instead viewing it as finding the right prospect that fits what they want in a QB.

“To be honest, I think it’s what you want,” McCarthy said when asked about the class being viewed as weak. “I had to change a little bit, going from Green Bay, Wisconsin to Dallas, Texas, on the expectations of how I think I can play with a quarterback, as opposed how I know I can play. Granted, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers are Hall of Fame quarterbacks. They both have long arms. They both have 10-inch hands. To win playoff games and to win games in December, Ben Roethlisberger has to play in the cold weather. Your guys got tothrow better than the other guy in the big games. You got to try to put them in a positions to. So, when you go from that to Dallas, you can play more wide open at home.

“Now back to Pittsburgh. So now a lot of my beliefs and how I look at how I want to train the team and want the team look like, it’s very similar to my time in Green Bay. So, that directly reflects how I do the quarterbacks. It’s really how I’ve always used quarterbacks. I just think quarterbacks, it’s what are you into because you got a lot of guys in the League that are six foot that probably in the old days, would be late picks, going in the first or second round. So that’s part of the game. The rules of the game have changed. So, I think it’s really high-level play. What do you look for in a quarterback? I’m hopeful there will be a quarterback at the right time there for us to possibly add to our to our roster. Twelve picks, we want have a hell of class.”

That Quarterback Might Be Ty Simpson

The Steelers have spent time evaluating a few quarterbacks, including Ty Simpson out of Alabama. The only other expected first-round pick besides Fernando Mendoza could be sitting there at No. 21, and could fit into the team’s philosophy.

They’re ready to take best player available at a position of need. Teaming Simpson up with Rodgers means he would learn from a Hall of Fame quarterback and McCarthy in his first year. Then get an opportunity to prove his ability at the NFL level in his second season.

Simpson is viewed as the most pro-ready quarterback who spent the last few years learning in a pro style offense with the Crimson Tide.

While a little below average in size, standing 6-foot-1, 211 pounds with over 30-inch arms, Simpson doesn’t fit McCarthy’s long arm theory. But he does fit that belief that the NFL is changing, and that McCarthy is open to it.

Simpson has been a name mentioned within the Steelers organization since the NFL season ended. At the League Meetings, the biggest takeaway is that Rodgers is probably coming back, and that the team is open to all options with their 12 picks.

That includes a quarterback, which they plan to draft at some point. If Simpson is there at 21, he may be their choice.

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