One of the stated goals of Pittonkatonk is to break the barrier between performer and audience. And that’s what happened Saturday when a break in the rain allowed the performers to lead the audience on a short parade from inside the Vietnam Veterans Pavilion in Oakland’s Schenley Park out into the burgeoning sunshine.
There would be more rain later in the day, but that didn’t faze the performers, the organizers or the audience members at Pittonkatonk, the annual May Day community festival at Schenley Park. This year’s edition, the 11th, attracted performers from Africa, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Puerto Rico and, of course, Pittsburgh.
Learn more at https://pittonkatonk.org.
Yamoussa Camara, of Pittsburgh’s Balafon West African Dance Ensemble, helps drive the dancers outside Schenley Park’s Vietnam Veterans Pavilion during Pittonkatonk Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Michael Pound/Pittsburgh Union Progress) Col. Eagleburger’s High Stepping Good Time Band of Pittsburgh started the Pittonkatonk party inside the Vietnam Veterans Pavilion in Schenley Park Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Michael Pound/Pittsburgh Union Progress)Nicole Sinwell, left, helps bring the thunder with Pittsburgh’s Timbeleza inside Schenley Park’s Vietnam Veterans Pavilion during Pittonkatonk Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Michael Pound/Pittsburgh Union Progress)When the rain let up, Pittsburgh’s Timbeleza led the crowd outside Schenley Park’s Vietnam Veterans Pavilion during Pittonkatonk Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Michael Pound/Pittsburgh Union Progress) Jamie Moore dances and plays with Pittsburgh’s Timbeleza outside Schenley Park’s Vietnam Veterans Pavilion during Pittonkatonk Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Michael Pound/Pittsburgh Union Progress)A Pittonkatonk sign hangs from the Vietnam Veterans Pavilion in Schenley Park Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Michael Pound/Pittsburgh Union Progress)
Mark Opitz, Managing Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Pittsburgh Pittsburgh stands at a promising moment of civic reinvention, with an opportunity to build on its leadership in AI, robotics, and advanced innovation to create a more vibrant urban future. A key priority for the mayor could be strengthening confidence in Downtown by continuing its evolution from a 9-to-5 employment center into a mixed-use neighborhood that attracts workers, residents, students, and visitors throughout the entire week.
To advance that vision, the mayor should give consideration to public safety, cleanliness, and mobility, along with creative reuse of underutilized office space for housing, emerging companies, and cultural activity. Equally important is sending a clear, consistent signal that Pittsburgh welcomes investment and partnership. Regulatory predictability, efficient approvals, and strong collaboration among the city, employers, institutions, and neighboring communities can help align development with market realities. By pairing economic ambition with quality of life, the city’s leadership can position Downtown — and the city — as confident, innovative, and open for growth.
One of Pittsburgh’s biggest goals before hosting the NFL Draft was to modernize Market Square. It is just one of the spaces in the downtown area that is being transformed for the massive event.
