No Chesney, No Regatta, No Fireworks: Coronavirus Pandemic Stealing Pittsburgh's Summer Fun
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- On this last Friday night in June, Alice Cooper was supposed to be in concert and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra was supposed to play the music live for a Star Wars' movie. But, like so many other parts of our lives since St. Patrick's Day, they've been canceled.
We have lost a lot due to COVID-19, and now it's stealing our summer fun.
From swimming, to Kenny Chesney and the Rolling Stones, to the Three Rivers Arts Festival (got the rain – but no arts), the benchmarks of a Pittsburgh summer are a no-show this year.
We now know we'll get baseball, but no chance to enjoy "the most beautiful ballpark in America" in person. The games will be on TV. The hockey playoffs will be fan-less, too.
The Three Rivers Regatta's comeback will have to wait another year.
Only the Ghost Lights are shinning on the stages of the Pittsburgh Cultural District. The CLO season is canceled and the Broadway Series won't hit the stage until "Hamilton" returns in January.
The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix won't be buzzing around Schenley Park, and we're still not sure what form the Steelers fans' experience is going to take, but it will no doubt be reduced and restricted.
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald says, "These things, we're just going to have to get used to it until there is a vaccine or a cure."
While there won't be fireworks at Point State Park this year, some communities will light up the night sky, and you can find the list at KDKA.com.
Kennywood, Idlewild and SoakZone and Sandcastle will all open the week of July 6.
Allegheny County has also launched a Friday night concert series called "Parks Unplugged." Plus, it will go ahead with its Concerts In The Park Series. Only this year, Fitzgerald says they will be broadcast on Pittsburgh's CW.
"So, the same time same night, not the same as sitting out in the grass with thousands of people enjoying it, but we're going to make these changes and maybe next year we can get back to the parks if there is a vaccine or cure."
So many things are being pushed ahead to next year, that if we can get on the other side of the pandemic, the Summer of 2021 should be packed with fun.
