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Free and Affordable Pittsburgh for 6/8: Summer Flicks and Family Fun for Free!

By Rachel Booth

Try saying that three times fast. Just kidding! No special skills necessary to take advantage of these great FREE 'Burgh activities this weekend and the week ahead. For this week's Free & Affordable Pittsburgh, we're talking about a fun summer reading event for the whole family, a free indie film, and a day full of fun and history at a great city park! Plus, now that we've given you some great ideas to pass the time on summer road trips, we've got some great places to visit within 60 miles of our great city, and a peek at the must-see movies for this summer (one was filmed right here in Pittsburgh)! Learn more about these great events and activities!

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Photo Credit: soraccophoto.com

Carnegie Library Summer Reading Extravaganza
On the lawn at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - Main
4400 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 622-3114
www.carnegielibrary.org

Date: Sunday, June 10, 2012
Hours: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: Free to attend

Now in its 12th year, the Carnegie Library Summer Reading Extravaganza celebrates the kickoff of the summer reading season with loads of free family fun, including live entertainment, crafts and activities. The event is geared towards both younger kids and teens, and featured performances from Gemini Theater, the Obama Academy Steel Band, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Pittsburgh Belly Dance and more. You can personalize a Smiley Cookie with Eat & Park, check out handmade goods from I Made It! Market, visit with the Pittsburgh Pirates, or snag a great affordable book at their annual Used Book Sale. Click on the link above to preregister and bring the whole family!

Free & Affordable Riverview Heritage Day
Photo Credit: Jim Judkis

Riverview Park Heritage Day
Riverview Park
Main Entrance at Riverview Avenue (off of Perrysville Ave)
Pittsburgh, PA 15214
(412) 255-2493
www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Date: Saturday, June 9, 2012
Hours: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Price: Free to attend

Just north of Downtown Pittsburgh, Riverview Park is a city gem - home to the landmark Allegheny Observatory and loads of trails perfect for hiking and jogging, and even horseback riding! At this year's annual Heritage Day, check out rare birds care of the National Aviary, meet furry friends from the Animal Rescue League, and learn more about our local watershed at the RiverQuest booth. Kids can meet McGruff the Crime Dog, plus a REAL K-9! New this year, visit Fort Heritage! Kids can experience the life of the American frontier by riding horses, painting totem polls, making trail mix, designing feather hair ties, and much more! Everyone can enjoy free refreshments as well!

Free & Affordable hollywood theater
Photo Credit: Friends of the Hollywood Theater

Captain Slickpants at the Hollywood Theater
Hollywood Theater
1449 Potomac Avenue in Dormont
Pittsburgh, PA 15216
(412) 563-0368
thehollywooddormont.org

Date: Saturday, June 9, 2012
Hours: 7 p.m.
Price: Free to attend

How about a free indie movie at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont? The world premiere of Captain Slickpants is this Saturday. It features Gregg Henley (Ben Dietels), who lives alone in his deceased Grandmother's house. He spends his time devising strange aerobic routines, setting off fireworks in his backyard, and obsessing over Vanessa, a waitress at his favorite restaurant. Gregg's dreams of a relationship with Vanessa become a reality when he finds her misplaced wallet and decides to return it and confess his love. With his best friend Steven O'Leary (Ryan Lintner) along for the ride, this seemingly easy task becomes a strange journey of twists and turns that'll keep you guessing and laughing up until the shocking finale. Sounds like a hilarious time!

CBS Local Offer
Free & Affordable Pizza
(Photo Credit: Thinkstock.com

CBS Local offers has great deals everyday, anywhere from 50-90% off the retail value. You still have a few more days to take advantage of 50% off at Sammy's Pizza on Noblestown Road. Pay $5 for $10 worth of delicious pizza, calzones and wings! Sammy's is known for their daily specials, like $1.25 slices on Mondays, 45 cent wings on Tuesdays and more.  You can buy up to three vouchers for yourself and three for your friends, but you have to use one whole voucher per visit (you can't split one between two visits). This offer expires this Sunday at 11:59pm, so hurry! You can find all the details on CBS Local Offers.

What We're Talking About In Best Of
Free & Affordable Road Trips
Photo Credit: Thinkstock.com

Last week, we highlighted a great article in Travel & Outdoors: Fun For The Road – Car Games For Your Next Road Trip. Now you have a great opportunity to put it to use! In Travel and Outdoors you'll find The Best Scenic Drives Within 60 Miles of Pittsburgh. You won't believe what you can find within 60 miles of our city - from stunning rivers, gorgeous state parks, our very own world-famous city skyline from different vantage points, and even underground caverns... although you'll have to get out of the car to see those. The Conemaugh Dam is particularly spectacular. Most of these I didn't even know about!

Speaking of movies, Summer is the time for those great blockbuster films. In Arts & Culture you'll find Summer Movie Blockbusters 2012. Gone are the 'faves of Harry Potter and Transformers... and Twilight won't come out until the fall, but there's the return of Men In Black 3, The Amazing Spider Man, and The Dark Knight Rises, which was filmed right here in Pittsburgh! There are also some newcomers, like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (for real!) - a film produced by Tim Burton, and a film that may or may not be a direct prequel to the movie Alien!

Rachel Booth & Heather Walsh are the bargainistas behind LivingPittsburgh.com, Pittsburgh's go-to bargain website for free, affordable & discounted events, activities, products & services. Visit Living Pittsburgh for even more great 'Burgh bargains! You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter! They are also CBS Pittsburgh's Best Of contributors and spokespersons.
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