6 free things to do around Pittsburgh in September

Classes are back in session, and there's plenty to do as the summer comes to an end. September brings free activites like a jazz festival downtown, a fine craft fair in Mellon Park and a 100th birthday party for the Cathedral of Learning.

Here are some events to put on your calendar:

Made by hand

Sept. 11-13

Roughly 85 artists will set up their wares for A Fair in the Park, the 57-year-old fine craft festival run by the Craftsmen's Guild of Pittsburgh. Browse ceramics, glass, jewelry, fiber, leather, metal and woodwork, then grab something from the food trucks on site. Hours are 1-7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, rain or shine.

Where: Mellon Park, 1047 Shady Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15232

Wheelie week

Sept. 13-18

Campus Bike Week fills the week with rides, classes and giveaways built around biking to campus. Highlights include a tandem ride with Blind Outdoor Leisure Development, where sighted volunteers will pilot for blind and visually impaired riders; a kickoff festival with a raffle for a new bike; free front and rear lights from BikePGH's Operation Illumination; and a social ride that ends in free ice cream. Several events require sign-ups, and students can activate a POGOH account for free 30-minute bike share rides.

Where: Locations vary; check out the full schedule for more details.

Bingo and boundaries

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Prevention at Pitt hosts a night of dating app bingo, with conversation about healthy dating and online safety followed by a game with prizes. Snacks are provided. The event is part of the University's Campus Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which includes resource fairs, discussion series and other programming. Registration for most events is encouraged but not required.

Where: Cathedral of Learning, 31st floor, 4200 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15260

All that jazz

Sept. 19-20

The Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival hits its 16th year with street festival that's free and open to everyone. Bring a chair for outdoor stages featuring Lalah Hathaway, Terri Lyne Carrington and Lady Blackbird among the artists announced so far. More than 140 local musicians perform across the weekend, and the lineup is subject to change.

Where: Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222

Art after dark

Friday, Sept. 25

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Gallery Crawl opens galleries, storefronts and public spaces across the Cultural District for a free night of visual art, live music and performance. Current shows include Michael Zagaris' "60 Years of NFL Photography" at 707 Gallery, Marianne Vitale's "On Liberty: A Summoning" at SPACE Gallery and Hprizm's "Sound of the City" at Wood Street Galleries. Arts Landing also hosts new long-term work from Pittsburgh artists including Thaddeus Mosley, who passed away earlier this year, and Vanessa German.

Where: Downtown Pittsburgh, PA, 15222

Happy 100th, Cathy

Sept. 25-27

The Cathedral of Learning marks 100 years since its groundbreaking, and the whole Pitt community is invited to celebrate throughout Homecoming weekend.

On Sept. 27, Cathy-Palooza takes over the Cathedral Lawn with carnival games, airbrush tattoos, a build-your-own-Cathedral brick station, peregrine falcon watching with the National Aviary, self-paced Nationality Rooms tours and birthday cake.

Plus, a century of Pitt history meets what's next in a memorable cinematic, film, light and sound experience. Watch the iconic University landmark come alive over three extraordinary nights starting Sept. 25 at 9 p.m. Registering early is recommended for all events.

Where: Cathedral Lawn, 4200 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15260

For more campus events, visit calendar.pitt.edu.

Photography by Aimee Obidzinski