Stay up-to-date on what’s coming, going, and changing in the Northside business community with The Northside Chronicle’s monthly Northside Business Briefs. This month’s briefs feature New Hazlett Theater, RP Day, Allegheny City Brewing, and The Garden Café.

By Ashlee Green

Photo: “the other shoe,” a new CORNINGWORKS production, will take place at New Hazlett Theater Oct. 20-24, 2021. by FRANK WALSH c. corningworks

New Hazlett Theater welcomes fall CORNINGWORKS production with updated vaccine policy in place

This October, the Northside’s New Hazlett Theater is presenting “the other shoe,” and guests will be subject to an updated COVID-19 policy.

“the other shoe” runs from October 20-24, 2021. According to a press release, it’s “a mix of unflinching monologues, choreography by some of the field’s top names, seasoned with a dry wit” and “an acute commentary on our country’s moment in time.” Choreographer and dancer Beth Corning and actor and director Kay Cummings created the “original dance theater work” for and by themselves.

The performances will take place as New Hazlett enacts an updated COVID-19 vaccine policy: Guests must show proof of full vaccination to enter any performance and everyone must wear masks indoors. According to the New Hazlett website, an alternative to proof of vaccination is either a negative COVID-19 PCR test or a negative antigen test; the PCR test results must be taken within 72 hours of the performance and the antigen test, within 24 hours of it. Adults must also show a photo ID. 

You can read more about upcoming New Hazlett performances as well as the details on their COVID-19 safety protocols here.

RP Day postponed this year, but bicycle race still on

RP Day: Our Day in Riverview Park, has been postponed this year due to COVID-19, but the Month of Mud at Riverview Cyclocross bicycle race, sponsored by Bear Dog Bikes, is still on. Sponsored by Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, the Northside Leadership Conference, and Friends of Riverview Park (FORP), RP Day is an annual celebration of Riverview Park that started in 2018, complete with live music, food, activities for children, and adventure hikes. This year’s event was originally scheduled for October 17.

“The decision to postpone RP Day was not taken lightly,” said Mark Masterson, Chair of FORP.  “However, RP Day is a family-focused event with attractions that are designed to appeal to families with children under 12 years of age. These kids cannot yet get a vaccine. With the rising COVID-19 infection rate in Allegheny County, we did not want to put anyone at risk and decided to postpone the event until the spring of 2022 or until such time as the pandemic is no longer a factor.”

Masterson said the cyclocross race will still occur because the “vast majority of participants are eligible for the vaccine and those participants can also socially distance.” You can register for the race online here.

Allegheny City Brewing celebrates fifth anniversary

Save the date: Allegheny City Brewing (ACB) in Historic Deutschtown is celebrating its fifth anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 2. The brewery, located at 507 Foreland St., is hosting an all-day event featuring the debut of a collaboration beer with Dancing Gnome Brewery, grub from Just Roll’d Up food truck, and live music from Sierra Sellers and Cam Chambers. 

“It is certainly a milestone we are proud of,” said ACB co-owner Al Grasso. “When we opened, our vision was to be a place that made great beer and also provided a true neighborhood atmosphere.  

“Thankfully, we are in an amazing neighborhood with so many people who were ready to take this journey with us. We’re very proud to reach five years, and we’re proud to have seen growth through these last couple crazy years. But, we’re most proud of how many true friends we’ve made, dogs we’ve met, fundraisers we’ve hosted, couples who met at ACB, and families that formed and have grown over these years.”

Grasso said that while the ACB team “want to always get better at our craft,” he’s glad that the brewery today is “very close to what we wanted to be.” The owners have been focusing on navigating the pandemic safely, Grasso explained, and because of that, future ideas for ACB have been put on hold, but he welcomes new suggestions and feedback. 

“We are starting to have some of those future discussions now.”

The Garden Café debuts plant library in conjunction with one-year anniversary

The Garden Café is turning one year old, and in addition to their rotating fall menu, they’re celebrating with a take-one, leave-one plant library. 

The first cuttings in the collection are from a cerveza ‘n lime plant. 

“Feel free to take a cutting whenever you stop by for a coffee…,” a post on the café’s Facebook wall reads. “Let’s keep each other’s houses green this fall & winter!”

Sharing a cutting from your own plant in exchange for one you take is encouraged, the post explains, but not necessary. 

Located at 1022 Chestnut St. on the corner of Chestnut Street and East North Avenue in East Deutschtown, The Garden Café coffee shop serves coffee and espresso drinks and pastries, including seasonal pumpkin cream nitro cold brew and pumpkin pecan muffins from Threefiftyº Bakery. The Café’s takeout window is open seven days a week: Hours are Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check out their website for more information.