Riverlife’s annual themed fundraiser celebrates the city’s riverfronts and raises funds for riverfront initiatives including the new Sister Bridges Experience
August 7, 2023 (Pittsburgh, PA)– On Friday, August 18th, Riverlife’s Party at the Pier: Hidden Gems Presented by Peoples returns for its 14th year with a new look and new location. Guests are invited to discover a whole new view of Pittsburgh’s vibrant riverfronts from the Rooftop Terrace at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The main event will open at 7:30 p.m., with a VIP Cocktail Hour presented by PNC taking place from 6:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m. Less than 150 event tickets remain.
“We’re always overwhelmed with the enthusiasm and response to Party at the Pier, but the response this year has really blown us away,” says Matthew Galluzzo, President and CEO for Riverlife. “Engagement with the riverfronts is at an all-time high – from incredible attendance at public events like Pittsburgh’s Riverwalk & Chalk Fest and the Three River Arts Festival, to increases in riverfront activity from boaters, water sports enthusiasts, and trail commuters. It’s exciting to see this level of support as we embark on a game changing year for our riverfronts. We’re deepening the unique connecting experiences our riverfronts provide here, starting with the upcoming Sister Bridges Experience, and Hidden Gems is truly the start of some dazzling things to come.”
Hosted by event chairs Megan and Michael Quatrini, the party will transport guests to a mysterious and glittering environment to celebrate Pittsburgh’s riverfronts and the city’s reputation of being a true “hidden gem.”
The VIP Cocktail Hour, presented by PNC, will feature gem-hued specialty cocktails, plenty of sparkling delights, and decadent bites. Live performances and surprise-and-delight moments, from professional bejeweling artists to pop-up dance performances, will exclusively welcome and entertain VIP guests before the main event begins.
As the doors open at 7:30 p.m. to all ticketed guests, attendees will be greeted with a seductive gem-toned atmosphere. Food and beverage highlights by Levy include specialty cocktails, local brews, and abundant fresh bites. Guests will hit the First National Bank Dance Floor to the sounds of Rhythm 6, hailing from Washington, DC, and enjoy other surprise musical performances throughout the evening. Guests and riverfront enthusiasts can also look for interactive moments throughout the party to gain some “hidden gem” insight to Pittsburgh’s riverfronts and Riverlife’s work.
Pittsburgh’s “fashion event of the year” has guests dressing to impress and is legendary for taking creative cocktail attire to new heights. Expect to see color rich jewel tones or mysterious palettes of blacks and grays with sparkling accents and unexpected details. Combining glitter and glam, with nods to Riverlife’s mission and work, guests are encouraged to take cues from the PPG Color of the Year Vining Ivy – a beautifully robust and refined blue-green jewel tone, symbolic of the deepest depth of a body of water.
“The David L. Lawrence Convention Center is thrilled to welcome Riverlife’s Party at the Pier to Downtown Pittsburgh for the first time,” said Tim Muldoon, General Manager. “We designed the Rooftop Terrace to be a beautiful outdoor riverfront space for our guests, and we are excited to showcase the natural elements that we’ve embedded into the space as well as the unmatched view of the city’s skyline.”
Party at the Pier: Hidden Gems is presented by Peoples, an Essential Utilities Company. “Peoples and Essential Utilities are committed to enhancing the quality of life for our customers, families, and neighborhoods through investments in environmental initiatives,” said Peoples President Mike Huwar. “We are honored to partner with Riverlife to bring thriving riverfronts to the region, and we are excited to join them in hosting Party at the Pier, a riverfront celebration that calls attention to the importance of Pittsburgh’s most wonderful shared assets, the three rivers.”
The Official Party at the Pier After-Party will be hosted at Ritual House from 10 p.m.-Midnight. The new downtown hotspot will be offering passed hors’ d oeuvres and creative cocktail and mocktail selections, including a specialty themed cocktail made just for Hidden Gems event goers, complete with gem-cut ice. Ritual House will also be offering valet service, with extended hours closing at Midnight. A portion of the after-party’s proceeds will also benefit Riverlife.
Less than 150 tickets remain for Party at the Pier: Hidden Gems Presented by Peoples. Those interested in attending should purchase tickets in advance at partyatthepier.com. Party at the Pier is Riverlife’s annual fundraiser to raise support for Riverlife’s work to create, activate, and celebrate Pittsburgh’s rivers.
Event Details
Party at the Pier: Hidden Gems Presented by Peoples
Friday, August 18, 2023
The Rooftop Terrace at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center (1000 Ft. Duquesne Blvd. Pittsburgh, 15222)
VIP Cocktail Hour Presented by PNC | 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (with special rooftop boulevard lounge access through 8pm)
The Main Event | 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM
About Riverlife
Since 1999, Riverlife has worked to create, activate, and celebrate Pittsburgh’s riverfronts. A nonprofit leader in building a community vision for Pittsburgh’s riverfronts, Riverlife has overseen a $150 million investment in the city’s waterfront transformation, catalyzing $4.2 billion in related economic development, arts and culture spending, and ecological sustainability on or adjacent to the city’s riverbanks. We center our work on the belief that the riverfronts belong to everyone, and world-class riverfront experiences can be created for all using community-driven, equitable development and high-quality, regenerative design. For more information, visit www.riverlifepgh.org.
About the David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Pittsburgh’s environmentally smart, LEED® Gold Certified David L. Lawrence Convention
Center located in Pittsburgh is owned by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Allegheny County. This 1.5 million-square-foot facility features 313,000 square feet of exhibit space, 37 loading docks, 53 meeting rooms and a 31,000-square-foot ballroom. The building’s dynamic
architectural design is like no other convention center, offering breath-taking views, open terraces and a suspended roof structure.
About LEED®
LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System ™ is a
feature-oriented rating system that awards buildings points for satisfying specified green
building criteria. The six major environmental categories of review include: Sustainable Sites,
Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental
Quality and Innovation and Design. Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels of LEED green
building certification are awarded based on the total number of points earned within each LEED
category.
Photography by Rose Colored Creative
