Free, family-friendly celebration to feature live music, puppetry and parade
shorething.riverlifepgh.org/event/the-last-splash/
PITTSBURGH, PA — September 24, 2026 — The second season of Shore Thing on the Allegheny River won’t be complete without an event that makes waves.
Riverlife’s Shore Thing floating barge platform will welcome visitors to The Last Splash on Saturday, October 10, 2026 from Noon to 5 p.m. The free event will include live music and DJ sets, large-scale puppet-making, a tote bag upcycling workshop and food and drink offerings from BG Brewing.
“We’ve loved seeing so many people climb aboard Shore Thing, grab a cold drink and unwind this summer,” said Matthew Galluzzo, President and CEO of Riverlife. “The Last Splash is our way of inviting Pittsburghers to have one more memorable afternoon on board the barge.”
Pittsburgh brass funk ensemble Beauty Slap headlines the live music offerings and family-friendly activities. The day will also feature River Revel at Last Splash, a participatory celebration of Pittsburgh’s rivers through puppetry, pageantry, music, making, and collective play developed by artist Cheryl Capezzuti and Shiftworks Community + Public Arts in collaboration with Riverlife.
Throughout the afternoon, visitors will be invited to try on and animate a collection of large-scale puppets, including Cheryl’s existing work and new river-creature puppets created through community workshops. A drop-in make-and-take activity will give participants the chance to create simple river creatures of their own.
The day will culminate in the Great River Creature Parade, bringing together puppeteers, musicians, families, artists, and community participants for a joyful procession along the riverfront, followed by a puppet dance party at Shore Thing. The Last Splash will also feature the return of Catherine Trendz, with artist and designer Imani Betts leading guests in making upcycled tote bags using recycled materials and eco-friendly art supplies.
Visitors can drop in any time on the afternoon of October 10 to find something to enjoy:
- Yoga session before the event from 10 am – 11 am
- Live music and DJs throughout the day
- Make-and-take activity and puppet try-ons with Cheryl Capezzuti
- Sustainable fashion tote bag station with Catherine Trendz from 12 – 3 pm
- Beauty Slap performance from 2 – 3:30 pm
- The Great River Creature Parade at 3:30 pm
- DJ Inception after-party from 5 – 7 pm
Shore Thing’s second season nestled between the Roberto Clemente Bridge and Andy Warhol Bridge on the North Shore has once again welcomed tens of thousands of visitors on board, free for all to access from Allegheny Landing. Built on ten small barges, the space has brought visitors together through art, play, and community – offering more than 70 free programs in its 2026 season.
The 2026 season has also been an award-winning one for Shore Thing. Earlier this year, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) selected Shore Thing as one of nine winners of a prestigious international honor: the 2026 ULI Americas Awards for Excellence, recognizing outstanding new development projects in North, South, and Central America. At 4,800 square feet, Shore Thing has the smallest footprint of this year’s selections, which also included an 11.8-mile transit extension in Toronto, a former shopping mall adapted into a college campus in Austin, and the creation of the Presidio Tunnel Tops parkland in San Francisco.
The final day of operation for Shore Thing in 2026 is scheduled for Sunday, October 18. The popular floating destination will return to Pittsburgh’s riverfront in spring 2027.
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For media inquiries, contact: James Santelli, Communications Officer | 412-258-6636 x109 | james@riverlifepgh.org
