Thursday Concert Line Up

Concerts run June 3 - August 26

Noon - 1 p.m.

June 3 - Lincoln Park Steel Drum Corps

June 10 - Henry Mancini All Stars (Lincoln park performing arts singing troop)

June 17 – The Delaneys (popular Pittsburgh based rock band)

June 24 – NOMaD (Pittsburgh Country Music band favorite most recently selected as the exclusive performing act by Harrah's casinos to debut for a three month run at a yet unnamed venue at Bally's Atlantic City beginning summer 2010.)

July 1 - The Granati's "For those about to Rock Academy" featuring Beaver County rockers David and Hermie Granati with some of their most gifted up-coming students.

July 8 - Sarah Marince (Pittsburgh Native – now living in Nashville, pened for many national acts such as Taylor Swift, Kenny Rogers and Kellie Pickler! She just released her second cd entitled "You're My Summertime)

July 15 - Harmon Creek (female country duo previously featured as semi-finalists on CMT's Can You Duet )

July 22 - The Great Scotts! (Fun 80s 90s acoustic cover act) this is Donnie Iris's nephew but that’s not for advertisement.

July 29 - Walter Ino (internationally touring musician based out of Pittsburgh who's bands include Strangeway, 7th House, and lead guitar player for South by Southwest 2010 performer Danielle Barbe as well as Jenny Galt a former contestant on American Idol)

Aug 5 - Amy Colalella – (winner of the Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana's search for the next pop star contest)

Aug 12 - Billy the Kid – (Pittsburgh based blues band that has one many blues competitions from here to Nashville and back).

Aug 19 - Beatles Tribute Band

  The Thursday concerts are produced by:

Star 100.7                                  KDKA Radio

To tempt your palate: Market Square Weekly Farmers Market returns soon!

Your lunch break is about to get a lot more delicious... The Thursday Market Square Farmers Market is returning this June for its sixth year in the new Market Square.

Starting Thurs., June 3, Market Square will be bustling with local vendors selling all things tasty from the center terrazzo -- fresh produce, smoked meats, authentic salsas, decadent baked goods and even flowers and wine to keep on hand for a romantic weekend.

The farmers market will be a great time to stop by and check out Pittsburgh's newest public space -- stroll over, pick up some pierogies and baklava, and enjoy your international lunch in a piazza with a truly international feel (the whole place is oriented to pedestrians rather than vehicles). 

The Market Square farmers market will be open each Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. all summer and into the fall -- the market doesn't wrap its season until Nov. 18, the week before Thanksgiving.

The Thursday Market Square Farmers Market will feature all your favorite vendors from last year.  See the full list of vendors on our website, DowntownPittsburgh.com.

And a new addition this year for you fromage fans: Clover Creek Cheese Cellar, which sells artisan cheeses made with Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture-Certified grass-fed raw milk. Customers will also be able to special order grass-fed beef.

If delicious food is not enough to get you to the new Market Square, there will also be live music, brought to you by Star 100.7 and KDKA Radio. So you've got no excuse not to check it out. We'll do a special blog post next week with this summer's performers. 

And keep in mind, you don't have to wait until June 3 to find farm-fresh foods Downtown. The Citiparks Farmers Market opened last Friday, May 14 at the City-County Building on Grant Street. It runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday.

For up-to-the-minute updates on all things Pittsburgh, follow Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership on Facebook and Twitter.

What the Heck IS Terrazzo, Anyway?

"Terrazzo?" you ask. "Yes, terrazzo!" we say.

Well, what's terrazzo? Terrazzo is made up of small granite chips. (Remember the Belgian block? That is a bigger hunk of granite.) There are several steps to laying terrazzo:

1) The crews place a gravel sub-base (bottom layer) between the compacted dirt and the concrete base.
2) They place an epoxy-coated mesh inside the concrete to reinforce it and help prevent cracking.
3) They make forms (boxes) on top of the sub-base. This allows them to properly set the level of the concrete. They do this by shimmying long 2x4s across it -- like how you'd run a knife across the top of a measuring cup of sugar to get it level). This allows the construction crew to work in smaller sections and alternate boxes for a better terrazzo product, and the joints allow for expansion of the concrete to help prevent cracks.

For you true construction geeks out there, here's some more info on laying terrazzo: There are two different ways to lay terrazzo. Yes. Two.

First way is that you lay the concrete, let it dry and come back later for the terrazzo, putting a chemical bonding agent between the two materials (think of it as a really serious glue). The second way is to press the granite chips into the cement while it is still wet.

Market Square will have the second process (see them pushing chips into wet cement in photos above?), which should make it a stronger product, and more resistant to cracking. It will also be laid in 6' x 6' squares. These joints will allow for expansion (more crack prevention), and in the case of any damage, it will be easier to repair.

Once the granite is set in place, the construction crews cover it to let it cure. When laying concrete you don't want it to dry too fast, so they cover it with plastic to keep it moist while it begins the curing process. Sometimes they use burlap (as in the photo above) because they can keep rewetting it and manage the level of moisture and drying time.  Once the concrete is set they must spray it down to clean it and then put a sealant on to protect it.

Fun fact: It takes 28 days for concrete to cure completely. You know, like if you dry your clothes on the line... after a couple hours it will be drier than when you hung them, but it takes a good while for them to be completely dry through and through. Well, concrete takes a whole 28 days to reach full strength. If you ever wonder why the project near your house or on your commute looks ready but is still blocked off… it needs time to cure!

Stay informed about Market Square and Pittsburgh on our website, and by following PDP on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Journey - how far we've come...

August

Today

Go enjoy this gorgeous weather and check it out!