Looking for something to do in the Burgh this holiday weekend on a budget?
Look no further. On Monday, you can gather up the kiddos and head on over to the Mattress Factory without worrying about how much cash you have on hand.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration at The Mattress Factory
When: Monday, January 20, 2019
Where: The Mattress Factory
Time: 1p-5p
Cost: Free!
Every year, the Mattress Factory hosts a party for MLK Jr. Day. This year, there’s going to be a lot of really cool all-ages activities going on. The education department at the museum does a really great job with its events.
For example, this celebration will feature hands-on activities for all ages, including an I Have a Dream-scape collaborative mixed-media mural. Guests can also write a letter to someone who has inspired them at our Appreciation Station; enjoy a snack at the cookie table and hot chocolate bar; and dance to the music of local DJ group Wavy Bunch Sound.
Wavy Bunch Sound is comprised of duo DJ Flipwave and DJ African Wolf, coming from Ghana and Haiti respectively. In past years WBS has introduced Pittsburgh to the heritage of Afro-Caribbean culture with events like Ghana@62 and All White Affair: Rep Your Flag. These events give guests background and history through music, allowing people to enjoy and experience the black diaspora that is Afro-Caribbean via Soca, Zouk, Reggae, Dancehall, Afro-Beats, Hip-Hop/Rap and R&B/Soul of the past and present day.
If you’re a regular of the Mattress Factory, you’ll know that they’re not typically open on Mondays. But in honor of the holiday, not only will they be hosting the party, but the museum’s galleries at 500 Sampsonia Way, 516 Sampsonia Way and 1414 Monterey Street will be open for visitors.
If you haven’t been to the Mattress Factory yet, go. I lived here a total of 15 nonconsecutive years before I visited, and man, do I wish I had done it sooner. One of the coolest museums in the city–and that’s saying something in a museum-rich metro like Pittsburgh.
Celebrating a man so full of love, a penchant for peace and a desire for justice isn’t a bad way to spend any day, but Monday in particular will be something special.