We had so much fun at this year’s Street Fair!

May 2025 was a super exciting month here at the Museum, in part because of the return of one of our favorite events: Street Fair!  On May 17 and 18, magicians, fire-dancers, face-painters, jugglers, and more filled our trolley street to celebrate the beginning of summer.  We also welcomed many nonprofit community partners. They set up interactive booths to share their mission through games and crafts.

We had a couple of new guests this year at the Street Fair who added some extra amusement to the events.  Marie Exotics Reptile Rescue visited with a variety of their scaly and furry friends.  Those we met included a bearded dragon, albino lizard, tarantula, alligator, and skunk.  The lizard even went for a couple trolley rides!

We also welcomed the talented members of Pittsburgh Swing Dance. They demonstrated some nifty dances moves and then invited guests to join on in. Swing dance, performed to the fast tunes of jazz music, originated in the African-American community of Harlem during the 1920s.  The heyday of swing dance, which continued into the 30s and 40s, coincides with the last peak of the Trolley Era, a time when people all over the country could take the streetcar wherever they wanted to go.

Our youngest vendors were the creative minds of the Children’s Entrepreneur Market, who set up tents along our street to sell their wares.  The youth in this club learn life and business skills by doing every part of the entrepreneurial process themselves: product development and creation, marketing, customer interaction, and money handling.  Visitors could purchase baked goods, handmade clothing, 3D-printed toys, jewelry, as well as a variety of other items.

To wraps things up, we’d like to declare this Street Fair a big success!  Thank you to Wabtec for sponsoring this event, everyone who attended, and all of our vendors, performers, community partners, and volunteers who made it so much fun!  Scroll down to see photos from this event along with a complete list of our guests.

Thank you to everyone who made this event possible: