all day celebration

Come celebrate the day our founding fathers declared independence, and let freedom ring for everyone from grandiloquent Philadelphia lawyers to laconic Allegheny frontiersmen. On Saturday, July 4, games and activities for kids start at noon in Mt. Lebanon Park. Climbing wall! Petting zoo! Bungee! Ponies! (Note: bungee and ponies are two separate things). Concert at 7:30 and breathtaking fireworks at 9:30. Rain date for the fireworks is July 5.

very very

The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is hosting Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit, an interactive exhibit inspired by the art of Eric Carle, venerable children’s book author and illustrator. The exhibit opens June 13 and runs through September 20. Activities center around five of Carle’s classic books: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Very Quiet Cricket, The Very Lonely Firefly, The Very Clumsy Click Beetle and The Very Busy Spider. The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is on the North Side at 10 Children’s Way. For cost of admission, hours and more information, visit www.pittsburghkids.org or call 412-322-5058.

greek to go

The Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church’s summer Greek Food Festival is Wednesday, June 10, through Saturday, June 13.  New this year is drive-thru service; order and pay online and have your food brought out to your car. Also new? Greek hot dogs. How are they different from regular hot dogs? You’ll just have to see. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

vintage car show

The Mt. Lebanon Police Department’s Classic Car Show turns 20 this year on Sunday, July 12. Dozens and dozens of hunks of pampered, well-aged machinery, music, food and more. Cars roll in at 9, and music provided by the Good Guys Duo starts at noon. Four-barrel carbs, dual exhausts, 4:11 gears, you can really get lost. (Editor’s note: we have no idea what any of that means. It’s from a song.) Washington Road will be closed to street traffic from Lebanon Avenue to Cedar Boulevard beginning at 8 that morning.

The police department and the Mt. Lebanon Police Association sponsor the show, with help from The Dormont-Mt. Lebanon-Castle Shannon Rotary, the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Department and the Pontiac Oakland Club of Western Pennsylvania. Proceeds benefit the police department’s youth programs.