June 5th is the last day to sign up for the June GAPCANDO

Friday, June 5th is the last day to sign up for the June GAPCANDO 4,5, & 8 day bike tours. Join us for a family friendly tour of the C & O Canal Towpath and the Great Allegheny Passage. Group discounts are available for groups of 4 or more. Click here for details and sign up information.

Don't miss Beyond Bikes Day!

Beyond Bikes Day is this Saturday, May 30! Don’t miss this FREE family bike festival at the Kingsley Center in East Liberty (6435 Frankstown Ave) from 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Loaner bikes and helmets will be available, but feel free to bring your own. There will be something for everyone from guided bike rides and safety inspections to free refreshments!

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Free kayaking at Lake Elizabeth sponsored by nrg

Free Kayaking at Kayak Pittsburgh – Lake Elizabeth on Saturday, June 6
Money raised from teen-led Ultimate Frisbee ® tournament will provide for 150 free kayak sessions.

(Pittsburgh, PA) On Saturday, June 6, youth and families will be the beneficiaries of money raised by a teen-led Ultimate Frisbee® tournament held during Global Youth Service Day, by taking part in free kayaking at Allegheny Commons, Lake Elizabeth.

The first 150 participants will be eligible to receive free kayak sessions as part of Venture Outdoor’s Kayak Pittsburgh program. Kayaking begins at 11 a.m. at Lake Elizabeth, located inside the Allegheny Commons across the street from the National Aviary on Pittsburgh’s Northside.
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Beyond Bikes Day Celebrated with Free Cycling Event

With Major Taylor Cycling Club and Kingsley Association, Venture Outdoors continues Family and Community Program Initiative to engage minority populations in outdoor recreation.

(Pittsburgh, PA) – A free family bike extravaganza, Beyond Bikes Day, will offer introduction to cycling through rides led by the Pittsburgh Major Taylor Cycling Club. Bike safety inspections will be provided by Bike Pittsburgh and Free Ride Youth Programs.

The event will be held Saturday, May 30, at the Kingsley Association Community Center at 6435 Frankstown Avenue from noon to 3 p.m. This particular event will encourage biking as a family-friendly activity, as well as showcase some of the bike lanes in Pittsburgh, particularly the bike lane along East Liberty Boulevard. Riders are encouraged to bring their own bikes and helmets. A limited number of loaner bikes will be available. Raffle prizes will be given away throughout the day, including kids’ bikes and biking gear.
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Summer Members' Day at North Park

Save the Date for our last Summer Members’ Day at North Park. Join us to celebrate and say a final goodbye to the North Park Boat House on June 27th. This event is free for all Venture Outdoors Members and their guests, and will feature free climbing, biking, kayaking and art activities, plus great company! We’ll also be grilling for you, but we do encourage everyone to bring along a favorite summer picnic dish (side, entrée or dessert) to share. We have been fortunate enough since 2006 to invigorate North Park Lake with Kayak Pittsburgh North. Our time will be ending following the end of Labor Day weekend in September 2009, as Allegheny County is getting ready to embark on the multi-year lake improvement project.

Click here to sign up!

Interconnectedness Hike Series

A hiking series is taking place in Pittsburgh this summer focused on Inter-connectedness. Venture Outdoors, in coordination with the Student Conservation Association, is uniting many of the Region’s leaders in environmentalism, spirituality, and art.
The Interconnectedness Series will offer Pittsburgh residents a variety of techniques to explore how our world functions as a complex, dynamic whole. Each hike will be co-led by an ecologist, a spiritual personality, and an artist.
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Early Birds get a Free Paddle

Be one of the first 150 people at Kayak Pittsburgh – Lake Elizabeth on Saturday, June 6 and kayak for FREE! Lake Elizabeth is the newest location of Kayak Pittsburgh and is located inside the Allegheny Commons on Pittsburgh’s Northside. Offering scenic views of the city skyline, charming bridges and shallow waters Lake Elizabeth is ideal for beginners and families. Paddling will be begin at 11:00 AM and last until dusk.

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Venture Outdoors Festival Exhibitor Survey

Thank you for exhibiting at the Venture Outdoors Festival this year. Your participation helped make the Festival a big success. Another 5,000 people were engaged with the outdoors as a result!

The ninth annual Venture Outdoors Festival was held Saturday, May 16, 2009 at Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh. During a very wet period of May, we were blessed with mostly clear skies throughout the day.

Our purpose in hosting this great event is twofold: to inspire the audience to get out and enjoy beautiful outdoor western Pennsylvania, and to raise money for our nonprofit activities. We are delighted that you were able to support our efforts!

Please complete the survey below and share your thoughts about the event!

VO partner needs your help

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, a long time partner of Venture Outdoors, needs our help! State funding for arts and culture has been eliminated from the PA Senate’s budget bill. Loss of state funds would be crippling to the creative sector during these tough times. Show your support for arts and culture by writing your legislators today! Learn how you can help by visiting: http://capwiz.com/artsusa/pa/state/main/?state=PA

Family Walk & Aviary Tour – this Saturday!

Looking for something unique to do with your family this weekend? Check out our Jay Walk in the Park & Aviary Tour on Saturday, May 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Allegheny Commons. No pre-registration is required. Cost is $5 per person.

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