Resources for July Observances

Various organizations, states, and nations recognize a number of observances each month. Resources can help parents, caregivers, and child care professionals acknowledge and navigate them.

Here is a list of resources for July observances.

Month-Long Observances

National Parks and Recreation Month

• Pittsburgh Parks Department, CitiParks

• Summer Program Guide, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy

• Top Green Spaces and Public Parks in Pittsburgh, Visit Pittsburgh

• Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature, Child Mind Institute

• Free Worksheet: Thank a Park Ranger Card, Education.com  

• Become a Junior Ranger, National Park Service

• The Benefits of Outdoor Play: Why It Matters, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

• Prioritizing Minority Mental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• BIPOC Mental Health Month, Mental Health America

• Mental Health Disparities: Diverse Populations, American Psychiatric Association

• Mental Health Doesn’t Discriminate, So Why Do BIPOC Communities Have Difficulty Accessing Care?, Jefferson Center for Mental Health

• Erasing Mental Health Stigma in the Black Community, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

• Where to Find Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents in Pittsburgh, The University of Pittsburgh Youth and Family Research Program

• BIPOC/AAPI Mental Health Resources, NAMI New Hampshire

• Anti-Racism Resources for Families, Trying Together

• Multilingual Trauma Resources, The Child Mind Institute

Days of Recognition

July 4 is Independence Day

• Ways to Celebrate Independence Day in Pittsburgh in 2025, Visit Pittsburgh

• 23 Crafts and Activities for Independence Day, We Are Teachers

• A Nation’s Story: What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?, National Museum of African-American History & Culture (NMAAHC)

• July Fourth and Early Black Americans: It’s Complicated, Cornell Chronicle

• Making Our Voices Heard: Books About Activism for Kids, Read Brightly

July 7 to 8 is Islamic New Year

• Muharram 2025: When is Islamic New Year?, The Old Farmer's Almanac

• Muharram, Calendar United States

July 14 is International Nonbinary People’s Day

• Gender Identity Development in Early Childhood, Trying Together

• Resource List: LGBTQ+ Organizations, Trying Together

• A Guide to Gender Identity Terms, NPR & WESA

• Understanding Nonbinary People: How to Be Respectful and Supportive, National Center for Transgender Equality

• 10 Ways to Step Up as an Ally to Nonbinary People, Stonewall

• Children’s Books That Teach Tolerance, Goodreads

• Early Childhood Book List: Learning About Gender Diversity, Social Justice Books

July 26 is National Disability Independence Day

• Celebrating National Disability Independence Day, InclusionHub

• Guide to Disability Rights Laws, U.S. Department of Justice: Civil Rights Division

• Ideas for Celebrating the ADA, ADAAnniversary.org

• Disability and Autism Supports, Allegheny County Department of Human Services

• Disability Resources in the Community, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)

• 30 Inclusive Children’s Books About Disabilities, We Are Teachers

• Service Dog 101: Everything That You Need to Know, American Kennel Club

RAD Pass Offering Thousands of Free Admissions to Pittsburgh’s Top Attractions

A number of Pittsburgh’s top attractions are offering tens of thousands of free admissions through August 31 for those who have an Allegheny County library card and a Regional Asset District (RAD) Pass reservation.

Learn More

RAD Summer Staycation reservation spots will be added regularly through August. Users are asked to read offers carefully, as some attractions offer two- or four-packs for admission.

Currently, attractions making offers of free visits on the RAD Pass website include:

• The Andy Warhol Museum

• Carnegie Museum of Art

• Carnegie Museum of Natural History

• Carnegie Science Center

• Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

• The Frick Pittsburgh

• Mattress Factory

• National Aviary

• Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

In the coming months, the following institutions will make offers:

• Heinz History Center

• Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

• Pittsburgh Botanic Garden

• Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum

Booking Tickets

To book tickets for RAD Summer Staycation admissions, visit the RAD Pass website. Then, users should log in with their Allegheny County library card and PIN and browse for passes by date or venue. Once a pass is reserved, it should be printed or downloaded to a mobile device.

Participants are asked to only book a reservation that they plan to use on the selected date. They should also cancel their reservation to open up spots for others if they find out they cannot attend on a day they reserved.

For more information, visit the RAD Pass website.

PA Parks to Host Fish-for-Free Day on July 4

Families will be able to fish and borrow equipment for free as part of the Pennsylvania State Parks’ Fish-For-Free Day on Friday, July 4.

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The program is held by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, American Sportfishing Association, and various sponsors. Its aim is to make it easy for anyone to access fishing tackle, be able to spend an afternoon fishing, and in the process become hooked for life to fishing.

The public can go to locations identified on the Borrow a Rod & Reel map and borrow rods, reels, and a tackle box full of hooks and other terminal tackle. The equipment is borrowed in much the same way books are borrowed from a library. Those wanting to borrow gear will complete a form and return the equipment to the site at the end of the loan period.

The program is intended for all levels, from those fishing for the first time to those returning to a favorite childhood activity. The equipment may also be loaned to groups conducting angler education programs in the community.

To find a fishing equipment loan site, visit the Borrow a Rod & Reel map and click on a “fishing” icon for a location, hours of operation, and contact information.

Frick Environmental Center to Host Juneteenth-Themed Storytime

The Frick Environmental Center will host an event during which the center’s director and an award-winning artist and entrepreneur will read empowering children’s stories to celebrate Juneteenth.

Learn More

Black Power Storytime with BOOM Concepts will run from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Juneteenth, which is Thursday, June 19, at the Frick Environmental Center, located at 2005 Beechwood Blvd.

Artist and entrepreneur DS Kinsel will join Frick Environmental Center Director James A. Brown to read stories to children. The storytime will be followed by a short nature activity led by a PPC naturalist educator.

The program is open to families with children of all ages, but is ideal for families with children, ages 3 to 9. Caregivers must accompany their children throughout the duration of the program.

Registration is open.

Pittsburgh Parks Rank in Top 15 Nationally for Accessibility, Other Factors

The Trust for Public Land recently compared Pittsburgh’s parks to other major U.S. cities in five categories and found that an overwhelming majority of the city’s residents live near a park.

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Pittsburgh’s 176 parks were compared to other cities in the categories of acreage, access, investment, amenities, and equity. The report found that 94% of Pittsburgh residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, compared to the national average of 76% for the nation’s 100 most populous cities.

Overall, Pittsburgh ranked 15th nationally among park systems. It ranked highest in the areas of amenities and access, slightly above average for equity and investment, and slightly below average for acreage. 

In terms of income, age, and race/ethnicity, there was little difference between various groups in terms of access to Pittsburgh parks. 

For more information on the study and to view its methodology, visit the Trust Public Land’s website.

CitiParks Releases Guide to Summer 2025 Activities in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh has announced the release of its 2025 CitiParks Summer Guide that includes information on everything from events and farmers markets to holiday-related activities.

Learn More

The CitiParks Summer Guide 2025 features a variety of free activities taking place throughout the city this summer. It is available online and can be found at CitiParks Recreation and Healthy Active Living Centers, farmers markets, concerts, and other locations in Pittsburgh.

The online guide provides information on holiday celebrations such as Juneteenth (June 19) and the Fourth of July. It includes information on the city’s parks, pools, and events. 

The summer guide’s sections include:

• Farmers markets

• Dollar Bank Cinema in the Park

• Roving Art Cart

• ARTWorks

• Footraces

• Concerts

• Holidays at City-County Building

• Pistons in the Park Car Cruise

• Cultural Activities

• Summer Soul Line Dancing

For more information, check out CitiParks’ Summer Guide 2025.