Forbes Avenue between Market Square and Wood Street was transformed into an island oasis for the Rock, Reggae and Relief festival on Saturday.
There was themed food and, of course, live music. It isn't a Caribbean-inspired block party without reggae.
I talked to one of the performers, Pressure, who is touring nationally.
“Reggae is a music that carries a message,” Pressure said. “It speaks about love, and I’m not talking about love from man to woman, I’m talking about that universal love, how we should treat one another. It has the beat and the rhythm that’s so good that makes you want to accept the message. I’m just grateful to be a vessel to carry on that tradition.”
PHOTOS: Rock, Reggae and Relief benefit in downtown Pittsburgh
Then I ran into Chucky Jones, a member of the local band Ras Prophet. He pointed out the diversity in the crowd.
“These people down here are safe, yo,” Jones said. There ain’t nothing happening to them because strictly nice vibes here today. Everything cool. All kinds of people, you know what I’m saying? It’s a good time. We should do this every week.”
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Donations for the festival benefited disaster relief in Puerto Rico and local charity “Asking For Change,” a campaign with Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership that supports local ministries providing services to people in need.
Bea Givens is from Puerto Rico and has been living in the U.S. for decades now. She was easy to pick out with her Puerto Rican hat.
"I'm very grateful that someone thinks about our island," Givens said. "Especially Pittsburgh. That is so far away from us."