CMU Coffee Fair (Pittsburgh Coffee Week)

The CMU Coffee Fair is at The Cut on Thursday, October 22, as part of Pittsburgh Coffee Week. It's a gathering of local roasters, so if you've spent your mornings wondering whose beans are in your favorite bag, this is a good place to find out. The whole thing is free to attend.

The setup is straightforward: different roasters set up tables, and you walk from one to the next. It's a chance to meet the people behind the coffee, hear where the beans come from, and get a sense of how caffeine fuels university life around here. Along the way, you can pick up special treats and coupons from select roasters, so it's not just about the conversation—you'll leave with something in hand.

There's a bit of a game to it, too. They hand out a coffee passport at the door, and as you visit each table, you collect a stamp. Once your passport is full, you're entered into a prize drawing. It gives you a reason to make the rounds and talk to everyone rather than just sticking to the names you already know.

If you're in the city and want to spend a few hours tasting through the local scene, it's a low-stakes way to do it. The event is free, and it's held at The Cut on the Carnegie Mellon campus.