This Saturday, Pittsburghers will gather under the Veterans Bridge to share a meal with strangers. The inaugural local edition of The Longest Table continues a tradition that’s brought people together in more than 30 cities over the past four years.
The Longest Table Movement Invites Connection Over a Shared Meal
While it’s true that Pittsburghers are hard-pressed to cross a bridge to find each other, Renee Ratay hopes that they are willing to meet people underneath one.
On October 3, Pittsburgh will host its first Longest Table event. The potluck meal will take place under the Veterans Bridge in the Strip District (rain or shine). The Longest Table movement began in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood in 2022. “The things that once brought us together — shared meals, open doors, public life — have quietly faded,” The Longest Table’s website explains.
The co-founders wanted to test a theory: they believed that connection would result if they put a long table in a public space and brought people together to share a meal. That theory turned out to be true; in the years since the inaugural meal, there have been more than 300 gatherings in 30 cities across the country.
Last year, when Ratay moved back to Pittsburgh after a 40-year absence, she knew she wanted to host a Longest Table meal as a way of resettling in the city. “I thought it’d be a great way to meet people, and I just love the idea of bringing people together to share a meal and take some time away from your phone,” Ratay says.
Setting the Table For Pittsburgh’s First Longest Table Event
She gathered a group of women — who were also rebounders or transplants to Pittsburgh — to make the program a reality. Their goal is to have 400 participants in what they hope will become an annual event at different locations around the city.
While the upcoming event is free, participants need to register in advance (and may do so the day of). Everyone is asked to bring a dish to share, as well as items like plates, napkins and beverages. The event organizers will provide tables, chairs and tablecloths. Ratay added that people are welcome (but not required) to bring table decorations if they’re feeling festive.
Additionally, since this is Pittsburgh, the event will also feature a Longest Cookie Table, for which guests should also bring a contribution.
Ratay says to not worry about attending alone or with just one friend. She and her husband impulsively attended their first Longest Table meal while visiting New York. “There was an 80-year-old couple sitting next to us and three young women who were in their late twenties — and then this family with two little toddlers,” she says. “It was great.”
Story by Amy Whipple
Photo Courtesy The Longest Table