Only in Pittsburgh Summer Festivals & Events
Annual Events
The signature events that make Pittsburgh a destination every year
Looking for something more specific? We also have lists of top beer festivals, music festivals, summer festivals, film festivals and fall festivals.
Spring Events
St. Patrick's Day Parade
Whether you're Irish or not, you'll want to join the fun in Downtown Pittsburgh. Get ready to pull out your green and celebrate Ireland's patron saint at one of the largest St. Patrick's Day Parades in the US.
Pittsburgh Humanities Festival
The Pittsburgh Humanities Festival investigates what makes us all human through a reimagined week of new ideas brought to light. Featuring interactive ASMR demos, talks with jazz legends, and a soul food culinary experience, all at the newly renovated Greer Cabaret Theater.
Pittsburgh Fringe
Spanning venues throughout the city, Pittsburgh Fringe is a performing arts festival featuring international, national and local artists and includes theater, comedy, visual arts, puppetry, music, opera, spoken word and much more.
Art All Night
This free, 22-hour long festival fills a gigantic warehouse location with art and performances from new and emerging artists. This inclusive and family-friendly event features live painting, interactive exhibits, films and 500+ participants.
Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon
With more than 40,000 runners of all ages and abilities, Pittsburgh is excited to welcome back the Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend on May 5, 2024! This year's Race Weekend features the Marathon, Half Marathon, Marathon Relay, 5K, Kids Marathon, Toddler Trot and Pet Walk.
Millvale Music Festival
Voted the Best Music Fest of 2022 and 2023 by Pittsburgh City Paper, this free two-day festival features hundreds of bands at dozens of indoor and outdoor locations all throughout Millvale.
EQT Children's Theater Festival
This sprawling festival happens throughout Downtown Pittsburgh at theatres, parks, universities and other businesses as children exercise their creativity through live performances, scavenger hunts, brick building, STEM activities and much more. Most activities are free of charge!
JFilm
Enjoy great storytelling at the JFilm Festival! For 11 unforgettable days, Film Pittsburgh will transport you around the globe through a dazzling array of Jewish-themed independent cinema.
Summer Events
Pittsburgh Pride
Kick off Pride month with a celebration in Pittsburgh! Pittsburgh Pride will feature performances, vendors, a community march, and free concerts featuring performances by local, national, and international artists.
Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival
The annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival is back! Featuring 400+ artists and musicians over 10 days, this Only In Pittsburgh festival is one of the best ways to start your summer. The best part? The Three Rivers Arts Festival is FREE!
3 Rivers Comicon
3 Rivers Comicon has been putting the comics back in comicon since 2016 with a huge focus on comics and their creators alongside engaging panels, amazing exhibitors, cosplay contests and more.
Juneteenth Freedom Day
This free, family-friendly event is a celebration of all Cities and Boroughs in Allegheny County and with three days of cultural activities, speakers, live music, a parade and local vendors!
DOORS OPEN PITTSBURGH: Downtown
Find out what you DON’T know about Pittsburgh’s Downtown with DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh. Go behind-the-scenes and celebrate the architecture while inside a diverse collection of buildings – sacred places, government offices, theaters, artists spaces and more!
Anthrocon
One of the largest anthropomorphics conventions in the world, this four-day celebration takes over the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and the Cultural District with the record-breaking Fursuit Parade and Block Party.
City of Pittsburgh Fourth of July Celebration
The City of Pittsburgh’s Independence Day celebration returns to the Point on July 4th! Enjoy a family-style picnic at historic Point State Park, complete with patriotic music and food vendors from 4 to 10 pm.
America's Mile
America's Mile is a spectacular race event open to all, set against Pittsburgh's breathtaking North Shore. Choose your challenge from diverse heats like the inclusive MOVE Mile, the brave Heroes' Mile, and the competitive Aspire Mile (just to name a few of your options!).
Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix (PVGP) is the nation's largest vintage street race and the only one staged on public roads. It’s considered by drivers to be the most challenging racecourse worldwide with its tight turns, elevation changes and natural obstacles like stone walls, curbs, manhole covers and telephone poles.
Northside Music Festival
This free, three-day festival focuses on sharing great music across indoor and outdoor stages in Pittsburgh’s Northside. Additionally, you’ll find family-friendly activities, food trucks and tons of surprises.
Tekko
Pittsburgh's premier Japanese pop culture convention returns to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center! Join fellow anime fans for a weekend full of fantastic guest meet-n-greets, cosplay competitions, games, J-rock concerts, pachinko and so much more.
Picklesburgh
A massive array of dill-ectable products and foods is central to all that is Picklesburgh, but the event also has a lot more options for pickle fanatics to experience, from dozens of live music performances to other popular activities like Pickle Cocktails, Pickle Beer, Pickle Juice Drinking Contest, and an abundance of pickle-themed apparel, merch, and much much more!
Night in the Tropics: Island Oasis
Spend the last July weekend on the North Shore! Journey to an Island Oasis during the National Aviary’s hottest party: Night in the Tropics! Step under the papel picado and transport yourself to a tropical celebration with show-stopping live entertainment, delicious signature island cocktails, and a spread of mouth-watering bites from more than a dozen (and counting!) local restaurants.
Barrel and Flow Fest
Barrel and Flow Fest, is the nation’s first Black beer festival and second best in the nation, according to USA Today. The annual event showcases the country’s most talented Black brewers, along with breweries from across the globe in collaboration with Black artists, entrepreneurs, politicians, and business owners.
Rock, Reggae & Relief
Rock Reggae & Relief is a benefit music festival that brings reggae tunes, unity and feel-good vibes to the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh while offering a helping hand to our neighbors in need.
The Great American Banana Split Celebration
Latrobe celebrates the birthplace of this all-American dessert with a weekend of live music, goat yoga, kids activities, Yellow Tie Gala, pie-eating contest, 5k banana run and so much more! This sweet treat festival has been a staple in Westmoreland County since 2013!
Little Italy Days
Everyone's Italian for a weekend at this free, four-day festival in Bloomfield featuring authentic Italian-American cuisine, live entertainment, and so much more.
Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival
Take a magical tour through time and legend at the Renaissance Festival. Purchase tickets, get a festival map and more at the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival website.
Pittsburgh Restaurant Week
Held twice a year, in Summer and Winter, the annual Restaurant Week celebrations are the best time to discover the most delicious spots in Pittsburgh. Find dates, participating restaurants, maps and more.
Soul Food Festival
Savor a soulful taste of the Burgh at Pittsburgh’s can’t miss Soul Food Festival! Established in 2019, this festival honors Pittsburgh's rich history of food service pioneers and entrepreneurs with a weekend of live music, activities, and soul food from more than 100 vendors.
Fall Events
ReelAbilities Pittsburgh Film Festival
The ReelAbilities Film Festival presents award-winning films through the lens of individuals living with disabilities. In addition to impactful films, the festival also features artwork and special guests to bring the themes of community and shared human experience to the forefront. ReelAbilities is a program of Film Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Irish Festival
Learn about the ethnic richness of the Irish and Irish-American culture at this three day festival. Enjoy Irish music on five stages. Find out more about the Festival on the official website.
The Original Pittsburgh Taco Festival
This special event has an incredible line up of 25+ of the best food vendors, and tons of live entertainment and family-friendly fun in the historic Strip District.
Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival
Don't miss this soulful weekend with more than 140 jazz musicians. Get information on free sessions, ticketed events. locations and more.
Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race
The annual Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race started in 1977, when former Pittsburgh Mayor Richard S. Caliguiri established the race as a “community fun run.” Since that inaugural competition, nearly a half million people have participated in the Great Race, making the event the largest 10K race in Pennsylvania. The popular fall fitness classic has expanded to include a 5K run/walk, a running clinic, the Junior Great Race, Great Race Expo and more.
Reel Q Pittsburgh LGBTQ+ Film Festival
The annual Reel Q film festival in October is the sixth oldest LGBTQ+ film festival in the world and the longest-running film festival in Pittsburgh. Reel Q spans 10 days with a variety of programs, panels, parties and community activities. The festival screens approximately 20 locally first-run feature films and 50+ short films spanning multiple genres.
Winter Events
Kennywood Holiday Lights
Every year, Kennywood showcases millions of festive lights and offers kid-friendly things to do for the holiday season.
Pittsburgh Restaurant Week
Held twice a year, in Summer and Winter, the annual Restaurant Week celebrations are the best time to discover the most delicious spots in Pittsburgh. Find dates, participating restaurants, maps and more.
There's always something happening in Pittsburgh.
What's happening in Pittsburgh this week, you ask?