Pittsburgh is often considered to have one of the largest St. Patrick's Day Parades in the country, taking place the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day (unless the holiday falls on a Saturday, of course), and it doesn't take long after the parade starts to see why that is.
This one is massive!
Whether you're heading down to check out the parade or want to keep the party going and make a day of it, we have some tips you may want to keep in mind before heading downtown for the parade.
When it comes to holiday festivities, one of the best places in Pittsburgh to visit is Phipps Conservatory. Their winter flower show, which typically begins the Friday before Thanksgiving and runs until early January, is a celebration of the holiday season with festive art pieces, an array of gorgeous winter flowers, and some of the most beautifully decorated Christmas trees in Pittsburgh.
The 2024-2025 flower show is themed Holiday Magic and takes an elegant look at all things Christmas. With traditional decorations and subtle design elements, this one is simply beautiful.
As members of the conservatory, we got the chance to visit early in the season (running until January 5th, 2025) and wanted to share a few of our favorite rooms here!
In Pittsburgh, the start of the holiday season is not ambiguous.
It is not after Halloween when department stores put out Christmas decorations (or do they do it before now?). It is not the day after Thanksgiving that many traditionally observe. It is also not the first snow sighting, December 1st, the fall time change, or any other arbitrary benchmark.
This one particular instance should not be up for debate, as the start of the Christmas season in Pittsburgh is Light Up Night-Â the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
In this guide, we want to share some of our favorite tips on how to get the most out of what is perhaps our favorite annual event in Pittsburgh!
Note: Prior to 2021, Light Up Night took place on the Friday before Thanksgiving. Starting that year, Light Up Night became a weekend affair with most of the true Light Up Night festivities taking place on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
When an event brands itself as “a most curious bi-annual market,” we can safely say our interest is piqued. When that event is the Allentown Night Market, typically taking place on a Saturday night in June and October, after our first visit we knew we had to visit every time.
“Most curious” is an understatement here!
So whether you're into the off-beat, macabre, or simply want to check out what is new in this fun corner of Pittsburgh, the Allentown Night Market evenings should be on your radar.
We have a soft spot for all things Oktoberfest, and after getting to enjoy the celebration in Munich for its wild party, we love checking out all of the Pittsburgh Oktoberfest celebrations that take place throughout September (and spill into October).
As there are no shortage of events taking place in breweries and other public places, we thought we would share a few of the top Oktoberfest events you may want to consider. Prost!
We love seeing live music in the area, and there are no shortage of great concert venues in Pittsburgh to check out a show.
But some of the best music experiences in Pittsburgh are when free music performances pop up, and one of our favorites is during the Allegheny County Summer Concert Series which takes place at two great locations in the county!
We made our way up to Hartwood Acres to check out a show and wanted to share a bit more about what you can expect and how to get the most out of these free events!
Many of our local Pittsburgh museums know how to put on a good party or gala. Not only are these events a fun way for the community to enjoy a museum in a different ambiance, they also serve a valuable purpose for the museums themselves- fundraising.
Raising funds while having a great time with a few hundred new, like-minded friends? Well, it is hard to say no to that.
The North Side's contemporary art museum, Mattress Factory, is one such museum that hosts an annual fundraiser party, and their themed Garden Party (often taking place in late spring) is an event not to miss.
We were guests of Mattress Factory to check out the 2024 Garden Party, themed MAKE/BELIEVE, and we thought we'd share a bit more about what it was like for those looking to attend the event in the future!
Who doesn't love a good event or festival? In Pittsburgh, we sure have a lot of them covering our local history, traditions, and, of course, just for great fun!
While there is seemingly an event or festival going on most every week of the year, we wanted to share a few that we love and make Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh. This means that the following is not a collection of every Pittsburgh festival or event out there (we share even more on our event calendar), and only just a starting point of a few annual festivities we love the most!
When it comes to enjoying music in Pittsburgh, there is no shortage of events going on from local performances, mega artists visiting on a global tour, and local festivals.
One festival stands out as being one of the very best in southwest Pennsylvania- the Millvale Music Festival.
This one, located in Millvale just outside of Pittsburgh, brings over 300 bands to more than two dozen stages all within a roughly one-mile radius over two packed days. Truly, you're never more than a few feet away from music at this one, and it is a whole lot of fun!
The summer shows at Phipps Conservatory are always bright and vibrant, and 2024's Summer Flower Show goes nautical with the theme Under the Sea!
Check out aquatic sea life, join scuba divers exploring the deep, and more in this absolutely beautiful show.
As with all flower shows at Phipps Conservatory, we do not like to give away what you can see at all the rooms. So in this one, we wanted to share a few of our favorites. To see the rest, well, you'll have to visit for yourself!