Last Updated on December 1, 2022 by Jeremy
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Pick any given weekend, and odds are good there are a number of Pittsburgh events and seasonal attractions going on in and around the city.
In fact, as far as enjoying Pittsburgh is concerned, you could occupy the bulk of your free time only going to seasonal activities and still not hit them all.
But as with all things, simply knowing when a seasonal option is available is often the hardest part, and in this guide we want to help by providing information for the most popular events in Pittsburgh each and every month!
Notes: This guide will be updated as we attend more annual events in the city! For more things to do in Pittsburgh outside of events, click the previous link.
Navigate Pittsburgh Events By Month
Looking to navigate this guide of Pittsburgh festivals and events by month? Click the link below to jump to the month below!
Each section of this guide will have a list of events that occur during the month with relevant information. Click the included links to read either our review (if available) or visit the event's website directly.
At the end of each month we are featuring a list of seasonal attractions available during the month. Unlike the events, which may occur on a set date, seasonal attractions tend to be open for a longer period such that you have more opportunities to plan your visit. Click the links to read more about these in our dedicated reviews!
Events in January
- Messfest – A New Years Day event at the Science Center focusing on the messy side of science.
- Food Truck-a-Palooza (Website) – One of the largest food truck rallies of the year in Monroeville.
- Winter Restaurant Week (Website) – Participating restaurants offering special courses and discounts over the week.
- Downtown Gallery Crawl (Website) – A quarterly gallery crawl in downtown Pittsburgh put on by the Cultural Trust.
- Winter Attractions – Winter at Boyce Park, Ski the Laurel Highlands, Snow Tubing at Seven Springs, Steelers Games, Penguins Games
Events in February
- Winterfest (Website) – A festival at Ohiopyle featuring sledding, skiing, snowshoeing, and other winter activities.
- Imbibe North Side – A North Side beer festival featuring breweries, distilleries, and wineries from the North Side.
- Pittsburgh Beerfest Winter (Website) – One of the largest beer festivals in the city, featuring local, national, and international breweries.
- Winter Attractions – Winter at Boyce Park, Ski the Laurel Highlands, Snow Tubing at Seven Springs, Penguins Games
Events in March
- Farm to Table Food Show (Website) – A conference and food show hybrid at the convention center celebrating all things local food. Part of the Home and Garden Show.
- St Patrick's Day Parade – One of the most celebrated parades in Pittsburgh.
- Fish Fries – Fridays During Lent – Find a fish fry special throughout the Lenten season at area churches.
- Spring Attractions – Phipps Spring Flower Show, Hike the Trillium Trail, Pirates Games, Penguins Games, Riverhounds Games
Events in April
- Fringe Festival (Website) – A performing arts festival in Pittsburgh.
- Banff Mountain Film Festival (Website) – A touring adventure film show at the Byham Theater.
- CMU Spring Carnival (Website) – A three day Carnival at Carnegie Mellon Univeristy- one of the city's largest carnivals and home of the buggy races.
- Downtown Gallery Crawl (Website) – A quarterly gallery crawl in downtown Pittsburgh put on by the Cultural Trust.
- Art All Night (Website) – A 22 hour art show featured works by anyone who submits. No juries and no censors.
- Pirates Fireworks Nights (Website) – Fireworks after the Pirates game at PNC Park. Select Fridays and Saturdays during the season.
- Spring Attractions – Phipps Spring Flower Show, Hike the Trillium Trail, Raccoon Creek State Park Wildflower Reserve, Pirates Games, Penguins Games, Riverhounds Games
Events in May
- Maifest (Website) – A public event at Pittsburgh's German club to celebrate the arrival of spring.
- Zoobrew – A 21+ beer festival at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.
- Pittsburgh Wine Festival – A large wine festival at Acrisure Stadium.
- Pittsburgh Marathon (Website) – The city shuts down almost completely for the Pittsburgh marathon. Watch, run, or avoid- this one is city wide.
- North Side Sandwich Sampler (Website) – North Side restaurants come together to compete for sandwich king and queen for the year.
- Open Streets (Website) – Select streets in Pittsburgh neighborhoods shut down to vehicles and open up to bikers and pedestrians.
- Kayafest – A Caribbean block party in the Strip District hosted by one of the best restaurants in the city- Kaya.
- Pirates Fireworks Nights (Website) – Fireworks after the Pirates game at PNC Park. Select Fridays and Saturdays during the season.
- Spring Attractions – Kennywood, Pirates Games, Riverhounds Games
Events in June
- PrideFest (Website) – Pittsburgh's annual Pride festival taking place right in the heart of downtown.
- Three Rivers Film Festival – A two week film festival at many venues in downtown Pittsburgh.
- Mars Exploration Days (Website) – A festival for all things Mars (the planet) in Mars (the borough)!
- Three Rivers Arts Festival (Website) – A two week arts festival in downtown Pittsburgh with exhibits, vendors, live music, and more.
- Vallozzi's Festa di Limoncello – A limoncello tasting event at Vallozzi's
- Beers of the Burgh (Website) – The city's premier event featuring 50+ breweries from Western Pennsylvania.
- Pittsburgh Magazine's Best Restaurant Party – A party at Acrisure Stadium featuring the best restaurants in Pittsburgh as selected by Pittsburgh magazine.
- Open Streets (Website) – Select streets in Pittsburgh neighborhoods shut down to vehicles and open up to bikers and pedestrians.
- Cinema in the Park – Weekly movie screenings at several different parks around the city.
- Summer Concert Series (County Website / City Website) – Live music at several different parks around the city and county.
- Pirates Fireworks Nights (Website) – Fireworks after the Pirates game at PNC Park. Select Fridays and Saturdays during the season.
- Summer Attractions – Pirates Games, Riverhounds Games
Events in July
- Fourth of July (Website) – There isn't a city in the USA that doesn't celebrate it, but Pittsburgh goes all out for Fourth of July festivities and fireworks.
- Anthrocon (Website) – The furries take over Pittsburgh for the second largest furry convention in the world each July.
- Downtown Gallery Crawl (Website) – A quarterly gallery crawl in downtown Pittsburgh put on by the Cultural Trust.
- Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix (Website) – Two weeks of car activities culminating with a race in Schenley Park.
- Deutschtown Music Festival (Website) – Over 300 bands descend on Deutschtown for two solid days of music at many stages.
- Pittsburgh Beerfest Summer (Website) – One of the largest beer festivals in the city, featuring local, national, and international breweries.
- Night in the Tropics (Website) – The premier adults only event at the Aviary in the North Side.
- Sunflower Festivals – Be on the lookout for many sunflower festivals, mazes, and other events in July and August.
- Open Streets (Website) – Select streets in Pittsburgh neighborhoods shut down to vehicles and open up to bikers and pedestrians.
- Imbibe North Side – A North Side beer festival featuring breweries, distilleries, and wineries from the North Side. Hosted at the Mattress Factory by War Streets Brewery.
- Vine Rewind (Website) – A two day music festival hosted by Pittsburgh Winery.
- Picklesburgh (Website) – A bridge takeover celebrating all things pickles.
- Pirates Fireworks Nights (Website) – Fireworks after the Pirates game at PNC Park. Select Fridays and Saturdays during the season.
- Cinema in the Park (Website) – Weekly movie screenings at several different parks around the city.
- Summer Concert Series (County Website / City Website) – Live music at several different parks around the city and county.
- Summer Attractions – Pirates Games, Riverhounds Games
Events in August
- Steelers Training Camp (Website) – A roughly two-week practice at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe that is free to attend.
- Pittsburgh VegFest (Website) – A North Side festival celebrating all things vegan!
- Millvale Brew Fest – A beer festival in the heart of Millvale, just across from Lawrenceville.
- Rose All Day (Website) – A libations festival celebratings all things rose!
- Summer Restaurant Week (Website) – Participating restaurants offering special courses and discounts over the week.
- Little Italy Days (Website) – Festival in Pittsburgh's Bloomfield neighborhood.
- PedalPGH (Website) – A fun charity ride to raise money for BikePGH!
- Sunflower Festivals – Be on the lookout for many sunflower festivals, mazes, and other events in July and August.
- Pirates Fireworks Nights (Website) – Fireworks after the Pirates game at PNC Park. Select Fridays and Saturdays during the season.
- Corks & Kegs (Website) – A beer and wine festival at the Meadows Casino.
- Cinema in the Park (Website) – Weekly movie screenings at several different parks around the city.
- Summer Concert Series (County Website / City Website) – Live music at several different parks around the city and county.
- Summer Attractions – Renaissance Festival, Pirates Games, Riverhounds Games
Events in September
- Steel City Big Pour (Website) – A popular beer festival featuring local and regional breweries to support Construction Junction.
- Great Race (Website) – One of Pittsburgh's most popular races outside of the marathon.
- Thrival (Website) – A combination tech conference and music festival all rolled into one.
- Downtown Gallery Crawl (Website) – A quarterly gallery crawl in downtown Pittsburgh put on by the Cultural Trust.
- Reyna's Pepper Festival – Celebrating all things pepper at Reyna's in the Strip District.
- Pittsburgh Jazz Fest (Website) – A two day jazz festival featuring live music at several stages.
- Barrel & Flow Fest (Website) – A beer festival celebrating black brewers with special collaborations between local minority-owned businesses and Pittsburgh breweries. Formerly known as Fresh Fest.
- Pirates Fireworks Nights (Website) – Fireworks after the Pirates game at PNC Park. Select Fridays and Saturdays during the season.
- Pierogi Fest (Website) – Of course we have to have a festival to celebrate the city's favorite food at Kennywood.
- Oktoberfest – Do we need an excuse to drink in this city? No, we don't, but we love Oktoberfest all the same. Events at Penn Brewery, Teutonnia Mannerchor, and more.
- Autumnfest – Fall festivities at Seven Springs in the Laurel Highlands!
- Fall Attractions – Renaissance Festival, Pirates Games, Steelers Games, Riverhounds Games
Events in October
- Step Trek (Website) – A staple in the South Side Slopes climbing many of the neighborhood's staircases.
- Autumnfest (Website) – Fall festivities at Seven Springs in the Laurel Highlands!
- Doors Open (Website) – Businesses and public buildings open their doors for a weekend throughout downtown Pittsburgh.
- Zoo Boo (Website) – A Halloween event at the Pittsburgh Zoo during the day.
- Whiskey Festival – A festival celebrating all things whiskey and fine spirits at Rivers Casino.
- Zombie Fest (Website) – A large festival celebrating all things zombies, including a large zombie walk.
- Living Dead Weekend (Website) – A weekend celebration by the Living Dead Museum to celebrate the cult movie that was filmed in Evans City (30 minutes north of the city).
- Maker Faire (Website) – A large craft / creation festival at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh.
- Dirty Dozen (Website) – A bike race tackling a backer's dozen of the steepest streets in Pittsburgh, including Canton Avenue- arguably the steepest public street in the USA!
- Fall Attractions: ScareHouse, Hundred Acres Manor, Pirates Games, Steelers Games, Penguins Games, Riverhounds Games
Events in November
- Ten Miler (Website) – A fall road race in Pittsburgh.
- Light Up Night (Website) – One of Pittsburgh's largest parties, a festival to celebrate the start of the Christmas season with spectacular fireworks.
- Next 3 Days (Website) – An event hosted by the URA and the city planning offices to highlight an up-and-coming neighborhood in the region. Month of event varies year to year.
- Fall Attractions: Steelers Games, Penguins Games
Events in December
- Handmade Arcade (Website) – A craft market at the convention center each December. One of the largest of the year, perfect for Christmas gifts.
- First Night (Website) – A New Years eve celebration in the Cultural District.
- Cathedral of Learning Open House (Website) – A Christmas open house at the Cathedral of Learning with live performances, food, and more.
- Pirates Fest (Website) – A Pirates event with meet and greets and more.
- Lawrenceville Cookie Tour – An open house in Lawrenceville with many businesses giving away free cookies.
- Winter Attractions: Western Pennsylvania Model Railroad Museum, Shadrack's Winter Wonderland, Kennywood Holiday Lights, Overly's Country Christmas, Phipps Christmas Flower Show , Pittsburgh Christmas Market, Winter at Boyce Park, Ski the Laurel Highlands, Snow Tubing at Seven Springs, Steelers Games, Penguins Games
Help Us Improve This Guide!
Know of an annual event or seasonal attraction we've missed? Please comment below or contact us! We are always on the hunt for more events to make this guide of limited time attractions in the city even better, and with your help we'll get there!
Great guide! We did the fireworks at the point for the first time in years because our little one loves them, it was so fun and way less stressful than I recall from years ago!