10 Reasons to Visit Pittsburgh in April – Spring is Here

Kennywood Opens for the Season

Pittsburgh's historic theme park, Kennywood, returns for another season in 2026 starting on weekends on April 18th. So go ride the Jack Rabbit as many times as you can and finish it out with an order of potato patch fries!

CMU Spring Carnival and Buggy Race

CMU hosts many great events during the year, but their annual Spring Carnival is often a crowd favorite for the rides, food trucks, music, and more. But to us, the most impressive part of this particular event is the 100+-year-old tradition of the buggy race.

In its original design, the buggy races were exactly what you would imagine- carts with a driver would race around campus to try and achieve the best time. Today, the race looks a little different with the engineers of CMU designing some of the most aerodynamic racers piloted by some of the lightest students they can find on campus. This one really needs to be seen to be believed, and you can in 2026 during Carnival from April 9th to 11th.

NFL Draft in Pittsburgh

If you are a football fan, Pittsburgh is going to be the epicenter of it all in April 2026, as the NFL Draft is coming to the North Side on April 23rd to 25th!

Whether you're heading into the city for the fun, or escaping to get away from the crowds, one thing is for certain- the city is going to be electric during the festivities!

Hit a Bike Trail

With the warming temperatures, we find ourselves working on our bikes to get them ready for another season of exploration around the region. So on a warm day, why not hit an area bike trail like the GAP, the Butler-Freeport Community Trail, the Westmoreland Heritage Trail, or our absolute favorite for a long ride, the Ghost Town Trail near Indiana, PA!

After, end your ride at one of the many area breweries near bike trails for a post-ride brew.

Three Rivers Beer Week

We are so lucky to have many great breweries in Pittsburgh, and during Three Rivers Beer Week (running April 8th to 12th in 2026), you can get to enjoy many special events at our area breweries!

Past events have included various beer specials at area breweries, a sensory panel and brewery tour at Cinderlands, an Imperial Brunch with Dancing Gnome at Piper's Pub, a Pedal Pale Ale Keg Ridge, $4.12 drafts at ACB on 4/12, Archer's Birfday at Eleventh Hour Brewing, and so much more. In 2026, we expect many of these to return when the lineup is fully announced!

Art All Night

Art All Night is one of our favorite shows of the year for a number of reasons. First, true to its name this one runs overnight for a 22 hour, non-stop show. Want to see the show at midnight? You can. Five AM? That too. 

The second is that this monster show is without a jury and without censorship. Thousands of artists submit a piece of work that adorn a massive warehouse, and the event makes a great way to check out many styles of art all in a single stop. 

2026's Art All Night has not been announced just yet, but we expect it to return in April as in previous years.

Raccoon Creek Wildflower Reserve

Our final two activities to recommend for April require the caveat that you need to time it right for the best experience, and we cannot predict that too well. The reason for this is because they are the spring wildflower blooms!

Throughout April, the parks around Pittsburgh come to life with gorgeous wildflowers, and one of the best places to check them out is the wildflower reserve at Raccoon Creek State Park (to the west of the airport). This massive reserve is often thought to have the most diverse collection of wildflowers in the state and is truly a must-see at its peak! 

Note: While Raccoon Creek State Park is pet friendly, the wildflower reserve is not. So leave your furry friends at home when visiting this one.

Trillium Trail

One other gorgeous trail of note to check out during the wildflower bloom is the Trillium Trail near Fox Chapel. This particular trail is on the smaller side and can be visited in about a half-hour, but if you time your visit right towards the end of April odds are good you'll see what we think is one of the largest amounts of trillium in southwest Pennsylvania!

And if you want some more hiking while you're in the area, head over to Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve for more.

Note: Much like the wildflower reserve at Raccoon Creek, these trials are not pet-friendly.

Shows in April

There are a number of great shows to check out throughout April if you want some indoor fun.

PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh will be winding down its run of Water for Elephants through the 5th and Shucked from April 14th to 19th.

The Pittsburgh Opera will be starting its run of Falstaff on April 28th.

Quantum Theatre will be performing 10 out of 12 on various dates from April 3rd to 26th.

Finally, Pittsburgh Public Theater will be winding down its run of Primary Trust through April 12th.

Sports Events in April

For those who want to check out a sporting event in April, there is no shortage of great action to check out.

The Pirates are back for another season at PNC Park with opening day taking place on April 3rd at 4:12 pm, fireworks night on April 17th, and Dollar Dog promotions on the 16th and 30th. Pick up tickets on Ticketmaster or Stubhub here!

The Penguins regular season is winding down with the final regular season games taking place on April 4th, 5th, and 11th. Cheer on the Pens one more time and pick up tickets on Ticketmaster or Stubhub!

Do you have a favorite experience in Pittsburgh in April? Comment below to share!