Planning your summer? See upcoming events, festivals in Pittsburgh

Summer won't officially start for a little more than a month, but there's already plenty planned for the hottest part of the year in Pittsburgh.

Kids are scheduled to get out of school at the end of the day on Friday, June 12, with summer officially kicking off on Sunday, June 21. But summer in the Steel City starts early, with music festivals, family activities and opportunities for communities to connect starting early on in the month.

Here are the key events happening in Pittsburgh in summer 2026.

Kick off summer in Pittsburgh with these events in June

Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival

• When: Friday, June 5 through Sunday, June 7 and Thursday, June 11 through Sunday, June 14
• Where: Arts Landing in Downtown Pittsburgh
• What's happening? Produced by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and founded in 1960, the festival will feature live music, dance gallery exhibits, family activities, an artist market and more. The festival marks the grand opening of Arts Landing in Pittsburgh's Cultural District in Downtown Pittsburgh. The full lineup of artists can be found on the Three Rivers Art Festival website.
• Cost: Free admission

Pittsburgh Pride 2026

• When: Friday, June 5 through Sunday, June 7; Thursday, June 11; Sunday, June 14; Saturday, June 20; Sunday, June 28 and Monday, June 29.
• Where: Various locations throughout Pittsburgh
• What's happening? Various events around the city throughout June will be held to celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month, with the city's main parade taking place on June 7 at 11:30 a.m. on the corner of 11th and 16th Street in the Strip District.
• Cost: The June 7 parade is free; costs at individual events may vary. See a full list of events at Visit Pittsburgh's website.

Babesburgh Bash

• When: Saturday, June 6
• Where: Allegheny Landing Park on Pittsburgh's North Shore
• What's happening? This festival for women will feature more than 90 women-owned vendors, artists and community groups, as well food, drinks, music, entertainment, fitness and more. Full event details can be found on Babseburgh's website.
• Cost: Vendor Market entry is $12 online, while festival entry starts at $22.

3 Rivers Comicon

• When: Saturday, June 6 through Sunday, June 7
• Where: David L. Lawrence Convention Center
• What's happening? 3 Rivers Comicon gives fans the chance to don their favorite costumes, connect with fellow nerds and meet the creators of beloved comic books. The event will feature comic book artists and writers, a cosplay competition and local vendors. Full event details can be found at 3 Rivers Comicon's website.
• Cost: $18-$28 for adults; $6-12 for children between the ages of nine and 14.

Pogopalooza 2026

• When: Friday, June 12
• Where: Market Square in Downtown Pittsburgh
• What's happening? Pogopalooza hosts the World Championships of Pogo, where athletes perform tricks and flips in an attempt to break world records and win the title of World's Best Pogoer. In addition to watching athletes, attendees can also try out pogo sticks. There will also be events on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14 at Xpogo's HQ in Wilkinsburg.
• Cost: Free admission, though guests are asked to RSVP through Pogopalooza's Eventbrite

Juneteenth festivities

• When: Thursday, June 18 through Monday, June 22
• Where: Mellon Park and Downtown Pittsburgh
• What's happening? Throughout the day and into the evening, Juneteenth celebrations will feature live entertainment, sports tournaments and activities for kids and teens, family-friendly programming, events focused on wellness for seniors and chances to connect with Black-owned businesses. A full 2026 schedule will be published on Visit Pittsburgh's website.
• Cost: Free admission

WYEP Summer Music Festival

• When: Saturday, June 27
• Where: Schenley Plaza
• What's happening? This free concert, hosted by WYEP, Pittsburgh's NPR news station, will feature a lineup of artists from near and far, as well as free rides on the nearby PNC Carousel. The full lineup of singers and bands can be found at the radio's website.
• Cost: Free admission

Sweat out the dog days of summer at these July Pittsburgh races, music events and more

Anthrocon

• When: Thursday, July 2 through Sunday, July 5
• Where: David L. Lawrence Convention Center
• What's happening? As one of the largest anthropomorphics conventions in the world, attendees can expect workshops and seminars on acting, costume building, animation, writing, art and design and more. There will also be an art show and a fursuit parade. Full event details can be found on Anthrocon's website.
• Cost: Online registration starts at $80 ($100 for in-person registration). Those 12 and under can attend for free.

Independence Day fireworks in Pittsburgh

• When: Saturday, July 4
• Where: Various locations in Pittsburgh
• What's happening? There are multiple spots to watch fireworks from in Pittsburgh on July 4. The City of Pittsburgh Independence Day Celebration fireworks begin at 9:35 p.m. and can be viewed from the PNC Great Lawn, a Gateway Clipper riverboat, Acrisure Stadium and other locations throughout the city. You can find full list locations where fireworks can be viewed at Visit Pittsburgh's website.
• Cost: Generally free, but prices may vary depending on location.

North Side Music Festival

• When: Friday, July 10 through Sunday, July 12
• Where: North Side; main stages at Allegheny Commons Park and at the intersection of Foreland Street and Middle Street.
• What's happening? The fourth annual North Side Music Festival will feature a lineup of artists across genres, vendors, food and family-friendly activities. A full schedule will be posted on the festival's website.
• Cost: Free admission

Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix

• When: Saturday, July 11 through Sunday, July 19
• Where: Various locations in Pittsburgh; car display, driver reception and car show and races to be held at Schenley Park
• What's happening? As the nation's only vintage street race, the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix will feature a week of car shows, parties, parades and motorsports events throughout the city, with the event coming to Schenley Park on Wednesday, July 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, July 17 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, July 18 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, July 19 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For a full schedule, visit the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix's website.
• Cost: Varies; some events are free, and others have an admission fee of $20.

Picklesburgh

• When: Thursday, July 16 through Sunday, July 19
• Where: Downtown Pittsburgh
• What's happening? Voted the No. 1 specialty food festival in the country by USA TODAY readers four times, Picklesburgh gives guests the opportunity to savor all things pickled. Vendors throughout Downtown will offer handcrafted food and artisan drinks made with pickled ingredients, as well as pickle-themed snacks and merchandise, contests and entertainment.
• Cost: Free admission

America's Mile

• When: Friday, July 17
• Where: Pittsburgh's North Shore, starting at P3R's headquarters near Acrisure Stadium
• What's happening? This race event will have various heats for every age and ability, from Move Mile (an inclusive walk for everyone) to the Run Varsity Mile for teens to the Masters Mile for seasoned athletes age 40 and up who can run a mile in eight minutes or less.
• Cost: Online registration starts at $25 per person.

Night in the Tropics: Sunset Riviera

• When: Friday, July 17
• Where: The National Aviary
• What's happening? Guests at this tropical-themed party can enjoy cocktails, beer, wine, food from local restaurants, and live entertainment from Pittsburgh-based band No Bad Juju. The evening will feature experiences around the aviary and interactions with animal ambassadors.
• Cost: Tickets start at $128; funds go to support the National Aviary's avian care and conservation around the world. See ticket details at the National Aviary's website.

Tekko 2026

• When: Thursday, July 23 through Sunday, July 26
• Where: David L. Lawrence Convention Center
• What's happening? Pennsylvania's largest anime convention will feature contests where guests can show off their lipsyncing, scale model building and dance skills; musical guests and karaoke experiences; collectible games; educational panels and workshops; exhibit halls and vendors; and more.
• Cost: Online registration for a three-day weekend starts at $74.72, while a four-day pass starts at $159.73.

Goat Fest

• When: Saturday, July 25
• Where: South Side Park
• What's happening? Goat Fest will feature goats from Allegheny GoatScape, a nonprofit that works to restore balance to landscapes by clearing unwanted vegetation to help the growth of native plants. Guests can enjoy goat yoga, live music, craft vendors, activities for kids and food trucks.
• Cost: Free admission

Have a blast before school starts at these August events in Pittsburgh

Barrel and Flow Fest

• When: Friday, Aug. 7 through Sunday, Aug. 9
• Where: The Stacks at 3 Crossings in the Strip
• What's happening? Named America's favorite brew festival two years in a row by USA TODAY readers, Barrel & Flow features Black artists, musicians, chefs and brewers. The event will feature at least 30 Black-owned breweries from around the country, as well as numerous speakers, artists, DJs and musicians.
• Cost: Ticket prices range, starting as low as $32.75 online. For ticket details, visit Barrel and Flow's website.

Rock, Reggae and Relief

• When: Saturday, Aug. 8
• Where: Downtown Pittsburgh on Forbes Avenue and Market Square
• What's happening? This annual festival features reggae music for a good cause — it's raising funds for Café Momentum, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth leaving the juvenile justice system. This year's lineup will feature UB40, The Elovaters, Tribal Seeds and more.
• Cost: Tickets start at $69.86 online; kids 12 and under can attend for $43.43.

Pittsburgh Restaurant Week

• When: Monday, Aug. 10 to Sunday, Aug. 16
• Where: Restaurants around Pittsburgh
• What's happening? Restaurant Week highlights dining options throughout Pittsburgh and encourages people to check out restaurants in other boroughs at a discounted price.
• Cost: Summer pricing and menus will be posted to Pittsburgh Restaurant Week's website.

Little Italy Days

• When: Thursday, Aug. 13 through Sunday, Aug. 16
• Where: Bloomfield
• What's happening? Little Italy Days began 24 years ago as a celebration of Bloomfield's Italian heritage. The celebration features food and music, a bocce tournament, an Elvis Presley impersonator, pizza acrobatics and more. A full schedule of events can be found on Little Italy Days' website.
• Cost: No admission fee

Pedal PGH

• When: Sunday, Aug. 30
• Where: Allegheny Commons Park West
• What's happening? Participants can choose from a variety of routes in Western Pennsylvania's biggest bike ride that will take them through 90 neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. The ride is casual and meant for bicyclists of all ages and abilities, and it raises funds for Bike Pittsburgh, a nonprofit that works to improve walkability and bikeability in the city.
• Cost: General registration online for adults is $55; kids' registration is $20.

Wrap up Pittsburgh's summer with food, music festivals in September

Pittsburgh's Soul Food Festival

• When: Friday, Sept. 4 through Sunday, Sept. 6
• Where: Downtown Pittsburgh
• What's happening? This festival will feature soul food dishes from more than 100 small business vendors and food service proprietors, as well as live entertainment and activities. Established in 2019, the festival pays homage to Pittsburgh's bygone food service workers and entrepreneurs and celebrates today's Black-owned businesses.

Pittsburgh International Jazz Fest

• When: Thursday, Sept. 17 through Sunday, Sept. 20
• Where: The August Wilson African American Cultural Center
• What's happening? With the mission of preserving the legacy of jazz and showcasing artists and their stories, the Pittsburgh's International Jazz Festival will spend the weekend highlighting jazz music and its roots with live performances, food, cultural experiences and more.
• Cost: Prices vary; check Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival's website for ticketing details. The event's Street Festival is free to attend.

FestPGH

• When: Saturday, Sept. 19
• Where: Highmark Stadium
• What's happening? Hosted by the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, this music festival will feature religious musical guests from across genres, including Switchfoot, the Arcadian Wild, Jervis Campbell and others. A full lineup can be found at the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh's website.
• Cost: Free admission, but online registration is required.

Find other summer events in locations just outside Pittsburgh

Many boroughs, towns and counties surrounding Pittsburgh will host summer events this year. Here's when and where they'll be.

• West Mifflin: Every weekend from Friday, May 22 through Sunday, June 28, as well as Memorial Day, Kennywood will host its Bites and Pints Food and Drink Festival. The park is also scheduled to have a drone show every Saturday and Sunday in July, as well as Friday, July 3. Fall events will kick off in August, with Fall Fantasy Parades scheduled to begin on the first of the month and to continue for most of August, and the Phantom Fall Fest to take place on weekends starting Friday, Sept. 11.
• Mount Lebanon: Hot Cross Greek Orthodox Church's Holy Cross Greek Food Festival in Mount Lebanon will run from Monday, June 15 through Friday, June 19. A menu can be found at the festival's website.
• Swissvale: The 12th Annual Beers of the Burgh Festival will take place in Swissvale on Saturday, June 13 with breweries from around the region, food trucks live music, craft vendors and more. Tickets can be purchased at the festival's website.
• East Deer Township: Pittsburgh Brewing Company will host their Rockin' Regatta outboard races on the Allegheny River on Saturday, June 6 through Sunday, June 7 on the Allegheny River in East Deer Township. Tickets are available online. The following month, the Pittsburgh Music Festival will take place on Saturday, July 11 through Sunday, July 12, with tickets available at the festival's website.
• Butler County: The Bantam Jeep Festival will run from Friday, June 12 through Sunday, June 14 in Butler County. Butler County will host the Big Butler Fair from Friday, July 3 through Saturday, July 11. Freedom Farms' Wildflower Festival will follow the fair on the weekends of Friday, July 17 and Friday, July 24.
• Westmoreland County: The Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival will take place in Westmoreland County on Labor Day and weekends beginning Saturday, Aug. 22 through Sunday, Sept. 27. The Great American Banana Split Celebration is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 22 through Sunday, Aug. 23.

Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at [email protected]. Instagram: @finchwalker_. X: @_finchwalker.