From perusing the Carnegie Museum of Art to taking in a performance by the Pittsburgh Opera, art enthusiasts in Pittsburgh are never short of excitement. Pittsburgh’s long-running and most famous art event is right around the corner: the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival, a production of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Pittsburgh residents are beginning to look ahead to what should be another exciting chapter of this event.
Founded in 1960, the Three Rivers Arts Festival is an annual summer event centered around music and art. This year, the festival will run from June 2nd–11th and take place across Pittsburgh’s downtown Cultural District. This eagerly anticipated event is free to attend, so no advanced purchase is needed.
The festival’s diverse programming includes something for everyone. Free concerts run for the duration of the event and are one of its core highlights. Throughout its illustrious history, Three Rivers has seen performances from world-renowned musicians, including Smokey Robinson and Ray Charles, and every year brings exciting performers from across genres. This year, there will be performers in genres ranging from folk, blues, and New Orleans jazz to rock, R&B, and more. There will also be a free concert from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
The Artist Market is another defining component of the Three Rivers Arts Festival. Spread across the Cultural District, the Artist Market features renowned local and regional artists exhibiting and selling their latest creations from noon to 8 p.m. daily. From clay and ceramics to digital art and handmade jewelry, works of all kinds will be showcased. This is an excellent opportunity to support local creators and find one-of-a-kind pieces from talented, rising artists.
This event celebrates art and creativity, and art lovers will find a seemingly endless array of activities to enjoy. There will be a large, juried visual art exposition that features the finest submissions from local, national, and international artists. At the Giant Eagle Creativity Zone, different organizations from across the city will host numerous hands-on art activities within a variety of artistic mediums.
This family-friendly occasion brings hundreds of thousands to the Cultural District to enjoy world-class music and art, and where there’s bustling activity, there must be delectable food to recharge. Food courts will host a variety of food and drink vendors, food trucks will also be parked within the action, and all the delicious options in the Cultural District will remain open for the duration of the Three Rivers Arts Festival.
