Plenty of festivals to visit from May to September
Summer offers many opportunities to spend time outdoors — working in your garden, hiking, riding a bike, playing golf.
If you want outdoor fun that offers a schedule full of themed, planned entertainment, check out the many festivals that come to Western Pennsylvania during the summer season.
The Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival brings 10 days of free entertainment — with performing and visual arts, along with numerous booths with artists selling their goods — to Downtown from June 2 to 11.
Pittsburgh JazzLive International offers three days of free jazz performances in the Cultural District from June 16-18.
Pittsburgh Blues Festival has a new name and location this year. The Pittsburgh Blues and Roots Festival has transitioned to a two-day affair on July 22-23 at the Syria Shrine Center, Harmar. It will benefit the Autism Society of Pittsburgh.
If fairs are your thing, options include the Big Butler Fair from June 30-July 8, the Fayette County Fair from July 27 to Aug. 5, and the Westmoreland Fair from Aug. 18 to 26.
You can enjoy medieval history on weekends from Aug. 19 to Sept. 24 at the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival.
The list continues with regattas, fireworks — and even celebrations of pickles, Jeeps and rain.
MAY
Greensburg Community Days: May 25-28. Food, crafts, carnival rides, live music, fireworks and more. Lynch Field, Greensburg.
JUNE
PolkaFest: June 2-4. Music, food, crafts. Don Wojtila Orchestra, The Rhinelanders, Alex Meixner. Polka Mass. Free. St. Mary's Byzantine Church, Johnstown. 800-237-8590
Saltsburg Canal Days Festival: June 2-4. Family-friendly entertainment, local bands, parade and fireworks display Saturday night. Rivers Edge Stage and Canal, Saltsburg. 724-639-9413 or visitsaltsburg.com
Three Rivers Arts Festival: June 2-11. Visual and performing arts. Pittsburgh. 412-456-6666 or 3riversartsfest.org
Antiques on the Diamond: June 3. More than 50 antique dealers located around the Diamond. Ligonier. ligonier.com
The Steel City Pizzafest: June 3. Pizza, crafts, live music, dessert food trucks and more. Bakery Square, Pittsburgh (East End). steelcitypizzafest.com
Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival: June 9-11. Jeep parade and cruise, Jeep playgrounds, on-site trails, contests, outdoor activities, entertainment. $10, $3 for ages 3-12. Cooper's Lake, Butler County. bantamjeepfestival.com
Pride in the Street: June 10. Street party celebrating the local LGBT community. Jennifer Hudson to perform. Pittsburgh. pittsburghpride.org
The Jimmy Stewart Airport Festival: June 10-11. Entertainment, music, vendors, displays of vintage and military aircraft, airplane rides. Jimmy Stewart Airport. Indiana. facebook.com/jimmystewartairport
Pittsburgh Pride Fest: June 10. Daylong pride awareness march and festival brings people from around the region for food, music and entertainment. Downtown. pittsburghpride.org
Pittsburgh Greek Festival: June 13-16. Greek food, dancing and shopping. Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church, Pittsburgh (South Hills). pittsburghgreekfestival.org
Laurel Highlands Bluegrass Music Festival: June 16-17. Local and national bands, crafts, food. Waterford Volunteer Fire Department grounds, Route 271, five miles north of Ligonier. laurelhighlandsbluegrass.com
Wine Time at the Colony: June 17 and Sept. 9. Wineries, artisans and food vendors. 1-6 p.m. Saxonburg. winetimeatthecolony.com
Antiques and Artisans Festival at Whispering Pines Farm: June 17-18. 40-50 antiques and artisan vendors. 201 Winsome Lane, Cabot. whisperingpinesfarmpa.com
Pittsburgh JazzLive International: June 16-18. A three-day jazz festival featuring emerging and renowned jazz musicians performing 72 hours of jazz. Pittsburgh. pittsburghjazzlive.com
New Kensington Community Days: June 23-25. Memorial Park, Stevenson Boulevard. newkensington.org
Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival: June 29-July 2. Arts and crafts, children's activities, poetry and short-story contest, youth art competition, entertainment. Twin Lakes Park, Greensburg. 724-834-7474 or artsandheritage.com
Big Butler Fair: June 30-July 8. Livestock, exhibitions, harness racing, bike night, mud bogs, The Clarks, carnival rides, concerts, , monster truck shows, semi and tractor pulls, fireworks. $7, $9 after 4 p.m., free for age 2 and under. Butler Fairgrounds. 724-865-2400 or bigbutlerfair.com
Ford City SummerFest: June 30-July 3. Crafters, food, games, parade, fireworks. Ford City Park. 724-525-1720 or facebook.com/fcsummerfest
JULY
Pittsburgh Fourth of July Celebration: July 4. EQT Flashes of Freedom Fireworks. Pittsburgh. celebrateamericapgh.com
Heinz Field 4th of July Celebration: July 4, with the Cadillac Three. Pittsburgh's North Shore. heinzfield.com/event/fourth-of-july-celebration
Whiskey Rebellion Festival: July 6-9. Celebrating the heritage of the region. Historic reenactments, period exhibitions and demonstrations, frontier art, heritage music and food. Washington. whiskeyrebellionfestival.com
Cultural Trust Gallery Crawl: July 7. Free showcase of art and entertainment at various galleries and art spaces. Cultural District, Pittsburgh. pgharts.org
Fort Armstrong Horseman's Association Rodeo and Trail Ride: July 7-8. Exhibits and rodeo events. Crooked Creek Horse Park, Ford City. fortarmstrongrodeo.com
Stephen Foster Music and River Heritage Festival: July 7. Doo Dah Days celebrates Pittsburgh native Stephen Foster. Folk bands, educational tours of Allegheny Cemetery and costumed re-enactors. Lawrenceville. doodahdays.com
Horse Trading Days Art and Music Festival: July 13-15. Music, contests. Main Street, Zelienople. horsetradingdays.com
Seven Springs Rib & Wing Festival: July 14-16. Musical entertainment, beer garden and Kids Zone. $7, free for age 11 and under. Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Somerset County. 866-437-1300 or 7springs.com
Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix: July 15-16. Nation's largest vintage race event. Schenley Park, Oakland. pvgp.org
Summer in Ligonier Arts and Crafts: July 21-22. Arts and crafts on the Diamond, entertainment, activities for children. Ligonier. ligonier.com
East Brady RiverFest: July 21-23. Parade, craft vendors, music, rides, games, fireworks. Former East Brady High School football field, off Route 68, East Brady, Armstrong County. 724-526-5174 or eastbradyareariverfest.com
Pittsburgh Blues and Roots Festival: July 22-23. Blues festival benefits Autism Society of Pittsburgh. $20 one-day pass, $40 two-day pass. Syria Shrine Center, Cheswick. pghbluesrootsfest.com
Fayette County Fair: July 27-Aug. 5. Rides, games, livestock judging, entertainment. County Fairgrounds, Route 119 North, Dunbar. 724-628-3360 or fayettefair.com
Picklesburgh: July 28-29. Celebrating all things pickled. Free. Rachel Carson Bridge, Downtown. picklesburgh.com
Rain Day Festival: July 29. Waynesburg has celebrated rainfall on this day 114 times over the past 143 years. raindayfestival.com
AUGUST
Portersville Steam Summer Show: Aug. 3-6. Variety of engines, tractor pulls, Civil War encampments, equipment parade, 1800s Vintage Village. Route 19, Portersville. 724-452-8656 or portersvillesteamshow.org
Fort Armstrong Folk Festival: Aug. 3-6. Arts and crafts, music, fine arts. Riverfront Park, Kittanning. 724-543-6363 or armstrongfestival.com
AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival: Aug. 4-5. Three stages of music. Peoples Natural Gas Park, Johnstown. floodcitymusic.com
Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta: with Red Bull Flugtag. Aug. 4-6. Downtown. yougottaregatta.com
Regatta at Lake Arthur: Aug. 5-6. South Shore, Moraine State Park. 724-368-8811 or lakearthurregatta.org
Butler Farm Show: Aug. 7-12. Farm-related activities, arts and crafts, rides, entertainment, truck and tractor pulls. Butler Farm Show Grounds, Route 68, Butler. 724-482-4000 or butlerfarmshow.com
Dayton Fair: Aug. 13-19. Amusement rides, agricultural fair, livestock auction, pet show, tractor pulls, entertainment. Armstrong County Fair Fairgrounds, Dayton. 814-257-8332 or daytonfair.org
Festa Italiana di Vandergrift: Aug. 13. Entertainment, Italian food, kids' activities. Kennedy Park, Vandergrift. festaitaliana.us
Pittsburgh Little Italy Days: Aug. 17-20. Food, entertainment and more. Bloomfield. littleitalydays.com
Westmoreland Fair: Aug. 18-26. Livestock competition, exhibits, arena action, carnival, concerts. Westmoreland Fairgrounds, Mt. Pleasant Township. 724-423-5005 or westmorelandfair.com
Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival: Weekends, Aug. 19-Sept. 24. A 16th-century marketplace, crafts, entertainment, minstrels, jousting knights. West Newton. pittsburghrenfest.com
Seven Springs Wine Festival: Aug. 25-27. Wineries from Pennsylvania, seminars, entertainment, crafts and music. $25-$62, prices change after June 30. Seven Springs Mountain Resort,. 866-437-1300 or 7springs.com
Great American Banana Split Celebration: Aug. 25-27. Entertainment, food, activities and more. Latrobe. bananasplitfest.com
Indiana County Fair: Aug. 26-Sept. 2. Exhibits, competitions, livestock,entertainment, demolition derby, harness racing, high-school marching band night. Indiana County Fairgrounds, J.S. Mack Community Park. 724-349-5508 or indianacountyfair.com
SEPTEMBER
Pennsylvania Arts and Crafts Labor Day Festival: Sept. 1-4. Exhibitors, live music, children's activities. Westmoreland Fairgrounds, Mt. Pleasant Township. 724-863-4577 or familyfestivals.com
Labor United Celebration: Sept. 3-4. Entertainment, arts and crafts, carnival rides. Northmoreland Park, Allegheny Township. 724-830-3950 or co.westmoreland.pa.us
Pittsburgh Irish Festival: Sept. 8-10. Visit site for updates. Riverplex at Sandcastle, West Homestead. 412-422-1113 or pghirishfest.org
A Fair in the Park: Sept. 8-10. Artists and craftsmen, demonstrations, children's activities. Mellon Park, Shadyside. craftsmensguild.org
Mountain Craft Days: Sept. 8-10. Artisans, entertainment, demonstrations, children's activities. Somerset Historical Center, Route 985. 814-445-6077 or somersethistoricalcenter.org
Ligonier Highland Games: Sept. 23. Bagpipe bands, athletic competitions, Highland dancers, Scottish fiddlers, children's games. Idlewild Park, Ligonier Township. 814-931-4714 or ligonierhighlandgames.org
