All images on this page are courtesy of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Have you heard that Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is having ten days of art and music—for free? It might sound too good to be true, but it’s the real deal! It’s the 59th annual Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. Thanks to the generous support of local businesses and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, this spectacular event presents a diverse and dynamic blend of music, art, and fun. You can always check out the details for this and many other great Appalachian events on our events calendar.
Pittsburgh’s Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival
The Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival is one of the most popular arts events in the country, attracting artists from around the globe. Locals, renowned musicians, poets, and artists from all over join together to support this impressive celebration. The festivities take place throughout the downtown area of Pittsburgh, within Point State Park, the Cultural District, and Gateway Center.
This year’s festival will be the 59th year for the event and it is open to the public and free to attend. Call up a friend or book a hotel soon, it starts June 1st and ends on the 10th. Events will take place each day from 12 pm – 8 pm. Keep reading to find out all about one of the best festivals you will ever find!
Kids enjoying the diversity and entertainment of the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival
There will plenty of excitement for everyone, so bring the kids along too. Giant Eagle Creativity Zone will be featuring fun, hands-on crafts for children throughout the ten days. Patterns of Pride, an Afro-Caribbean inspired masquerade play is just one of the many shows the kids will find entertaining and memorable.
During this huge cultural event, visitors will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on learning and demonstrations. From working soft clay on pottery wheels, building eco-friendly crafts from recycled materials, to ceramic flower making, hot glassblowing, button making, and much more. Young and old will find plenty to keep them entertained.
Sounds, Sights, and Celebration
Macular – Cycles
Art without paint? Sure! Art doesn’t have to come from a brush or pencil. Brilliant visual arts have the power to astonish and connect with viewers, and they can quickly transform from a performance into an experience. Check out the spell-binding Macular–Cycles featuring kinetic light demonstrations and the Cell Phone Disco where visitors can see the electromagnetic field of our everyday cell phones.
From moving art to paintings, hand-crafted pieces, and sculptures, a big part of uptown Pittsburgh is going to be the venue for the unique work of a diverse group of artists. Art lovers may want to plan ahead because there is just too much to see and do to leave things to chance.
Three Rivers Arts Festival is a fantastic venue to attend just for the music alone; any music lover will feel right at home here. Tap into your inner rhythm during a community drum circle led by Ibeji Drum Ensemble, loosen your hips with a full roster of smooth jazz, R&B, and funk bands, or learn how to square dance to down-home Appalachian folk music.
A diverse group of musical artists will include the legendary R&B of Mavis Staples, the Latin-infused with a twist of jazz performances of Banda Magda, and the modern mix of jazz, funk, and hip-hop of Sidewalk Chalk. There will be plenty of bluegrass, country, and other regional musicians too, so visitors won’t have any trouble finding their favorite kind of music.
Revel in a melting pot of culture, art, dance, and music! There will also be plenty of chances to discover local plays, orchestras, delicious restaurants, and a vast artists market. With ten full days of these exhibits and events in beautiful Pittsburgh, it would be impossible to cover all the fantastic aspects of the world-renowned Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. But here’s a handy schedule of events so you can start making notes on the events that you won’t want to miss!