The first day of fall is Sept. 22, so we’re helping you make the most of Pittsburgh’s sunny days with festivals, markets, nature excursions, and more.
🍅 Celebrate Harvest Season
It’s time to toast to the summer bounty! Find the goodness growing in Mt. Oliver at the Hilltop Harvest Festival on Sept. 14; try out a ton of gardening workshops (or participate in the Best Tomato Contest) at the Pittsburgh County Fair on Sept. 15; or head up to Mt. Washington to buy some blooms and produce at Armful of Flowers’ Harvest Market on Sept. 15.
Admire art on fire at the Pittsburgh Glass Center’s newly expanded facility. (Sophia Lo / City Cast Pittsburgh)
🎟️ Enjoy Free Events With RAD Days
Starting Sept. 7, you can hop around Pittsburgh’s best parks, art centers, and cultural institutions — for free! RAD Days, which run through Oct. 6, offer more than 60 events as a “thank you” to Allegheny County residents for their support through the RAD tax.
Don’t miss this recently restored Queen Anne-style home on the Brighton Heights House Tour. (Francesca Dabecco / City Cast Pittsburgh)
🏡 Be Nebby on House Tours
The North Side is the best side for exploring homes and gardens this month. Step up to cozy porches and charming interiors at Brighton Heights’ 18th Annual House Tour on Sept. 7; mosey through historic row houses at the Mexican War Streets 52nd Annual House & Garden Tour on Sept. 15; or get to know the rich history behind (open) doors at the Observatory Hill House Tour: Stories of a Neighborhood Vol. 2 on Sept. 28.
A portion of proceeds from the Pittsburgh Taco Festival benefits the Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation and Casa San Jose. (Francesca Dabecco / City Cast Pittsburgh)
🎉 Have Fun at Themed Festivals
September truly has something for everyone. Folk fans can jam out at the 33rd Annual Pittsburgh Irish Festival on Sept. 6 — or if you’d prefer more smooth and soulful tunes, bring your own chair to the (mostly free!) Pittsburgh International Jazz Fest Sept. 20-22.
Artsy folks can admire the work from BIPOC creatives at Sweetwater Center for the Arts’s Mavuno Festival on Sept. 20-21; trek up Polish Hill Sept. 15 for the community’s annual Arts Fest; sit down for quiet entertainment at the Pittsburgh Silent Film Festival, Sept. 29-Oct. 6; or don your best costume for the annual Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival in West Newton every weekend through Sept. 29.
And of course, there are gatherings full of flavor, like Forage Fest or Pittsburgh Taco Festival on Sept. 14 — and the Latin America Festival on Sept. 21.
Find peace under mature trees — like these in Allegheny Commons Park. (Francesca Dabecco / City Cast Pittsburgh)
🌳 Breathe Some Fresh (Crisp) Air
It’s a good time to slow down and witness the changing season. Be one with the trees at Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s forest bathing outings; explore your creative mind on a writing walk in Schenley Park; or learn how nature recycles living things after they die with Allegheny County Park Rangers’ “Decomposers” hikes.
The Pittsburgh Art Book Fair brings together over 60 local, national, and international exhibitors. (Francesca Dabecco / City Cast Pittsburgh)
🛍️ Find Local Treasures
Chilly weather approaching gets everyone in the mood to nest and rest. Bring nature indoors with something from Phipps' Botanical Boutique on Sept. 6-8; find saved or repaired furniture at WorkshopPGH’s Second Rodeo Warehouse Sale on Sept. 8 — and then admire your new finds while you flip through pages from the Used Book Fair Sept. 14 or the Art Book Fair Sept. 28.
⭐ Need more to do? You can always check our events page to find your perfect Pittsburgh inspo!
