4.5 stars. The Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival is set up to look like a 16th-century Medieval…read moreamusement park. In 2026, the festival is being held for several weeks in the late summer and early fall. Tickets are for a specific single day and cost $27 per adult and $12 per child at the gate and slightly less online. Some weekends are themed: Celtic, children's, mead and whiskey, pirate, and wine revelry and romance. For about 12 years, I have been a customer of the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival. In 2026, through the website, I purchased tickets for my husband and me for opening day. Unfortunately, the weather had been rainy in previous days, so we drove one hour to the festival, and an employee at the gate told the visitors that the festival was too muddy and unsafe and thus would open one week later! I had looked at the website on the previous day, but apparently it had not yet been updated about the delayed opening date. So we returned the following weekend, and thankfully the festival was open. At the entrance an employee promptly scanned our tickets and admitted us. As we walked around, we saw employees and many visitors wearing costumes. Entertainment included knight jousting, washing-well wenches, music and singing, witch trial, flame-throwing, sword swallowing, juggling, archery, axe throwing, and more. Several dozen shops sold a variety of clothing, accessories, paintings, armor, pottery, soaps, leather goods, swords and shields, candles, incense, etcetera. I felt most interested in eating the foods. Many restaurants and drink stations sold turkey drumstick, steak on a stake, sausage on a stick, sausage knave sandwich, smoked bratwurst, scotch egg, pretzel, soup in bread bowl, kettle corn, fruit cobbler a la mode, roasted nuts, root-beer float, beer, etcetera. I bought several of these, and I thought that the flavors were OK to very good.

I last reviewed the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival twelve years ago (!!!), when I was still a…read moreregular and went every year. Now though? Well...now I'm not a regular and I don't go every year. I actually took a long break and skipped attending the Fair for many years. I reached a point where I couldn't justify paying the entrance fee to hear the same jokes as the year prior, or to spend more money shopping for trinkets I didn't need. So once one of their regular performers retired, I took it as a sign and I stepped away. That was until that regular came out of retirement - that was enough reason for me to come back; so I figure now is as good a time as any to update my review of the Ren Fair overall. On a positive note: there are now multiple new performers at this Ren Fair. I was very happy to spend a full day walking around hearing new music, watching new acts, and so forth. (I especially appreciated the new additions after walking by a returning comedy act and hearing the exact same jokes that I remembered from "BC"...you know, "Before COVID"...) Something else has changed in the years since I last visited the Fair. There's a relatively new app on the block now called TikTok - you might have heard of it. Well let me tell you, nerds like me love it. And we post about the shenanigans we get into, such as going to the local Ren Fair. Well videos of the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival took off this year, and they definitely got the attention of some new attendees. So for the first time that I can remember, when I drove out this year, traffic to get into the Fair was backed up not just onto the road...but onto I-70 itself. (I'll interrupt my own story time now to admit there might have been other factors too...but I vividly remember seeing NUMEROUS TikTok videos about the Ren Fair, way more than usual. Make of this anecdote what you will.) The additional foot traffic was good for the Fair I'm sure, but there's really not that much this Fair can do in the way of expanding to accommodate said foot traffic. The crowds being what they were, I didn't even attempt to watch the jousts. I also made sure I planned my day and got to other shows super early so I could find a seat for them. Final thoughts: it was good to see some updates to the Fair lineup this year. But generally speaking, my visit felt like 'same Ren Fair, different year'...yet was simultaneously the busiest weekend I can remember. Go figure. I'm most likely to come back to this Ren Fair if: 1) My favorite performer continues to come back. 2) My friends want to go. Otherwise, I'm probably skipping. It's not that the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival itself is bad; it's that after being a regular for literal decades, I'm OK with no longer being an annual patron. (And my wallet is OK with that decision, too!)

If you're looking for good, wholesome fun in the city, Swing City is the place to go. Even if you…read moreare not a dancer or terribly comfortable in a social setting, you will gain confidence after the hour-long beginner's lesson before the night starts. It's a fantastic opportunity to meet people of all ages without the awkward silence. Anyone who is willing to get themselves into the door and on to the dance floor is sure to have a good time. Admittedly, the most fun can be had on nights with a live band, but even the DJed dances are enjoyable. Regardless, you'll find a mix of beginners to very advanced dancers and everyone is encouraged to dance with all. If you're looking for something unique, try Vintage Night (the first Saturday of the month) and dress in your zoot suites and twirly skirts. Otherwise, the dress code is very casual but be sure to wear comfortable shoes that can slide easily on the dance floor. There is a cover charge, cash only. Snacks can be purchased with a small donation. Parking is limited on the residential street, but usually still available if you arrive for the lesson. Those who are lucky enough to celebrate their birthday at Swing City will have their own special dance and be whisked around the floor by some of the top dancers in the city. (This made for an incredibly memorable and fantastic 24th birthday!) I would highly recommend Swing City to anyone!

Swing City is a swing dancing club that goes on every Saturday night in Squirrel Hill and has been…read morefor many years. Its in a school/community center, on the top floor in the gymnasium and generally has DJ'd nights, occasionally live bands. Open to all ages with a cover charge at the door, cash only. There are water fountains and usually a snack table for a small extra fee. The crowd can be very diverse in ages, from young high school students to elderly adults well into their 70s and the amount of people can be really hit or miss. If you are looking for nights where you have more advanced dancers and a bigger crowd, make sure to go on nights where there is a live band playing or when there is a workshop during the weekend in town. For the most part, you will see east coast swing dancers, the occasional lindy hopper and the even more rare advanced dancers. There is a beginner lesson for an hour before the dance starts and you do not need a partner to go to the lesson or the dance, although it can be more fun if you bring someone you already know. The dress code is very casual. There is a small private lot, but otherwise, it is street parking only in a residential area, so it can be difficult to find parking if you show up past 10pm. Have fun!

This is an awesome place to get dance lessons. I've taken three salsa courses so far and I feel…read morelike I've learned a lot. Definitely not an expert yet but I know enough that I feel comfortable dancing in public which is new for me! They have amazing teachers and a great variety of Dance styles to learn. And for $60 for four classes, not a terrible price. If you're considering taking lessons here, this is your sign to just do it

Great value and fun. The instructor was very good for the 15 minute lesson before the dance. Two…read moredances were taught. Maybe 1 would be enough.

This 26 member troupe of performers called the Latshaw Pops Orchestra presents 90 minute shows…read moreregionally and tours the east coast. A swing band with strings, a cast of singers, dancers and featured performers playing the favorite hits of old and new eras and an annual Christmas show. Greensburg's Palace Theatre is home to Latshaw Productions, and brings in artists and self contained acts all year long in addition to its Pops Orchestra.

Nice festival in Houston Pa! Lots of vendors, food trucks , entertainment, and a few alcohol…read morechoices!

A apple fest with no apple cider doughnuts is pretty disappointing. Also wasn't a big fan of swopes…read morefarm apple cider. It was smaller than I had expected

Ah, the Pittsburgh Irish Festival. The Irish Festival is an extremely popular event - this year in…read moreparticular it was swamped. I admit, it's a beloved tradition, but it can also be a bit of an underwhelming tradition some years. I personally know what I'm getting into every year, but I can see where first-timers would get frustrated. But still, there really is plenty to appreciate here, especially if you have a family. I love walking around with my mother every year and always look forward to the following: *Exploring the enormous Irish marketplace. *Saying hello to a friend who brings their gypsy caravan to the event as a nice cultural addition. *Trying the beers and ciders - expensive, yes, but also very, very good and worth it! *Seeing the animals that are brought out - an array of Irish dogs and ponies is not uncommon here, although it varies on the day, weather, etc. *Listening in on several workshops; there are always really wonderful musicians and storytellers here; they're wonderful additions to everything else. *Stopping in at the vendor booths along the paths; the Welsh cookie stand is one of my favorites! BUT, I do admit, the festival is not without flaws: -Food here is expensive and a lot of it reminds me more of American pub food than Irish food, although I admittedly can't comment on just how authentic the food actually is. -The marketplace, despite being an amazing place to shop, is, well, pretty Americanized. For every jeweler or wood crafter that makes their items by hand, there's two stands selling "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" shirts and other things along those lines. It's kind of sad to see so many awful commercialized items mixed in amongst the handmade ones. -Last but not least, yes: parking is a NIGHTMARE. Be prepared to deal with it. I'm sorry. It can't be helped. Well, flaws or not, I'll keep coming back, and I do recommend that everyone visit at least one time! After all, if enough people attend maybe the festival will move to a bigger location with better parking - right?

In general, this festival is disorganized and extremely overpriced. Full priced tickets are $16,…read moreand parking is an additional $6 on top of that--and that's before you even enter! Once you're inside, expect to pay steep prices for food that's really not that uniquely Irish, as well as drinks--both alcoholic and non. In order to get drinks, you have to stand in line to get tickets, and then stand in another line to use them! This process should be streamlined so that you can buy and use tickets without having to stand in two lines. The highlights of this festival are the Irish music and dancing and the handcrafted merchandise. If you're really into those, then it might be worthwhile to go (although even then, I'm not sure, given the price of admission). Otherwise, I'd give this festival a pass and head over to the Ren Fest, which charges about the same for admission, doesn't charge for parking, and has more reasonably priced food/drinks--not to mention more fun activities and varied entertainment.

This is is a free Jazz concert in the park and I attend every year. Kenia often performs her…read moreBrazilian Jazz here, but whatever the performers, it's always a good show. You should plan on arriving early, it's well attended, so think about bringing chairs or a blanket and picking a good spot in advance. The sound is very good. The musicians play in the Cityparks portable stage. We sometimes hike around the Reservoir afterwards or enjoy the line dancing that happens afterwards at the fountain.

This FREE summer outdoor event happens every Sunday in August in Highland park. It's a great time…read moreto have a picnic and chill outdoors. Bring your lawn chair, pack some dinner, and bring a frisbee or football to throw around during intermissions. There's also a drum circle that gathers during intermissions or after the event. Unfortunately due to the location, it is hard to see the stage unless you are close up to the front--it's not an upward sloping hill lost most other venues. The acoustics are also the best as there are a lot of people chatting and the speakers are not great. It's more about hanging out than the music. Afterwards, there's also a fun FREE Sumer Soul Line Dancing class over by the water fountain. Be sure to check it out in August!

Amazing street festival that celebrates biking, walking, skating, Zumba, Yoga and live music…read more Always on Sundays in the summer to give you special access to streets, tunnels and bridges that are normally exclusive to cars. The organizers do a great job of making this safe, fun and family friendly. Last weekend, for example, I was treated to a bike ride from Market Square through the Armstrong Tunnel and over the 10th St Bridge. There's lots of opportunities to take free Yoga or Zumba classes. Open Streets is a blast, don't miss it!!!

Yea, we had fun. This is not our first OSB. But it is…read moreslow crowded and people walking take up the whole side of the street. Hey, use the side walk and/or make room for for those on bikes for crying out load!. Watch for the young kids. They are having fun but can be all over the place. The best part may be the vendors, music and entertainment along the way. Like to stop and see some of the vendors and music and lumber jack throw. Fun to talk with the vendors and others stopped at places along the way. Some nice food options. We started on the Southside and did the loop across the Birmingham Bridge to the Armstrong tunnel, did not go into downtown. Then we did the Southside bike trail to Homestead to actually get some biking in. If you have kids come out and enjoy.