From major sporting moments to cultural milestones, Pittsburgh’s 2026 calendar offers a compelling line-up of reasons to visit this year.
The excitement kicks off in April with the NFL Draft and continues with the 25th anniversary of the Pittsburgh Glass Center.With the new Aer Lingus nonstop, Irish travellers will be greeted by the airport’s new $1.7 billion terminal – a world-class welcome designed to match the city’s rising profile.
Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show (10 January – 15 March 2026 | Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens)
Founded in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a historic green oasis set within Schenley Park. It spans 15 acres, including a 14-room Victorian glasshouse and 23 distinct indoor and outdoor gardens. Exhibitions rotate throughout the year, Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show: Blooming with Love, is currently on show. This seasonal exhibition sees the glasshouse filled with striking orchid towers, vibrant colour palettes and tropical bonsai, alongside highlights such as a neon pink LED Love sign and a white gazebo framed by soft florals.
Celebrate 25 Years of Glowing Art with the Pittsburgh Glass Center (2 February – 19 April 2026)
The Pittsburgh Glass Center (PGC) marks its 25th anniversary, celebrating a quarter-century of growing a vibrant community of local and relocated glass artists. The celebration features the exhibition Gathered Locally – 25 years of Glass Art at Pittsburgh Glass , which spotlights the many glass artists who currently live and create in the city. Following this, Gathering Glass: A Fine Intoxication (1 May – 31 July 2026) will document the career of PGC co-founder and preeminent Pennsylvania glass artist Kathleen Mulcahy and will also feature works from late co-founder Ron Desmett. Visitors can also experience molten glass in motion during HOT Jam, a free live glassblowing demonstration held on the first Friday of every month.
NFL Draft (23-25 April 2026) | Point State Park)
American Football fans ready for the NFL Draft where all 32 teams select players to join their ranks. Presented by Bud Light, the event will span across the city with elements of Pittsburgh’s North Shore and Point State Park, as well as the iconic Acrisure Stadium. The city will be abuzz as the event is expected to bring in over 500,000 fans to the city. Beyond the draft, sports enthusiasts can enjoy art and culture with a sports theme at the Roberto Clemente Museum, Acrisure Stadium tour and Heinz History Centre Steelers exhibition.
59th Carnegie International (2 May 2026 – 3 January 2027 | Carnegie Museum of Art)
At the heart of Pittsburgh’s creative calendar is the 59th Carnegie International, the longest-running exhibition of international art in North America and one of the world’s most prestigious recurring art shows. Organised every four years by the Carnegie Museum of Art, this edition-curated by Ryan Inouye, Danielle A. Jackson and Liz Park -brings together new commissions, existing works and site-specific installations that extend beyond the museum into the city. It will be the most collaborative and wide-reaching Carnegie International to date, reflecting the museum’s commitment to the art and artists of our time, rooted in Pittsburgh yet globally engaged.
Aer Lingus Launches Direct Dublin – Pittsburgh Flights (25 May 2026)
Irish travellers can look forward to having a direct flight connection to Pittsburgh with the launch of this nonstop route. The service will operate four times weekly departing Dublin (DUB) on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays – with a short pause in January and February. Fares start from €512/£450 and are available to book now with Aer Lingus.
Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival (5-7,11-14 June 2026| Carnegie Museum of Art)
One of Pittsburgh’s summer highlights, the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival is a free, city-wide celebration of music, visual arts, dance and creativity that has drawn visitors since 1960. In 2026, the festival will enter a new era with the opening of Arts Landing, a major new outdoor cultural space in the downtown Cultural District, featuring a permanent stage, public art, green spaces and family-friendly areas. Running across two long weekends in June, the festival showcases local, national and international artists, offering an accessible and lively way for visitors to experience Pittsburgh’s creative energy at its best.
Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival (17-20 September 2026| August Wilson African American Cultural Center and along Liberty Avenue downtown)
The festival will return for its 15th year in 2026. The four-day celebration honours Pittsburgh’s rich jazz heritage while showcasing national, international and local talent. Once known as “Little Harlem”, the city’s Hill District played a pivotal role in 20th-century jazz, nurturing legends such as Billy Eckstine and Billy Strayhorn and welcoming greats including Miles Davis and Duke Ellington. Today, the festival keeps that legacy alive, blending historic roots with a vibrant contemporary scene and more than 140 local musicians.