Pennsylvania, United States — Events
Philadelphia Cherry Blossom Festival
The Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia is as much a festival held in honor of the pink-blossomed trees, as it is a celebration of Japanese culture. Visitors to the festival - over and above experiencing the numinous beauty of the cherry blossoms (more than a thousand of the black-limbed trees will be in bloom) - will also be treated to Japanese drumming and martial arts performances, a traditional tea ceremony, an origami demonstration, and a presentation given by a master sushi chef from Japan.
Pittsburgh International Children's Festival
Pittsburgh is justifiably proud of its annual International Children’s Festival, one of the largest and most popular child-oriented arts festivals in the country, which has earned world renown since it started out 20 years ago. The festival consists of five days of extraordinary performing arts for children, in one location, at extremely affordable prices. The program includes theater, live music, dance and puppetry to entrance both the young and young at heart.
Pittsburgh Folk Festival
For three days over Memorial Day weekend Pittsburgh’s Convention Center is turned into an international village offering visitors the chance to experience the food, costumes and culture of more than 24 countries. Continuous entertainment spices up the delights on offer at the many food booths and the beer tavern. There are numerous craft demonstrations and displays and entertainment and activities laid on for children.
Three Rivers Arts Festival
The Three Rivers Arts Festival is a nearly 50-year-old tradition in downtown Pittsburgh, bringing art to the people with a mix of live music, theater, dance, visual arts and fine food. A program of free concerts draws the crowds to Point State Park, while all galleries in the downtown area exhibit their finest. Most popular, however, is the vibrant artist market where artists from all over the country sell their wares in more than 15 different mediums.
United States Open Championship Golf (Pittsburgh)
The United States Open Championship is one of the four ‘majors’ (major championships) in men’s golf. The event dates back to 1895 where it was first played on a nine-hole course in Newport, Rhode Island. In 2007, the men’s event was once again held at the prestigious Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Oakmont has hosted more major Championships than any other course in the United States. It is regarded as one of the most difficult courses in the country and recently voted the fourth best course by Golf Digest.
Gettysburg Re-enactment
The Battle of Gettysburg was the most significant battle of the American Civil War. Over three days in early July, the blood of almost 50,000 soldiers was split on the fields outside the town of Gettysburg, in the battle that would become the turning point of the civil war. Today, a re-enactment of the battle takes place as close to the original days (1-3 July) as possible featuring tens of thousands of participants and spectators to educate and make aware of the early violent past of this powerful nation. The event is hugely popular and receives visitors from all across the United States.
Three Rivers Regatta
Each year the height of summer is celebrated in Pittsburgh with America’s largest inland regatta, the Three Rivers Regatta, which is far more than just an aquatic challenge. The Pittsburgh regatta is a full on festival of fun, covering four days, with a variety of entertainment on land, water and in the air. Included in the program of more than 20 daily events is powerboat racing, fireworks displays, water-ski shows, extreme sports, and an ‘anything that floats’ race.
Philadelphia Live Arts Festival/Philly Fringe
The Philadelphia Live Arts Festival - and its offshoot attraction, the Philly Fringe - are two concurrently-run performing arts festivals, that each year bring downtown Philadelphia to life. The Live Arts Festival’s program is determined by selection, with half of the performers coming from Philadelphia, and the other half being flown in from around the globe - and its emphasis is on providing audiences with high-quality, compelling and thought-provoking entertainment.
Mummer's Parade
With its origins in the 1800s, the Philadelphia Mummer’s Parade is the traditional celebration of the New Year and one of the country’s oldest folk customs. Mummery in America is as unique to Philadelphia as Mardi Gras is to New Orleans, and various groups of mummers (masked or costumed merrymakers) compete for originality, themes and costumes in a colorful extravaganza of feathers, sequins, elaborate floats, music and dance.
Groundhogs Day
Groundhog Day is perhaps one of America’s most famous and extraordinary events, popularized by the Bill Murray film in the early nineties. Punxsutawney Phil, as the groundhog is known, has supernatural powers if you believe the myth, and is asked on 2 February each year what the following six weeks of weather will entail for those in the area. If the Phil sees his shadow, there will be another six weeks of winter in store; if not, then summer is on its way. The town is visited by tens of thousands each year and there is plenty of music and entertainment followed by fireworks in the evening.
