Opinion | Ideas for the upcoming Pittsburgh spring season

Spring has sprung, and Pittsburgh has been absolutely beautiful for the past week. The weather was warm, campus was alive and the incoming spring weather is on the horizon. In the hopes that it stays like this for the rest of the semester, I thought of some things you and your friends can do to take advantage of the spring season weather.

A classic idea is to have a picnic. There are many places to go to on campus and off campus, including Soldiers and Sailors lawn, Schenley Park, Frick Park or Emerald View Park. I recommend bringing a few picnic blankets depending on how large your group is — that way, you have room for the food and to sit.

More fun park activities include going on a run, walk or bike ride. Pitt students get to ride the POGOH bikes for free — with a 30-minute limit, of course. But if you’re close to a bike rack, you can just trade it off! I have been getting into riding a bike again, having so much fun. If you have your own bike in Pittsburgh, that’s even better! Riding your bike around Schenley Park is a great idea because there are so many routes to choose from.

Right near Schenley Park is Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. They just opened their Tropical Forest Panama section, and I am so excited to check it out. Starting on March 22, this upcoming Saturday, Phipps is opening up their Spring Flower Show. This ends on April 20, so you have a while to catch it. Pitt students get in for free. 

There are also a lot of thrift events that pop up randomly in Pittsburgh in the spring. For example, on March 30, there will be a thrift market at Haven on Atwood Street featuring a few vintage clothing vendors. The Pitt Vintage Palooza will also be back on April 6, and it takes place in Schenley Plaza — the convenient location means that you can buy some cool clothes and then chill with your friends on the lawn. 

An event that I just found out about is the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival. The Pittsburgh Fringe Festival is a multi-arts festival that mainly occurs in venues stretched along Penn Avenue. This upcoming festival is the 12th one in Pittsburgh, and it started in 1974 in Scotland when eight theatre groups showed up uninvited to the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland. The groups then decided to perform on the “fringe” or outside of the festival, starting the name Fringe Festival — specifically the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

This specific Fringe Festival in Pittsburgh occurs March 20-29. The festival takes place at various locations, like Mr. Roboto Project, Pittsburgh Glass Center and Level Up Studios. The festival has many events along the lines of live music, comedy, puppetry, community gatherings and more. There are visual art shows and even a community yoga event happening, which means there will be something for almost everyone to enjoy. 

Overall, there are lots of cool things to do in Pittsburgh during the spring season. Whether you go somewhere by yourself or with friends, having a nice time in this beautiful weather will definitely bring your mood up.

Have any spring ideas or want more ideas? You can email Irene at inm24@pitt.edu.