Courtesy Europe Day Festival.

Wesley Posvar Hall and Patio
May 7
Noon â€” 7:30 p.m.

Thanks to this first-of-its-kind festival, families from around the region can enjoy the sights, sounds and many delicious tastes of Europe without breaking the bank and having to trek 3,000 miles.

Courtesy Europe Day Festival.
Courtesy Europe Day Festival.

Setting up shop at Wesley Posvar Hall and Patio in the heart of Pitt’s campus—the inaugural Europe Day Festival boasts more than seven hours of free, family-friendly programming.

Filling Oakland with European culture, cuisine and heritage, Europe Day features live music, vocal and dance performances, hands-on children’s activities, local artisans and vendors, and much more.

Travel back in time to experience medieval fencing in a bear pit led by the Society of Creative Anachronism, create a custom stained glass light catcher with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, and make your very own buttons with the Mattress Factory. Next, meet everyone’s favorite fabled characters such as the Ice Queen, Cinderella and Alice, and then try your skills at European games such as curling and bocce.

Courtesy The Frick Pittsburgh.
Courtesy The Frick Pittsburgh.

Create original French-inspired art with The Frick Pittsburgh, peruse European-inspired goods at the festival’s dynamic marketplace and learn Renaissance dance steps with dance historian Emily Winerock.

Vendor Otto Finn.
Vendor Otto Finn.

Ready to become bilingual? Participate in mini language lessons and foreign language story-times led by the Centre de Francophone Pittsburgh, Istituto Mondo Italiano and Pitt’s Department of French and Italian.

Featured performers on the main stage include PICT Classic Theatre, Pittsburgh Ceili Club, Shovlin Academy of Irish Dance, Swiss Singers, accordionist Jerry Jumba, Flemenco guitarist Michelle Grant, Czech World Language School, Pardon My French
and many others.

Grab lunch from the festival’s diverse array of mouth-watering food purveyors, such as Gaby et Jules, Fredo’s Deli, Isartaler Bavarian Club Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Crepes, The Pub Chip Shop, Pizzaiolo Primo Mobile Pizza Oven, and Waffles, INCaffeinated.

Wesley Posvar Hall and Patio is located at 230 S. Bouquet St. in Oakland. Paid parking is available on the street and at the Sennott Square and Soldiers & Sailors garages.

View a festival map and a complete schedule of events.

Looking for more events? Read our 11 Pittsburgh events not to miss in May and our Top 11 things for families to do in May in Pittsburgh features.

Jennifer has worked at the Mattress Factory, Brooklyn Museum of Art and Dahesh Museum of Art and is co-author of Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania. She also is co-coordinator of Handmade Arcade. Musically, she is in a band called The Garment District and is a founding member of Brooklyn's The Ladybug Transistor.