Downtown Cultural District

May 14 – 18
Various times

For five days in May, the EQT Pittsburgh International Children’s Festival will animate a new pop-up park and outdoor stage in the Cultural District.

Marking its 28th year, the Children’s Festival runs from May 14th through May 18th in its new Downtown digs. Setting up shop for the first time in the Cultural District, the festival will feature a pop-up green space dubbed LilyPad Park and an outdoor Community Stage located at the corner of 8th Street and Penn Avenue, as well as at additional Downtown spots.  It also boasts outstanding theatrical shows by international performers, of course, as well as more than 30 free hands-on educational and cultural activities led by local and regional organizations and artists. This year’s diverse roster includes artists hailing from Spain, Israel, Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, the UK and the US.

A production of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the festival’s impressive lineup of lively family happenings includes everything from installation art, games, yoga and film, to ecology, music, dance and tennis. Leading hands-on activities designed to engage, educate and entertain children of all ages and their families will be the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Hip Hop on L.O.C.K., Citiparks, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, the Aviary, Bricolage Production Company, Pittsburgh CLO and many more.

Make sure to see the giant Steel City Lego exhibit featuring Pittsburgh landmarks constructed from thousands of Lego bricks. Featuring a six-foot bridge decorated with Pittsburgh’s most famous buildings (think the Cathedral of Learning, Heinz Field and Frick buildings!), as well as sculptures of popular local landmarks, the dazzling cultural display will be located at 807 Liberty Avenue.

Head to Lilypad Park for plays, magic shows, storytellers, bellydancing, folk music, comedy acts, juggling and much more. Featured performers include Al Mazing Family Magic Show, Squirrel Hillbillies, The Josh & Gab Show, Weird Eric and many others. Also featured will be a roving art cart, food trucks and vendors and a even a Frog Stop Scavenger Hunt throughout the Cultural District.

Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday; and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. View a complete Festival schedule. Download a 2014 Festival brochure.

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.