After being anchored in Point State Park for its first six decades, it’s been a nomadic few years for the Three Rivers Arts Festival.
For the fourth straight year, the festival will be in a different location. But unable to settle it Downtown again because of construction, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is moving the festival to the Strip District. And for reasons at least partly related to the move, the festival will also run just four days this year, down from its usual 10.
“We were dealing with a lot of unknowns as we were planning this year’s festival and we really had to prioritize making sure that the festival went forward,” said Brooke Horejsi, chief programming and engagement officer for the Trust, which organizes the fest.
However, she added, “All the things that people know and love about the arts festival are still happening in this temporary location and reduced number of days.”
Thu., June 5, through Sun., June 8, the free festival will occupy paved riverside lots between the Veterans and 16th Street Bridges in the Strip District provided by the Buncher Corporation, and known as 15th Street Plaza.
As always, the festival, sponsored by Dollar Bank, will feature live music, an artists market and kids' activities. Nationally touring music headliners include singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega, singer-songwriter Cautious Clay, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and eclectic, socially conscious Los Angeles-based band Las Cafeteras, a returning festival favorite from 2017.
Other music acts include country singer Tierra Kennedy, who contributed to Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” album; singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb; and more than one dozen locally based acts. Music performances run throughout each day.
Other attractions include the Juried Visual Arts Exhibition, at SPACE Gallery; the annual TRAF Dance Battle; special site-specific dance performances Downtown by Pittsburgh-based troupe slowdanger, co-presented by Springboard Danse; and Garba360, a touring interactive Indian dance experience.
The artists market, running noon to 8 p.m. daily, will feature a total of 200 makers of everything from paintings and ceramics to jewelry, clothing and photographs. The Giant Eagle Creativity Zone, for families, will run noon to 6 p.m. daily.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Trust plans to situate the festival in its brand new Arts Landing space Downtown on Penn Avenue, which is still under construction.
Arts Landing, with its bandshell and one-acre lawn, will be the festival’s new permanent home. But Horejsi said the Trust has yet to decide how many days the fest will run in 2026.
“We’ll assess that after we get through this year,” she said.
