After this particularly mild winter, Pittsburghers may be tempted to take the arrival of spring for granted. Don’t do it! Spring is an exciting time in our city – a time where residents and organizations alike make changes and discover new things. The warm weather opens up a world of possibilities for Pittsburghers: running and biking on the many trails the city offers, kayaking on the river, outdoor dining and much more. Needless to say, baseball season also begins in the spring, and the Bucs will be raising the Jolly Roger on the North Shore. In this week’s wrap, we’d like to point out some things you should be looking forward to this spring.
Even though baseball is the big sports draw during springtime in Pittsburgh (sorry Pens fans, in the past couple years it’s been true), another rare event has made headlines this year. Pitt’s basketball program is entering a period of rebirth after hiring a new coach for the first time in over a decade. Kevin Stallings, former head coach at Vanderbilt University, was hired on March 26. Stallings enjoyed a measure of success at Vanderbilt, taking his team to the NCAA tournament 7 times in 17 years. His former team ended a three-year tournament drought this season but lost in their first game despite having two touted NBA prospects on the team.
Think baseball and basketball are big in Pittsburgh? The 2015 Pittsburgh marathon attracted over 40,000 participants. A spring tradition for serious athletes and those looking to get in shape, this year’s marathon will be a special one. The marathon festivities will feature a celebration of the 200th anniversary of Pittsburgh’s incorporation as a legal entity. This year’s run is scheduled for Sunday, May 1 and is expected to yield over $10.2 million in direct spending for the city.
The musical acts for the Three Rivers Arts Festival were announced this past week. An annual festival that offers residents the opportunity to discover new musical artists, purchase artwork and sample some great food, the festival traditionally features local and national performing artists. This year’s festival will take place June 3-12 in downtown Pittsburgh. National artists Michael Franti, Guster and David Grisman will perform this year, along with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Choir.
What’s your favorite thing about spring in Pittsburgh? Tell us in the comments below.
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Sam Bojarski is an associate at WordWrite Communications. He can be reached at sam.bojarski@wordwritepr.com.
