One of the NFL’s marquee events, the NFL Draft, is setting up shop in Pittsburgh this weekend.
Elsewhere in the state, you’ll find festivals dedicated to maple syrup, local artists, chainsaw art, and Pennsylvania agriculture.
Get the details on these events happening across the commonwealth this weekend:
Lewisburg Arts Festival – Saturday (Union County)
Each spring, thousands of people visit the Lewisburg Arts Festival, a free event that welcomes more than 100 artists from central Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. Vendors are chosen by a jury of artists and offer a variety of art forms, including fine art and folk art. The festival features food and drinks, kids’ activities, live entertainment, and a free shuttle to transport visitors around downtown Lewisburg.
NFL Draft — Thursday to Saturday (Pittsburgh)
The NFL Draft is much more than the drama of team braintrusts trying to select future franchise cornerstones while they’re on the clock. In recent years, it’s turned into a huge, football-themed festival that’s expected to draw between 500,000 and 700,000 fans to Pittsburgh. The draft itself will take place outside Acrisure Stadium on the North Shore. Across the river, the NFL Draft Experience—the free fan festival—will take over downtown’s Point State Park.
Pennsylvania Maple Festival — Wednesday through Sunday (Meyersdale, Somerset County)
If you missed the Pennsylvania Maple Festival last weekend in the Laurel Highlands, fret not. It’s back for round two beginning Wednesday. While maple syrup is the headliner, there’s plenty more on offer besides the sweet, sticky stuff, like the Maple Race 8K/5K run/walk, horse drawn wagon rides, a tractor pull, live entertainment, and more.
Chainsaw Carvers Rendezvous — Wednesday through Saturday (Ridgway, Elk County)
More than 130 chainsaw artists from around the world will descend upon tiny Ridgway near the Allegheny National Forest to show off their works at the 25th annual Chainsaw Carvers Rendezvous. The event, which began years ago as a humble backyard gathering, now features live carving demonstrations, vendors, a “quick-carve” competition, food and drinks, and live entertainment.
A-Day — Friday through Sunday (Doylestown, Bucks County)
If you missed the PA Farm Show earlier this year in Harrisburg, or just want another opportunity to learn about Pa.’s agriculture industry, cuddle a calf, and/or enjoy one of those legendary milkshakes from the PA Dairymen’s Association (the same ones they serve at the Farm Show), head to A-Day at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown. There’s plenty for kids and adults alike, including animal education, interactive demonstrations, inflatable obstacle courses, hayrides, pony rides, a tractor parade, the aforementioned calf cuddling and, of course, food.
