Latest news with #ThreeRiversArtsFestival
CBS News
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Some Three Rivers Arts Festival artists feel temporary location led to lower turnout
Temporary changes made to this year's Three Rivers Arts Festival created challenges for some attendees, which in turn impacted artists. Due to construction ahead of the NFL Draft Downtown, organizers were forced to find a new home for the festival. It was held on a parking lot in the Strip District between the Veterans Bridge and the 16th Street Bridge. Instead of being held over 10 days, it was held over four days. "It's affected my sales pretty harshly," said Dawn Lombard, a Milford, Pennsylvania-based artist who was selling her art, made of glass and metal, for the first time at the festival. Her artist friends raved about the festival, and she was expecting a similar experience. Instead, she said her sales were 75% down from where she had expected them to be by the end of the festival, ultimately meaning she lost money throughout the festival, combined with her travel and lodging costs. "It's hurtful to the pocketbook," she said. Chaz Letzkus, who has been selling his hidden-image art at the fair for the past quarter-century, said he believed the location of the festival this year was a major reason he was seeing fewer sales, along with it being a shorter festival and rain, which has become a regular occurrence at the festival. "I look at it as an outlier; it is not a normal Three Rivers Arts Festival," he said. "From what the vendors I've talked to said, Thursday and Friday were just kind of down, not normal. Yesterday was a great day. Today, not so much." He believes that after so many years Downtown, some people have trouble finding the festival. "I think people didn't know where it was or were not sure," Letzkus said. Brooke Horejsi, the Programming and Engagement Officer for festival organizer Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, said they did their best to educate the public beforehand on the location of the festival this year. Responding to concerns about the location, she said it was tough to find a site for the festival because of the construction Downtown ahead of the draft. "It took a couple of tries to find a space that could accommodate us," Horejsi said. "We're super excited to have a place this year." She explained the location was a factor as to why the festival was four, not 10 days this year. Both artists and attendees told KDKA-TV that they wished the festival were longer. Another challenge attendees faced in coming to the festival was parking. "I felt like it was somewhat of a barrier to coming just because we spent so long looking for somewhere to park, driving around the neighborhoods," said Ava Meadows. They told KDKA-TV that they had to park Downtown, and worried about having to carry any art they bought far distances. Others told KDKA-TV that they tried going to the festival, but after they were unable to find parking, they just went home. Festival organizers, for their part, ahead of the festival, encouraged people to take public transportation. "We did our best to get information out about getting down here early or parking in Downtown, in the Cultural District, and then taking public transportation here," Horejsi. "But we understand it's frustrating to come to an area where there's a lot going on and you have to try to find a spot." Not all artists had less than expected sales during the festival. "This has been a successful year for me," said Lawrenceville-based artist Sarah Watkins. "I find that a lot of people were in the Strip District making a day of it, going out to lunch and breakfast or dinner, and didn't even realize the festival is here, and kind of just made an afternoon of being here." She saw her sales increase year-over-year. Letzkus said he's been chatting with artists like Lombard, who are at the festival for the first year and are unhappy with the turnout. "Don't take this as the way it is. I think it will be better and better next year," he said. The reason is that next year's festival will be held at the under-construction Arts Landing, providing the festival with a permanent home. "In our view, next year is going to be even better than even previous years," Horejsi said.
CBS News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Three Rivers Arts Festival in Pittsburgh underway at new location
The Three Rivers Arts Festival opened Thursday with crowds waiting at the gates, despite being at a temporary location this year. The area of the Strip District that was formerly the site of the Boardwalk, the floating entertainment complex that was docked along the Allegheny River near the intersection of 15th Street and Waterfront Place, will be the site for this year's festival before it relocates to its new permanent home next year. But according to organizers, the location is the only thing that's different from years past. "We're so thankful to the Buncher Company for helping make this happen just this one year here in the Strip District," said Brooke Horejsi, chief programming and engagement officer for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, "while we get ready to move to Arts Landing, our new home, in the Cultural District downtown." The Buncher Company owns the property in the Strip District, making two lots available to house the tents for the "artists' market" — where more than 200 artists are showcasing their work — the food and beverage vendors and the Dollar Bank stage, where musical acts like Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Lisa Loeb and Sons of Mischief will perform during the four-day festival. "This is the best festival that I've done," said Nathan Doverspike, an artist from Polish Hill selling prints inspired by Japanese-influenced manga (comics or graphic novels) and anime. This marks his fifth year showcasing his work at the festival. "I've traveled and went to New York City, I went to Kansas City and for some reason, the Pittsburgh crowd just loves art. Just the general Pittsburgh vibes here are amazing." Bill Booth is an artist from Lower Burrell, and his "Electric Booth" contains features creations made from a combination of piping, electrical circuitry and lightbulbs. This is Booth's third year participating in the Three Rivers Arts Festival. "It's been really cool," Booth said. The first time was just all new and just amazing to just see the festival, and then it's just been in different places. But it's been a really good experience." Both Doverspike and Booth were featured through the festival's emerging artist showcase during their first year, which reserves a spot at the festival and waives the cost of a tent. They said being chosen as emerging artists opened bigger doors for them to pursue their individual crafts. "I don't know if I would've ever even thought of doing this without the emerging artist," said Doverspike. "The overhead just to get a tent and everything else that's combined with that — not knowing if it's going to work out or not work out — is a big risk." Both also said seeing the reactions and interests of patrons at the fair makes the entire experience worth it. "That's the best thing about it, that anybody who comes by gets a big smile on their face because they're looking at the different figures and something hits them all," said Booth. Officials say with the flow of foot and vehicle traffic ebbing and flowing over the weekend, there are multiple parking options. Patrons can opt to park in the Strip District garages nearby or within walking distance downtown. The trail from the Allegheny Riverfront Park is also available to foot traffic, providing an alternate entrance point as opposed to the 15th Street and Waterfront Place intersection.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Arts Festival kicks off Thursday. Here's what you need to know.
Starting Thursday, more than 100,000 people are expected to come to Pittsburgh for the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. It's taking place in the Strip District for one year only, as its future home remains under construction. On Wednesday, crews were hard at work to get Waterfront Place all set up. Hannah Powell of Verona was one of them, preparing to show her art at a festival for the very first time. "I'm still absolutely shocked, a little bit, that I'm here," Powell said. "It's kind of indescribable to be able to be in my hometown, be able to like people that live around here are able to come, people I know will be able to come to see me and experience my work in this way." She's one of four people who received the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Emerging Artist Scholarship, which helps new artists with the finances to exhibit at the Three Rivers Arts Festival. In its 66 years, the event has had different homes. Now it will be in private lots along the riverwalk between 15th Street and the 16th Street Bridge. It comes as work continues in Downtown Pittsburgh ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, and on the event's new location at the corner of Fort Duquesne and 8th Street, to be known as Arts Landing. Brooke Horejsi is the trust's chief programming and engagement officer. "It's a civic space that is going to be green and robust and has a permanent amphitheater in it, so we'll be able to house the performances on that amphitheater," Horejsi said. Horejsi said it will be all ready for next year, but you should note that this year, besides the location, there are a few changes. "The footprint is a little bit smaller," Horejsi said. The event is also cut down from 10 days to four: Thursday through Sunday. When it comes to parking, know that there is no extra designated parking, so be prepared to walk. Otherwise, you're encouraged to take public transit. No matter what, artists like Powell believe people will find a way to get there. "I'm pretty confident that it's going to be pretty busy down here. I don't think anyone will have trouble coming down," Powell said. The festival runs from 12 to 9 p.m. each day. You can learn more details on the line-up, times, and places to park online.
CBS News
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Lineup unveiled for 2025 Three Rivers Arts Festival
Summer will be here before you know it, and in Pittsburgh, summer means the Three Rivers Arts Festival. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust on Monday unveiled the lineup of musicians and artists who will bring their talents to the abbreviated four-day festival from June 5-8. Headliners include the Preservation Hall Jazz Band; Teira Kennedy, who was recognized as a collaborator on Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter;" "Tom's Diner" writer Suzanne Vega; and Grammy Award-winning 90s singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb. The artist market will return with more than 200 artists from around the region and the country. Some artists will be on-site for two days, meaning on Saturday, visitors will be able to discover new vendors. Arts festival finds new temporary home This year, the arts festival is moving to the riverfront lots at the 15th Street Plaza along Waterfront Place in the Strip District. It's just a temporary stop while the festival's new home, a four-acre civil space called Arts Landing in the Cultural District, is under construction. "New neighborhood, same spirit," Brooke Horejsi, the Cultural Trust's chief programming and engagement officer said in a news release. "Gathering together in the Strip District adds a new dimension to this year's Festival but the artistry and community spirit that has defined this cherished event for decades will have us feeling right at home." The full lineup of performers and artists can be found on the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's website. The festival is free and open to everyone.
