12+ things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Spring Flower Show

What’s going on in Pittsburgh this weekend, March 26-29? Find out here. Know of a cool event? Email us.

Thursday, March 26: Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival Closing Night Party at Row House Cinema
6 p.m. & 8:45 p.m.
You have one more night to experience the Rust Belt region’s largest Asian film festival, and Thursday night’s closing celebration is the perfect time to do so. For its 10th anniversary, the festival has focused its lens on the innovative cult cinema of Japan, screening new, classic and obscure films with exciting themed events that reflect the country’s prolific and pioneering film industry.

The closing festivities pair the 1982 dystopian film, “Burst City,” with flavorful Japanese brews and bites. Directed by Gakuryu Ishii, the futuristic flick explores the punk rock subculture community of Japan in the 1970s and 1980s. It’s a rare chance to see the high-energy film on the big screen while enjoying live music, sipping Sapporo and noshing on Yakitori snacks. Tickets. Read more about the festival in NEXT.

Thursday, March 26-Sunday, March 29: “Primary Trust” at the O’Reilly Theater
7 p.m., 8 p.m. & 2 p.m.
Pittsburgh Public Theater concludes its 2026 mainstage season with Eboni Booth’s 2024 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Primary Trust.” Making its Pittsburgh premiere, the inventive and moving play runs through April 12 in the Cultural District.

Directed by Kyle Haden, “Primary Trust” explores friendship, resilience, courage, new beginnings, old friendships and the impact of radical kindness. Audiences will meet 38-year-old bookstore worker Kenneth, who “spends his evenings sipping mai tais at the local tiki bar.” The play follows Kenneth’s journey as he unexpectedly loses his job and “begins to face a world he’s long avoided – with transformative and even comical results.” The cast features Monteze Freeland, Sam Turich, Bria Walker-Rhoze and Malic Maat. Tickets.

“Spidrmanthemusical” poster by Sam Berner and Chris Donadio.

Friday, March 27: Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District
5:30-9 p.m.
Spring into art Downtown. Free to all, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s expanded crawl schedule means that there’s even more to experience on the final Friday of every month all year-round. Look for the sidewalk stop signs identifying the participating venues in the multi-venue “open house.” Before Pittsburgh welcomes the NFL Draft in April, don’t miss “Michael Zagaris: 60 Years of NFL Photography” at 707 Gallery. Art and football lovers alike get a rare glimpse into the prolific archive of the legendary sports and music photographer. Over 60 years, Zagaris’ camera has captured 42 Super Bowls, 12 World Series and 14 MLB All-Star Games. Also check out the Tito Way billboards featuring his exciting work.

Head to Wood Street Galleries to see “Spidrmanthemusical,” a performance and art sale by Pittsburgh-based artists Sam Berner and Chris Donadio produced in collaboration with VaultArt Studio, a progressive art institution that supports artists with disabilities. Additional highlights for the March crawl edition include “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Southwestern Pennsylvania: The Pittsburgh Projects Dream Sequence” at 820 Gallery, as well as “three powerful exhibitions celebrating storytelling, imagination and local talent” at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. Information.

Artwork by Kim Breit. All photos courtesy of Handmade Arcade.Pin and Pallet.Clark Morelia.

Attendees can find products from artisans specializing in traditional handcrafts such as metal, wood, fiber, ceramics and glass. Engage in the creative process during live demonstrations led by Pittsburgh Glass Center and Turners Anonymous. The weekend market also offers a VIP preview party, early bird sessions and sensory-friendly hour. Tickets. Read more about the market in NEXT.

Image courtesy of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Art.

Friday, March 27: “Time-Honored Non-Specifics” Opening Reception at The Andy Warhol Museum
5-8 p.m.
The Warhol Museum teams up with Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Art master of fine arts program to co-present this joint exhibition of student work. On view through April 12, “Time-Honored Non-Specifics” features new work by Naomi Chambers, Bulumko Mbete and Afrooz Partovi, the CMU School of Art MFA Class of 2026. Museumgoers will explore the artists’ studio-based practices of painting, assemblage sculpture, textiles, ceramics, installation, immersive technologies and time-based media. Chambers is a Pittsburgh-born painter and assemblage sculptor, Mbete is a multidisciplinary artist from South Africa and Partovi is an artist-architect from Iran.

The annual thesis exhibition provides MFA candidates with an “opportunity to connect their creative practices to a broader cultural discourse in Pittsburgh.” The exhibition partnership also serves as a platform for “bringing these artists into the legacy of Andy Warhol, one of the School of Art’s most influential alumni.” Don’t miss the free opening reception where the public is invited to explore the culmination of three years of intensive critical inquiry within the CMU MFA program. Information.

Saturday, March 28: Caravan of Hope at the Vintage Senior Center – Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
A message of hope on four wheels is rolling into Pittsburgh to provide free legal services specifically to the local LGBTQ+ community. Hitting the road to traverse more than 5,000 miles in a 32-foot RV, the caravan is stopping in 17 cities nationwide. At each location, nationally recognized attorney and LGBTQ+ legal expert Angela Giampolo is offering pro bono legal services with her team.

The effort is focused on “protecting identity, family security and long-term stability, critical needs that remain out of reach for many LGBTQ+ individuals outside major metropolitan areas.” So whether you need help with name changes, estate planning, simple wills, gender marker and ID-related updates, power of attorney or more, the Caravan of Hope team is here to help. The caring caravan arrives at a time when “LGBTQ+ people are facing heightened risk, shrinking protections and limited access to legal help.” Information.

Saturday, March 28: “Spring Flower Show: True Colors” at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
10 a.m.-5 p.m.
The bursts of color, fragrance and radiance we’ve been craving for months are finally here. Just as spring starts to bloom, this signature flower show takes root at the Oakland landmark. Revealing its “True Colors,” the newest iteration boasts eye-catching displays highlighting quintessential spring flora. In a unique twist, each room includes photography and background about a display in the very same room from the historic Phipps archives. Be dazzled by a rainbow-hued living wall featuring 195 plants, listen to cheerfully chirping birds and activate your senses as your sweetest spring memories come to life. Look for multicolored kites, be lulled by the drips of oversized raindrops and gaze upon an oversized garden with giant watering cans. Tickets. Read more about the show in NEXT.

Saturday, March 28: Cocktails for a Cause Family House Gala at The Duquesne Club
6:30-11 p.m.
Sip and mingle for a cause to help Family House provide affordable lodging for families who must travel to Pittsburgh for lifesaving medical care. Gala-goers will enjoy cocktails, dinner and music while networking with peers and Pittsburgh area business, health care and nonprofit leaders.

The benefit bash is also a chance to learn more about volunteer opportunities with Family House, which has offered a comforting “home away from home” for patients and their families for more than 42 years. With rising gas, travel and lodging costs, this gala is even more critical. Tickets.

Willy the armadillo in The National Aviary’s Grasslands Habitat. Photo by Emma Saunders.

Saturday, March 28, & Sunday, March 29: Eggstravaganza at The National Aviary
10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Hop on over to the North Side for this signature springtime celebration at The National Aviary. Have an egg-traordinary day as you exploring the Aviary’s immersive habitats with themed activations. Snap photos with the Easter Bunny, make DIY egg crafts and learn about migration season and bird-safe glass. Play trivia and match games to learn about the science behind eggs, explore biofacts and meet the “egg-sperts” during avian talks in the FliteZone Theater.

Flock to the springtime selfie station and book nook and hand in your completed scavenger hunt for a prize. Added bonus: Visit the Southern Three-banded Armadillo — longtime National Aviary animal ambassador, Willy— who has officially taken up residence in the Grasslands Habitat. Tickets.

Photo courtesy of St. Peter and St. Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Sunday, March 29: Ukrainian Pysanky Festival at St. Peter & St. Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church
11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Head to Carnegie to celebrate Easter, explore new traditions and support Pittsburgh’s local Ukrainian community. The 58th annual edition of this egg-stravaganza features a staggering selection of 1,200 Pysanky, including ornate specialty goose, ostrich and wooden eggs. Shop for Ukrainian folk arts and crafts and tour the landmark church during talks and tours with Father John Charest. Attendees can make a traditional Pysanky using beeswax and dyes by registering in advance for a workshop. Arrive with an appetite because the church kitchen is serving up authentic Ukrainian cuisine, including pierogis, kielbasa, Easter bread, halushki and more. Information.

Graffiti Alley outside Trace Brewing in Bloomfield. Photo by Rob Liggett.

Sunday, March 29: Disco Sunday Disco at Trace Brewing
3-9 p.m.
Spring is finally here and that can only mean one thing: It’s time to dance al fresco. Join one of Pittsburgh’s most cherished dance parties to emerge en masse from hibernation when Disco Sunday Disco triumphantly returns to Trace Brewing. Feel all the good vibes and deep grooves with hundreds of your newest BFFs along the color-drenched Graffiti Alley alongside the Bloomfield brewery.

Kicking off the 2026 season will be DJs Gordy G of Title Town, Brian Siewiorek and DSD’s very own Hoagie Dreams. Keep on dancing past magic hour because this is a party with a purpose that’s raising money to support the Fred Rogers Institute. Banishing the Sunday scaries never felt so good. Information.

8 more things to do this weekend

Thursday, March 26: HIKE2 Innovation Summit at Bakery Square, various times

Thursday, March 26: 1st Annual Palestinian Film Festival, Khalil’s Restaurant, 7 p.m.

Thursday, March 26-Saturday, March 28: Pittsburgh Fringe Festival at multiple venues, various times

Friday, March 27, & Saturday, March 28: fireWALL Dance presents “Coven” at the Greer Cabaret Theater, 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 28: Pittsburgh Vegan Expo presents the Butterfly Ball at Helltown Taproom, 1-4 p.m.

Saturday, March 28: Women Who Rock: Leave Your Mark Women’s History Month Event at the Women Who Rock Shop at SouthSide Works, 1-4 p.m.

Saturday, March 28: Kaiju Big Battel: What’s Opera, Dr. Cube? at the Byham Theater, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 28: Chet Vincent & The Music Industry “Static on the Radio” album release event at The Sanctuary at Mr. Small’s, 8 p.m.

For more things to do with NEXT, don’t miss our March Event Guide, NEXT in the Gallery feature and Dates under $40 series.