Spring is on our mind.

You too, huh? Here’s hoping the warm weather holds for more than one day. But even if it doesn’t, this month’s events calendar has more than enough to keep us busy.

From food-focused events and cultural happenings to concerts all over town and the annual St. Patty’s Day celebrations, March is going to be a good one.

Arron Draplin @ Hollywood Theater

Screen Shot 2017-03-01 at 11.13.52 AM
image via commonwealth press instagram
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Aaron Draplin, the prolific graphic designer and co-creator of Field Notes, is coming to Pittsburgh for what promises to be an incredible event. Thanks to the folks from FULLTIME PGH, Commonwealth Press, Sapling Press, and strawberryluna, Draplin will be on hand at the Hollywood Theater to talk shop. Be there at 6:30p for music, drink, and merch before Draplin takes the stage at 7:30p.

The Beauty of Wildlife @ Black Forge

Black Forge Coffee | Nature Art Show
image via Nick M.
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Celebrate the season with artwork featuring animals who make their home here in Western PA. The Beauty of Wildlife, a local art show, is an awesome and affordable kickoff event that you won’t want to miss. Your $5 admission fee covers appetizers from Onion Maiden and Randitas (uh, yum) as well as live music from Pittsburgh’s own Rachel B and David Strait. Plus, there will be a surprise visitor from the Animal Rescue League’s Wildlife Center. Don’t worry — there will be adult beverages, too. March 4.

15 Minutes of Fame @ New Hazlett Theater

New Hazlett Theater | Events in Pittsburgh
image via New Hazlett Theater
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Our very own Andy Warhol believed that every single one of us has an opportunity to be famous for at least 15 minutes. This March, Pittsburgh’s top talents will have 15 minutes of stage time at the North Side’s New Hazlett Theater, and audience members (read: you) have the chance to vote them to the top. What kind of talents will they be showcasing, you might ask? We don’t know yet, and the mystery makes the event even more of a draw. March 6.

Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show @ Convention Center

image via @whisperingtulip
image via @whisperingtulip
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Sure, spring is for cleaning. But it’s also time for construction. So if you’re thinking about making some upgrades around the house, you have to get to the Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show. The region’s most trusted marketplace for all of your home improvement needs is returning to the Convention Center for its 36th year. Stop by to check out some 1,700 vendors, the Garden Pavillion (complete with rushing waterfalls), the Construction & Remodeling Center, the Kitchen & Cooking Collection, and more. Oh, don’t forget to say “hi” to Pittsburgh Dad who will be hanging out.

Sip & Sketch: Bloodlines @ Warhol Museum

warhol

[relevant url=”http://www.warhol.org/” map=”https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+Andy+Warhol+Museum/@40.4483796,-80.0046848,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8834f187aaaaaaab:0xcb01e8173ea62430!8m2!3d40.4483755!4d-80.0024907″]

Artist Firelei Baez, whose works are currently on display at the Warhol Museum, paints unique portraits that stand at the crossroads of anthropology, politics and science fiction. In other words, she’s a total inspiration, and if you sign up for the latest Sip & Sketch session, you’ll be surrounded by her works while you get the chance to make your very own. Art teachers will guide you through the process, aided by live models covered in body paint and, of course, a cash bar featuring Butterjoint cocktails. March 8.

Wild & Scenic Film Festival @ Chatham University

Wild & Scenic Film Festival
image via Wild & Scenic Film Festival
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As its name implies, the festival will feature lovely, sweeping views, fascinating bits of knowledge about remote parts of the world and calls to green action. Films will include In Pursuit of Silence, a documentary about our modern-day relationship with silence and noise in the context of nature, and Can You Dig This?, focusing on the growing urban gardening movement in LA. March 9.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade @ Downtown

Pittsburgh St. Patricks Day Parade
image via Wpfm Memorial Honor Guard
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Everybody’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, so come out and celebrate with lots of green beer (consumed responsibly, of course) and that unique Pittsburgh party spirit. After the parade, full of marching bands and Irish-themed floats, winds its way through the downtown area, make your way down to Market Square for Irish Fair in the Square. It’s family-friendly, too.  March 11.

Maple Sugar Festival @ Boyce Park

Maple Sugar Festival @ Boyce Park
image via Lana Pedersen
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Not every outing needs to include drinking and dancing (though we definitely love to drink and dance). Sometimes, a refreshing trip outdoors in search of something new is the best medicine for cabin fever. At the Maple Sugar Festival in Boyce Park, you’ll get to learn all about the delicious world of maple sugar: how it’s collected, how it’s gathered and how it’s been used throughout history. Plus, you’ll get to take a short nature identification walk with a trained guide. Did we mention the SAMPLES? March 18.

Ta-Nehisi Coates @ William Pitt Union

Ta-Nehisi Coates Speaking
image via The Des Moines Register
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If you’re a literary fan, you won’t want to miss this lecture by one of the most talented and influential writers of our time. Coates, an award-winning writer and MacArthur Fellow, will be visiting the Pitt campus this month to discuss his work and the larger context of the humanities in the world today as part of the Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series. The most exciting part? It’s totally free and open to the public; no tickets are required. March 20.

Case of the Mondays (on a Tuesday) Party @ Spirit

Spirit Lounge in Pittsburgh
image via Spirit Facebook
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If that pesky paper jam at the office has you feeling down, mark your calendars for Spirit’s Office Space-themed party in celebration of Pop Craft’s second anniversary. If you don’t already know, Pop Craft brings us one of the coolest services around: pop-up crafting workshops at bars. At Case of the Mondays, you’ll be able to make some rad accessories, take a turn on the Jump-to-Conclusions mat, crush some pizza and drink some beer. And yes, you will absolutely have the chance to bash a printer with a baseball bat. March 21.

Tchaikovsky + Drake @ Heinz Hall

Drake x Hall for the Performing Arts
image via @allisonyhuangHeinz
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Glasses of champagne during the encore, grand symphonic works you’ve never heard before… whether you’re a fan of the Canadian rapper or the Russian composer (or both), you’ll enjoy a night out at Heinz Hall listening to a very unlikely musical mashup. Alas, Drake himself will not be performing, but seeing an entire pit of trained classical musicians performing renditions of his works is almost as good, if not better. March 22.

Pittsburgh Humanities Festival @ Cultural District

Pittsburgh Cultural District
image via Pittsburgh via San Francisco
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Get your creative juices flowing with this exciting series of talks and performances on the subjects of art, literature, music, science, politics and much, much more. The events take place at a number of locations throughout Downtown’s Cultural District, including the Byham Theater, and there will be plenty of opportunities to grab cocktails in between. Highlights include a presentation by everyone’s favorite satirists from The Onion and a conversation with Bassem Youssef, who’s internationally known as the “Jon Stewart of Egypt.” March 24-26.

Friday Night Local Food Tasting 

Friday Night Food Tasting at The David L. Lawrence Convention Center
image via Farm to Table Pittsburgh
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We love to eat, and we love to eat local. So we’re heading to the Friday Night Local Food Tasting after the Farm to Table conference at the Convention Center. All food offered, of course, will be locally sourced and prepared. Plus, there will be wine and beer to enjoy while you get down to some live local music. Hill Jordan & Slide Worldwide, a jazz/R&B fusion band (so basically the best party music ever), will be performing. March 24.

Epic Food Truck Rally @ Voodoo Brewery

image via PGH Pierogi Truck
image via PGH Pierogi Truck
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At the end of the month, some of the most delicious members of our local food truck fleet will be meeting in Homestead outside Voodoo Brewery to provide you with all kinds of treats. Attendees will include the Pittsburgh Sandwich Society, PGH Pierogi Truck, Las Chicas and Sugar & Spice Ice Cream. The event is family-friendly (including dogs!), so round up the whole crew and get outside to grab some delicious local grub. March 25.

March Music

Music at Heinz Hall
image via @ellenjak
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The music of Prince will be making its way to the ‘Burgh via symphony on March 4 at Heinz Hall. Experimental metal legends Sunn O))) will visit the Rex on March 13. Folksters Strand of Oaks will stop at Club Cafe on March 16. The Warhol’s Sound Series continues on March 25 with electric chamber ensemble Bang on a Can at the Carnegie Lecture Hall. Pittsburgh native Daya will be rocking Stage AE on March 30.

This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.
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