The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership on Wednesday unveiled plans for the newest addition to its festival lineup, a celebration called The Thaw to mark the transition from winter to spring.
It will be held in Market Square on eight days over three weekends next month.
The Thaw will include family-friendly activities and music, including a performance from the Pittsburgh-based band Bastard Bearded Irishmen, said Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership President Jeremy Waldrup.
“If we can get public safety to sign off, we’ll be burning a snowman in effigy,” Waldrup told supporters Wednesday.
The Thaw will be the fourth major festival in the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s lineup, joining Picklesburgh, an annual holiday market in November and December in Market Square, and Oktoberfest.
Additional details will be released soon, said Richard Hooper, a spokesperson for the partnership.
The partnership recently released a three-year strategic plan for the Golden Triangle which set a goal of hosting four major festivals per year, along with 300 smaller events. That comes amid a broader $600 million push to energize and revitalize Downtown Pittsburgh.
The Thaw will be the last major festival held in Market Square before construction begins in April on a facelift for the plaza.
Dates for the The Thaw are: March 8-9, 15-17, and 21-23.
