Top 20 Festivals In Pennsylvania, USA

1. The Pennsylvania Farm Show

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The Pennsylvania Farm Show is one of the main festivals in the state and one of the largest agricultural events in the entire country. The festival usually brings in more than 40,000 visitors to see over 270 different exhibits. The highlights of the festival range from livestock shows to educational agricultural displays on the state of farming in Pennsylvania. If you are interested in understanding the agricultural prowess of Pennsylvania and learning more about their products, including the various farm technologies used, then this is a festival you must not miss.

The Pennsylvania Farm Show

Address: 2300 N Cameron St, Harrisburg, PA 17110, United States

Website: The Pennsylvania Farm Show

Takes Place: January

2. Philadelphia Film Festival

Philadelphia Film Festival is an 11-day annual event that takes place in October, every year. The festival is organized by the Philadelphia Film Society to present the year’s most anticipated, thought-provoking, and critically acclaimed films to the film fraternity in Pennsylvania. During the festival, actors, directors, and film enthusiasts gather to share the successes of the state’s film industry while also appreciating the strides made in other parts of the world. Given that Pennsylvania has a flourishing film scene, this is an event you should not miss if you are in here in October.

Philadelphia Film Festival

Address: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Website: Philadelphia Film Festival

Takes Place: October

Price: 6 - 15 USD

3. Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival

Washington D.C is probably the most famous when it comes to cherry blossoms. However, Fairmont Park in Pennsylvania has more than 3000 cherry blossom trees, and there is also an annual event to celebrate the blossoming of these trees: Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival is held in early April of every year, and in addition to enjoying such a beautiful and serene environment, it is also a chance to learn more about the Japanese culture and where the celebrations of cherry blossoms originated.

Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival

Address: Fairmount Park Horticulture Center, Philadelphia, USA

Website: Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival

Takes Place: April

4. Philadelphia Folk Festival

If you love music and you find yourself on the East Coast during August, then be sure to make your way to Upper Salford for the famous Philadelphia Folk Festival. This is one of the most important events in the state, and it is also the longest-running outdoor music fiesta in North America. During the festival, Old Pool Farm turns into a music park, with performances from both renowned and rising stars in the folk genre. Dance, drink and make merry in the company of other free souls seeking fun.

Philadelphia Folk Festival

Address: Old Pool Farm, Pennsylvania, United States

Website: Philadelphia Folk Festival

Takes Place: August

Price: 80 - 155 USD

5. Applefest

Applefest is a three-day festival held in Franklin, Pennsylvania. The event is the largest crafts festival in the state, and an obvious crowd-puller, as it’s known to attract more than 300,000 participants and spectators every year. Though the festival is themed around apples, it offers more than just apple-eating contests, apple-based breakfasts, and apple pie-baking. Additional highlights include a farmers’ market, a kid’s corner, antique and classic car shows, and free entertainment of various kinds.

Applefest

Address: Peddlers Village, Philadelphia, USA

Takes Place: October

Price: 3 - 5 USD

6. Three Rivers Arts Festival

Three Rivers Arts Festival takes place in early June in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. It is a 10-day event where more than 400 artists gather for craft demonstration and showcasing various types of visual arts. The event is free for the public, and it normally features a fine arts and crafts market and lots of musical performances and dances. During the event, it is common to find other events being featured as well, to take advantage of the crowds and the massive exposure. Such micro-events usually include walking tours of the cultural district, food booths, and family-friendly performances.

Three Rivers Arts Festival

Address: Point State Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States,

Website: Three Rivers Arts Festival

Takes Place: June

Price: Free

7. Budweiser Made in America Festival

Budweiser Made in America Festival takes place between late August and early September every year. It is an annual music festival with several stages playing live music from a variety of genres. This musical extravaganza provides both fans and artists with the opportunity to meet and enjoy live shows. Whether you love country, rock, hip hop, RnB, or any other genre, this two-day festival will let you enjoy your favorite tunes from your preferred genres. This is another festival that every music lover in Philadelphia should strive to attend.

Budweiser Made in America Festival

Address: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Website: Budweiser Made in America Festival

Takes Place: Usually held in late August or early September

8. Phoenixville Beer & Wine Festival

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Phoenixville Beer & Wine Festival is just a few years old but it has quickly become the premium beer and wine festival in Pennsylvania. This event offers unlimited sampling of various types and brands of beers, ciders, wines, spirits, and meads. During the festival, guests are free to sample as much as they want while enjoying live music by various local artists. Also featured during the festival are tasty foods from local restaurants, and food tours to give guests a chance to sample the incredible culinary diversity of the region.

Phoenixville Beer & Wine Festival

Address: 762 Pike Springs Rd, Phoenixville, PA 19460, United States

Website: Phoenixville Beer & Wine Festival

Takes Place: May

9. Jim Thorpe Fall Foliage Festival

Jim Thorpe is small and one of the most beautiful towns in Pennsylvania. Jim Thorpe Festival is among the biggest fall festivals held here, and it is a time when the town comes to life in a very special and remarkable manner. For the first three weekends of October, the town’s community will come together to enjoy live music, train rides, food and drink, parades, and fun historical tours. Of course, this is all happening while being surrounded by some of the most beautiful sceneries and foliage cover you will ever witness in fall.

Jim Thorpe Fall Foliage Festival

Address: Josiah White Park

Website: Jim Thorpe Fall Foliage Festival

Takes Place: October

Price: 12 USD

10. Peddler’s Village Strawberry Festival

This festival is designated for May, and the main focus is to celebrate the berry traditions at Peddler’s Village. During the festival, guests are treated to a variety of strawberry eats and treats that will appeal to all family members. Also featured are lots of strawberry-themed foods and drinks, entertainment for kids, lots of food trucks, and live music performances from local and invited artists. Another highlight you will love about the festival is the pie-eating contest for children and adults held for two days of the festival. Entrance and parking are free for all.

Peddler's Village Strawberry Festival

Address: Routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, Bucks County, PA – 18931

Website: Peddler’s Village Strawberry Festival

Takes Place: May

11. Musikfest – Bethlehem

If you are in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in early August, then you must not miss this ten-day music festival. The festival is the largest, non-gated music extravaganza in the United States. It features more than 15 stages where guests will enjoy more than 450 musical performances throughout the festival. Performances are by some of the top musicians and music groups in the United States, with previous lineups such as Carrie Underwood, BB King, George Clinton, Boys II Men, Steve Miller Band, and many others.

Musikfest - Bethlehem

Address: 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, PA 18015, United States

Website: Musikfest - Bethlehem

Takes Place: July to August

Price: from 30 USD

12. Philadelphia Flower and Garden Show

If you are a passionate gardener, or you simply adore beautiful plants and flowers, then this show is for you. It is an internationally recognized show that has been held in early March of every year for the last 80 years. Currently, it is not only the largest but also the oldest indoor flower show on the planet. It brings together horticulturalists from all corners of the world who come to showcase their garden plants and flowers to get recognition, make sales, and earn landscaping deals among other objectives. Attending the festival will also give you a chance to meet and interact with vendors selling all kinds of flowers, orchids, floral-inspired artwork, and garden supplies. If you don’t want to buy, simply attend to increase your knowledge of gardening and to admire the beautiful plants and flowers.

Philadelphia Flower and Garden Show

Address: 1101 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States

Website: Philadelphia Flower and Garden Show

Takes Place: Usually held in March

Price: from 17 USD

13. Odunde Festival

On the East Coast, Odunde Festival is considered the largest African American festival. It is an extremely popular event known to attract hundreds of thousands of participants. The venue of the event usually covers nearly 12 city blocks of the African American neighborhoods in Philadelphia. The highlights include two stages with live entertainment, arts and crafts, food vendors, and a Family Village with several crafts designed to entertain the junior guests. This event celebrates the highly diversified African and African American culture, not just in Pennsylvania, but the entire United States.

Odunde Festival

Address: 23rd and South St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Website: Odunde Festival

Takes Place: June

14. The Gettysburg Festival – Celebrating America

The Gettysburg Festival is designed to celebrate America’s cuisine, art, and culture. The festival features more than 100 events with some of the highlights being Edible Art Tours to celebrate the country’s culinary diversity, Art Market, the children’s arts fair, and lots of music, games, and magic. If you would like to get a real scope of how highly diversified American culture is, then make a date with this festival.

The Gettysburg Festival – Celebrating America

Address: 3340 Fairfield Rd, Gettysburg, PA 17325, United States

Website: The Gettysburg Festival – Celebrating America

Takes Place: May

Price: 25 - 140 USD

15. Kutztown Folk Festival

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Kutztown Folk Festival happens between late June and early July every year. The nine-day festival is reputed as one of the most unique and oldest folklife festivals in North America. The origin of the festival was to celebrate Pennsylvania’s Dutch heritage, and through the years, it has gained international fame, attracting visitors from all parts of the world. Currently, the major draw to the festival is the Quilt Sale, given that it is not only the largest in the US but also a great chance to purchase some of the finest fabric art from around the country. Additionally, the festival features crafts by more than 200 artists, as well as traditional music and dances and fun activities for children.

Kutztown Folk Festival

Address: 225 N Whiteoak St, Kutztown, PA 19530, United States

Website: Kutztown Folk Festival

Takes Place: Usually held between last week of June and first week of July

Price: 5 - 24 USD

16. Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival

Westmoreland Art and Heritage Festival has been around for more than four decades, during which it has continually attracted crowds north of 150,000 every year. The date of the event is on the 4th of July weekend. The festival showcases the best of the best in terms of fine arts, crafts, and live performances designed to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the state of Pennsylvania. Also featured during the festival are lots of ethnic food to give you a glimpse of the incredible culinary diversity of the region.

Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival

Address: 252 Twin Lakes Rd, Latrobe, PA 15650, United States

Website: Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival

Takes Place: July

17. Christkindlmarkt

Pennsylvania isn’t short of Christmas festivals, but if you are looking for a festival that truly captures the warm and authentic feel of Christmas, then you will not find a better one than Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem. During the weekends of December, Christkindlmarkt turns into a little Christmas City Village. And with the strong German heritage, it is a chance to celebrate Christmas the German way, with exciting shopping opportunities, sampling authentic German foods, riding German carriages, enjoying German music and simply getting lost in the spirit of the festivities the same way you would do if you were in Berlin or Dresden.

Christkindlmarkt

Address: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

Website: Christkindlmarkt

Takes Place: November to December

Price: Free

18. Bloomsburg Fair

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Bloomsburg Fair is an annual event held every September in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. It is the largest agricultural show in the state. The fair features exhibits, hundreds of craft stands, food stands, rabbit and poultry exhibits, dog shows, and livestock exhibits, among others. It is another festival worth attending if you want to see the full depth of the state’s agricultural prowess.

Bloomsburg Fair

Address: 620 W 3rd St, Bloomsburg, PA 17815, United States

Website: Bloomsburg Fair

Takes Place: September to October

19. Scranton St. Patrick’s Day Festival

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Scranton St. Patrick’s Day Festival started way back in 1862 and has since grown to command the attendance of more than 200,000 participants. The festival is held in early March during the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day, and the aim is to usher in the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. It is the second-largest and features one of the best St. Patrick’s Day parades in the nation. Every year, the parade features more than 12,000 participants with all kinds of performances, such as string and high school bands, music by local artists, bagpipes, and step dancers among others. Whether or not you are Irish, you will find it irresistible to join the parade and enjoy the fun.

Scranton St. Patrick’s Day Festival

Address: Scranton, Pennsylvania

Website: Scranton St. Patrick’s Day Festival

Takes Place: March

Price: Free

20. Pennsylvania Maple Festival

Pennsylvania Maple Festival happens in the second and third weeks of March every year. During the festival, both locals and visitors join together to tap maple syrup from the local maple trees as a way of celebrating the heritage of Laurel Highlands. Additionally, it is also a chance to experience and learn the culture, commerce, and industry of Laurel Highlands and its evolution over the last 170 years.

Pennsylvania Maple Festival

Address: 120 Meyers Ave, Meyersdale, PA 15552, United States

Website: Pennsylvania Maple Festival

Takes Place: Usually held in March

Price: 1 - 10 USD

Enjoy the festivals while you soak in Pennsylvania's beautiful culture

One of the best ways to learn about a community’s culture is to participate in their festivals. It allows you to discover and learn new things and practices that you wouldn’t encounter the usual way. If you are planning a trip to Pennsylvania soon, go back to the above top festivals in Pennsylvania, USA and figure out the ones you can attend based on your destination and date of travel.