Part of Fort Duquesne Boulevard to close for 5 months, host arts fest, markets

Part of Fort Duquesne Boulevard will close for five months to make room for more events in Downtown Pittsburgh, city officials said Thursday.

The closure will begin Monday and run through Oct. 7. The boulevard’s westbound lane — the side closer to the river — will be blocked off from Stanwix Street to Seventh Street.

The partial closure of the roadway along the Allegheny River will allow the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership to “host various events and activities to boost business in the Central Business District,” Tim McNulty, spokesman for Mayor Bill Peduto’s office, said in a statement.

One of those events is the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s Allegheny Overlook Pop-up Park.

“This is a unique opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind temporary park-like experience that leverages one of Pittsburgh’s most iconic views,” said Richard Hooper, vice president of communications for the organization.

The pop-up park is made possible by reduced traffic, Hooper said, noting the volume is far lower than ever before. Details on the event are few, and Hooper directed visitors to watch the partnership’s website for information.

The Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival, forced to go all-virtual in 2020, will return this year with both in-person and online events June 4 to 13 The pop-up park, Hooper said, will be home to the Three Rivers Art Festival’s Riverside Stage where music acts and more will perform.

The Night Market in Market Square returns on Saturday nights from June 19 through October, and Yoga in the Square has also returned. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust will reopen galleries and art spaces in June, more than a year after the pandemic forced the doors to close.

There have been moves in recent months to bring more business into Downtown. In March, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership offered its “GoodEat$” program, which offered 25% at dozens of restaurants on Tuesday and Wednesday – typically slower days.