Coming Out of Hibernation

By Emily King

April is my favorite month, and not just because it’s my birthday. We usually start to have consistently warmer weather (although don’t count out a spring snowstorm, it is Pittsburgh after all). I think I have whiplash from the up and down temperatures that we experienced this March, and I’m glad to put that behind me. I love seeing the world start to turn green again, spending more time outside, and having all of summer ahead of us to look forward to. 

In the spring, it feels like our local communities come alive, everyone starts to come out of hiding from the winter, and the events and gatherings we put on hold for the winter start up again. Here are some of the things I’m looking forward to:

The Spring Flower Show at Phipps: This annual massive floral show starts in late March and features room after room of fragrant spring blooms, like tulips, hyacinth, daffodils, as well as dozens of varieties you may have never even heard of. 

Youth Sports Season: As a very uncoordinated person who has never played (or been interested in) sports, it’s surprising how much I enjoy watching my kids play sports. I’m also looking forward to getting them off the video games and out into the sunshine. There’s something about the crack of a baseball being hit and the smell of hot dogs from the concession stand that feel quintessentially of summer. 

Travel: We don’t travel much during the winter for obvious reasons. If plans aren’t sidetracked by weather, then someone is guaranteed to have a virus in my house. But travel becomes easier as we move into spring. And it doesn’t have to be anything extravagant. We love a last-minute trip to an AirBnB in Deep Creek or driving across the state to visit family in Philadelphia. Spring weather makes it much easier to be spontaneous.

Local Parks: Sadly, my kids are getting old enough that we’re not spending as much time at playgrounds. But we’ve started to really enjoy hiking and exploring our area’s many beautiful parks. Places like North Park and Moraine State Park have countless trails to explore, and we also love finding new fishing spots. Sometimes we go on “urban hikes” by exploring local towns on foot, like Zelienople and Harmony. You notice so much more on foot than you do by car.

Local Festivals:

I love checking out the local festivals around Pittsburgh and beyond. In Cranberry Township, we have CranFest, a celebration of local diversity, which includes performances, food vendors, and different cultural activities. If you want to travel a bit outside of our area, there’s the Beaver County Maple Syrup and Music Festival. Enjoy a pancake breakfast, syrup tastings, and live music with a small-town vibe. You’ll also find plenty of local craft and vendor shows around the city.

It’s time to put that winter coat into storage (okay . . . maybe hold off until May) and get back into the community! What are you looking forward to this spring?