Carnegie Mellon’s Spring Carnival runs April 15–17, 2027, and for three days Oakland belongs to it. Classes stop. Alumni fly in from both coasts. Student organizations spend the week building elaborate themed booths on the Midway, and early on Friday and Saturday mornings the buggy races send tiny aerodynamic pods flying down Schenley Park’s hills with a crowd lining Frew Street to watch. If the dates shift, we’ll update this page.
Why this weekend fills up
Carnival doubles as CMU’s reunion weekend, so it isn’t just students and parents — it’s decades of alumni classes converging on the same few blocks of Oakland at once. Hotel options near campus are thin in a normal week. On Carnival weekend they’re gone, and what’s left prices accordingly.
The smart move: a full home nearby
A house beats a hotel here for the same reason the weekend exists: people come in groups. A reunion crew of six doesn’t want three separate rooms and a lobby as the meeting spot. A full home in one of the neighborhoods around Oakland gives everyone a kitchen for slow mornings, parking you keep all weekend, and a living room for the people you flew in to see — with campus a short drive or ride away.
Make a weekend of it
Between booth visits and buggy heats, you’re in the best walking part of the city: the museums and Schenley Park sit right against campus, Phipps Conservatory is minutes away, and dinner options run from Oakland institutions to the spots we actually send guests to. Mid-April also means Pirates baseball is underway — check the home schedule if anyone in your group wants to add a night at PNC Park.
Where to stay. Rivers & Steel City Homes offers full homes across the Pittsburgh metropolitan area — parking, kitchens, and room for the whole reunion crew. 2,700+ guests since 2018; book direct and save 5–15% over Airbnb and VRBO. Find your dates at riversandsteel.com/search.
More to plan your trip: Things to Do in Pittsburgh · the Pittsburgh events calendar. Ready to visit? Find your stay »
