Magical world of unicorns comes alive at David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Courtesy of Unicorn World
Pittsburgh’s David L. Lawrence Convention Center will be transformed into a magical, mythical place designed to delight the imagination when Unicorn World arrives on the last weekend in June.
The interactive, immersive event is geared toward families who are looking for ways to fill the summer schedule with a variety of fun activities.
How It Began
Unicorn World was created by parents Patrick and Lauren Mines, an entrepreneurial couple who were seeking fun activities for their children who are now 5 and 7 years, and 9 months.
“One weekend we took them to a dinosaur experience; they loved it and had a great time, but we noticed it was geared more towards our son, so we thought about something girls might enjoy,” said Lauren.
The couple then reflected on how their daughter and her friends enjoyed interacting with unicorns and soon realized that they were on to something.
The first show began in Louisville, Ken., in 2022 and was a hit, which inspired the couple to reach out to additional communities. The Pittsburgh event will mark Unicorn World’s 38th show. Previous events have been held in cities like New York, Miami and Chicago.
What to Expect
According to Lauren, families can spend a better part of the day at the exhibit. Guests are welcomed with a 14-foot balloon arch and a colorful rainbow runway that sets the stage for the wonder to come.
Once inside, children can take a stroll through an enchanted forest which comes alive with animatronic unicorns that children can pet and pose with while mom and dad snap photos. Next up is a fairy house that is big enough for kids to enter and engage with live fairy characters, who will also pose for photo ops.
“Throughout the space, there are at least 10 photo opportunities with various backdrops,” said Lauren.
Children who enjoy arts and crafts will be able to create unicorn-related items to take home with them. According to Lauren, there will be about a half-dozen opportunities to do so.
A reading area allows children to take a break from activities to hear a story about the one-horned creatures.
“It’s a book Patrick and I wrote about an evil magician who was able to temporarily rob the unicorns of their colors and magic. Two kids in the book are named after our children,” Lauren said.
Visitors will also be able to get their face painted and play games like unicorn bowling and ring toss. Also onsite: a sensory bin area, a bounce house, a ball pit and a toy area complete with unicorns and fairy dolls for children to make up their own stories. A special section will be available for babies and toddlers under 2 years old.
According to Lauren, families generally spend three hours at the event.
“They can stay as long as they want, but we sell tickets on a timed basis so that everyone can get the most out of it without it being too crowded,” Lauren said.
Before leaving, the children can attach their unicorn wish to a “wish wall.”
“We’ve gotten everything from ‘I wish the unicorns could come alive,’ to ‘I wish for a puppy,'” Lauren said, with a chuckle.
Patrick said that the couple’s “unicorn journey” has been a lot of fun and that many have decided to visit more than once.
“Every aspect of this event is created with thoughtful care and intention, and we are always thinking about ways to make it even more exciting for our guests. New activities have been added this year to amplify the experience,” he said.
Lauren adds that the most enjoyable part for her is “seeing the joy that it brings to families and children and the memories they’ve made that we hope will last a lifetime.”
To learn about prices, tickets and times, visit www.theunicornworld.com.