Ferris wheel comes to Pittsburgh for Oktoberfest celebrations
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A Ferris wheel is set up in Downtown Pittsburgh as part of Oktoberfest celebrations, giving riders a never-before-seen view of the city.
The Roberto Clemente Bridge is turning into a Karneval for Oktoberfest Pittsburgh, complete with carnival games, vendors, and yes, a Ferris wheel. Organizers believe it's a first for the city's bridges.
The 60-foot Ferris wheel started taking riders up on Thursday. It will be open daily from noon until 10 p.m. through Oct. 13. On Oct. 6, it'll be open until midnight for people who want to ride after the Steelers game.
"This is the first time. I mean, it's kind of hard to believe, since Mr. George Ferris, the inventor of the Ferris wheel, is in fact a Pittsburgher, but we're pretty sure there's no history of a Ferris wheel being on a bridge," said Jeremy Waldrup the CEO and president of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.
The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership teamed up with Riverlife to make it happen. Organizers said the Ferris wheel will stand nearly 100 feet tall over the city.
"It's a 60-foot Ferris wheel, about 35 feet above the water. So you're 90, 95 feet above the city, which is pretty spectacular," Waldrup said. "Like, what better way than to get literally a bird's eye view of the city from the Clemente Bridge?"
The ride has 16 seats, holding up to 48 people. There is a 42-inch height requirement.
A $5 ticket is required to ride, and it's highly recommended that you get one ahead of time.
"You know, it's a Steelers weekend. So if you're coming to the game, come a little early or stay late. We're going to stay open a little later for those Steelers fans who want to experience the wheel, but it's a community celebration," Waldrup said.
State and federal inspectors were inspecting the bridge on Wednesday ahead of its opening.
"Safety has been a concern of many and you know, this bridge was just completely renovated, multi-million dollar investment made by the county. We've talked to engineers. We've done wind tests. We've talked to the county multiple times and they've been really good stewards, so you should feel safe," Waldrup said.
"I think you might feel a little movement. You know, it's a bridge. It does what bridges do. But the lucky thing is, there's not going to be any traffic on here, so it should minimize the sway. But that's the thrill of riding a Ferris wheel when it's on flat level ground, so this should be a little bit of an amped up experience," Waldrup added.
Pittsburgh to host Oktoberfest
The Oktoberfest celebrations will extend beyond the Roberto Clemente Bridge, primarily taking place in Market Square, which will be transformed into a Bavarian village with booths and traditional Oktoberfest decorations. There will be food, music and plenty of beer. Other highlights include a stein holding competition and dachshund races.
"We have a complete beer garden set up. An Oktoberfest, kind of German-style, Munich-style celebration in the middle of Market Square. We have nine restaurants participating in Taste of Oktoberfest, oompah pop bands, dancing. UFC Gym is bringing us feats of strength, so you can come out and do stein holding competitions, keg rolling," said Waldrup.
"It's a great way to spend some time with your family and friends and just get out and enjoy the city. It looks like the weather's going to be perfect this weekend, so we're encouraging folks to get down here."
On Monday, a special event will be held for veterans.
"We have Veterans Breakfast Club joining us in the Oktoberfest in Market Square. It's actually a commemoration of the falling of the Berlin Wall, and so it's an opportunity for veterans who served during the Cold War, and specifically in Germany, to kind of talk about their experience of kind of the allied forces coming together. So we're excited about that, and to really bring together this community and have them kind of celebrate the impact that that made on our on our world," Waldrup said.
"So if folks are interested in that, again, all the details are on the website www.oktpgh.com. We'd love for folks to get down and join us. If you register as a veteran on our website, free parking and your first beer's on us. So it should be a good time."