Pittsburgh Preparing For Busy Weekend As Events Take Place Throughout Town
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It's a weekend that many Pittsburghers have had circled on their calendars for some time, with Picklesburgh back in downtown Pittsburgh, Little Italy Days taking place in Bloomfield, and the Steelers preparing to play at Heinz Field.
The Andy Warhol Bridge and Fort Duquesne Boulevard were packed with thousands of people on Friday for Picklesburgh.
At the event, you can try fried pickles, pickle beer, chocolate covered pickles, and even pickle-flavored cotton candy.
Most of the vendors are local businesses, and after a year of uncertainty, Picklesburgh is a big 'dill.'
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"Just look at the crowds here tonight. We're going to sell through so much inventory here today and just get to introduce our shop to people who don't know we're in the Strip District. It's so good to see people out and back and experiencing life again," said Christopher Beers, owner of Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop.
People who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 must wear masks at the event. The fun is set to resume at 12:00 Noon on Saturday.
Across town in Bloomfield, Little Italy Days have been taking place.
There's live entertainment, with 30 acts across three stages, plenty of games, and of course, a whole lot of food, all along Liberty Avenue.
Much like Picklesburgh, the festival is cooking up revenue for local businesses.
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"This is for the Bloomfield businesses. They want, they're here, they need the revenue from the last year. They need this regardless. This helps pay their bills, their employees, their payroll," said Sal Richetti, a Bloomfield Little Italy Days Festival event producer.
The event will take place Saturday from 12:00 Noon through 9:00 p.m. and will wrap up on Sunday.
Back on the North Shore, its a countdown to kickoff.
The Steelers will host the Detroit Lions on Saturday night, the team's only preseason home game on the schedule this year.
Unlike last year, Heinz Field will be able to be filled with fans.
Head Coach Mike Tomlin says he's very excited about the energy that fans can provide to the team.
If you're planning on attending Saturday night's game, you'll have to bring a mask.
The team says everyone will have to mask up while in the indoor areas of the stadium, regardless of vaccination status against COVID-19.
Masks won't be required to be worn in the concourse area, but the team is strongly encouraging individuals to do so.
Coverage of Saturday night's preseason game vs. the Lions will begin at 7:00 p.m., with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
