Tag Archives: acrisure stadium

Pittsburgh showed up for the NFL Draft — and so did everyone else

Pittsburgh had its moment on the national football stage, and the region delivered.

I spent most of Friday and Saturday in Downtown Pittsburgh and on the North Shore, taking in the NFL Draft events, walking around, talking with visitors and soaking up a weekend that felt equal parts football festival and Pittsburgh pride.

It was a blast.

I started both days in Moon, parking at the park-and-ride lot and taking Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s Football Flyer into town. It was quick and easy. As a public transit fan, it was a great way to invite suburbanites and people who don’t think about public transit to experience a big event and skip the traffic, letting someone else handle the drive.

The bus rides became part of the experience. I met people from Ohio, Illinois, California, Washington state and New England. Some were staying in hotels around Moon, Robinson and the airport area. Others had driven in from Ohio for the day. There were Browns fans, Chargers fans, Bengals fans, Ravens fans (ugh) and, yes, even Eagles fans (boo!).

Terrible Towel display

That was one of the best parts of the weekend: Seeing so many different fan bases walking around Pittsburgh. Team jerseys, hats and shirts were everywhere — on the bus, Downtown, along the North Shore and even at the Sheetz in Moon. There is something funny and wonderful about walking into a Sheetz and seeing a mix of Steelers, Browns, Ravens, Vikings, Cowboys and Bengals gear all in one place.

That does not happen every day.

Steely McBeam

Downtown and the North Shore were packed with things to see and do. There were displays, fan experiences, photo opportunities (managed to get a selfie with Steely McBeam!) and plenty of reasons to stop every few feet and look around. The giant Terrible Towel display was a highlight. So were the Lombardi trophies, because let’s be honest, Pittsburgh knows a thing or six about those.

I also spotted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and saw plenty of well-known Pittsburghers throughout the weekend.

Roger Goodell
NFL commissioner

One of my favorite moments was watching Montour High School graduate Michael Keaton present a draft pick. (You might know him as Batman.)

Michael Keaton

There were plenty of those moments.

I watched Pat McAfee host a kicking contest at Heinz Field — yes, I still call it Heinz Field — and got walked on the field. For any football fan, that is a pretty cool experience. For someone from Pittsburgh, it hits a little differently. You look around and think of all the games, all the players, all the memories and all the times that stadium has been part of the region’s story. (*hits play on “Renegade”*)

After the draft events, I spent some time walking around Downtown. I stopped into the Silly Goose gift shop, the second location of the store that started in Jim Thorpe, Pa. The owner has become well-known on social media among Pennsylvanians for his dry humor and fun personality, so it was nice to check out the Pittsburgh version in person.

Silly Goose on Wood Street in Pittsburgh

And, because no good Downtown outing is complete without a treat, I got ice cream from Millie’s.

What I loved most was not just the draft itself. It was seeing people experience Pittsburgh.

The NFL Draft gave us a chance to show off a little.

I hope the fans who came here had a great time. I hope they tell people back home that Pittsburgh was worth the trip. And more than anything, I hope they come back.

Because as fun as the draft was, it was only one weekend. There is so much more Pittsburgh waiting for them.

Point State Park fountain and Pittsburgh skyline

Taylor Swift in Pittsburgh: 13 things to do here

Swiftburgh! From the Carnegie Science Center to Primanti Bros., here are 13 things to do during your June 16-17 weekend in Pittsburgh for Taylor Swift. And, of course, these things are themed with Taylor Swift lyrics!

13. It’s a roller coaster kind of rush

Get that roller coaster kind of rush at one of America’s best amusement parks — Kennywood Park!

Experience record-breaking thrills on the Steel Curtain, and check out Kennywood’s other wildly popular coasters: Phantom’s Revenge, Thunderbolt, Jack Rabbit, Racer and Sky Rocket.

And take a spin out of this world on Kennywood’s newest ride — Spinvasion. It’s the first of its kind in America!

Be sure to get some Potato Patch fries while there.

Buy tickets online at Kennywood.com.

12. You ate at my favorite spot for dinner

There are so many great places to eat in Pittsburgh.

You could go bougie, but why? Save that money for Taylor Swift merch!

Go to Primanti’s to chow down on the iconic sandwich with coleslaw and fries on it.

Be sure to get cheese fries, too.

Visit the Primanti’s in Market Square or Strip District.

Also recommend Bella Notte in the Strip District. Hands down, my favorite pizza in Pittsburgh.

11. See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns

The Carnegie Science Center might as well change its name to the Swift Science Center.

The facility — located next to Acrisure Stadium — has two epic Taylor Swift special events.

First up is the “Laser Taylor Swift” laser light show at the Buhl Planetarium.

“Calling all ‘Exiles’ and ‘Anti-Heroes!’ The Laser Taylor Swift sets hits from all the singer’s eras to dazzling laser lights and special effects,” the science center says about the show. “The question is: ‘Are You Ready For It?’ Warm up for the Eras Tour with us!”

And, as the science center notes, “If you didn’t score tickets to her concert, Laser Taylor Swift is the next best thing.” (Is it, though?)

The laser light show is an additional charge to the regular admission for the science center.

The light show will run daily at 2 p.m. through Sept. 4. Between June 12 and 15, the center will add a second showing at 4 p.m.

Be sure to check out the center’s Miniature Railroad & Village to find 10 tiny Taylor Swift figures — with each Taylor dressed as an era, of course!

“She may not fit into the Miniature Railroad’s timeline or aesthetic, but Taylor Swift never goes out of style,” Rosalie Garfinkle, assistant manager of the miniature railroad, said in a news release, according to WPXI.

The science center will close at 4 p.m. June 16 and will not be open June 17.

10. My baby’s fly like a jet stream, high above the whole scene

Photo by Federated Art on Pexels.com

Go high above the whole scene from the mountaintop.

A staple of visiting Pittsburgh is taking in the view.

There are several great vantage points — walk along Grandview Avenue in Mount Washington and check out the West End Overlook.

9. Karma takes all my friends to the summit

Get to the summit (Mount Washington) by taking one of Pittsburgh’s two inclines.

Pittsburgh’s two operating inclines are the Monongahela Incline and Duquesne Incline.

The Mon Incline is considered the first passenger funicular built in the U.S.

And it’s been in continuous operation for nearly a century and a half.

The Duquesne Incline is part of the Pittsburgh Regional Transit system.

These are the last two remaining inclines in Pittsburgh, where nearly two dozen once transported people from the mountaintops.

8. Best believe I’m still bejeweled, when I walk in the room, I can still make the whole place shimmer

Visit the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems and the Wertz Gallery of Gems and Jewelry at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History to take in the sights of minerals and gems that make the whole place shimmer. (Admission includes the Carnegie Museum of Art.)

7. It feels like a perfect night for breakfast at midnight

Sheetz food and drink!

You can get breakfast at midnight at Sheetz — a unique and totally fun 24/7 convenience store with locations all around the Pittsburgh area. Take it from me: A certified Sheetz Freak.

Of course, if you don’t want breakfast at midnight, Sheetz offers pizza, hoagies, milkshakes, loads of appetizers and so much more.

6. Green was the color of the grass where I used to read at Centennial Park

Point State Park fountain and Pittsburgh skyline

It might not be Nashville’s Centennial Park, but Pittsburgh’s Point State Park offers gorgeous views of the city skyline, all three rivers, Acrisure Stadium (where Taylor Swift is performing) and Pittsburgh’s hills and valleys.

And, yes, the grass is green, and you can read on a park bench at Point State Park.

Be sure to check out the fountain, too! Just don’t get in it.

5. The world moves on, another day, another drama, drama

Take in another drama, drama in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District with Pittsburgh Public Theater and the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.

“Frida… A Self Portrait” continues at Pittsburgh Public Theater through June 25.

CLO’s “Anything Goes” runs June 13-18 at the Benedum Center.

4. You held your head like a hero on a history book page, it was the end of a decade, but the start of an age

Learn about Pittsburgh’s history at the Heinz History Center in the Strip District.

The center features set pieces from “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” “Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation,” “From Slavery to Freedom” and more. Plus, check out Western Pennsylvania’s sports history at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum (Heinz History Center admission includes admission to the sports museum).

On special exhibit now is “The Negro Motorist Green Book” — a look at the travel for African Americans in mid-century America.

3. And I think you should come live with me and we can be pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates aren’t home the weekend Taylor Swift is in Pittsburgh, but you can still tour PNC Park — one of America’s best ballparks.

The tour showcases a number of areas throughout the ballpark.

2. When they point to the pictures, please tell them my name

There are several art and photo galleries to visit in Pittsburgh. These are just a few:

1. Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you

Make the most of your concert experience! Whether you’re going into Acrisure Stadium to see her show or you’ll be dancing and singling along outside, just have fun!