Breaking News: PDP Unveils New Location for Picklesburgh 2023

This year’s festival, taking place from Friday, July 21 to Sunday, July 23, 2023, will be relocated to the Boulevard of the Allies, with the signature Heinz pickle balloon flying high above PPG Plaza. New footprint will provide expanded space for vendors and guests, as the event continues to grow in attendance each year.

Downtown Pittsburgh – the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP) has released the new event footprint and location for Picklesburgh 2023, which has once again been expanded to accommodate the growing scale and popularity of this beloved Downtown Pittsburgh tradition. This year’s festival, taking place from Friday, July 21 to Sunday, July 23, 2023, will be relocated from the Allegheny Riverfront to the Boulevard of the Allies, with the signature Heinz pickle balloon flying high above PPG Plaza. 

Launched in 2015, Picklesburgh has emerged as one of Pittsburgh’s signature events, having just been recognized by USA Today as #1 Best Specialty Food Festival in America for the third consecutive time and featured as a ‘Signature Event’ by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Tourism Office. It continues to build momentum and attract both national and international attention. And #Picklesburgh continues to be a social media phenomenon, with +30 million views on TikTok alone last year! 

Due to its growing popularity, the scale of the event has grown every year since its launch. In 2022 the footprint expanded onto the 10^th St. Bypass, which increased the footprint by an additional 35%, stretching for more than a half-mile end-to-end. Last year’s record-setting attendance outpaced even this most recent expansion, increasing by about 60%! While the growing scale has presented highly valuable opportunities for participating vendors, restaurants and the Downtown neighborhood, it has also presented logistical challenges related to increased crowding, particularly on the bridge where the event has been traditionally held. 

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Given this trajectory, we are excited to unveil a major relocation of this year’s festival. After much consideration and collaboration with the City of Pittsburgh and our new neighbors, we are relocating the event to one of the city’s major thoroughfares, the Boulevard of the Allies, from Stanwix St. to Smithfield St (see map). The signature centerpiece, the 35’ Heinz pickle balloon, will fly high above PPG Plaza. 

“Picklesburgh brings tens of thousands to Downtown every year, and those numbers are steadily growing. With the new location and footprint, we want to ensure we continue to DILL-iver the best Picklesburgh experience as possible for all the pickle-loving masses,” said Jeremy Waldrup, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. “As a signature event for the city and region, with such a dedicated fan base in Pittsburgh and beyond, we’re excited to see it continue to grow and evolve. So, save the date and get ready for all the fabulous festivities, food and fun this July!” 

Additionally, there are plans to incorporate the adjacent surface parking lots along the Boulevard into the footprint. These lots, along with the width of the roadbed, length of the footprint, and multiple entry and exit points along the footprint, will allow for a more comfortable experience for visitors.  

This festival will again be presented by Kraft-Heinz and their logo will proudly fly over the City on a giant pickle balloon as an homage to their beloved pickle pin and hometown roots. Deploying the Giant Pickle in this iconic setting celebrates one of Pittsburgh’s most magnificent modern structures and further reinforces the organic connection between the site, which is home to Kraft-Heinz local headquarters, and this uniquely Pittsburgh event. 

Stay tuned for more details coming soon, including additional components and surprises for the Festival, along with specifics about programming, performers and vendors at this year’s event.

Read the full press release.

What’s the DILL with Picklesburgh? Get the latest festival updates and news on www.Picklesburgh.com

A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are still available, inquiries may be directed to rhoward@downtownpittsburgh.com. Picklesburgh vendor applications closed May 22, 2023, but late applicants will be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to capacity and other limitations; interested vendors may apply here.