PNC Park

Looking for some top-notch baseball? How about some fireworks, even when it’s not the Fourth of July? How about a concert? How about a baseball game and a concert? Well, if you’re looking for any or all of these things, PNC Park is the place for you. 

PNC Park is located in the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, on the side of the parkway opposite to Stage AE and Heinz Field. It is perhaps best known as the home of the MLB’s Pittsburgh Pirates. As I mentioned in my Heinz Field post, the Pittsburgh Pirates previously played at Three Rivers Stadium along with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Panthers. Three Rivers Stadium was split into two separate stadiums in 2001, PNC Park and Heinz Field.  

I have been to a lot of Pirates baseball games at PNC Park, and they are certainly a lot of fun. I must confess, however, that I’m not a huge baseball fan. But there’s so much more to enjoy at a Pirates game than just the sport. The atmosphere at a Pirates game really makes you feel like you’re at an iconic baseball game. There are guys who walk through the aisles selling cotton candy, popcorn, beverages, etc. There are also lots of giveaways that go on throughout the game, with prizes courtesy of the team’s sponsors. For example, if the Pirates score a home run during a certain inning, everyone attending the game can go to a participating Denny’s restaurant and get a free Grand Slam. Once during every game, the team’s mascot, the Pirate Parrot, and his assistants launch t-shirts into the crowd. I have come to learn that, ironically, you have a better chance of catching a t-shirt the farther away your seats are from the field. In fact, my stepfather got a box reserved a few years ago at a game for a company party, and I caught a t-shirt all the way from the box seats. There is also an event that goes on between the fifth and sixth innings called the “Great Pierogi Race”, which is sponsored by Mrs. T’s Pierogis and involves a few people wearing pierogi costumes racing each other around the field. And one of the most iconic traditions at any Pirates game is when the entire audience stands up and sings “Take Me Out to The Ball Game” during the seventh inning stretch. Pirates games also have special event days. These event days include free admission for kids, fireworks after the game, a FanJam concert after the game, etc. I’ve seen the fireworks, and they’re pretty amazing. And I’ll be honest, even though the baseball aspect of a Pirates game is my least favorite part, even that can be enjoyable, such as when the team scores a home run. No matter what your favorite part is, there’s always something to enjoy at a Pirates game for both sports fans and non-sports fans.  

In addition to Pirates games, another great thing to check out at PNC Park is a concert. While some of these concerts are private, ticketed events like most concerts would be, some of them are part of the Pirates' FanJam concert series. The FanJam concert series is one of the event days held throughout the season. As part of the series, some of the biggest names in music do an exclusive concert after a Pirates game. For a FanJam concert, you can see the concert as part of your admission to that game, or you can pay extra to go onto the field and be closer to the performance. Artists/groups that have done their own concerts at PNC Park include Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, and Billy Joel. Artists/groups that have performed as part of the FanJam concert series include Daughtry, Flo Rida, and Gavin Degraw. One reviewer on TripAdvisor who attended Billy Joel's Summer 2016 concert said that it was "fantastic" with "good acoustics and a great view from our seats behind the 3rd base dugout up about 15 rows." If you ever want to go to a great concert or just want something exciting to do after a game, get tickets to a concert at PNC Park or check out a concert as part of the FanJam concert series. 

Like I did with my Heinz Field blog post, I'm going to make the food at PNC Park its own separate paragraph, because there's so much you could say about it. PNC Park probably has more of a variety of concessions than Heinz Field. Most of the concession stands serve different types of food. You can get burgers, ice cream, frozen yogurt, hot dogs, Mexican food, and so much more. Just make sure you have some cash on you, because the food at PNC Park is pretty expensive. And of course, there's always the option of getting snacks such as cotton candy, popcorn, etc., from the guys that come through the aisles as well. I should mention that just like at Heinz Field, PNC Park has a Primanti Bros. concessions stand, where you can go to get an iconic Pittsburgh sandwich. Also, if you get to the stadium early and want a bite before the game instead of during it, Atria's, a Pittsburgh-based chain Italian restaurant, is attached to PNC Park and is located right by the entrance gate. This is a great recommendation, because I love Atria's, plus you have the option of sitting outside on the sidewalk and watching the pre-game excitement build up as you're enjoying your meal. Another great recommendation is to check out Chickie's and Pete's, my personal favorite stand. While there are many stands to choose from, I love Chickie's and Pete's because they have some of the best cheesesteaks, as well as fries, that I've ever had. Forget the "peanuts and crackerjacks", you have so many more choices for getting food when you come to PNC Park.  

Whether you're looking to watch some baseball, to see a concert, or just want to watch some perogies running around (which is definitely worth seeing, because you truly won't see it anywhere else), then PNC Park is the place to go.