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Picklesburgh

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Picklesburgh
Picklesburgh 2019 on the Roberto Clemente Bridge, including the Heinz pickle balloon
StatusActive
GenreSpecialty food festival
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
CountryUnited States
Years active2015–2019, 2021–present
Inaugurated (2015-07-17) (2015-07-18)July 17–18, 2015
Most recent (2023-07-21) (2023-07-23)July 21–23, 2023
Attendance200,000 (2023)
Organized byPittsburgh Downtown Partnership
SponsorKraft Heinz
Websitewww.picklesburgh.com

Picklesburgh is an annual pickle-themed festival in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It has taken place in Downtown Pittsburgh every summer since 2015 (excluding 2020),[1] originally on the Three Sisters bridges and along the Allegheny Riverfront, before relocating to the Boulevard of the Allies and PPG Place for its 2023 installment.[2][3]

The festival showcases "all things pickled," including pickle-flavored beer and cocktails, pickle ice cream, and other pickled foods such as dilly beans and kimchi.[2][4][5] It also features live music, children's activities, and an annual pickle juice drinking competition, the winner of which is crowned the "Mayor of Picklesburgh".[3] The festival's centerpiece is a 35-foot-long (11 m) Heinz pickle balloon.[6]

Picklesburgh was voted the "best specialty food festival in America" in USA Today readers' polls in 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2025.[7][8]

History

[edit]

The inaugural Picklesburgh festival took place on July 17 and 18, 2015, on the Rachel Carson Bridge in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[2] Organized by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, a non-profit organization, and sponsored primarily by Pittsburgh-based Heinz (now Kraft Heinz), the festival was inspired by Pittsburgh's rich history of pickling.[9][10] Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership president Jeremy Waldrup explained that pickles "speak to the ethnic, cultural history of Pittsburgh, as a melting pot for Eastern European ethnic communities",[11] although numerous countries of Western culture with significant diasporas in the United States, like Germany and Poland, also employ pickling in their national cuisines. According to Waldrup, the festival was also inspired by the growing farm-to-table movement and the trend of urban homesteading.[9]

At Picklesburgh 2016, the second annual festival held at Rachel Carson Bridge, Heinz debuted their first new pickle flavors in over 50 years.[12] The 2017 festival was held at the nearby Roberto Clemente Bridge, where it also took place in 2018 and 2019, gradually taking up more abutting street space each year.[13][14] Having begun as a two-day festival in 2015, a three-day schedule was established in 2018,[15] although a four-day schedule was used in 2024 before returning to three days in 2025.[16][17] Picklesburgh was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it returned in 2021 with additional safety precautions on the Andy Warhol Bridge.[18]

In 2022, the festival returned to its original locale on the Rachel Carson Bridge, with food vendors along the neighboring 10th Street Bypass.[19] Picklesburgh 2022 drew 90,000 attendees, leading organizers to periodically close the Rachel Carson Bridge to prevent overcrowding.[20] Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership director Jack Dougherty remarked, "At times, especially during our peak hours, it would get very crowded and just kind of become a little uncomfortable for everyone in attendance."[21]

In response, for its 2023 installment, the festival was relocated to a larger venue occupying three blocks of the Boulevard of the Allies between Stanwix Street and Smithfield Street, and along Market Street into PPG Place.[6] Even with its larger location, Picklesburgh 2023 still saw enormous shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, with attendance more than doubling to 200,000 visitors.[22] Amid mid-summer heat and huge crowds, 16 attendees were hospitalized due to heat exhaustion and other ailments.[23]

Pickle juice drinking competition

[edit]
Contestants prepare for the pickle juice drinking competition at Picklesburgh 2022

Since its founding in 2015, every Picklesburgh festival has featured a pickle juice drinking competition as its headline event.[24] In the competition, contestants race to drink a quart-sized jar of pickle juice without regurgitating, spilling, or leaving any juice in the jar.[10][24] The winner is dubbed the "Mayor of Picklesburgh" and receives a belt and a $500 cash prize, as of 2023.[10][25]

The 2023 champion and reigning "Mayor of Picklesburgh" is Pittsburgh native Dan Koba, who drank the jar of pickle juice in 7 seconds.[24] The all-time record was set at Picklesburgh 2022, when Wisconsin-based TikTok content creator Jalen Franko won the competition by drinking the quart of juice in 4.5 seconds.[26]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Woody, Felicia (July 15, 2022). "Picklesburgh returns to Pittsburgh - CBS Pittsburgh". CBS Pittsburgh. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c CW Pittsburgh (May 14, 2015). "Pittsburgh becomes Picklesburgh this July - CBS Pittsburgh". CBS News. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  3. ^ a b McKay, Gretchen (June 6, 2023). "Picklesburgh has a new location and footprint in Downtown Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  4. ^ Harrop, JoAnne Klimovich (July 20, 2023). "Quench your thirst: Picklesburgh has plenty of 'dill-icious' drink options". TribLIVE. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  5. ^ Chapman, Chandi (July 20, 2023). "Picklesburgh is back, and vendors are ready with pickle-flavored treats". WTAE. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Yoder, Abby (June 8, 2023). "Why is Picklesburgh Moving To A New Location In 2023?". Pittsburgh Magazine. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  7. ^ USA Today (March 12, 2025). "Picklesburgh". USA Today 10Best. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  8. ^ CBS Pittsburgh (March 31, 2023). "Picklesburgh voted America's best specialty food festival". CBS News. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Reid, Liz (May 14, 2015). "The Future Will Meet The Past At Picklesburgh Food Festival". 90.5 WESA. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c Malinak, Emma (July 13, 2023). "How To Make The Most Of The 2023 Picklesburgh Festival". Pittsburgh Magazine. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  11. ^ Judkis, Maura (October 23, 2021). "Forget steel: Pittsburgh now wants to be known as a pickle town". Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 22, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  12. ^ Lazare, Lewis (July 14, 2016). "Kraft Heinz finally showering some love on pickle chips". Chicago Business Journal. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  13. ^ Axelrod, Joshua (July 13, 2017). "Relishing Pittsburgh's annual Picklesburgh festival". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  14. ^ Subramaniam, Arthi (April 16, 2019). "Picklesburgh 2019 to expand beyond Roberto Clemente Bridge". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  15. ^ CBS Pittsburgh (April 24, 2018). "A Big Dill! Picklesburgh Returning And Expanding To 3-Days". CBS News. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  16. ^ CBS Pittsburgh (March 22, 2024). "Picklesburgh extends festival by adding extra day". CBS News. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  17. ^ CBS Pittsburgh (March 12, 2025). "When is Picklesburgh 2025? Dates announced for annual festival". CBS News. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  18. ^ WPXI News Staff (August 20, 2021). "Picklesburgh returns to Pittsburgh with safety precautions, music and a juice drinking contest". WPXI. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  19. ^ Pound, Michael (July 1, 2022). "Picklesburgh announces a new location for 2022 — and it's a big dill". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  20. ^ Comer, Jacob (July 24, 2023). "Picklesburgh vibes call local cooks and chefs to rise and brine with new pickle-centric offerings". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  21. ^ O'Driscoll, Bill (July 19, 2023). "Picklesburgh festival moves to larger location Downtown". 90.5 WESA. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  22. ^ Deto, Ryan (August 10, 2023). "Nearly all of Downtown Pittsburgh visitors have returned, says report". TribLIVE.com. Archived from the original on September 20, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  23. ^ Comer, Jacob (July 24, 2023). "16 hospitalized during Picklesburgh amid large crowds and hot weather". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  24. ^ a b c Sheridan, Patricia (July 23, 2023). "A brine time in Picklesburgh". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  25. ^ DiVittorio, Michael (July 21, 2023). "Expanded Picklesburgh continues this weekend in Downtown Pittsburgh". TribLIVE. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  26. ^ Lynch, John (July 18, 2022). "WATCH: Man breaks record for chugging pickle juice in Pennsylvania". WTRF. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
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