Pittsburgh’s North Shore and North Side are bustling with activity over Labor Day weekend, starting with the annual Kickoff and Rib Festival near Acrisure Stadium, which opens Thursday.

Also this weekend features a University of Pittsburgh football game, the TacoMania Super Fest and a Green Day concert.

In addition, the USS LST 325, a tank landing ship that participated in the invasion of Omaha Beach on D-Day (June 6, 1944) in Normandy, France, can be viewed Friday through Tuesday on the North Shore near Acrisure Stadium.

It’s not the first time that multiple events have been scheduled in one weekend – the first weekend in June, the city hosted Pittsburgh Pride, with a march that passed right by the crowds of the Three Rivers Arts Festival on the Allegheny Riverfront. Not far from there, Kenny Chesney performed at Acrisure.

“It can be challenging and sometimes roads are closed, which creates additional challenges,” said Ralph Reetz, Managing Director of Alco Parking. “Extra patience is always a good way to help during these times.”

“The only thing that would complicate things is if Paul Skenes pitched for the Pirates,” Reetz said of the team phenomenon that draws large crowds.

Jerad Bachar, president and CEO of Visit Pittsburgh, said via email that Labor Day weekend always provides an incredible opportunity for both locals and visitors to experience authentic Pittsburgh.

“A full calendar is what defines our city,” Bachar said.

Bachar said there were no concrete projections on how many people would gather on the north side, but it would most likely be in the thousands.

“Pittsburgh is a busy destination year-round, so having a strong program on any given weekend helps increase the economic impact of visitors and promote Pittsburgh as a vibrant, must-visit city,” Bachar said.

Kick-off and rib festival

The Acrisure Stadium Kickoff and Rib Festival will be held Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 11:00 p.m. and Monday from noon to 9:00 p.m., featuring national and local rib vendors and entertainment. The Clarks will perform Friday at 9:00 p.m.

The FedEx Great Hall at Acrisure will be open for fans to view the team’s Super Bowl trophies, the Hall of Fame Museum, Steelers memorabilia and the Terrible Towel Wall.

A Steelers run/walk event is scheduled for Monday at 8 a.m. It is a fundraiser for the Art Rooney Scholarship Fund and includes a 3.1-mile course on the North Shore. Participants will finish the race on the warning course at Acrisure Stadium. Cost is $20-$55.

Admission to the Rib Festival is free.

Details: acrisurestadium.com

Weather/Parking

The weather this weekend looks to be a bit unsettled, according to Jared Rackley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Moon. He said Thursday and Friday will be fairly good, with a slight chance of rain. There is a greater chance of rain on Saturday and Sunday. Highs on Thursday and Friday will be in the 90s, with highs in the 80s the rest of the days.

“It could be a pretty stormy weekend Friday into Saturday and Saturday into Sunday,” Rackley said. “Temperatures will start to cool down compared to what we had earlier this week.”

If you are looking for a parking space, we recommend that you reserve it using apps such as Parkwhiz or ParkMobile.

There are nearly 10,000 parking spaces on the North Shore and about a third of those are above-ground spaces that can be used for tailgating parties of Pitt and Green Day fans. Most of the parking spaces for Pitt are already pre-sold, Reetz said. There will be some parking at the West General Robinson Street Garage and the North Shore Garage, as well as on Fontella Street near the Rivers Casino. The cost for those spaces is $25 to $35.

For the Pitt game, parking lots open at 7 a.m.

Tailgating is not permitted in parking garages. Most parking lots and parking garages only accept credit cards. The Parking Authority’s First Avenue Garage on the edge of downtown is one way to beat the traffic. The First Avenue Garage has 1,200 parking spaces and those who park there can ride the Pittsburgh Regional Transit light rail for free.

Another option is ride-sharing services.

Pitt Football

Pitt opens its 135th season by hosting Kent State at noon Saturday in Acrisure.

Pitt has won each of the previous seven meetings with Kent State, with the last meeting ending in a 43-3 victory on September 6, 2003. This season is Pat Narduzzi’s tenth as head coach of the Panthers.

Pitt has an overall record of 88-44-2 in its opening game and will have a new starting quarterback for the third consecutive year.

Tickets start at $28.

Details: pittsburghpanthers.com

Massoud Hossaini | Tribune Review

Pitt quarterback Nate Yarnell practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Pittsburgh’s south side on July 31. The Panthers will host Kent State to open the 2024 season on August 31 at noon at Acrisure Stadium on the north shore.

TacoMania Super Fest

The Taco Festival will feature a dozen taco companies, as well as other food, margaritas and beer from local breweries on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. at Allegheny Commons Park.

Event coordinator Mark Turic said exploring the North Side will be “a lot of fun with so many exciting events.”

He suggests people start their day at TacoMania and then head to the North Shore.

“You can easily walk, bike or drive to Rib Fest for more tasty bites, and in the evening you can check out what we consider to be the unofficial TacoMania after-party at PNC Park, headlined by GreenDay,” he said. “It’s sure to be one of the best concerts in Pittsburgh this summer.”

Admission is free.

Details: beersoftheburgh.com

Courtesy of Black Forest Photography

The TacoMania Super Fest takes place on September 1st at Allegheny Commons Park on Pittsburgh’s north side.

concert

Green Day will perform at PNC Park on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. with Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and the Linda Lindas. The group is celebrating 30 years of “Dookie,” the band’s breakthrough album, and 20 years of “American Idiot” on the Saviors Tour.

“American Idiot” was released in 2004 and won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2005. Green Day’s 14th studio album, “Saviors,” was released in January.

The band last played on August 19, 2021 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Parking lots open at 1:30 p.m. for the concert, Reetz said. Most are $50. Fans can reserve spots on Parkwiz.

Tickets start at $29.50.

Details: mlb.com