Picklesburgh could expand more in 2020 after boost in attendance, Clemente Bridge closure

Bob Bauder | Monday, July 29, 2019 2:21 p.m.

Tribune-Review

Thousands upon thousands of people flocked to the Roberto Clemente Bridge at Fort Duquesne Boulevard for the fifth annual Picklesburgh celebration.

Picklesburgh’s popularity could lead to further expansion next year, officials said Monday.

“I would say everything’s on the table for next year at this point,” said Leigh Frank, spokeswoman for the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, which organized the event in coordination with the city and Allegheny County. “We’re certainly excited that this event captured the imagination of a lot of people.”

Police limited access at times to the Roberto Clemente Bridge during the weekend festival because of safety concerns about overcrowding and the comfort of visitors.

Event organizers estimated that more than 200,000 people attended the three-day specialty food festival that began Friday and continued through Sunday.

“We certainly saw bigger numbers than previous years, and we put that number around 200,000 visitors,” Frank said. “We definitely believe it exceeded that.”

She said a more exact number would be available later in the week.

Picklesburgh expanded this year to include streets on both sides of the Roberto Clemente Bridge along with the bridge itself. Police at times prohibited access to the bridge for 15 to 20 minutes, Frank said.

“It gets crowded on the bridge,” she said. “We just wanted to ensure it’s comfortable for everyone.”

Allegheny county officials have closed down to Roberto Clemente Bridge temporarily due to over capacity at Picklesburgh. #OverPicklePopulation pic.twitter.com/aFSAHHKNvU

— Mike D. (@MikeJdiVittorio) July 27, 2019

Frank said the expanded format worked well in giving visitors and vendors more room. Previous festivals were held exclusively on the bridge.

The Downtown Partnership has yet to lay out plans for next year’s festival, but Frank said further expansion next year is possible.