Picklesburgh, John Mayer Top Pittsburgh Weekend Events

PITTSBURGH, PA - Where's there's a dill there's a way. Picklesburgh needed the appropriate space worthy of an event recently voted the top specialty food festival in America by USA Today readers and it found it.

The three-day festival, which features the famous 35-foot inflatable pickle balloon, won’t just take up the entire Roberto Clemente Bridge. It will extend to the riverside lanes of Fort Duquesne Boulevard between Stanwix and Seventh streets to allow for additional vendors.

Picklesburgh takes place July 26 and 27 from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on July 28 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. More than 60 vendors representing pickle-themed food and merchandise will be on hand, as will 18 local bands performing on the main stage and the popular pickle juice drinking contest.

While you’re attending Picklesburgh, stop at the Kraft Heinz booth and pick up your commemorative pickle pin celebrating the company’s 150th anniversary.

Other weekend highlights:

• John Mayer, July 28, 7:30 p.m., PPG Paints Arena

The Grammy Award-winning musician, known for hits such as “New Light,” “Gravity,” “Love on the Weekend,” “Heartbreak Warfare,” “Daughters,” “Waiting on the World to Change,” “Your Body Is a Wonderland,” and many more, brings his latest tour to Pittsburgh. The evening will feature two sets of music spanning Mayer’s entire career; there is no opening act.

• “Rock of Ages,” July 25, 7:30 p.m.; July 26, 8 p.m.; July 27, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and July 28, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Benedum Center, Downtown.

This Tony Award-nominated show captures the iconic era that was 1980s Hollywood. Expect to hear classic hits “I Wanna Know What Love Is,” “Final Countdown,” “Sister Christian” and “Just Like Paradise.” The performance contains adult content.

• VineRewind, July 27-28, 2700 block of Penn Avenue, Strip District.

Now in its fourth year, this two-day free music festival and block party celebrates the diversity of Pittsburgh's music scene past and present. It's worth attending just to see the reunion of one of Patch's all-time favorite local bands, New Invisible Joy, but there will be more than 30 other acts on multiple stages. Oh, and there will be food trucks and vino aplenty, no surprise given this event's name.

• OpenStreetsPGH, July 28, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Downtown, Uptown and South Side.

OpenStreetsPGH offers everything from fitness workshops to kids activities, shopping, brunch, community arts, and special promotions presented by over 100 local businesses and organizations. This month’s event hubs are at Market Square, on Gist Street, Uptown, and on the South Side at 20th Street.