Pittsburgh police, first responders ready for Backyard Brawl, holiday weekend

Pittsburgh safety officials say they are ready for the estimated 70,000 fans set to descend on the city’s North Shore on Thursday for the return of the Backyard Brawl.

The Pitt-West Virginia rivalry game, the first in more than a decade, will shut down multiple roads around Acrisure Stadium. Police bicycle units will be directing traffic.

“It is great to have the game return here to Pittsburgh,” Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt said. “We want fans to enjoy the game while also staying safe.”

As always, he said, police will have “zero tolerance for unruly behavior.”

State police mounted units will patrol the area along with Pittsburgh’s mounted units, fire crews and EMS personnel.

Tickets for the game sold out within 15 minutes, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said at the time.

“When (sales) opened up, 15 minutes later, it was sold out,” he said, noting he hopes to break the attendance record. The university put out a number of standing-room only tickets in an effort to reach that goal.

Pitt officials warned of likely delays on most major arteries into the city Thursday, including I-279, I-579 and Route 65. They urged drivers who aren’t going to the game but generally travel through the North Shore area to find a different route.

Parking lots open at 2 p.m. For more game day information, visit pittsburghpanthers.com

The game, which begins at 7 p.m., coincides with the start of Acrisure Stadium’s Kickoff and Rib Festival. The five-day festival starts at noon Thursday. The first day concludes at the end of the game. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, rib fest runs from noon to 11 p.m. The schedule is noon to 9 p.m. on Monday.

The North Shore will stay busy for much of the long weekend.

The Pirates play a three-game series against the Blue Jays this weekend. Saturday’s game includes a pregame ceremony honoring the Pirates’ inaugural hall of fame class.

The Steelers 5K Run and Walk is set for Saturday morning on the North Shore, and The Shins play Stage AE that night.

Other weekend events include a Soul Food Festival in Market Square from Friday through Sunday, and the Pittsburgh Water Lantern Festival will take place on Saturday evening in Allegheny Commons Park West.

The weekend is capped off by the city’s Labor Day Parade — the second largest such parade in the country, according to city officials — which starts at 10 a.m. on Centre Avenue in Downtown. President Joe Biden is expected to be in Pittsburgh on Labor Day as well.