It’s been a long, long pregame, but we’re getting near kickoff time for the NFL Draft.
Over the weekend, hundreds of thousands will gather at the Draft Theater and Main Stage, outside Acrisure Stadium on the North Shore, and the Experience and Fan Festival, both on the North Shore and in Downtown’s Point State Park.
The Las Vegas Raiders are on the clock with the first pick just after 8 p.m.Thursday. If the Steelers keep their spot at No. 21, the hometown team should be calling a name a little after 10:30 that night. Thousands will roar — or gasp, or groan — at the stadium and at watchparties throughout the region.
We have a list of those, ranging from VIP-priced with former and current Steelers to more humble and budget-friendly.
For those coming to town, we have guides to bars and breweries, restaurants and attractions near the stadium, along with some other fun stuff, like some special concerts at two new Pittsburgh plazas.
Note that the recommended restaurants are within a mile or two of the draft sites, in Downtown, North Shore or North Side (the neighborhood northeast of the stadiums).
National Aviary
(700 Arch St., Allegheny Center): This nation’s largest indoor aviary is a 0.7-mile walk northeast of Acrisure Stadium, inside Allegheny Commons Park. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, the third day of the draft, at 700 Arch St. Admission is $20.95 for adults, $18.95 forseniors, and $17.95 for children ages 2 to 12.