From the NFL Draft to the return of the Three Rivers Arts Festival, there are a lot of reasons to visit the Steel City this year.
Channel 11’s Alyssa Raymond spoke with the city’s tourism group about the events making this Pittsburgh’s banner year.
“One of the biggest opportunities that we have to really tell the Pittsburgh story is really throughout the year, but in particular at the NFL Draft,” said Jerad Bachar, VisitPittsburgh president and CEO.
2026 — the year of the much-anticipated NFL Draft in Pittsburgh — is finally here.
“This is a great opportunity for us to reintroduce in some cases but also to introduce for the first time Pittsburgh to fans all over the world,” Bachar said.
Overall, Bachar calls 2026 an incredible year for the Steel City. It kicks off with a home Steelers playoff game.
“Hotels are already starting to report thatthey’resold out for next weekend,” he said.
Then, in March, the Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Championship. The 59th Carnegie International comes back in May, the longest-running international art exhibition in North America.
And, Anthrocon returns for the 20th year on Fourth of July weekend.
“Arts Fest will be at its new home in Arts Landing. Picklesburgh. The list is quite extensive, so we’re really excited and the culmination of all of this coming around 4th of July, and because of PA 250 it’s going to be a bigger celebration than we’ve ever seen before,” Bachar said.
Something else to celebrate — Pittsburgh making National Geographic’s list for the best places in the world to travel in 2026.
“National Geographic was the biggest win we’ve ever had,” Bachar said. “Our return rate for people who have been to Pittsburgh for the first time is well over 70-80%, where people come back to Pittsburgh because they’ve fallen in love with the destination.”
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