The inside of Acrisure Stadium was just as populated as the outside lots. As it got later in the day and closer to the Draft’s official kickoff at 8 p.m., empty seats filled. Officials ended up having to cut folks off as crowds swelled to more than 320,000, according to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
The 2026 NFL Draft is officially underway after more than a year of anticipation, and the North Shore is abuzz with excitement.
The event footprint spans the North Shore, Point State Park, Market Square and the newly minted Arts Landing, with a series of additional pop-ups and activations throughout the Cultural District.
The sheer number of teams represented on the jerseys of Draftgoers could be its own Bingo card. Aside from the occasional trash talk — all in good fun, of course — things seemed pretty civil.
If you’re planning to do it all, you may also want to plan to visit more than once; we spent about six hours on the North Shore and made it through about 75% of what they had to offer there — and that’s not counting the Draft experiences at the other three locations.
From face paint to patterned overalls, and sometimes both, fans held nothing back when choosing their outfits for the day.
Here is a boots-on-the ground look at the North Shore on Thursday, April 23. It may seem empty in some pictures, and for a little while, it was. We got there around noon, and while the 99N Football Flyer we took into town from the Ross park-and-ride had us packed in like sardines, the venue itself was rather light on the crowds. But by the time we were heading out around 6 p.m., the lines were long, the music was loud and the atmosphere was electric.
Most fans attempted to kick a field goal from the farthest point, which was about 30 yards. How hard could it be? (Hint: very.)
According to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, a record-breaking 320,000 people attended Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh — so many that officials had to cut off access to the North Shore at one point. Were you one of them?
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PHOTOS BY OLLIE GRATZINGER | The day began at the Ross Park and Ride with a trip on one of Pittsburgh Regional Transit's Football Flyer routes. It was crowded — we were packed in like sardines. But the mood was light and the wait times were short. We did have to wait for a third bus because the first and second filled up before we were able to board, and by the time we got back at around 6 p.m., the park and ride lot was totally full. But it still seems like the best way to get into town from the north!
I think it's worth noting, though, that the name of the Ross park-and-ride was confusing for quite a few outta tahn-ers, who thought they were supposed to catch the bus at Ross Park Mall. More than once, folks we chatted with said they'd begun their day by driving out to the mall and hunting for a bus stop that wasn't there. And, if you parked in the lower lot of the park-and-ride, it wasn't immediately obvious where the 99N would pick you up. There's a regular PRT bus stop right outside of the lower lot, but that wasn't a stop on the route — much to the chagrin of the folks who stood there and watched as the bus they'd been waiting for drove the other way. Instead, the 99N picks you up and drops you off at the row of pavilions in the upper lot, which can be accessed from the lower lot via a pedestrian ramp.
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The lines to enter the Draft Experience at Ton Dorsett Drive were pretty short when we got there around noon, but by the time we were leaving, the line snaked around the block. Entry is pretty straightforward; you go through a metal detector and empty your pockets if you beep. I thought they might scan the QR code I was assigned in the NFL OnePass app, but not yet.
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Fans lined up early to get their spots toward the front of the main stage. We got there a little after noon, and folks had already planted themselves firmly in the spots they would stay in for the next twelve hours.
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Aside from the most dedicate Draft viewers, the lot was surprisingly empty for the first few hours, and there were no lines for concessions or restrooms. But as the day went on, fans spilled in.
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City officials have been planning public safety elements of the Draft for more than a year. The place was swarming with police from the city, local boroughs and the state, and some carried massive guns. I understand why, but the sight is always an unsettling reminder of trying political times.
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The sheer number of teams represented on the jerseys of Draftgoers could be its own Bingo card. Aside from the occasional trash talk — all in good fun, of course — things seemed pretty civil.
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It may have been 80 degrees, but that didn't stop fans from showing up in their Game Day Best.
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From face paint to patterned overalls, and sometimes both, fans held nothing back when choosing their outfits for the day.
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Drinking at the Draft will cost you. A tall boy can of an American beer like Bud Light, one of the event's sponsors, is going for $19.75. If you want something fancier, you'll pay more than $20. A bottle of water was $7. One of the vendors apologetically told me they have to take the cap to prevent full, heavy bottles from being thrown as projectiles.
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Heinz is sponsoring the 57th Draft pick, and its touch can be seen throughout the experience on the North Shore.
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Large-scale helmets representing each of the NFL's 32 teams became a popular photo-op, although one team's in particular was significantly more in-demand...
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Of course, fans had to stop to take pictures with a local celebrity!
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One of the most popular events was the Field Goal Challenge. When else would you get the chance to kick — or even miss — a field goal on the green at Acrisure Stadium? We waited in line for a little over an hour. Folks were kind and supportive whether you made the goal or not (we did not) — as long as you weren't wearing a Cleveland or Baltimore jersey. This was also the only time anyone asked to scan the QR code from the NFL OnePass app.
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Most fans attempted to kick a field goal from the farthest point, which was about 30 yards. How hard could it be? (Hint: very.)
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The inside of Acrisure Stadium was just as populated as the outside lots. As it got later in the day and closer to the Draft's official kickoff at 8 p.m., empty seats filled. Officials ended up having to cut folks off as crowds swelled to more than 320,000, according to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
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Whether you're a football fan or just looking to be part of something historic, the 2026 NFL Draft is an experience like no other. Eat, drink and be merry, yinz! And, most importantly, stay safe.
