How to Survive the NFL Draft

Many Pittsburghers are excited for next week when the NFL Draft will descend upon our beautiful city, others are dreading it. Whether you’re excited for the draft, or wanting to stay as far away from it as possible, we can help you out.

So, You Want to Attend NFL Draft Festivities

First, you need to register. Visit NFL.com/DraftAccess to register. Next, you will want to familiarize yourself with the road closures and best ways to get to the draft campus. Luckily, Visit Pittsburgh has you covered. You can check that out here.

There’s a ton to do over the three days of the draft, from concerts to photo ops, and even possibly winning prizes in the NFL OnePass app.

NFL Draft Experience

Take part in this free experience that spans from Point State Park through the North Shore. Here you can get autographs from current and former NFL players, visit the Steelers’ Vince Lombardi Trophies, experience games, participate in clinics, shop, and more! Hours for this event are 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24. On Saturday, April 25, the experience goes from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. For more details on where to find the various events and learn more about what’s happening, check out the NFL Draft page here.

Concerts

The NFL Draft isn’t just for football fans, there’s also concerts to enjoy! On April 24 and 25, visitors can enjoy free entry see Wiz Khalifa, Bret Michaels, and Kane Brown. You’ll want to check the NFL Draft page or the NFL OnePass app to find out more info. And don’t forget to register! The concerts are first-come, first-serve.

So, You Want to Avoid Crowds and Stay Away from the Chaos

We totally understand, the NFL Draft is bringing a lot of people, and with people comes traffic jams on the road and on the sidewalks. There’s still plenty to do for those of you that aren’t into football or want to avoid crowds.

Watch the NFL Draft from Afar

Don’t miss out on the fun! You can still view the NFL Draft without having to venture downtown. According to the official NFL Draft page, you can watch live coverage at these times:

• April 23 (Thursday): 8 PM ET /7 PM CT – NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes (Spanish)
• April 24 (Friday): 7 PM ET / 6 PM CT – NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes (Spanish)
• April 25 (Saturday): Noon ET / 11 AM CT – NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes (Spanish)

If you’d like to get out and join a watch party, there are plenty happening around the city. Find one here!

Anything But Football

There is so much to do around the ‘Burgh that doesn’t have to be football related. From a pretzel making cooking class to  seeing David Sedaris speak! If you’d like to get outside or work on your garden, there are several options happening away from downtown.

Fear not, you can enjoy next week even if you’re not into the NFL Draft or if you don’t like crowds.