A bit of bad news for all you Pittsburgh dumpling lovers: The annual Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival, held at Kennywood Park in West Mifflin since 2017, is going on hiatus.
According to a release, festival organizers and the park could not reach an agreement on ticket prices. However, “The festival plans to return in 2024 with a new home and new format but with the same family-friendly fun and food that Pittsburghers expect from the Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival.”
Last year’s event on Sept. 9 was the eighth year for the festival and the first time it was staged on a Friday evening. It drew more than 30 vendors from five states and five local musical acts, along with some 4,000 attendees looking to fill up on classic festival fares such as Southside BBQ’s “Almost Famous” mac ‘n cheese-and-pierogi filled rogi cone and Le’s Oriental pierogi eggrolls.
A crowd favorite, the first pierogi fest was held in 2013 at South Shore Riverfront Park with just a handful of vendors.
It drew so many people, it had to relocate to Stage AE on the North Shore in 2014 and 2015 and ended up taking 2016 off because organizers were unable to secure a space that could accommodate the growing crowds and vendors such as Gosia’s Pierogies, S & D Polish Deli and PGH Pierogi Truck. It moved to Kennywood in 2017, with ticket prices including an open beer garden for guests 21+, and select Kennywood rides and food vendors.
Neither Kennywood nor festival organizers could be reached for further comment.
Gretchen McKay: gmckay@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1419 or on Twitter @gtmckay.
First Published: April 25, 2023, 6:23 p.m.
Updated: April 26, 2023, 9:51 a.m.