The Steelers and Heinz Field are inviting fans to celebrate the start of the 2012 football season at the Annual Coors Light Kickoff and Rib Festival(www.heinzfieldribfest.com), August 30 – September 3. Admission to the event is free.
Football, food and fun will highlight the weekend that will feature world-renowned rib vendors, free concerts by national music artists and much more. The event is open from noon to midnight Thursday, August 30 through Saturday, September 1. On Sunday, September 2 it will be open from 9 a.m. to midnight and from noon to 7 p.m. on Labor Day, Monday, September 3.
The event opens Thursday, August 30 at noon, with the highlight of the day coming at 7 p.m. when the Pittsburgh Steelers face the Carolina Panthers in the final preseason matchup before the start of the 2012 NFL season.
The Great Hall of Heinz Field will be open to the public from noon to midnight starting on Friday August 31 and The Clarks will hit the Heinz Field stage at 7:30 p.m. for a free concert.
The University of Pittsburgh opens its 2012 football campaign on Saturday, September 1 at Heinz Field with a 6 p.m. matchup against Youngstown State University. Shortly after the Panthers hit the field, the electronic music artist Pretty Lights will perform at Stage AE beginning at 7 p.m. Fans must purchase tickets for the Pretty Lights concert.
On Sunday, September 2, the Gatorade/Steelers 5K gets underway at 9 a.m. and Steelers mascot Steely McBeam will be on hand to meet fans. Also on Sunday, the youth of Steelers Nation hits Heinz Field for two separate youth football camps. The first session runs from 1 - 3 p.m. and the second session from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. After the camps are finished, rock band .38 Special will perform a free concert at Heinz Field starting at 7:30 p.m.
The festival wraps up Monday, September 3 when fans have another chance to meet Steely McBeam from noon to 4 p.m. From 1 - 3 p.m., a final youth camp football session will place at Heinz Field before musician Uncle Kracker takes the Heinz Field stage from 4-7 p.m.
More information regarding the Coors Light Kickoff & Rib Festival can be found on the event website, www.heinzfieldribfest.com. Concerts are staged on the south plaza outside of Gate A and are free to the public to enjoy. Bike parking for the event is free on Friday, August 30, Sunday, September 2 and Monday, September 3.
