PNC Park Pregame Guide
Pittsburgh Pirates · Pittsburgh, PA
Tailgating is permitted on the North Shore before a Pirates game, with one firm condition: fans must leave their parking area once the event starts. The North Shore is shared ground — on days when the Pirates and a Pitt or Steelers game overlap, all the lots open together at 10:00 a.m. for both sets of fans. Gates at PNC Park open 90 minutes before most start times, dropping to an hour for 6:40 p.m. games Monday to Thursday and back to 90 minutes Friday and Saturday. Parking can be bought with your tickets in the MLB Ballpark app, online, or by card on arrival.
Tips & Fan Reports
Tailgating stops when the game starts — you leave the lot rather than carrying on through the first innings.
When the Pirates and a football game share a day, every North Shore lot opens at 10:00 a.m. and fills accordingly.
You can pay by card on arrival, but buying the pass with your tickets in the MLB Ballpark app is the smoother route.
A 6:40 p.m. game Monday to Thursday opens gates only an hour before, half the usual notice.
Where to Go Before the Game
North Shore lots 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D
The numbered surface lots on the North Shore, among the choices the club names for anyone approaching from the north.
Known for Surface parking · Tailgating permitted · Named by the club
The River Road surface lots
Surface parking along River Road, another of the North Shore options the Pirates list for fans coming from the north.
Known for Surface lots · On River Road
NOVA Place garage and Blue 10 Garage
The two covered options among the North Shore parking the club names, for weather or for a shorter walk.
Known for Covered parking · North Shore
The shared North Shore on double-event days
When a Pirates game and a football game fall together, every North Shore lot opens at 10:00 a.m. for both crowds — the day to arrive early or not drive at all.
Known for Lots open 10:00 a.m. · Shared with football · Arrive early
Rules to Know
What PNC Park allows, and what it does not.
- Tailgating is permitted prior to events on the North Shore, but fans must leave their parking area once their event starts.
- Gates open 90 minutes before most start times. For 6:40 p.m. games gates open one hour before Monday to Thursday, and 90 minutes before Friday and Saturday.
- For special events on the North Shore, all North Shore parking lots open at 10:00 a.m. for both baseball and football attendees.
- North Shore parking is available in surface lots and garages, including lots 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D, the River Road surface lots, the NOVA Place garage and the Blue 10 Garage.
- Parking passes can be bought with gameday tickets in the MLB Ballpark app, online at pirates.com/parking, or with a credit card on arrival.
What to Bring
- A bag the gate will accept
Each guest may bring one soft-sided bag up to 16 x 16 x 8 inches, including a purse, fanny pack, or backpack.
- Only the outside food and drink the rule allows
Guests may bring food and one clear, sealed, disposable plastic water bottle up to 24 ounces into general PNC Park areas.
- A card or a phone wallet
PNC Park is cashless and accepts credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
- Your tickets on a charged phone
Pirates tickets use a mobile barcode in the MLB Ballpark app that must be displayed for scanning at entry.
- A warm layer for after dark
April nights average 39°F at PNC Park.
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
July highs average 85°F at PNC Park, with no roof over the seats.
- A rain layer
July averages 3.6 inches of rain here.
Tailgate Gear
Lots open with the North Shore lots, or 10:00 a.m. on shared event days.
- A setup you can clear away entirely once the game starts, since you must leave the lot
- A parking pass bought in the MLB Ballpark app, or a card for paying on arrival
- An early start on days the North Shore is shared with a football crowd
Pittsburgh Pirates Tailgate Gear
Canopies, grills, coolers, and official Pittsburgh Pirates gear for the ultimate tailgate.
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How We Checked This Page
Every section below names the source it was read from and the day it was read. Where we could not reach a published figure, the page says so rather than presenting an estimate as a checked fact.
- Pregame
Pittsburgh Pirates official site: Where to Park at PNC Park, North Shore Traffic and Parking, and Know Before You Go
- Venue policies
Current Pirates information, accessibility, gate, dietary, digital-ticket, game-day, and parking guidance reviewed for entry, family, payment, food, parking, and accessibility rules.
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals