Pirates Fan's Guide to 2026 PiratesFest
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are hosting PiratesFest once again in 2026, giving the fans a chance to celebrate the team during the offseason.
This year's PiratesFest will once again take place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh, with a large space for all of the things going on during the event.
PiratesFest will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with season ticket holders able to get in an hour early at 9:00 a.m.
There are tons of activities, speaker sessions and other events for Pirates fans during the day, which the team has laid out for them in a recent announcement.
Winter Affecting PiratesFest
An impending winter storm is affecting how PiratesFest normally occurs, including the time and players attending.
ThePittsburgh will reportedly get anywhere from eight to 14 inches, with snow will start falling late at night of PiratesFest and then continuing the next two days.
Along with the snow, the low temperatures will make it icy and also for snow sticking and lasting on roads across the Pittsburgh area.
The Pirates asked fans to take caution when traveling if they do so, especially if they are coming from further away.
PiratesFest will now finish one hour earlier at 5:00 p.m. from its original end time of 6:00 p.m., making sure fans get home before the snow falls.
The Pirates also announced that at least six players won't show up for autograph sessions or at PiratesFest at all due to the weather.
This includes top free agent signing in slugger Ryan O'Hearn, plus trade acquisitions in second baseman Brandon Lowe from the Tampa Bay Rays and top 100 prospect in outfielder JhostynxonGarcía from the Boston Red Sox.
There are also three Pirates returners that won't make it to Pittsburgh for the event, in catcher Joey Bart, right fielder Bryan Reynolds and right-handed relief pitcher Dennis Santana.
All of these players were scheduled for autograph sessions, but will now not make it.
The Pirates announced that they will announced new session participants at a later time and that they will refund all autograph donations, which were going to Pirates Charities. The Pirates also asked fans to hold onto their ticket, as they will honor them for those who are still signing autographs.
Who is Signing Autographs?
Pittsburgh won't have those six players signing autographs, but is still hosting autograph sessions with a number of players, present and past.
Pirates players will sign autographs in two sessions over four different time slots, wiht the first three time slots at 90 minutes each and the last slot just one hour to accomodate the new end time.. Those time slots include 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., 2:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Each autograph time slot will have two different time slots with three players each session, including two players and one Pirates alumni. These sessions should last 45 minutes long each.
All autographs have sent out, but there are chances for Pirates fans 14 years or younger to get free autographs.
10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Player | Position | Session |
|---|---|---|
TBD | TBD | Session 1 |
Rafael Flores | Catcher/First Baseman | Session 1 |
Michael McKenry | Catcher (Alumni) | Session 1 |
Spencer Horwitz | First Baseman | Session 2 |
TBD | TBD | Session 2 |
Kevin Young | First Baseman (Alumni) | Session 2 |
12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Player | Position | Session |
|---|---|---|
Braxton Ashcraft | Starting Pitcher (Right) | Session 1 |
TBD | TBD | Session 1 |
Matt Capps | Closer (Alumni) | Session 1 |
Jared Jones | Starting Pitcher (Right) | Session 2 |
Kyle Nicolas | Relief Pitcher (Right) | Session 2 |
Neil Walker | Second Baseman (Alumni) | Session 2 |
2:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Player | Position | Session |
|---|---|---|
Oneil Cruz | Center Fielder | Session 1 |
Isaac Mattson | Relief Pitcher (Right) | Session 1 |
John Candelaria | Closer (Alumni) | Session 1 |
Gregory Soto | Relief Pitcher (Left) | Session 2 |
Endy Rodríguez | Catcher/First Baseman | Session 2 |
Jason Grilli | Closer (Alumni) | Session 2 |
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Player | Position | Session |
|---|---|---|
Jake Mangum | Outfielder | Session 1 |
TBD | TBD | Session 1 |
Vernon Law | Starting Pitcher (Alumni) | Session 1 |
Jared Triolo | Utility Player | Session 2 |
TBD | TBD | Session 2 |
Kent Tekulve | Closer (Alumni) | Session 2 |
Pirates Players at PiratesFest
There are also many players still coming to PiratesFest, showing up for speaker sessions, signing autographs and participating in various activities.
Starting Pitchers
Player | Throwing Arm |
|---|---|
Braxton Ashcraft | Right-Handed |
Hunter Barco | Left-Handed |
Jared Jones | Right-Handed |
Doug Drabek (Alumni) | Right-Handed |
Vernon Law (Alumni) | Right-Handed |
Relief Pitchers
Player | Throwing Arm |
|---|---|
Justin Lawrence | Right-Handed |
Isaac Mattson | Right-Handed |
Kyle Nicolas | Right-Handed |
Cam Sanders | Right-Handed |
Evan Sisk | Left-Handed |
Gregory Soto | Left-Handed |
John Candelaria (Alumni) | Right-Handed |
Matt Capps (Alumni) | Right-Handed |
Jason Grilli (Alumni) | Right-Handed |
Kent Tekulve (Alumni) | Right-Handed |
Catchers
Player | Throwing Arm/Bat Side |
|---|---|
Rafael Flores (First Baseman) | Right/Right |
Endy Rodríguez (First Baseman) | Right/Switch |
Michael McKenry (Alumni) | Right/Right |
Infielders
Player | Position |
|---|---|
Spencer Horwitz | 1B/2B |
Termarr Johnson | 2B |
Jared Triolo | Utility |
Enmanuel Valdez | 1B/2B |
Nick Yorke | 2B |
Neil Walker (Alumni) | 2B |
Kevin Young (Alumni) | 1B |
Outfielders
Player | Position |
|---|---|
Billy Cook | LF/CF/RF |
Oneil Cruz | CF |
Jake Mangum | LF/CF/RF |
Esmerlyn Valdez | RF/LF |
Notable Pirates Absences From PiratesFest
The Pirates also had a few players that won't show up to PiratesFest that weren't scheduled for the event.
Pirates right-handed starting pitcher Paul Skenes has the 101st New York Baseball Writers’ Gala, or the BBWA Awards Dinner, in New York City on the same day as PiratesFest.
The dinner will honor Skenes and other top players in baseball as the 2025 National League Cy YoungAward. He also attended the event last season after winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
A spokesperson with the Pirates said that scheduling PiratesFest at the David L. Lawrence Convention center takes place more than a year in advance, so working around this conflict is quite difficult.
Shortstop Konnor Griffin, the top prospect in baseball, also won't cometo PiratesFest, as he just celebrated his wedding last weekend with his wife, Dendy, and the two are on their honeymoon,according to his mother Kim.
Fellow top prospect in right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler also won't make it to PiratesFest this weekend, as he is closing in on a house, according to a Pirates spokesperson.
Andrew McCutchen is also not at PiratesFest, as he is a free agent and not signed with the team nor anyone else.
Three pitchers that aren't coming to PiratesFest right-handers in starter Mitch Keller and relievers in Carmen Mlodzinski and Yohan Ramírez, plus left-hander Mason Montgomery, who came in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Catcher Henry Davis, second baseman Nick Gonzales and outfielder Jack Suwinski are three other position players that won't attend PiratesFest either.
Speaker Sessions During PiratesFest
PiratesFest General Stage Programming
- 10:30 a.m. Ask Pirates Management
Host: Greg Brown | Featuring: Travis Williams, Ben Cherington, and Don Kelly
- 11:30 a.m. Pirates Pals
Host: Joe Klimchak | Featuring: Kyle Nicolas, Jared Jones, Nick Yorke, and Billy Cook
- 12:00 p.m. Curveball Conversations
Host: Joe Block | Featuring: Isaac Mattson, Justin Lawrence, Matt Capps, Cam Sanders, and Endy Rodríguez
- 12:45p.m. Young Bucs
Host: Greg Brown | Featuring: Termarr Johnson, Rafael Flores Jr., and Hunter Barco
- 1:30 p.m. Kids Press Conference
Host: Debbie Becker | Featuring: Jared Triolo and Spencer Horwitz (Bryan Reynolds was scheduled)
- 2:30p.m. Welcome to Pittsburgh
Host: Joe Block | Featuring: Jake Mangum (Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn were scheduled)
- 3:30 p.m.Bucs’ Bounty Podcast Live
Hosts: Hannah Mears, Michael McKenry, and Alex Presley | Featuring: Matt Capps, Neil Walker, and Kevin Young
Season Ticket Holder Exclusive Stage Programming
- 9:15a.m. Playing for the Hometown Team on the Main Stage
Host: Greg Brown | Featuring: Don Kelly, Isaac Mattson, and Neil Walker
- 12:00p.m. Welcome to Pittsburgh
Host: Joe Klimchak | Featuring: Jake Mangum (Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn were scheduled)
- 2:30p.m. Cy Young Conversation
Host: Greg Brown | Featuring: Doug Drabek and Vernon Law
Activities During PiratesFest
The Pirates will have a number of events for fans during PiratesFest that will keep them busy and entertaned throughout.
There are three baseball type events, like the "Bat Around", where fans can hit a live ball with results, "Diamond Kinetics Swing Match", which shows which MLB star your swing matches and a "Little Buccos Field" for kids to get instructions on playing the sport.
A Pirates carnival will gives fans a chance to win some prizes and play games, plus other kids activities, like Pirate Parrot bounce house, face painting, balloon artists Pirates inflatables and more.
There is a "Paul Skenes Cy Young Award Photo Area", which recreates his setup from where won his Cy Young Award back in November, that fans can take a photo in.
Pirates Charities allows fans to donate, while also getting a shot at numerous prizes, like signed baseballs, Paul Skenes autographed bobbleheads, a 50/50 raffle and other prize raffles.
Fans can buy tickets for the next season, Pirates merchandise at a pop-up Fanatics team store, plus Pirates Authentics, where they can get exclusive game-used items from their favorite players.
The Pirates also have mascots like the Pirate Parrot and the Pirates Pierogies at the convention, plus concessions from the ballpark
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.