With a history going back to 1861, the Pittsburgh Brewing Company has a strong reputation as a large local brewer of beer. In recent years, however, Pittsburgh Brewing Company has also steered toward becoming one of Pittsburgh’s most exciting outdoor concert venues.
“I don’t think there’s one our size anywhere in the area that’s outside, close to the city, that can do what we do,” Rebecca McCormick tells Pittsburgh City Paper, the company’s event coordinator “So we’re in a really good spot here.”
This summer, Pittsburgh Brewing Company will take its biggest swing yet at becoming an essential outdoor concert venue with a “Rockin’ Regatta” weekend event in June, followed by a series of three big concerts for each month of the summer.
Located at 150 Ferry St. in Creighton, Pittsburgh Brewing Company has access to about 1.8 million square feet, according to a Pittsburgh Brewing Company press release. In 2024, the Engineer’s Society of Western Pennsylvania awarded Pittsburgh Brewing Company with Industrial Project of the Year.
June 7 and 8, starting at 11 a.m. each day and ending at 9 p.m. on Saturday and 6 p.m. on Sunday, the brewery will debut its “Rockin’ Regatta” event. Live music for the weekend includes Casual Affair, High Fidelity, Peace Sign Band, Family Tradition, Lenny Collini, Mia Z, and others. The weekend will also include powerboat races, a cornhole tournament, rock-climbing, a foam party, food trucks, and more. Two-day passes run from $14.20 to $50.80 depending on age, and tickets for either day individually run from $13.20 to $31.50.
Then, June 14 will feature Alabama; July 13 will feature Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms and The Spin Doctors; and Aug. 8 will feature Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Doors open for Alabama at 6 p.m. but at 5 p.m. for the July and Aug. shows. General admission tickets, which allow for hanging out on the lawn with the option to bring a chair or blanket, run from approximately $70 to $85 for each show, with pricier middle section and VIP seating options available.
That Alabama show particularly excites McCormick. It will be a good showcase for the venue, she says.
“I’m so excited about that one,” McCormick says. “I’m thinking, can you imagine hearing [“Tennessee River”] while you’re on the river?”
For the Alabama show, McCormick is hoping for attendance of about 9,000 people, which she says the venue can definitely handle. As a point of comparison, Stage AE’s outdoor lawn accommodates up to 5,500 people. It’s possible the venue could even accommodate more for future shows.
“Next year, the sky’s the limit,” McCormick says. “As far as what we bring here, we can do 10 [thousand] if it’s the right act, and people want to come to see them and it makes sense.”
Pittsburgh Brewing Company hopes the “Rockin’ Regatta” event can be the start of something big for the city. And the hype already seems to be spreading.
“The Rockin’ Regatta at Pittsburgh Brewing Company is an exciting new addition to Pittsburgh’s vibrant summer lineup of festivals and events,” says Jerad Bachar, VisitPITTSBURGH’s president and chief executive officer, according to a Pittsburgh Brewing Company press release. “Events like the Rockin’ Regatta not only highlight the creativity and energy of our city but also drive tourism and support our local economy. We’re excited to welcome visitors to what promises to be an unforgettable summer in Pittsburgh.”
Last year, Pittsburgh Brewing Company had about 6,800 people come for a concert, according to McCormick, and there have also been other, smaller shows.
“There’s a lot of moving parts,” McCormick says. “We’re learning as we go. Everything we do here, everything gets bigger and bigger.”
This move toward utilizing the large amount of space for a concert venue comes after new ownership in 2018 by wealthy businessman and Rosebud Mining president Clifford Forrest.
“We had so much unused space,” McCormick says. “Our owner is a visionary. He has quite a vision. And he loves to see people having a good time and having fun.”
Its slate for the summer underscores an effort from Pittsburgh Brewing Company to appeal to a wide variety of people. If successful, it could be the hottest new venue in the area.
“We’re trying to diversify and bring it so that everyone can come here for something, like there’s something that’s going to appeal to everybody,” McCormick says.
Arts & Entertainment Editor Amanda Waltz contributed additional reporting to this story.
This article appears in May 14-20, 2025.
