Loosen up those belts and get ready to chow down on one of Pittsburgh’s most iconic cuisine items—the pierogi! Returning to its roots for the ten-year anniversary, the 2025 Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival returns after a 2-year hiatus on Saturday, May 17th from 12pm – 5pm at SouthSide Works (the site of the first Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival in 2013!).
This year’s event will feature over 100 pierogi and pierogi-inspired dishes from a variety of vendors, including 4 from out-of-state. In addition, there will be pierogi-inspired brews and cocktails, a Pop-Up Pierogi Marketplace, free activities and contests, live music, PLUS a guest appearance by everyone’s favorite pierogi-mascots from the Pittsburgh Pirates! Keep reading for all you need to know about this dough-lightful festival.
Pierogies, Pierogies and More Pierogies
Local Favorite Pierogi Vendors
Get ready to try a mountain of pierogies and pierogi-inspired dishes from local favorites like the PGH Pierogi Truck. They’ll be serving up their popular and authentic individual pierogies and pierogi platters along with frozen options to take home.
Or take your pierogi on the go with “Pittsburgh in a Cup” from Michele’s Mobile Meals: handmade potato cheddar pierogi, fresh made kielbasa, sautéed cabbage and onion and a blend of cheeses served in a souvenir cup to commemorate the day!
Want a “rogi” with an international twist? Look no further than Le’s Oriental Pierogi Eggrolls or Las Chicas “Chica Pierogies” with deep fried pierogies topped with fresh chunky salsa, sour cream and avocado cilantro sauce. And don’t forget to sample the Mobile Chef’s offering’s, with their global tour of pierogi flavors like Caribbean Pulled Pork Pierogies and Indian Grilled Chicken Pierogies.
Other Local Vendors
Other local vendors—a few of which are making their festival debut—include Braddock Public House; Polska Laska and The Speckled Egg who are teaming up to create a special collaborative dish; 5 Generation Bakers making a pierogi hoagie with their famous bread; and The Oven Pizza Co. will be offering up a pierogi-inspired pizza dubbed “The Polish Hill.”
For festival goers looking to satisfy their sweet tooth, vendors like Chocolate Moonshine Fudge Co. will create a pierogi-fudge and Confections of a Cake Lover will make pierogi cookies.
Out-of-State Vendors
The Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival is also welcoming 4 out-of-state vendors this year!
The 2022 Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival’s People’s Choice Winner, Pietrzyk Pierogi is back to defend their title all the way from Detroit, Michigan. The reigning champions previously wowed Pittsburgh crowds with their inventive and traditional flavors not limited to The OG or The Ruskie, or with outside the box selections like The Spin Me Right with potatoes, spinach, artichoke, mozzarella.
Also returning this year is The Pierogi Lady from Akron, Ohio, with 4 different flavors of hand made pierogi, a platter option with haluski and kielbasa and The Kielbasa Rogi.
Traveling from Austin, Texas, festival first-timer Rogues Over the Top will be featuring one-of-a-kind dishes like The O.G. Pierogi and the Pork on the Cobb.
Hailing from Mannington, West Virginia, Sweet P’s BBQ will be serving up their legendary BBQ in the form of Brisket-Stuffed Pierogies and Pulled Pork-Stuffed Pierogies.
Pierogi-Inspired Brews and Cocktails
Wash all the cheesy-filled goodness down with refreshing beverages inspired by Pittsburgh’s favorite food. Thirsty guests can indulge in creative cocktails and mocktails at The Speckled Egg’s pop up bar, aptly named “The Nest.”
Kingfly Spirits will also mix up drinkable cocktails from their Strip District-based distillery, including a pierogi-inspired cocktail named Liquid Rogies.
Penn Brewery will sling some tasty brews too—and introduce their very own Pierogi Beer as a collaboration with their friends at Cop Out Pierogi.
A variety of Braddock, PA-brewed beers from the Brew Gentlemen will also be served as the perfect pairing for all those pierogies.
Pop-Up Pierogi Market, Live Entertainment and The “Rogi-Mobile”
The Pop-Up Pierogi Market includes local and traveling vendors selling Pittsburgh-inspired and pierogi-inspired goods. Vendors include Garbella Designs, P-Square Scents, HeartFelt by Julia, the Pittsburgh Pearl Company, Pittsburgh Witch Company, Pittsburgh Pottery, Bad Pierogi and Honey So Good Apiary.
Guests will enjoy live musical entertainment by the wildly popular and energetic Balkan band Sokyra, the Polka stylings of Mon Valley Push and the Polka Meisters.
Guests will put their two-cents in on the YaJagoff Podcast as they live interview local foodies, Pittsburgh-famous guests, pierogi vendors, and fans of the festival! YaJagoff is also bringing the official dessert of the festival: the winner of the Jag’s Strawberry Pretzel Jell-O Salad Contest will also be a featured vendor!
The official vehicle of the Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival is the “Rogi-Mobile”, by Rohrich Mazda. This guest-favorite will be packed full of Pittsburgh things for guests to guess the number of items and win a variety of prizes, including a lifetime pass to the Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival.
Get Tickets to the Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival
Tickets for the Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival are now on sale and can be purchased on the festival’s website. Adult tickets are: $7 in advance, $10 at the door; children 3-12: $4 in advance and $6 at the door; and children 2 and under are free.
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.
