Jim Sankey: Extra Innings: Pirates set for summer promos

Jun. 6—It's June, and the weather the past week has been hard to beat. School's out, and vacation time is here. And for Pirates fans, it means PNC Park again will be chock-full of summer promotions, ticket deals, fireworks and bobbleheads.

It's important to note that throughout the season, giveaway items go to the first 20,000 fans, while Kid Sunday freebies go to those aged 14 and under.

Summer giveaway season continues as the nine-game home stand concludes with today's game with the Oakland A's and a weekend set with the New York Mets.

Today is one of nine remaining Lunch with the Bucs events, when tickets start at just $22 and include $12 worth of food and beverage concessions, an offer that continues at all 12:35 p.m games Wednesdays and Thursdays.

This Friday's baseball game precedes a post-game fireworks display, the clear-cut most popular Pirate promotion every year.

On Saturday, fans can take home a Ke'Bryan Hayes bobblehead, and fans can listen to live music while having adult drink specials and sampling food truck items and more at a pre-game Block Party on Federal Street.

A pre-game Family Fun Zone takes place Sunday on Federal Street, offering activities for the whole family. In addition, kids (who can be accompanied by one adult chaperone) can enter the ballpark through the home plate gates with their game tickets starting at 10 a.m. for a 10:30 on-field photo fest with players, coaches and mascots.

Other June events during this homestand included last week's Free Flashback '80s gold t-shirts, Oneil Cruz bobbleheads, Block Party and Cookie Monster plush dolls on Sesame Street Day.

Like all Tuesday games during the season, last night was a pup night. The popularity of the event is obvious, as last night and the next three nights (June 20 and 27 and July 17) are sellouts. At last check, the five remaining Tuesday home games in August and September are available.

Remaining Kid Sunday giveaways offer sunglasses (July 2), replica Oneil Cruz jerseys (July 16), pierogy plushes (July 30), Pirate Parrot figurines (Aug. 13), replica Roberto Clemente jerseys (Sept. 17) and Pirates hoodies (Oct. 1).

Throughout the season, in addition to pup Tuesdays, hot dogs are $1 on Thursdays and block parties take place pre-game on Saturdays, with additional flashback free shirt Fridays available on July 14 (1990s), July 28 (Yinzerpalooza), and Aug. 25 (Star Wars). A special Homestead Grays shirt will be given on Negro League Legacy Night on Aug. 12.

The Pirates will celebrate Luau weekend when the Brewers come to town: Giveaways feature a Pirates bucket hat on June 30 and a Pirates Hawaiian shirt on July 1.

A David Bednar bobblehead will be the freebie for July 29 with the Phillies in town.

American Idol star Gabby Barrett, will present a post-game concert on Aug. 11. The Munhall, Pa., singer's smash hit "I Hope" was a seven-time platinum hit for 27 weeks on Billboard's Hot County Songs.

The second class of the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame will include four ex-Buccos honored during a ceremony on Aug. 26 before the Pirates-Cubs game. Unlike last year when 34,497 ex-Pirates were funneled into the local Hall, the 2023 inductees are living relievers ElRoy Face and Kent Tekulve and two late stars: Dick Groat and Bob Friend.

A postgame Skyblast Fireworks Extravaganza, with the largest display of the season with twice the fireworks as usual, will follow the game.

Roberto Clemente Day, Sept. 15, will feature a "21" ballcap as the giveaway item when the Bucs host the Yankees.

Two weeks later, with Miami in town on Sept. 29, a Pirates cap version of MLB Network will be given away.

Special tickets are needed for other theme-day games: Camp days, scout days, youth softball/baseball days, soccer nights, gymnastics day, several nationality heritage days, yoga day and games for students/alumni of 10 area universities. Each event comes with a memento, special giveaways and donations back to many of the honored groups.

From June through the season's final game at 3 p.m. on Oct. 1, the Bucs play 56 home games, or 69 percent of the total 81 games at PNC Park this season.

And although the Pirates won't win 'em all, fans will find bonuses during most of the contests at the arguably best ballpark in the majors.

JIM SANKEY is the Pittsburgh Pirates columnist for Allied News. His Extra Innings columns appear weekly during the MLB season.

JIM SANKEY is the Pittsburgh Pirates columnist for Allied News. His Extra Innings columns appear weekly during the MLB season.