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Third Eye Blind, Nelly to headline free Point State Park show

The show caps a statewide concert series marking America's 250th.

News

Third Eye Blind and Nelly will headline a free summer concert at Point State Park on June 27, closing out the five-stop <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="America250PA Commonwealth Concert Series" data-vars-click-url="https://www.america250pa.org/Signature_Events" data-vars-content-id="1e99e61a-08c7-472d-af67-0d71eb8e3516" data-vars-headline="Third Eye Blind, Nelly to headline free Point State Park show" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.america250pa.org/Signature_Events" target="_blank">America250PA Commonwealth Concert Series</a>.The big picture: The series joins a packed summer lineup of major events, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="headline acts" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/03/26/nelly-2-chainz-to-headline-north-shore-plaza-shows" data-vars-content-id="1e99e61a-08c7-472d-af67-0d71eb8e3516" data-vars-headline="Third Eye Blind, Nelly to headline free Point State Park show" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/03/26/nelly-2-chainz-to-headline-north-shore-plaza-shows" target="_self">headline acts</a> and other <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="free shows" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/04/02/nfl-draft-concerts-wiz-khalifa-kane-brown-pittsburgh" data-vars-content-id="1e99e61a-08c7-472d-af67-0d71eb8e3516" data-vars-headline="Third Eye Blind, Nelly to headline free Point State Park show" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/04/02/nfl-draft-concerts-wiz-khalifa-kane-brown-pittsburgh" target="_self">free shows</a> in the city.

How the NFL Draft could reshape our economy

An economic analyst says the event could bring long-term growth beyond a short-term boost.

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="NFL Draft" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/03/18/pittsburgh-ready-nfl-draft-2026-crowds-logistics" data-vars-content-id="908c562f-6d96-4fbc-9624-a54d5b1c5c02" data-vars-headline="How the NFL Draft could reshape our economy" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/03/18/pittsburgh-ready-nfl-draft-2026-crowds-logistics" target="_self">NFL Draft</a>&#x27;s impact could go beyond dollars and cents for Pittsburgh.Why it matters: The draft is not just an opportunity to raise significant cash for businesses and local tax revenue, but a chance to showcase Pittsburgh to the world and attract big investors.

130K drop Pennie coverage as insurance costs spike

The end of federal subsidies is tied to rising costs.

Roughly 130,000 Pennsylvanians have dropped coverage through Pennie, the state&#x27;s Affordable Care Act marketplace, in the past five months.Why it matters: About 1 in 10 Americans enrolled in an ACA plan last year now lack health coverage, per <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="surveys" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/a-follow-up-survey-of-aca-marketplace-enrollees/#c255b176-f8c5-4647-ac6f-75178b0ed76c" data-vars-content-id="a0691753-1973-4d7d-9085-e060fe1a0e7d" data-vars-headline="130K drop Pennie coverage as insurance costs spike" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/a-follow-up-survey-of-aca-marketplace-enrollees/#c255b176-f8c5-4647-ac6f-75178b0ed76c" target="_blank">surveys</a> by research nonprofit KFF.

Pittsburgh joins Michelin restaurant guide

The Michelin Guide will rate Pittsburgh restaurants for the first time in 2027.

The world&#x27;s preeminent food reviewer is adding Pittsburgh to its guide. Why it matters: The Steel City continues to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="notch accolades" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/04/02/fet-fisk-james-beard-finalist-pittsburgh" data-vars-content-id="ef0026bd-41c6-43e6-abb2-affda42b758d" data-vars-headline="Pittsburgh joins Michelin restaurant guide" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/04/02/fet-fisk-james-beard-finalist-pittsburgh" target="_self">notch accolades</a> for its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="growing food scene" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/11/13/pittsburgh-restaurant-survival-doordash-2025" data-vars-content-id="ef0026bd-41c6-43e6-abb2-affda42b758d" data-vars-headline="Pittsburgh joins Michelin restaurant guide" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/11/13/pittsburgh-restaurant-survival-doordash-2025" target="_self">growing food scene</a>, and a Michelin star would fully legitimize it.

We tried Pittsburgh's original french fry salad

A Beaver County spot claims it invented Pittsburgh's iconic fry-topped salad.

Food and Drink

The french fry salad is one of Pittsburgh&#x27;s most celebrated foods, but its origins are less well-known than Primanti&#x27;s famous fry-stuffed sandwich.The intrigue: I tried <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jerry&#x27;s Curb Service" data-vars-click-url="https://www.facebook.com/people/Jerrys-Curb-Service/100028410026985/#" data-vars-content-id="758086ea-a2a2-4b94-8c74-459a0fa33168" data-vars-headline="We tried Pittsburgh&#x27;s original french fry salad" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Jerrys-Curb-Service/100028410026985/#" target="_blank">Jerry&#x27;s Curb Service</a> in Bridgewater, Beaver County, a fast-food joint that <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="lays claim to the title of inventor of the french fry salad" data-vars-click-url="https://www.tastingtable.com/1234338/the-origins-of-pittsburghs-french-fry-topped-salad/" data-vars-content-id="758086ea-a2a2-4b94-8c74-459a0fa33168" data-vars-headline="We tried Pittsburgh&#x27;s original french fry salad" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.tastingtable.com/1234338/the-origins-of-pittsburghs-french-fry-topped-salad/" target="_blank">lays claim to the title of inventor of the french fry salad</a>, aka the Pittsburgh salad.

Bucco Bricks return as plaques at PNC Park

Fans can now find their messages on new plaques around the stadium.

Sports

Those <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="missing their Bucco Bricks" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/04/09/pirates-bucco-bricks-removed-recycled" data-vars-content-id="3c3177ca-4473-4d9e-9c6f-7ad9c73f7622" data-vars-headline="Bucco Bricks return as plaques at PNC Park" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/04/09/pirates-bucco-bricks-removed-recycled" target="_self">missing their Bucco Bricks</a> can now find the messages on plaques at PNC Park.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The Pirates" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/03/26/pirates-season-preview-hope-playoff-run" data-vars-content-id="3c3177ca-4473-4d9e-9c6f-7ad9c73f7622" data-vars-headline="Bucco Bricks return as plaques at PNC Park" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/03/26/pirates-season-preview-hope-playoff-run" target="_self">The Pirates</a> removed fans&#x27; engraved bricks last year — which temporarily caused controversy — before announcing they would replace the commemorative messages first installed as sidewalk blocks when PNC Park was built 25 years ago.

The woman who named Swissvale

A pioneering journalist and abolitionist helped changed laws and public perception from Pittsburgh.

History

Jane Grey Swisshelm spent her life challenging the limits of 19th-century America, and much of that fight took shape in Pittsburgh.Why it matters: Women&#x27;s History Month often spotlights Pittsburgh trailblazers like <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Nellie Bly" data-vars-click-url="https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/learn/women-forging-the-way/nellie-bly-around-the-world/" data-vars-content-id="a34b280c-abbb-4e82-b6e4-74a68cebc159" data-vars-headline="The woman who named Swissvale" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/learn/women-forging-the-way/nellie-bly-around-the-world/" target="_blank">Nellie Bly</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Rachel Carson" data-vars-click-url="https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/blog/western-pennsylvania-history-rachel-carson-pursuit-better-environment/" data-vars-content-id="a34b280c-abbb-4e82-b6e4-74a68cebc159" data-vars-headline="The woman who named Swissvale" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/blog/western-pennsylvania-history-rachel-carson-pursuit-better-environment/" target="_blank">Rachel Carson</a>, but Swisshelm&#x27;s impact on law, journalism and the abolitionist movement is mostly unsung.

Pittsburgh's abolitionist history gains new spotlight

New exhibit highlights the city's role in the Underground Railroad and Black-led activism.

Pittsburgh&#x27;s deep history with the Underground Railroad and abolitionist movement is still being uncovered.Why it matters: The city&#x27;s role in abolishing slavery hasn&#x27;t been widely taught, Museum of African American History at the Heinz History Center associate curator Alonna Carter-Donaldson told Axios.

Legacy of Black Pittsburgh ambulances gets new look

Freedom House set the standard for modern EMS nationwide.

The Heinz History Center is digging deeper into the story of the country&#x27;s first ambulance service that went beyond first aid, created by Black men in Pittsburgh.Why it matters: The Freedom House Ambulance Service transformed emergency care in the U.S., but its history isn&#x27;t widely known.

Popular "The Paris of Appalachia" book returns

A popular book explores what makes Pittsburgh unlike anywhere else.

Culture

The debate about <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pittsburgh&#x27;s regional identity" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/01/28/pittsburgh-midwest-appalachia" data-vars-content-id="f3654c07-69bc-4ff6-a3e8-f8d6088137e7" data-vars-headline="Popular &quot;The Paris of Appalachia&quot; book returns" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/01/28/pittsburgh-midwest-appalachia" target="_self">Pittsburgh&#x27;s regional identity</a> is ongoing, and the reissue of former Post-Gazette columnist Brian O&#x27;Neill&#x27;s popular book &quot;The Paris of Appalachia&quot; will add some points to Pittsburgh&#x27;s Appalachian bona fides.Why it matters: Let&#x27;s face it: We&#x27;re obsessed with ourselves. We might as well delve deeper into what makes us special.

Tracing George Washington's mark on Pittsburgh

From Fort Pitt to Washington's Landing, his legacy still shapes the region.

Our first president was not only integral in founding the nation, but he also played a role in Pittsburgh getting its name and its famous H.Why it matters: George Washington spent some important moments in the greater Pittsburgh region — including events that shaped his leadership skills, his political acumen and even his famous teeth — and Presidents Day is a perfect time for a history lesson.

New book explains how Pittsburgh moved "Beyond Steel"

An economist argues Pittsburgh's economy shifted long before steel collapsed.

Pittsburgh&#x27;s no longer a steel town — and hasn&#x27;t been for a long time, argues <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pitt economist Chris Briem" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/05/16/pittsburgh-population-growth-2024?utm_term=twsocialshare" data-vars-content-id="d22c1a22-a292-40f2-8d03-583ebd4a12be" data-vars-headline="New book explains how Pittsburgh moved &quot;Beyond Steel&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/05/16/pittsburgh-population-growth-2024?utm_term=twsocialshare" target="_self">Pitt economist Chris Briem</a> in his new book.The intrigue: &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Beyond Steel: Pittsburgh and the Economics of Transformation" data-vars-click-url="https://bookshop.org/p/books/beyond-steel-pittsburgh-and-the-economics-of-transformation-briem/2e3f08619c55a97d?ean=9781606355022&amp;next=t&amp;" data-vars-content-id="d22c1a22-a292-40f2-8d03-583ebd4a12be" data-vars-headline="New book explains how Pittsburgh moved &quot;Beyond Steel&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/beyond-steel-pittsburgh-and-the-economics-of-transformation-briem/2e3f08619c55a97d?ean=9781606355022&amp;next=t&amp;" target="_blank">Beyond Steel: Pittsburgh and the Economics of Transformation</a>&quot; was released this week aiming to bust some myths about the economic history of the Steel City.

What to do in Pittsburgh in February

Celebrate Black history, love and the arts across Pittsburgh this month.

Things to Do

After a quiet post-holiday stretch, events in Pittsburgh are back in full swing.Find ways to celebrate Black History Month and Valentine&#x27;s Day, and tap into the arts with these February things to do.

Kaufmann's crowned Pittsburgh's most-missed place

Kaufmann's beat The O and Civic Arena in a nostalgia bracket voted on by readers.

Nowhere holds a place in Pittsburgh hearts more than Kaufmann&#x27;s department store, according to Axios readers.Why it matters: We struggle sometimes to let go of the past — we all still give directions by landmarks that changed names — so turning that nostalgia into a contest felt appropriate.