Final preparations underway as Picklesburgh 2024 kicks off on Thursday

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - It's always a great day to be a Pittsburgher, but if you love pickles, it's an even better day.  Today kicks off the 2024 edition of Picklesburgh and there's more to offer this year than ever before.

As of Thursday morning, crews are moving around PPG Place putting together the final touches before it all kicks off and that happens later today when people will begin flocking to downtown for the yearly festival.

This year, Picklesburgh is opening early, giving fans of pickles an extra day to celebrate all things pickles.

In 2023, more than 200,000 people attended the festival and on the Saturday of last year, more people attended on that day alone than the entirety of 2022.

Picklesburgh also expanded its footprint last year, moving from the sister bridges to the Boulevard of the Allies.

Of course, you can expect plenty of activities and pickle-themed foods. That includes the famous pickle juice drinking contest.

This year, the festival will feature the "Olympickle Games" which includes the pickle juice drinking contest as well as a pickle eating contest and bobbing for pickles competition.

The festival kicks off today at noon and goes on until 10 p.m., the same goes for Friday and Saturday and then on Sunday, it goes from noon until 6 p.m.

On Friday, you'll also be able to meet some of the KDKA-TV News Team!

Get all the details on Picklesburgh 2024 on their website at this link .