The Pirates are already laying out the 2027 season at PNC Park, and the promotional calendar has one notable gap.
Pittsburgh released its 2027 schedule of giveaways and special events in November, a fairly confident move with an impending lockout and labor fight between the owners and the MLBPA hanging over the sport. The club is planning as if the season will happen, even though games could be lost.
One longtime staple is missing from the list: Dollar Dog Days. In past seasons, fans could buy Sugardale hot dogs for a dollar apiece, with a limit of four per purchase, at several spots around the ballpark.
The team also used to announce how many hot dogs were eaten during the game, with totals that ranged from the thousands to the tens of thousands. Its absence from the 2027 promotional slate strongly suggests the end of Sugardale’s run with the promotion next year.
The Pirates will still have plenty of the familiar bells and whistles. Zambelli Fireworks are back for weekend games, with six fireworks dates on the schedule.
There are also two drone shows, set for May 21 against the Chicago White Sox and July 8 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That gives Pittsburgh eight total postgame light shows, the same number it had in 2026.
Bobbleheads remain a big part of the mix, too. The Pirates have three bobblehead giveaways planned, each for the first 20,000 fans. The team has not announced the designs yet, but the dates are set: May 22 against the White Sox during Superhero Weekend, June 5 against the Toronto Blue Jays, and July 24 against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Yinzerpalooza Weekend.
Pittsburgh has made a habit of tying those giveaways to big names and themes. Over the last two seasons, the club handed out Paul Skenes bobbleheads, first for his 2024 National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2025 and then for his 2025 NL Cy Young Award in 2026.
Yinzerpalooza Weekend usually gets its own specialty bobblehead, with Mac Miller in 2025 and Dr. Robby of "The Pitt" in 2026.
The Pirates’ themed weekends for 2027 will be Superhero, Bucco Luau, Yinzerpalooza, Country and Fan Appreciation. Bucco Luau carries the Hawaiian theme, Yinzerpalooza celebrates Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania culture, and Fan Appreciation comes with giveaways and discounts around PNC Park.
There are also 19 other giveaway games on the calendar, though most of the items have not been revealed. The team only described them broadly as free T-shirts or kids-themed giveaways, but a few specifics did come out: a Pirates bucket hat and Hawaiian shirt for Bucco Luau Weekend, a Pittsburgh version of the "Guess Who" board game for Yinzerpalooza Weekend and a Pirates cowboy hat for Country Weekend.
The Pirates are set to open the season March 25 against the Athletics, assuming the labor situation doesn’t wipe out games. Every fan in attendance that day will receive a 2027 magnetic schedule.
Clemente Day is on Sept. 15, when the Pirates will honor Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente with a special giveaway. And pup nights are back as well, with 12 of them scheduled this year, matching last season. Fans who want to bring their dogs to PNC Park will need to apply early for those games.
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