RENEE WILSON IS LEADING THE CHARGE FOR “A TASTE OF THE HILL,” A THREE-DAY COMMUNITY FESTIVAL FROM APRIL 23-25, 2026, DURING THE NFL DRAFT. (PHOTO BY J.L. MARTELLO)
Community events happening in the Hill District, Downtown, North Side
There are not one, not two, but three sites within a few miles of Acrisure Stadium and Downtown Pittsburgh, where hundreds of thousands of people will descend upon for the 2026 NFL Draft, that will have dozens of Black-owned businesses ready to showcase their products.
B. Marshall’s “Draft Bash” will take place from April 23-25, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Allegheny Commons Park West, on the North Side, about a block from CCAC on the Brighton Road side of the park. The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that more than 40 businesses will be there, including a large number of food-based businesses, ready to serve the Draft attendees—at a financial cost, of course.
TIM STEVENS, CEO OF THE BLACK POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT PROJECT.
At a news conference, Monday, April 20, Tim Stevens, CEO of the Black Political Empowerment Project, told local media that the other sites to find Black-owned businesses are the “Cocoapreneur Market” event and “A Taste of the Hill District.” The Cocoapreneur Market event will be held at 340 Third Avenue, Downtown, beginning at around 9 a.m. each day (April 23-25). It’s next to the building on Smithfield Street owned by The Greenwood Plan. “A Taste of the Hill District” will be held along Centre Avenue and Wylie Avenue in the Hill District, from noon to 8 p.m. each day (April 23-25). Combine all three events, and there will be no less than 150 Black-owned businesses featured at those sites for the Draft attendees and for Pittsburghers in general.
TYLER COULVERSON PROMOTES THE COCOAPRENEUR MARKET EVENT, DOWNTOWN, APRIL 23-25.
“We’re not going to let anyone forget the history that began here (in the Hill District),” Renee Wilson said at the April 20 news conference.
“We’re going to have carnival rides, football, horses and all kinds of stuff for the children,” Wilson added. “Everything that has to do with football and having fun and community.”
Wilson, a longtime community advocate, said that when you look up historic neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, the Hill District is among the most historic. And she’s not about to let anyone forget that.
“We have a whole lot that’s happening here on the Hill,” said Matthew Green, with the organization Hill District Powered By The Community. “Everyone has come on board on this…bring your family, and the most important factor here is, this is three days, this is the largest vending that has ever happened in Pittsburgh. It’s going to be at least 300 vendors going down Wylie, coming back up Centre Avenue, coming down Elm Street, and back down Wylie.”
For seniors, Wilson said there would be complimentary rides given to them throughout the three-day event.
Stevens was quick to point out that there are indeed Black businesses and entrepreneurs that were selected to participate in the NFL’s Draft Source Program. The NFL does not release the businesses selected until after the NFL Draft is completed. But there was concern from a number of community members in past weeks about just how many Black businesses were included in the NFL Draft overall footprint. Because the NFL Draft takes place on the North Shore and its Draft Experience takes place largely at Point State Park, the number of Black-owned businesses on the North Shore and Downtown are miniscule. Thus, for Black-owned businesses to get in on the projected up-to-$213 million economic impact the Draft could bring, they would have to be physically positioned in places like a nearby park, or in empty storefronts Downtown, etc. But in the case of the Cocoapreneur Market and A Taste of the Hill, they decided to make their own way.
B-PEP’S ROY BLANKENSHIP SPEAKS AT A NEWS CONFERENCE, APRIL 20. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)
