A gastronomic and cultural gathering at the AHN Montour Sports Dome will unite flavors from across Latin America, live music, and family-friendly activities — while highlighting the rise of Latino economic empowerment in the Steel City
Pittsburgh is getting ready to savor the best of Latin cuisine with the inaugural Pittsburgh Empanada Festival, to be held on Saturday, October 25, from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the AHN Montour Sports Dome in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.
Beyond being a celebration of flavor and culture, the Pittsburgh Empanada Festival also represents an important boost for Latino entrepreneurship in the city. For an number of small business owners, food vendors, and independent chefs, the event offers valuable exposure to new audiences, networking opportunities, and potential partnerships.
By showcasing their products in a large-scale community event, participants not only share their culinary heritage but also strengthen their brands and open doors to future growth. In a city where Latino-owned businesses are steadily gaining visibility, the festival stands as a platform to promote innovation, collaboration, and economic empowerment within the community.
The event, presented by J-A-R-R-I-T-O-S along with Las Palmas Radio, Dos Equis, Topo Chico, and Salina’s Sangria, promises to be a true multicultural celebration. Attendees will be able to taste empanadas from different countries — Argentine, Venezuelan, Colombian, and more — prepared by a dozen entrepreneurs and restaurants from the tri-state area.
“We want this to be a space to celebrate the diversity of our Latino community through food,” explained Iván Gil Silva, a pioneer of Argentine cuisine in the city, founder of @MiEmpanadaPGH, and one of the festival’s organizers. “This is the first time Pittsburgh will have an event dedicated exclusively to empanadas, and we expect to bring together between one and two thousand people.”
In addition to tastings, the festival will feature a contest to choose the best empanadas in several categories, with a judging panel made up of owners and chefs from well-known local restaurants. There will also be live Latin music by DJ Mateo Mattos, with professional sound provided by Mayoria Audio.
The Empanada Festival will include family activities, such as a small soccer tournament for adults and a kids’ match. To complete the experience, attendees will be able to enjoy craft beers, margaritas, sangrias, and Jarritos soft drinks — the official beverage of Famous Food Events.
Also behind this initiative is producer and host Angelo Notario, known for his program The Traveling Fork and for organizing food events in the New York and Florida areas. “This is the first time we’ve expanded our concept to Pittsburgh, with the goal of promoting Latin culture and the local economy in the region,” said Gil Silva.
The Argentine community in the city will also have a special presence. “I was the first to open a formal Argentine empanada business in Pittsburgh, and I’m glad to see how others have joined in. Today there are places like Balvaneraand Nanban that also offer Argentine empanadas,” he added.