Larry Bruno Foundation to kick off 2026 NFL Draft weekend with open house

• The Larry Bruno Foundation will host a kickoff event for the 2026 NFL Draft on April 22, 2026, one day before the draft begins Pittsburgh.
• The Larry Bruno Foundation will hold an open house at the Hall of Achievement Museum in Beaver Falls, featuring free food, drinks and giveaways.
• Local businesses will offer specials, and the foundation will give away five Joe Namath jerseys during the celebration.

While Pittsburgh’s North Shore and Point State Park will be the center of attention for the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23-25, Beaver County will be kicking off NFL Draft festivities one day early with the Larry Bruno Foundation 2026 Draft Kickoff Open House Event from 12-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22 at the Hall of Achievement Museum on Seventh Avenue in Beaver Falls.

The Larry Bruno Foundation is a nonprofit organization which recognizes the achievements of Beaver Falls community members and also provides scholarships and offerings to students from Beaver Falls, Blackhawk, Beaver County Christian School and surrounding districts.

Thanks to an America 250 tourism grant awarded to the foundation, the museum will be open for an open house event tailgate event on April 22 as well as during the days of the draft for locals and fans visiting the city to explore the rich history of Beaver County football. 

“We are going to have free food, drinks and give people the opportunity to explore the museum,” Steve Higgins, the Larry Bruno Foundation Vice Chairman and Curator, told the Beaver County Times. “We reached out to fans for the New York Jets because of Beaver Falls’ connection with Joe Namath and different Pittsburgh websites to spread the word out for the party and are expecting a lot of out-of-town visitors.”

Along with the free food and drinks being provided by the foundation, the city of Beaver Falls will be involved, with bars and restaurants on Seventh Avenue offering food and drink specials throughout the day, along with businesses selling their products on the sidewalks. 

The foundation will also be giving away five Joe Namath jerseys starting at 2 p.m. on April 22, with patrons who attend having an opportunity for their name to be selected. Drawings of the jerseys will be conducted every hour. 

From Namath to Jim Mutchler, Joe Walton and Dwight Collins, there have been a lot of great names from Beaver Falls to make a name for themselves in the NFL. 

Along with the names from Beaver Falls, there have also been several other stars that have emerged from the county, including Aliquippa hall-of-famers Mike Ditka, Ty Law and Darrelle Revis, as well as the likes of Sean Gilbert, Jimbo Covert and Tony Dorsett. 

Higgins hopes that this event serves as a great kick-off for the NFL Draft and will not only bring in eyes from out of town, but also unite communities in Beaver County and the surrounding areas. 

“We want to unite communities from Moon and Cranberry Townships, Aliquippa and everyone that is coming into the city for the draft,” Higgins said. “There is a lot of great memorabilia to explore throughout the museum, and we will also be displaying equipment from players who have also played in the NFL from Beaver County.”