Light Up Night and all of the Downtown vacation enjoyable: This is your information for 2025

Downtown Pittsburgh is kicking off the 2025 vacation season with the Peoples Gas Holiday Market opening Friday, Nov. 21, and Highmark Light Up Night on Saturday, Nov. 22. 

We’ve obtained all these particulars, plus data on Santa’s House, KidsPlay and extra Downtown enjoyable. 

“The holidays bring people of all ages and from all corners of the region together in Downtown to celebrate beloved Pittsburgh traditions, while discovering new, memorable experiences,” stated Jeremy Waldrup, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. “This season also reflects the spirit of transformation that’s energizing Downtown right now. Our restaurants, shops, theaters, and public venues are ready to welcome you with open doors.”

HOLIDAY MARKET

With ongoing renovation occurring at Market Square (scheduled to be accomplished in Spring of 2026), the Peoples Gas Holiday Market is about up this 12 months at seventh Street and Penn Ave. within the Cultural District. You’ll discover one-of-a-kind presents made by native makers and objects from around the globe, all displayed in cute chalets. The Market shall be open every day from Nov. 21 by Dec. 24, with prolonged hours within the ultimate week. (Click here for particulars on the hours and an inventory of distributors.) 

LIGHT UP NIGHT 

The sixty fourth anniversary of Light Up Night will embody the tree lighting and bridge lightings, plus two phases of dwell music, meals distributors, procuring and, as all the time, Zambelli fireworks. The enjoyable begins at 4 p.m. on Nov. 21, which is the Saturday earlier than Thanksgiving. 

Free dwell music will occur all night at two places.

Highmark Main Stage (Penn Ave & Stanwix Street)

• 4 – 5:30 p.m., Pittsburgh CLO Mini Stars & More
• 6 – 7:45 p.m., Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers
• 8:15 – 9:30 p.m., Kahone Concept

Xfinity Riverside Stage (Ft. Duquesne Blvd & sixth Street)
4 – 6 p.m., Slim Tha DJ
6:30 – 7:45 p.m., Justin Fabus
8:30 – 9:30 p.m., To Be Announced

Other festivities embody: 

5 p.m.: The Lighting of the town’s official tree (donated by the Leslie Park Boys and Girls Club in Lawrenceville) on the City-County Building with Zambelli Rooftop Fireworks. The tree will stay on show with occasional mild reveals on the entrance façade of the City-County Building by early January.

6 p.m.: The UPMC Ultimate Holiday Tree Lighting and American Cancer Society Tribute of Light Celebration at PPG Plaza. This LED-lit vacation tree, which is greater than 66 ft tall, performs mild reveals choreographed to music and can show musical animation and vacation scenes.

7 p.m.: The Highmark Christmas Tree Lighting with Zambelli Rooftop Fireworks at Stanwix St. & Penn Ave. This “tree,” which is greater than 100 ft tall, is displayed on the nook of the previous Horne’s division retailer. It sparkles with greater than 2,500 eco-friendly LED lights and a couple of,000 ornaments.

8 p.m.: The lighting of the Roberto Clemente (Sixth Street), Andy Warhol (Seventh Street), and Rachel Carson (Ninth Street) Bridges. This mild present by Pittsburgh-based artist Shikeith is a beautiful addition to the town’s vacation celebration. 

9:30 p.m.: Xfinity Fireworks Spectacular with Supersized Zambelli Finale. A ultimate efficiency of the evening (by a soon-to-be-announced headline artist) will coincide with a supersized Grand Finale of Zambelli Fireworks.

LOTS OF FAMILY FUN

Don’t miss: 

• The Highmark Holiday Block Party at Penn Ave and Stanwix Street, the place you may heat up with cozy heaters and a pop-up store in collaboration with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Foodbank.
• The Pittsburgh Film Festival is bringing again their All-Ages Short Films screenings at Harris Theater at 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• The Pirates Parrot and Pierogies shall be making rounds on the competition for selfies with the entire household.
• Fifth Avenue FREEZE options a wide range of ice carvings together with a snowman, Christmas tree, Snoopy, a snowflake and even Rudolph, and a dwell ice carving present by award-winning grasp ice carver Rich Bubin of Ice Creations.
• Holiday KidsPlay has a brand new indoor residence this 12 months on the Encore Building between 11 a.m. and seven p.m., the place the little ones can take pleasure in free hands-on crafts, instructional video games, and extra in collaboration with Fred Rogers Productions.
• Santa’s House brings the North Pole to Heinz Hall Courtyard, letting little ones share their want lists with Santa and snap a souvenir picture. All proceeds profit the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Grownups may also benefit from the widespread “5 at 5” get together, again once more this 12 months on the sixth Street Bridge. You’ll discover music with Slim Tha DJ, $5 drinks and eats from Lawrenceville Distilling, Jackworth Gingerbeer, and La Palapa. Check out $5 offers on classic finds and Light Up Night attire whereas provides final.

And the BLAST! VIP Party gives indoor enjoyable for ticket holders, together with signature cocktails, appetizers and particular desserts at Two Gateway Center. Tickets will go on sale subsequent week right here.

ALL SEASON LONG

Yinzer Wonderland in Market Square, Nov. 21 – Dec. 24
Free family-friendly actions at a bit of Market Square will happen on weekends alongside Graeme Street, together with a large inflatable snow globe, and a stunning golden Christmas tree, and the “12 Days of Yinzmas,” all set in opposition to a backdrop of twinkling vacation lights that deliver heat and cheer to the guts of Downtown.

The Holiday Window Display Competition is again, that includes 11 Market Square companies with creatively embellished storefronts. Beginning Nov. 22, stroll by the sq., try the shows and vote in your favourite window. The successful enterprise will obtain a charitable donation to a corporation of their alternative.

Santa’s House will welcome youngsters from Nov. 21 by Dec. 24  (particulars and data on expanded hours the ultimate week right here) at Heinz Hall Courtyard. Visit with both a Black or White Santa. You can take a souvenir picture with Santa ($10 recommended donation to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank), which is available in a souvenir body and as a downloadable file.  

The indoor BNY Merry Marketplace shall be open Nov. 21-23, Nov. 28-30 and Dec. 4-7 on the Encore (entrance at 100 seventh Street). You’ll discover native and worldwide distributors providing all the things from handcrafted jewellery and artisanal spices to residence decor and distinctive presents. And the Black Market at Merry Marketplace shall be open Dec. 11-14 and Dec.18-21, showcasing Black-owned companies in Downtown Pittsburgh. 

Holiday KidsPlay shall be open on Saturdays and Sundays, Nov. 22  by Dec. 21, and on Friday, Nov. 28. on the Encore (entrance at 646 Ft. Duquesne Blvd), households will discover a wide range of indoor actions in partnership with Fred Rogers Productions. Decorate a Mister Rogers sweater decoration with messages of thanks, make your individual decoration, go to with Pittsburgh Pirates mascots, play large video games, and settle in for story time. Also, Saturday craft instances supply a rotating lineup of area people companions that supply artistic playtime and an opportunity to heat up this vacation season.

And the Selfie Garden shall be open Nov. 21 by Dec. 24 outside at Heinz Hall Courtyard with colourful backdrops and life-sized standees of widespread characters from Fred Rogers Productions’ kids’s reveals and different PBS favorites, together with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Peg + Cat, Donkey Hodie and Odd Squad.

MORE TO DO AROUND DOWNTOWN

Spirit of Giving Around the World (aka Santas of the World): See 16 life-size Santas from world Christmas folklore within the lobbies of One and Two PPG Place, together with authentic work depicting vacation celebrations from around the globe. Nov. 14 – Jan. 1.

twenty third Annual Gingerbread House Display & Competition: Build your individual edible home and see others at this competitors and show on Light Up Night and within the City-County Building by early January.

Ice Skating on the UPMC Rink at PPG Place: Celebrating its twenty fifth anniversary, the UPMC Rink at PPG Place will open Nov. 14 and stay open every day all through the vacation season. Reserve on-line skating classes here. 

Pittsburgh Crèche: Pittsburgh’s larger-than-life nativity scene, a reproduction of the Crèche as soon as came upon­facet of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, options 20 life-sized figures. Open to the general public Nov. 22 by early January.