Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on November 20, 2023.
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In Pittsburgh, the start of the holiday season is not ambiguous.
It is not after Halloween when department stores put out Christmas decorations (or do they do it before now?). It is not the day after Thanksgiving that many traditionally observe. It is also not the first snow sighting, December 1st, the fall time change, or any other arbitrary benchmark.
This one particular instance should not be up for debate, as the start of the Christmas season in Pittsburgh is Light Up Night-Â the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
In this guide, we want to share some of our favorite tips on how to get the most out of what is perhaps our favorite annual event in Pittsburgh!
Note: Prior to 2021, Light Up Night took place on the Friday before Thanksgiving. Starting that year, Light Up Night became a weekend affair with most of the true Light Up Night festivities taking place on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
Light Up Night Has Many Meanings
When thinking of the actual term Light Up Night, the celebration takes on several meanings.
Light Up Night is the day when all the Christmas lights are turned on in the city. During the festivities, most all skyscrapers and stadiums are lit up. And there are even fireworks shows that light up the skyline throughout the evening.
Pick whichever meaning you want for Light Up Night, as this term covers them all!
Focusing on the lighting aspect of Light Up Night (what we believe is the real source of the name), there are actually several events throughout the weekend. Typically the following:
- Friday at 12:00pm – Blessing of the the US Steel Nativity/Creche
- Saturday at 5:00pm – The City-County Building
- Saturday at 7:00pm – The lighting of the Highmark Unity Tree
- Saturday at 9:30pm – Celebratory Fireworks
Historically there have also been festivities at Point State Park beginning at 5:00pm for the Santa Spectacular, but this one ceased operations after 2020. When this event did occur, which is technically not part of Light Up Night as they are operated by two different sponsors, they often were on the same night so the lines were somewhat blurred on which event is which. We do not expect this event to return this year.
The Opening of Many Christmas Activities
Going beyond the lighting ceremonies that occur throughout Light Up Night, the event marks the opening of Christmas displays in downtown Pittsburgh.
Market Square is transformed into a large Christmas Market with local and international vendors selling Christmas wares (pick up a Pittsburgh Christmas ornament while there!). The square at PPG Place is home to a large ice rink with a gorgeous tree in the middle. One and Two PPG Place features international Santa statues. The City-County Building typically features an array of gingerbread houses. And the US Steel Tower has a life-sized creche / nativity scene that is the only licensed replica of the one featured in Vatican City.
We could go on, but we think you get the idea that Christmas in Pittsburgh is a big deal, and it all begins with Light Up Night!
Live Music at Several Stages
Light Up Night also typically hosts three or four stages of performers each year, with sets taking place throughout the day and the headline act typically beginning at 8:30pm. In 2023, Phillip Phillips is the headliner.
Two stages are typically found on Fort Duquesne Blvd between the sister bridges (which is also closed as a walking street), and two more stages are also often found a few blocks inward in downtown.
In addition, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra also typically hosts free live performances in thirty-minute increments at Heinz Hall, typically starting at 6:30pm, and most all of the event highlights (such as the Christmas Market in Market Square, PPG Place's ice rink) also have live music regularly throughout the evening.
Suffice it to say, there is no shortage of music during Light Up Night!
Plan to Enjoy the Fireworks Shows
It is never a true Pittsburgh event without fireworks, and Light Up Night traditionally hosts several fireworks shows during the festivities.
The first fireworks show is a short one during the tree lighting at the City-County Building. The second is a similarly short show that occurs right after the lighting of the Unity Tree at Penn Avenue Place (corner of Stanwix and Penn Avenue). These fireworks show are the shortest of the bunch by far (just a couple of minutes max) but are also fairly unique as they are launched off from the roof of the buildings!
The main fireworks show typically takes place around 9:30pm and is generally along the banks of the Allegheny River. In recent years, the fireworks barge has been located between the Fort Duquesne Bridge and the Clemente Bridge due to construction on the bridges. As the Clemente Bridge is under construction in 2023, we expect this to be closer to the Fort Duquesne Bridge this year, but you should check the barge location in advance to confirm. This one is the grand finale and lasts roughly 30 minutes.
Light Up Night indeed!
So, How Would We Recommend Tackling it All?
When it comes down to it, odds are good you won't be able to see everything at Light Up Night and you'll have to pick and choose what you want to see over the course of an evening.
If you live in the city and think you'll make it down to the Christmas festivities more than once in the season, then your interests may be more towards the special events, live music, and of course, the fireworks.
If you live further away and Light Up Night is your only chance of seeing the holiday decorations, you'll want to take in as much as the festivities as possible and may decide to shy away from the performances.
In a perfect world, we would do the following in order to get a good cross-section of all the festivities Light Up Night has to offer!
- 5:00pm: Explore the Christmas Market at Market Square, check out the Santas, and grab food from one of the many vendors.
- 5:00pm (Optional Alternative): Watch the lighting ceremony at the City-County Building and enjoy the rooftop fireworks before exploring the gingerbread houses.
- Odds are good you'll spend a lot of time at the two spots as they are always crowd favorites, but if you find yourself with a bit of time you should make a detour to see the creche at the US Steel Building or grab a cocktail at a downtown bar!
- 6:15pm: Listen to a few songs at the live music stages, watch a performance from the PSO if you can get a seat (could be tricky), or grab a snack from a food vendor.
- New in 2023: Check out the brand new bar in Market Square, Space Bar– Light Up Night is their first soft open night!
- 7:00pm: Watch the lighting of the Unity Tree at Fifth Avenue Place and enjoy the brief rooftop fireworks.
- 8:00pm: Head to the music stage to listen to a few songs from the music acts, including the headliner.
- 9:00pm: Cross either the Fort Duquesne Bridge via the pedestrian walkway or one of the Sister Bridges and find a good spot on the North Shore River Trail for the fireworks.
- 9:30pm: Enjoy the final fireworks show of the evening!
We will be the first to admit that the above schedule leaves little wiggle room for downtime. But that is preciously the point-Â Light Up Night is one of the largest events of the year, and you have to pack it all in if you want to see it all!
Note: The official Light Up Night schedule is available here. We recommend confirming times before heading to Light Up Night as they may change since our last update of the above.
Skip the Traffic and Get a Hotel
One of the downsides to Light Up Night is on the same note as the highlights- it is very crowded. While this is fine when enjoying the festivities, driving to and from downtown is tricky at best.
Throw in several road closures around Fort Duquesne for the music, and the mass exodus when the fireworks finale is over, and traffic becomes a big issue.
We stayed at a Pittsburgh hotel downtown one year for Light Up Night and had a wonderful time using our hotel as a base, skipping traffic, and more importantly quickly warming up after a night out in the November elements!
If you are looking for a centrally located downtown hotel, we would recommend the Embassy Suites Downtown, Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh, or the Holiday Inn North Shore as options to get started!
Have you experienced Light Up Night in the past? Comment below to share your favorite parts or tips from your visit!
Where is the best place to view the 8:30 fireworks?
It depends on where you are. If you are already downtown I’d likely walk over to the point. If you’re not downtown then you may get lucky and find a spot on Mount Washington or the West End Overlook for that show.
Thanks!!
Is the T free on light up night ?
The T is always free in downtown and the North Side every day of the year. Once you cross the Monongahela River they start charging. I have not heard about any plans to make that section free for light up night.
When do they normally start closing off the roads? Trying to figure out if I head towards market square on Saturday if I would be able to get to my hotel!
We live an hour out, and it lost its luster for us a few years ago. Far too crowded unless it was 5 below zero, ill-placed and too few latrines, long lines for food trucks, uninteresting acts (jazz excluded), and impossible traffic. Unless I took the whole day off, we lost most of the night getting into town, finding a restroom and grabbing something to eat. Perhaps now that it’s on Saturday we might try again, but honestly it’s a bit overhyped.