We love watching the city transform every December! Each year, businesses, towns, and individual houses decorate in fun, festive lights and colors, sparking fresh energy for our transition into Pittsburgh’s coldest months. All of the excitement is especially popular for our kids, who enjoy all the trappings of the holidays as they wait patiently for Santa to arrive later in the month.
To celebrate the season, we try to attend as many of Pittsburgh holiday-themed events as possible. Here are some of our favorites that you may want to visit this year:
Ice Skating at PPG Place
Who can resist the lights on the massive tree at PPG Place in the middle of December? Throw on a hat and gloves and head downtown for some family fun on the ice. If you can’t get to it right away, don’t worry: The rink is open until March 1, so you have all of January and February to enjoy the fun! Some fun facts to share with your friends when you visit: The MassMutual Pittsburgh Ice Rink is 67% larger than the famous Rockefeller Center Ice Rink in New York City, and it’s about two-thirds the size of a standard NHL rink. The rink’s hours vary depending on the day, so check the schedule before you go!
The Holiday Market in Market Square
Market Square transforms into a genuine Winter Wonderland with Santa visits, holiday karaoke, seasonal shops, and delicious food and drinks. The Holiday Market also has a wide variety of entertainment on the stage. It changes every day, so look through the schedule so you can plan your sips of hot chocolate to your favorite music.
The Phipps Conservatory Winter Flower Show and Light Garden
The Phipps Conservatory regularly puts on terrific shows that are appropriate for the entire family. Decked in manicured gardens and professional Christmas lighting displays, Phipps Conservatory makes the most magical time of the year feel truly magical. While the pictures in the newspapers are incredible, you have to see it in person to really appreciate it. The flower shows run from 9:30 AM to 11 PM every day, but you’ll have to stop in after 5 PM to see the lights!
Holiday Classics in the Cultural District
Ted and I love visiting the Cultural District, and the energy of the holidays makes this section of Pittsburgh especially exciting. Pittsburgh loves its traditions, and the Cultural District is the perfect place to find them in December. Each year, you can watch live performances of classics like A Musical Christmas Carol (Pittsburgh CLO), The Nutcracker (The Benedum Center) and the Holiday Pops (Heinz Hall). Don’t forget to check the Cultural District website for more holiday fun.
Kennywood’s Holiday Lights
Kennywood drew huge crowds over the summer with the new Steel Curtain rollercoaster, but now the crowds are headed back for Kennywood’s Holiday Lights, when the park and its rides are decorated with nearly two million Christmas lights and Pennsylvania’s tallest Christmas tree. Kennywood in December is also a great place to enjoy holiday performances and visit Santa Claus.
Downtown on New Year’s Eve
Downtown Pittsburgh and the Cultural District will have plenty to look forward to on New Year’s Eve—ice sculpture, face painting, magicians, dancers, balloon sculpting, giant puppets, a parade down Penn Avenue, and live music. Afterward, everyone will gather around Penn Avenue Place to watch the ball rise—and the ensuing Zambelli fireworks display!
Wishing you a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year,
Julie & Ted