Pittsburgh area Hanukkah events include a 7-foot tall Lego menorah, Menorah Parade and Latkepalooza. For details, check the websites of each organization listed below.

• Dec. 17
  • Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh’s Chanukah Bash, 8-11 p.m. Dec. 17
  • Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh will host “Let’s Get Ready for Chanukkah Celebration” on Dec. 17.
• Dec. 18
  • Chabad of Squirrel Hill menorah lighting, 4 p.m. Dec. 18, corner of Beacon Street and Murray Avenue
  • Chabad of Greenfield community celebration, Yeshiva School, 403 Greenfield Ave, 4 p.m. Dec. 18. Event includes a “giant gelt drop” and dancing dreidels. A 7-foot menorah made of Legos will be lit.
  • Joint Jewish Education Program will host its annual Latkepalooza from 10 a.m. to noon on Dec. 18.
  • Chabad of Squirrel Hill will offer the lighting a “can-orah” at the corner of Beacon and Murray on Dec. 18. Cans collected will be donated to the Squirrel Hill Food Pantry.
  • Beth Samuel Jewish Center in Ambridge will host a Chanukah Party and Latke Fest.
  • Chabad of Cranberry will host a menorah lighting at 5 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center. Event includes a “Grand Gelt Drop,” dancing dreidels, food.
• Dec. 19
  • Choco-lit Covered Chanukah, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19, Chabad of Greenfield
  • City-County Building menorah lighting, 5 p.m. Dec. 19, City-County Building, Grant Street, Pittsburgh. Chabad of Squirrel Hill will light the menorah with Mayor Ed Gainey.
  • Chabad of the South Hills will host a “Glow in the Dark Chanukah” at 5 p.m. Dec. 19. Event includes glow-in-the-dark face paint, music, gelt drop.
  • Chabad of Monroeville’s Light Up the Night will be held at 5 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Monroeville Community Park Amphitheater. Event includes menorah lighting, carnival games and a firetruck chocolate gelt drop.
• Dec. 20
  • Chanukah Festival at Schenley Park, Dec. 20: Begins with Menorah Parade and menorah lightings (including Lego menorah). Chabad of Greenfield, Chabad of Squirrel Hill and the Lubavitch Center join for a performance by Jewish recording artist Tali Yess, a children’s choir and the Allderdice High School Marching Band.
  • Menorah Parade: 4:45 p.m. Dec. 20. Parade has a new route: Begins at the Jewish Association on Aging and moves through Squirrel Hill and Oakland before ending at Schenley Park for the Chanukah Festival.
• Dec. 21
  • Chabad of Greenfield’s family Chanukah party, 4:30 p.m. Dec. 21. Includes hot dog and latke dinner, doughnut decorating, olive press workshop and holiday crafts.
  • Beth El Congregation of the South Hills and Temple Emanuel of South Hills will host “Donuts and Dreidels” on Dec. 21.
  • Chabad of the South Hills will host a menorah lighting at 5 p.m. Dec. 21 at the Washington County Courthouse. Event includes take-home menorah kits, food, music.
• Dec. 25
  • Chabad of Monroeville will host a Rosh Chodesh/Chanukah service on Dec. 25.

Hanukkah: Celebrate the Festival of Lights!

Hanukkah is not one of the most important holidays in Judaism. But it’s certainly the most well-known.