Pittsburgh Light Up Night 2022 marks 61 years since Pittsburgh first held a holiday-themed light up event. (In 1959, the city held its first light up event to celebrate the Pirates.)

This is your ultimate guide to doing ALL THE THINGS for Pittsburgh Light Up Night 2021! SHARE and BOOKMARK this page.

Remember: Pittsburgh Light Up Night is on Saturday, Nov. 19, this year. Some events do take place Friday, Nov. 18.

Light Up Night links you’ll find useful

My ultimate guide to making Light Up Night merry and bright. This includes parking info, things to do and the best ways to see it ALL on Light Up Night.
Find a complete history Pittsburgh Light Up Night here.
Will there be a Point State Park tree?
Where are the gingerbread displays?

Friday, Nov. 18

Follow this route to make Pittsburgh Light Up Night merry and bright

Your source for Pittsburgh’s Light Up Night!

Santa’s House at Heinz Hall Courtyard

Visit Santa’s House at the Heinz Hall Courtyard. Get photos with Santa, and share your wish list with Santa.

Noon to 3, 4-7 p.m.

PPG Place

9 a.m. — Spirits of Giving from Around the World exhibit opens at PPG Place. The 16 life-sized Santas are on display in the windows of Two PPG Place along Fourth Avenue.
11 a.m. to midnight — Public skating opens at UPMC Rink at PPG Plaza
4:45 p.m. — RMU Island Sports figure skating show
5 p.m. — East End Kids performance
5:30 p.m. — American Cancer Society’s Tribute of Light Ceremony
6 p.m. — UPMC Ultimate Holiday Tree Lighting
6:15 p.m. — LED baton twirling performance
9 p.m. — Big Blitz Band concert

Market Square

11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. — Peoples Gas Holiday Market grand opening
11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Live music on the stage
5 p.m. — “Pittsburgh Today Live” singers
5:30 to 9 p.m. — Merry Karaoke

Pittsburgh’s Holiday Market at Market Square

Here are all the details to the Holiday Market at Pittsburgh’s Market Square.

Allegheny County Courthouse

Noon — Allegheny County Courthouse Tree lighting ceremony in the courtyard

U.S. Steel Tower Plaza

Noon — Blessing and opening of the Pittsburgh Crèche

Where’s Santa? Find Santa near you in 2022!

Santa is everywhere! Find Santa near you in Western Pennsylvania.

Saturday, Nov. 19

Tree lightings, other ceremonies, fun, fireworks

5 p.m. — City of Pittsburgh Tree Lighting with Zambelli rooftop fireworks at the City-County Building; see the 20th annual Gingerbread House Display & Competition

5 p.m. — Prantl’s 1-ton Horne’s Tree replica cake at 2 Gateway Center! This 8-foot-tall burnt almond torte will honor a throwback to Pittsburgh holidays — a replica of the Horne’s Tree! Take selfies with the cake. Slices will be available on Sunday, with proceeds benefitting the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

6 p.m. — Highmark Christmas (Horne’s) Tree lighting with Zambelli rooftop fireworks at Stanwix Street and Penn Avenue

9:30 p.m. — Xfinity Fireworks Spectacular with “supersized” Zambelli finale, Allegheny Overlook on Fort Duquesne Boulevard

Duquesne Light’s tree at Point State Park won’t be back. But it’s not all bad news!

Duquesne Light’s Tree of Lights is gone. Here’s what’ll replace the iconic display.

Music and entertainment

Highmark Main Stage (Horne’s Tree)
Stanwix Street and Penn Avenue
12 – 5 p.m. — Ultimate Disney Tribute Band
5:30 – 6 p.m. — Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers
6 p.m. — Highmark Christmas Tree lighting with Zambelli rooftop fireworks
6:20 – 6:50 p.m. — Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers
7:30 – 9 p.m. — Royce

Xfinity Riverside Stage
Fort Duquesne Boulevard and Sixth Street
4 to 6 p.m. — Orange Music, featuring Isaiah Small
6:30 to 7:45 p.m. — Mr. Smalls All-Star Rolling Stones Tribute
8:30 to 9:30 p.m. — Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
9:30 p.m. — Xfinity Fireworks Spectacular with “supersized” Zambelli grand finale

Sounds of the Season Stage
Market Square
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. — Wild Blue Yonder
2:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. — Paging Dr. Moon
5:30 to 9:30 p.m. — Con Alma presents Live Jazz

Cultural District Stage
Penn Avenue and Seventh Street
2 to 3:30 p.m. — Miss Freddye
4 to 5 p.m. — Sierra Sellers
5:30 p.m. — Pickup Line

City of Pittsburgh Grant Street Stage
414 Grant St.
4 to 5 p.m. — Ben & Friends
5 p.m. — City-County Building tree lighting with Zambelli rooftop fireworks
5:30 to 6:30 p.m. — River City Brass and Santa’s arrival
7 to 7:45 p.m. — CAPA Jazz Band
7:45 to 8 p.m. — Salvation Army Band
8 p.m. — Light show

Oxford Center Stage
301 Grant St.
5:45 to 9 p.m. — Holiday music by Scott and Rosanna
5:45 p.m. — Tree lighting ceremony and Santa’s arrival
6 to 9 p.m. — Visit with Santa

A Visit from St. Nicholas
by Clement Clarke Moore

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”