Things to do | It's Christmas 365

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.

Downtown Pittsburgh

See the Horne’s tree. Yes, it’s now called the Highmark Tree, formerly the Unity Tree (that name needs to come back. Maybe Highmark Unity Tree). This is the crème de la crème of Pittsburgh holiday season decorations. The tree beautifully sparkles at the corner of Stanwix and Penn along the corner of the former flagship Horne’s department store building. While decorated windows and shopping no longer exist here, the tree can serve as a great backdrop for that holiday season selfie!

Tip: Stand near the Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s Gateway Station for a fuller shot of the tree.

Shop the Holiday Market at Market Square. Find more than 30 artisans and vendors at Pittsburgh’s mini version of a German Christmas market, complete with adorable chalets. Local artists, such as Linda Barnicott, display everything from ornaments to paintings, and other artisans have wearables (gloves, sweaters, hats), edibles (baked goods and more), smellables (is this even a word?) (candles) and more. While at Market Square, check out the dazzling lights, sphere tree and entertainment.

Get a group photo with the large ornament at K&L Gates Center. The huge red ornament is up! Check it out in front of the main entrance to K&L Gates Center at 210 Sixth Ave.

See the 107th Pittsburgh Christmas tree. Check out the ornaments depicting each of the city’s neighborhoods.

Skate at PPG Place. This rink is larger than New York City’s Rockefeller Center! Enjoy the PPG Place tree and ice rink before or after dinner. Check out details and prices here. Not an ice skater? Stop by for a selfie of the dazzling tree with all of its colorful designs!

Visit the Pittsburgh creche. It’s the only authorized replica of the creche at the Vatican. That’s a big deal for Catholics.

Visit Point State Park to see the snowflakes. After more than 30 years, Duquesne Light turned off the lights of the recognizable tree at the confluence of Pittsburgh’s three rivers. A new display is expected in 2024, but in the interim, Duquesne Light gave the Point some holiday flare.

Spot the Pittsburgh area landmarks at the Carnegie Science Center train display. Popular Pittsburgh area landmarks — Kaufmann’s building, Mister Rogers’ house, etc. — dot the landscape of this adorable train display. Don’t rush through it — watch day turn to nighttime! Also, while at the science center, check out the holiday laser lights show. Admission is required for the science center.

See Santa Downtown. Check out Santa’s schedule and give him a visit.