Get in the spirit of the season in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, just a few miles from Downtown. There are plenty of festive events for the entire family to enjoy. Oakland is home to universities and museums, grand architecture, quaint coffee shops, international cuisine and specialty shops.
New This Holiday Season: GLOWLAND
Experience Oakland like never before. Beginning Nov. 18, GLOWLAND will be a month-long winter celebration with amazing art, live music and illuminations. With interactive displays, GLOWLAND will for sure catch the eyes of all ages. Turning the cold and dark winter days into something exciting, GLOWLAND is a great way to kick off all of your winter festivities.
Welcome this Winter! at Carnegie Museum of Art
- Holidays are all about traditions and the Carnegie Museums of Art once again rings in the season with their annual Holiday Tree Display beginning Nov. 19, 2022 and on display through Jan. 8, 2023. This year, see the Hall of Architecture filled with towering Fraser fir trees, each lit to perfection and trimmed with festive baubles, gingerbread, glistening snow and more!
- The trees are the perfect backdrop for the 18th-century Nativity Neapolitan Presepio featuring lifelike figures created between 1700 and 1830 by Italian craftsmen. See this beautiful holiday tradition through Jan. 8, 2023. This season, encounter the Neapolitan presepio in Carnegie Museum of Art’s Scaife galleries. The cherished fixture will be exhibited in proximity to paintings and sculptures in the collection, contextualizing the artwork.
- CMOA is bringing the heat with their Winter Heat party Dec. 9 with special guest DJ Arie Cole. Dress in your festive best for drinks, a classic Pittsburgh cookie table and dancing until midnight.
- C Street Brass, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and more will perform the Sounds of the Season among the Carnegie Trees Dec. 3 and 17
Phipps Conservatory
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a historic 14-room glasshouse with 23 distinct gardens. Phipps is especially beautiful during the holidays.
- The Holiday Magic Winter Flower Show and Light Garden enchants visitors with thousands of lights and beautiful displays of holiday trees, topiaries and more than 1,600 poinsettias Nov. 9, 2022–Jan. 8, 2023.
- Join Phipps for a virtual story read by the man in red himself Nov. 29 – Dec. 22 (select evenings) as well as a special holiday treat. Featured books this year include The Mitten: A Ukrainian Folktale and the Polar Bear Who Saved Christmas.
Heinz Memorial Chapel
Heinz Memorial Chapel sits on the University of Pittsburgh campus. The stunning Gothic architecture includes 73-foot stained glass windows which are among the tallest in the world. Chapel docents are available to give individual and small group walk-up tours during chapel hours. The chapel is filled with the sounds of the season with a variety of concerts:
- Organ Recital: Oleksii Kucherenko, Dec. 2
- Holiday Concerts with music from the Heinz Chapel Choir, Dec. 3, 4, 9 and 11
- Women's Choral Ensemble, Dec. 10
- Jefferson Middle School Chamber Orchestra, Dec. 17
- Shadyside Brass, Dec. 18
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum
- Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum is a museum, concert hall and ballroom contained within a historic landmark and memorial dedicated to honoring and supporting all who have served in the military since the Civil War through today.
- This season, Soldiers & Sailors is presenting Patriotic Santa free and open to the public. This historically accurate Civil War Santa is available for photos starting on their Winterfest event Nov. 26 and also Dec. 3, 10 and 17.
Oakland is a wonderful place to visit during the holiday season, and these are just a few of the highlights. If you explore this fun and family-friendly neighborhood, be sure to share your photos and experiences with us using the hashtag #LovePGH! Happy Holidays!
