Pittsburgh Light Up Night 2025

Tree Lightings, Fireworks & Bridges Aglow

The lighting of all the Three Sisters bridges, The Roberto Clemente, Rachel Carson and Andy Warhol, spanning Downtown to the North Shore.

Tree lightings for are as follows:

5pm - City of Pittsburgh’s Tree lighting and Rooftop Fireworks at the City-County Building
6pm - UPMC Ultimate Holiday Tree Lights and ACS Tribute of Light Ceremony at PPG Plaza
7pm - Iconic Highmark Christmas Tree lighting and Zambelli Rooftop Fireworks at Penn Ave and Stanwix Street
8pm - Sister Bridges will debut their brand new light installation, "Three Scores in Blue."
9:30pm - Xfinity Fireworks Spectacular finale at the Allegheny Overlook on Ft. Duquesne Boulevard

Peoples Gas Holiday Market

In the Cultural District, you'll find the picturesque Peoples Gas Holiday Market. Inspired by the original German Christkindlmarkts, the Holiday Market features national and local vendors housed in vintage, wooden chalets selling one-of-a-kind holiday gifts.

Live Music

Spanning five stages and several genres of music, you'll find everything from national headliners to local legends to carolers. Find these and many other performances on pop-up stages throughout downtown and holiday carolers on stage at the Holiday Market. Follow the schedule below so you don't miss a thing.

Highmark Main Stage
Stanwix Street & Penn Avenue

4 - 5:30pm Pittsburgh CLO Mini Stars & More
6 - 7:45pm Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers
7 p.m. Highmark Christmas Tree Lighting with Zambelli Rooftop Fireworks
8:15 - 9:30 pm Kahone Concept

Xfinity Riverside Stage
Ft. Duquesne Boulevard & 6th Street

4 - 6 pm Slim Tha DJ
6:30 - 7:45 pm Justin Fabus
8pm Bridge Lighting
8:30 - 9:30 p.m. The Calling
9:30 p.m. Xfinity Fireworks Spectacular with Supersized Zambelli Grand Finale

City of Pittsburgh Grant Street Stage
414 Grant Street

5 p.m. City-County Building Tree Lighting with Zambelli Fireworks

The Rink at PPG Place

Venture over to PPG Place to ice skate around the beautifully decorated 66-foot illuminated Holiday tree on The Rink at PPG Place. The outdoor ice rink is open from the public starting November 14, 2025 through March 1, 2026, with special holiday hours for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's (we highly recommend reserving your tickets in advance).

People skate around a giant Christmas tree at night. The ice rink is illuminated with blue lighting

Credit |

Kurt Miller

Fifth Avenue Place

Fifth Avenue Place is place to be on Light Up Night. The Highmark Christmas Tree Lighting will take place on the corner of Penn Ave. and Stanwix St., followed by two rooftop fireworks shows from Zambelli.

Holiday KidsPlay & Selfie Garden

Kids can have a blast at Light Up Night, to! On Nov. 22 and until Christmas Eve, your little ones can do hands-on crafts, make a Mister Rogers sweater ornament, go on a learning adventure with Peg+Cat and more at the Encore. Then, head to the Heinz Hall Courtyard to venture through the colorful backdrops and standees featuring Daniel Tier and more Fred Rogers Productions' favorite characters from on Light Up Night and until Christmas Eve.

A child smiles while holding a stuffed animal in front of a pine tree decorated in Christmas lights and ornaments

Meet the Man in Red

What’s a holiday celebration without meeting the man of the hour, Santa Claus? Bring the kids and their wish lists because this year, they can visit with Santa in-person at his festive house in Heinz Hall Courtyard, thanks to BNY Mellon! Once again, families have the wonderful option for their young ones to visit with either a Black or White Santa. Just let Santa’s helpers know which you prefer!

Walking in a Yinzer Wonderland in Market Square

Just because Market Square is under construction doesn't mean it's going to miss out on the holiday fun. Starting on Light Up Night, Market Square will transform into a Yinzer Wonderland, a hub for holiday magic full of local flair. Free family-friendly activities will take place on weekends along Graeme Street presented by Space Bar with support from Citizens through the Downtown Placemaking Grant. Highlights include a giant inflatable snow globe and a dazzling golden Christmas tree, and the "12 Days of Yinzmas," all set against a backdrop of twinkling holiday lights sure to bring warmth and cheer to the heart of Downtown.

City-County Building

The beloved 23rd annual Gingerbread house competition winners will be displayed in the lobby of the historic Pittsburgh City-County Building. Their 108th Official Tree, a 60-foot spruce from Lincoln Place with hundreds of ornaments as a tribute to the city's 90 neighborhoods, will be lit with festive colors at 5 p.m. followed by a rooftop fireworks display!

Heinz Hall

Enjoy the sounds of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in the Cultural District for three free Highmark Light Up Night Concerts. No tickets are required, simply show up to Heinz Hall at 6:30, 7:15 or 8 p.m. to enjoy the music.

U.S. Steel Tower Plaza

See a larger-than-life nativity scene and the ONLY authorized replica of the nativity featured in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The Pittsburgh Crèche, which measures roughly 64 feet wide by 36 feet long and features 20 life-sized figures, has been an attraction since 1999.

The Pittsburgh Crèche, an authorized replica of the nativity featured in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome featuring 20 life-sized figures

Credit |

@1steelerqueen on Insta

More Holiday Fun

There's so much to include during Light Up Night we can barely fit it into one blog. Some other highlights to check out Nov. 18 include:

Art Abound - See the works of three Pittsburgh artists prominently displayed along Liberty Avenue as you pass by the storefronts.
Pirates Mini-Fest - Take photos with the Pirate Parrot and your favorite racing pierogis along with kids activities and all things Bucco baseball from 3-9:30 p.m. on Stanwix St. and Ft. Duquesne Blvd.
Highmark Holiday Block Party - Warm up and win prizes as you celebrate the holidays all night long on Penn Ave. and Stanwix St.
Photos with Santa - Stanwix St. and Ft. Duquesne Blvd. at the Coca Cola Caravan.
Food & Drinks - local vendors, food trucks and local beer can be found at the Riverside Stage and the corners of Stanwix and Penn, Grant and Fourth as well as Penn and 8th.
Holiday Pop-Ups - Miracle on 6th, decked floor to ceiling with Christmas kitsch and serving up festive mocktails and cocktails in amazing themed glassware, opens on Light Up Night. Also check out Barcadia for their Home Alone-themed experience.
Kid-Friendly Fun - Hands-on crafts and activities 2-6 p.m. at 6th and Liberty. Plus, visit the Heinz Hall courtyard for photo ops with your kids' favorite characters and scenes from Fred Rogers Productions.
Fifth Avenue Freeze - Master carver Rich Bubin will display his holiday carvings of The Grinch, Olaf, Elf and more at Fifth Avenue Place with additional activities inside.
All Ages Film Festival - Stop by the Harris Theater for a free screening of family-friendly and festive films.
Follow our guide to downtown for even more places to shop, eat and explore. Make reservations now!

More Ways to Celebrate the Holidays

Looking for more festive activities? Embark on a shopping adventure across Pittsburgh and find the perfect gifts for your loved ones. Be immersed in holiday light extravaganzas throughout the city, including Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens' Holiday Magic! Winter Flower Show and Light Garden, as well as GLOWLAND in the Oakland area.

Come celebrate unity, joy, and love the Pittsburgh way this holiday season!

Visit downtownpittsburgh.com/holidays for the full line-up of events and the latest information.