Updated November 15, 2012
Light Up Night Weekend - November 16–17, 2012
Head downtown for Light up Night on Friday, November 16, 2012, and see Pittsburgh decked out in her holiday best! The city's dramatic skyline is the backdrop for an evening of holiday activities, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display. An estimated 800,000 people are expected in the Golden Triangle for the 52nd annual Pittsburgh Light Up Night celebration, the official kickoff for the Pittsburgh holiday season. Thousands more are expected to gather at Station Square for concerts, shopping, and festivities, and atop Mount Washington to enjoy the beautiful vistas of office buildings aglow with lights. Pittsburgh Light Up Night also features live entertainment, strolling carolers, tree lighting ceremonies, and the unveiling of the holiday window displays.Returning this year is the impressive Candlelight Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 17, 2012, with over 100 horses and 30 units. See horses of all different sizes pull lighted stagecoaches and carriages carrying local celebrities. Antique fire trucks, vehicles and more. Other festive events and activities will also be taking place downtown throughout the day.
Pittsburgh Light Up Night 2012 Highlights
Special events for Pittsburgh Light Up Night 2012 include performances by top-notch local performers on the Market Square stage, a variety of children’s activities, the Macy’s holiday window unveiling, the lighting of the Highmark Unity Tree, ice skating, carriage rides, holiday displays and lights galore! Plus, a rockin' Light Up Night Bridge Party on the Roberto Clemente Bridge, a Candlelight Horse-Drawn Parade with more than 40 lighted vintage carriages (on Saturday), a Celebrate Santa Show! Holiday Stage Show and a Grand Fireworks Finale by renowned Zambelli Internationale!
Parking Options for Pittsburgh Light Up Night
Downtown Pittsburgh will be a bit difficult to navigate due to several street closures related to Pittsburgh Light Up Night activities. Avoid traffic by parking in a fringe lot and taking a shuttle into Downtown. You can also park at the North Shore stadium lots or the West General Street Parking Garage and take a FREE ride on the T "North Shore Connector" into Downtown. There will be downtown street closures throughout the day on Light Up Night, including all side streets around Market Square, plus portions of Forbes Avenue (between Wood St. and Stanwix St.), Penn Avenue (Fifth Avenue Extension to New Penn Extension), Stanwix Street (Penn Avenue to Stanwix Street Garage) and Smithfield Street (between Fourth Avenue and Fifth Avenue). Port Authority buses will also be detouring around these streets on Thursday, Nov. 15 through Saturday, Nov. 17 - check www.portauthority.org for a complete list of detours.
