The region's largest New Year's Eve celebration, First Night Pittsburgh is a community and family-oriented, alcohol-free celebration of the New Year through the arts. Beginning at 6:00 PM and ending with the Grand Finale and Zambelli Fireworks at midnight, New Year's Eve in downtown Pittsburgh is filled with dance, music, song, mime, magic, story telling, theater and fun. Held in the majestic theaters of the Pittsburgh Cultural District, historic churches, indoor food courts, outdoor plazas, building lobbies, and everywhere in between, First Night Pittsburgh is a great way to join over 100,000 fellow Pittsburghers and safely ring in the New Year with the entire family!
Now in its fifteenth year, First Night Pittsburgh is one of many such First Night events around the country sanctioned by First Night International. Founded in Boston in 1976 by civic-minded artists as a meaningful alternative to traditional New Year's revelry, First Night is now celebrated in more than 200 cities in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
First Night Pittsburgh Highlights
Enjoy outdoor and indoor performances, be amazed at magic tricks, laugh to comedians, or dance the night away to music by local blues and jazz bands. Always a hit with the little ones, the First Night Family Tent features Hand-Held Silhouettes with the Pittsburgh International Children's Teater and artist Elizabeth Keating. And, of course, there's the First Night Pittsburgh parade at 8 pm, the midnight fireworks, street acts, and hands-on activities.
First Night Pittsburgh Highlights & Featured Attractions
Schedule at a Glance Map (PDF)
Get Your First Night Pittsburgh Button
"First Night Pittsburgh" is a free event, but buttons are needed to enjoy all indoor venues. They are
$8.00 each ($1.00 discount at Giant Eagle stores only, with Giant Eagle Advantage Card), and children 5 and under are admitted free. First Night Pittsburgh buttons can be obtained at the Theater Square Box Office and participating Giant Eagle stores beginning in December.
What to Expect
A First Night button admits you to all official events on a first-come, first-served basis. You are encouraged to arrive early. First Night volunteers will be on hand to let you know when a particular performance has reached its full capacity, and to point you to other nearby alternatives. A limited number of pre-admission vouchers that reserve seats in advance can be obtained by calling the Box Office at Theater Square at 412-456-6666.
Getting Downtown on New Year's Eve
Limited parking will be available at the Theater Square Garage, as well as several Pittsburgh Parking Authority lots. Last year's free parking is gone for 2008, however.Alternatively, you can take the bus. From 4:00 PM to 1:00 AM on New Year's Eve, kids 12 years of age and under ride FREE on all Port Authority buses and "T" vehicles entering and leaving Downtown. Children must be accompanied by a paying adult wearing a First Night button.
