Headliner announced for Pittsburgh's Highmark Light Up Night
Alternative rock band The Fray, known for “How to Save a Life” and other hits, will be the headliner for the 63rd annual Highmark Light Up Night on Nov. 23.
The group performs at 8:30 p.m. on the Xfinity Riverfront Stage on Fort Duquesne Boulevard and Sixth Street.
Hosted by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, Light Up Night is the unofficial start of the holiday season. This marks the fourth year that the event takes place on a Saturday. Until 2021, it was held on Fridays.
“The holidays are an incredible opportunity to welcome people of all ages and from all corners of the region to Downtown for cherished Pittsburgh traditions, along with some new experiences that will make the season even brighter,” said Jeremy Waldrup, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.
At a press conference today, Waldrup described cranking up some holiday tunes on his Spotify account this morning. “I needed some help, after a long election season and some beautiful yet unseasonably warm weather, to get my holiday spirit on,” he said. “I must say, folks, it worked. So I’m encouraging you, right now, to find that inner elf. Get ready because we have the best holiday season ever lined up for you this year.”
Light Up Night begins at 4 p.m. with family-friendly activities at the Highmark Holiday Block Party at Penn Avenue and Stanwix Street. The Pirates Parrot and Pierogies mascots will appear at a Pirates Mini-Fest, featuring holiday-themed face painting, balloon artist stations, inflatables, backyard games, prizes, pierogi races, and photo-ops with Santa Claus.
“This is such a great time to be a part of Pittsburgh,” said Pirates ambassador and World Series champion pitcher Steve Blass. “When I think of Light Up Night, I think of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership hitting a home run with this event every single year. It’s a bases-loaded home run.”
Fifth Avenue Place will be the site of a snowman, Christmas tree, Snoopy, a snowflake and Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer ice carvings. Rich Bubin of Ice Creations will hold a live ice-carving show.
Crafts will be happening at the Holiday KidsPlay area at 600 Liberty Ave., and the Heinz Hall Courtyard’s selfie garden will feature life-size cutouts of characters and scenes from Fred Rogers Productions. The city’s 22nd annual Gingerbread House Competition Display in the City-County Building lobby will be open.
“It’s always a joy to see our community come together to celebrate and to make memories and to safely gather in the heart of our city,” said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.
New this year, Tech25 is happening from 5:30 to 9 p.m at Smithfield United Church and Strawberry Way. The event features art, an organ recital, youth sports tournaments, a workforce resource fair and outreach programs focused on anti-violence.
On the Highmark Main Stage, rock band Meeting of Important People will play at 4 p.m., followed by local music legends Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers at 6 p.m. and then Hugo Cruz & The Caminos.
On the Xfinity Riverside Stage, disc jockey Arie Cole will be spinning tunes for the “Five at Five” Sixth Street Bridge party from 4 to 6 p.m. The Buckle Downs will perform at 6:30 p.m. before The Fray at 8:30 p.m.
The Sounds of the Seasons Stage in Market Square will have live music all day.
The Blast! VIP Party is from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Two Gateway Center. Tickets can be found here.
The holiday window competition opens on Light Up Night, where shoppers can vote on the store with their favorite display via a QR code on the business’s window or online before Dec. 18. Spirit of Giving Around the World, also known as Santas of the World, opens with 16 life-size Santas at One and Two PPG Place.
There will be tree lightings beginning at 5 p.m. at the City-County Building. The city’s 109th tree is a 40-foot blue spruce from Springdale.
At 6 p.m. in PPG Plaza will be the UPMC Ultimate Holiday Tree Lighting and American Cancer Society Tribute of Light Celebration — the tree stands more than 66 feet tall and features more than 100,000 lights.
At 7 p.m. on Stanwix Street and Penn Avenue, the Highmark Christmas tree lighting takes place. The tree at the corner of the former landmark Horne’s department store is more than 100 feet tall and adorned with more than 2,500 LED lights and 2,000 ornaments.
At 8 p.m., the lighting of the three Sister Bridges is happening at the Roberto Clemente, Andy Warhol and Rachel Carson bridges.
There will be rooftop fireworks throughout the evening. The Xfinity Fireworks Spectacular by Zambelli, at the Allegheny Overlook on Fort Duquesne Boulevard, starts at 9:30 p.m.
The Pittsburgh Crèche, set up in the courtyard of U.S. Steel Tower, will be blessed on Nov. 22, the night before Light Up Night. A replica of the crèche once found outside of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, this crèche features 20 life-sized figures.
Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership Board Chair Shannon Baker said that in 2023, 2.2 million people came Downtown throughout the season. Market Square had one of its busiest in terms of visitors, averaging 14,000 a day.
“Not only was it a great boost for local tourism and our nearly 400 Downtown businesses and restaurants, but the holidays are an opportunity to build community and lay the foundation for the kind of welcoming environment that we want to instill in Downtown every single day of the year,” Baker said.
Coinciding wiht Light Up Night, the 13th annual Peoples Gas Holiday Market opens at 11 a.m. in Market Square, where there will be Merry Karaoke from 5 to 9 p.m. The Rink at PPG Place will also be open.
Highmark is the title sponsor. Kannu Sahni, vice president of community affairs for Highmark Health, called Light Up Night “more than a celebration of the holidays. This is a celebration of our community. So this year, we’re thrilled once again to bring the magic of the season to an incredible city and transforming Downtown Pittsburgh into a winter wonderland.”
Details: downtownpittsburghholidays.com
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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