Thursday, November 17, 2022

Day 383- November 19, 2022 -Pittsburgh Light up Night- The City dazzles, Make Holiday Traditions and Be a Kid Again

 

Pittsburgh's Light up Night does just that, it illuminates this city’s Golden Triangle which is a spectacular sight from the top of Mt Washington. This year is the 61st Anniversary Celebration of Highmark Light Up Night 2022, Presented by Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. This official kick off to the holiday season  started on November 21, 1960. It continues to dazzle with lights, music, food and a blast of fireworks. Make it  a  Holiday tradition and  it will make you feel like a kid again.

Reflection

As a child, I remember our yearly incline rides to the top of Mt Washington and the brilliance of the lit buildings. There was always  excitement to see the scenes in the  Kaufmanns windows and to look up at the giant tree on the Joseph Horne Building, now the Highmark building. This year you can celebrate the season with 5 stages of free music (Joan Jett headlining at 8:30pm), a Holiday market in Market Square, ice skating, food, Santa, fireworks at 6pm and 9:30pm and more.  For the schedule of events  go  here.

(The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is also offering special ticket discounts to select upcoming events in the Cultural District, on Light up Night starting at 10am. I love a bargain and there are great savings opportunities to live music, theater, dance, and more using Promo Code: LIGHTUPNIGHT at  www.TrustArts.org/Lightupnight.)

The Light up Night 2022 Experience 

 There was something for everyone. We hit a few stages with music, visited the Santa, and watched the Highmark tree lighting with the 6pm fireworks. The Highmark street party glowed with blue florescent lights, ice sculptures and a PLINKO game for prizes. The free blue lightsabers even made some adults play Star Wars (don't worry we gave our lightsabers to some kids.)

A one ton eight foot cake hit your olfactory senses with a punch of sweet    almonds when you walked into the Gateway Building.  PPG place's giant LED tree danced with a changing tapestry of light as the skaters circled it. My traditional favorite is the life sized  "Santa's from around the World" inside the PPG buildings which always educate and enlighten. The Pittsburgh Symphony also added a little Christmas spirt to their three, 30 minute shows.

Don't worry we gave our lightsabers to some kids

There was so much  going on that we could not do it all. The finale rocked out with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts followed by, what Pittsburgh does best- fireworks.  

You can continue the magic in downtown Pittsburgh throughout the Holidays: visit PPG place, the Holiday Market in Market Square, the ginger bread  house displays in the court house, the Creche at USX building and celebrate with  art, music, or theater from the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. It is the season to enjoy, make traditions, and be a kid again in Pittsburgh. 

Source
https://trustarts.org