Downtown Pittsburgh category, Page 8
Ice maze returns for Highmark First Night Pittsburgh
When Richard Bubin was a child, he would draw pictures of animals in crayon on the walls of his family’s home. The tool and canvas he uses have changed, but he is still creating. On Monday, he guided a chain saw through blocks of ice to carve Pennsylvania-themed items such...
Your guide to Pittsburgh’s First Night 2025 celebration
Pittsburgh is set to host its 31st New Year’s Eve party Tuesday. As the calendar turns to 2025, the city will ring in the new year at Highmark First Night Pittsburgh, a six-hour, arts-focused community celebration that offers free and ticketed events. A production of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, festivities...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 27-29
It’s that weird time between Christmas and New Year’s when we all subsist on cheese and chocolate and anything past the front door seems like it’s a hundred miles away. But while all of your friends are still in town and you have some downtime, why not get up, put...
Pittsburgh City Council approves 2025 budget with no tax hike
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday approved a 2025 budget that holds the line on taxes, avoids layoffs and trims spending, though officials have warned that the plan may not cover the costs of public safety overtime. Council approved a $665.6 million operating budget and a $120.6 million capital budget. Councilwoman...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 13-15
From cookie lovers to Swifties to those who can’t get enough of the holiday season, Pittsburgh will offer a little something for everyone this weekend. Grab a cocktail, beer or sweet treat, enjoy some tunes and relax with these events. Lawrenceville Cookie Tour This weekend is the perfect time to...
Police charge teen with plotting hit from Allegheny County Jail cell
A McKeesport teen awaiting trial for homicide orchestrated a hit on a police informant from an Allegheny County Jail cell, using code words like “lottery numbers” and “taco shells” to instruct another teen to carry out the crime, police said Wednesday. Allegheny County Police have charged both teens — Daemond...
Black Market: Holiday Edition pop-up brings unique finds for holiday gifts
The Black Market: Holiday Edition has transformed Downtown Pittsburgh into a festive hub for celebrating Black entrepreneurship. Now in its fifth year, the unique pop-up marketplace debuted last weekend in Market Square, featuring 20 local Black-owned businesses nestled within the Peoples Gas Holiday Market. With a second installment set for...
Pittsburgh Public Theater’s ‘Christmas Story’ is a gift of nostalgic charm
The 1983 film “A Christmas Story” is, at this point, a fun vehicle of double-nostalgia — for older generations, it sparks a genuine yen for its mid-20th century setting. For younger folks, it reminds us of Christmas Eves watching the film when we were younger. Either way, it’s a holiday...
Pittsburgh council gives preliminary OK to Gainey’s 2025 budget
Over the past several weeks, Pittsburgh City Council has questioned whether Mayor Ed Gainey is setting aside too little money in his 2025 proposed budget for major expenses like police overtime. Members have worried about how Gainey is addressing projected declines in the city’s vital reserve fund. And they’re not...
Charles Shaughnessy returns to Pittsburgh for ‘A Musical Christmas Carol’
Charles Shaughnessy — who’s found success acting in television series including “Days of Our Lives” and “The Nanny,” as well as in numerous roles in film and onstage — never thought he’d be much for musical theater. “When I was at drama school, I was voted least likely to ever...
‘A Very Yinzer Christmas’ brings Pittsburgh musicians to the Benedum Center
A who’s-who from the Pittsburgh music scene will gather together for a night of Christmas cheer on Monday night — all for a good cause. The third annual “A Very Yinzer Christmas” will be held at the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh on Dec. 9. Now a new tradition among...
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s ‘Nutcracker’ brings local flair to a Christmas tradition
Since 2002, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has mounted annual holiday performances of “The Nutcracker” with a Pittsburgh-centered twist. This year, they’re adding an even bigger dose of the ’Burgh with guest appearances by 14 local celebrities throughout 12 shows. “I think ‘The Nutcracker’ is a tradition on which people and families...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 6-8
Hopefully, the weather outside won’t be quite as frightful this weekend — the city should be thawing a little after a frigid week. Enjoy it while it lasts! Dance, shop, eat and even parade with these events in Pittsburgh this weekend. Saturday in Mellon Square Featuring the awe-inspiring Aurora light...
Pa. pledges $3.4 million to upgrade Point State Park ahead of 2026 NFL Draft
A $3.4 million state investment will help upgrade amenities, walkways and lighting at Point State Park ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. The sprucing-up project, announced Thursday by the state, will include improvements to lighting at the park’s iconic fountain, which sits in Downtown Pittsburgh at the confluence...
Market Square facelift pitched by urban design group behind NYC’s High Line
A proposal to reimagine Market Square, a hub of Downtown Pittsburgh since the 1700s, would limit vehicle traffic, add more greenery and seating and install a semi-circular trellis canopy under which events could take place throughout the year. The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership pitched the plans to the city’s Historic Review...
Dueling bills propose conflicting approaches to affordable housing in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh has 90 neighborhoods, but only four of them require large housing developments to include affordable units for lower-income people. Mayor Ed Gainey wants to expand that mandate, known as “inclusionary zoning,” to all parts of the city. Gainey’s administration is pushing for a blanket strategy, arguing that affordable housing...
Pittsburgh CLO’s ‘Who’s Holiday!’ is naughty and nice
Fair warning, there will be no rhyming in this review. The red-and-green tinsel-tassled march toward Christmas has begun, a time of merriment, cheer and family — and it can be a bit cloying at times. Pittsburgh CLO’s “Who’s Holiday!” is a very R-rated 90-minute show that will turn all of...
‘I will never forgive you’: Moms of teens killed in North Park crash tear into driver after his guilty plea
Aiden Saber cried Monday in a Pittsburgh courtroom as he apologized for killing two teenage passengers and ruining the lives of their families last December when he crashed his SUV into a tree. “I stand before you today fully aware of my actions and the irreversible pain I have caused,”...
Pittsburgh’s purple curb parking program to remain indefinitely
Pittsburgh City Council on Monday voted to indefinitely extend the city’s smart loading zone program, which aims to encourage drivers to get in and out of parking spots quickly, freeing them up for the next car. Designated with purple curbs and matching signs, the smart loading zones use graduated payment...
Pittsburgh expands program offering free spay, neuter services to cats, dogs
Pittsburgh pet owners next year will be able to have their cats and dogs spayed for free, though there are new guidelines on the program. Only low-income residents will be eligible for spay and neuter services for dogs. There will be no income limits for cat owners to access the...
Pittsburgh counts on Light Up Night to polish Downtown’s reputation
Light Up Night doesn’t just mark the beginning of the holiday season in Pittsburgh. Officials say it also draws visitors to Downtown businesses and helps the Golden Triangle burnish a sometimes less-than-stellar image. Fewer people have been commuting to Pittsburgh offices since the covid-19 epidemic spurred a widespread shift to...
Victim in critical condition after Strip District shooting
Pittsburgh Police have charged a man with attempted homicide after they say he shot another man early Friday morning in the city’s Strip District neighborhood. Police were called to the 1100 block of Penn Avenue around 2:15 a.m. for reports of a man brandishing a weapon and threatening people inside...
2 light installations will illuminate on Light Up Night, along with fireworks and Christmas trees
Soaring more than two stories high, a new art installation will transform Mellon Square Park. “Aurora: Illuminating the Holiday Magic of Mellon Square Park” in Downtown Pittsburgh will debut on Light Up Night at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Aurora refers to arches of light, which is fitting. “It was amazing...
Pittsburgh to deploy more than 100 police officers Downtown for Light Up Night
Pittsburgh Public Safety will have a strong presence at the city’s Light Up Night celebration Downtown Saturday. More than 100 police officers will be deployed throughout the area, and the bomb squad will perform protective sweeps ahead of events, officials said Friday. The police bureau’s motorcycle and mounted units will...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 22-24
This Saturday is Light Up Night, and just a few days later we’ll officially usher in the holiday season with Thanksgiving. It’s time to embrace the cheer — or not — with festivities around Pittsburgh this weekend. Here are five ideas for things to do. Phipps Holiday Magic Embark on...
