Downtown Pittsburgh revitalization pushes holiday market to new location

The annual holiday market that usually fills Market Square will move to Pittsburgh’s Cultural District this holiday season.

It’s the latest annual event to be relocated as part of a Downtown revitalization effort that has limited use of public spaces like Market Square, which is undergoing a facelift ahead of April’s NFL Draft.

On Monday, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership announced the annual Peoples Gas Holiday Market’s 14th season will run from Nov. 21 through Dec. 24.

Installation of the decorated chalets where vendors hawk their wares began this week. Preparation was underway Tuesday next to the Greer Cabaret Theatre.

A few blocks away, the massive Christmas tree has already popped up in PPG Plaza’s courtyard.

Additional details about the festive market — which typically features local artisans, food and music — will be announced next month, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership said.

The holiday market moved a few blocks away this year because of ongoing construction at Market Square. The renovations will limit vehicle traffic and add greenery, lighting, seating and a canopy where people can gather for events.

Market Square boasts about 3.1 million visitors per year, according to the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. Its $15 million upgrades are on track to be completed before the city hosts the NFL Draft in the spring.

Upgrades are also underway at Point State Park, where the commonwealth is launching a $3.4 million effort to improve amenities, walkways and lighting, plus fix up the iconic fountain.

Elsewhere Downtown, plans call for transforming a four-acre stretch along 8th Street — from Fort Duquesne Boulevard to Penn Avenue — into a new outdoor civic space. Called Arts Landing, the sprawling green space will bring a band shell for outdoor performances, playgrounds and about 100 new trees.

The Downtown revitalization projects have forced a slew of other events — including Pittsburgh Oktoberfest, the city’s Independence Day celebration, a massive Juneteenth event and the Three Rivers Arts Festival — to find new sites this year during renovations.

The improvements are part of a $600 million Downtown revitalization plan that also promises to bring more housing and improve safety in the Golden Triangle. Officials have touted early successes in the effort, including a reduction in homeless encampments and the start of several construction projects.