Light Up Night underway in Pittsburgh amid large crowds, mild temperatures
Pittsburgh kicked off the holiday season Saturday as crowds packed Downtown for the annual Light Up Night, taking in tree lightings, street performances and celebratory fireworks.
The event drew steady crowds eager to usher in the season, helped along by the mild, comfortable weather.
“It’s so beautiful to see you this evening,” Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said during the 5 p.m. lighting of the tree at the City-County building. “I can’t believe this is November with the temperature feeling this good.
“As we go through this holiday season, remember to do one thing: Be intentional on telling your wife, your children, your partner, whomever you love … remind them every day, ‘I love you.’ And city of Pittsburgh, I love you.”
Michelle Frescura made the drive from Belleville, Mich., to Pittsburgh for Light Up Night — a trip she and her husband have made many times before. Frescura grew up in Greensburg and met her husband in Pittsburgh, making the event a sentimental tradition.
“It’s a beautiful night, the weather’s perfect,” she said while standing in the crowd at PPG Place for the 6 p.m. tree lighting. “Everyone’s excited. It’s a great way to kick things off. It gets everyone in the holiday spirit for sure — you see all ages out here.”
Frescura first attended Light Up Night in 1983, back when she and her husband were just dating.
“It’s our way of kicking off the holiday,” she said.
Frescura and her husband, Chris, both 60, marveled at the size of this year’s turnout.
“This year’s an awfully big crowd,” she said. “The weather has a lot to do with it. Pittsburgh’s just special, period. So a night like this just lets it shine.”
Watch the countdown as the first Pittsburgh Christmas tree is lit. This is the only live tree in the city @TribLIVE ???? pic.twitter.com/FoWTBJD7Sh
— Megan Swift (@mgswift7) November 22, 2025
Fireworks followed the first tree lighting.
Fireworks! Some were concerned in the audience for a second with how bright these looked ???? @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/wbKtI2nsM7
— Megan Swift (@mgswift7) November 22, 2025
Watch the 10-second countdown @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/0ouabFN8z0
— Megan Swift (@mgswift7) November 22, 2025
Here is a schedule for the rest of the night:
• 7 p.m. — Iconic Highmark Christmas tree lighting and Zambelli Rooftop Fireworks at Penn Avenue and Stanwix Street
• 8 p.m. — Sister Bridges will debut their brand new light installation, “Three Scores in Blue.”
• 9:30 p.m. — Xfinity Fireworks Spectacular finale at the Allegheny Overlook on Fort Duquesne Boulevard
Megan Swift is a TribLive reporter covering trending news in Western Pennsylvania. A Murrysville native, she joined the Trib full time in 2023 after serving as editor-in-chief of The Daily Collegian at Penn State. She previously worked as a Jim Borden Scholarship intern at the Trib for three summers. She can be reached at mswift@triblive.com.
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