Pittsburgh Allegheny

5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 22-24

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop
By JoAnne Klimovich Harrop
5 Min Read Nov. 22, 2019 | 6 years Ago
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The unofficial start to the holiday season begins this weekend with the annual Light Up Night. It’s one of many fun choices this weekend in Pittsburgh


Shining bright

Friday is your chance to see national recording artist and recent Queen frontman Adam Lambert as he leads the entertainment at the 59th annual Comcast Light Up Night in Pittsburgh.

Lambert will perform during the event at the Main Stage on Fort Duquesne Boulevard. The Nox Boys and Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers will open the show.

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership hosts the evening, which includes happenings throughout Downtown.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will host several free 30-minute concerts at Heinz Hall.

The City-County Building welcomes the annual gingerbread house display. There will be seven official tree lighting ceremonies and a dedication of the crèche at the U.S. Steel Tower.

The Peoples Gas Holiday Market in Market Square opens. Santa Claus will arrive and flip the switch for the more than 150,000 lights and a 35-foot sphere tree synchronized to holiday music. The nearby MassMutual Pittsburgh Ice Rink in PPG Plaza will be open. The evening will conclude with the BNY Mellon fireworks finale at 9:30 p.m.

Details: downtownpittsburghholidays.com


What time is it?

A replica of the original Kaufmann’s Department Store, including the clock where people met for decades in Downtown Pittsburgh, is the latest piece to be installed at the Miniature Railroad & Village in the Carnegie Science Center on the North Shore.

This is the first full weekend to see it. The piece was chosen as the exhibit celebrates 100 years.

The overall exhibit has more than 100 animations, 250,000 handmade trees, and joins replicas of Primanti Bros. in the Strip District, Forbes Field in Oakland, Donora’s Cement City, and Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney. It was created by Charles Bowdish in 1919 and displayed at his home in Brookville. In 1954, the display moved to Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science before relocating to Carnegie Science Center in 1992.

Details: carnegiesciencecenter.org


Amusement lights

Kennywood Park is open Friday for its annual Holiday Lights.

The first evening will include fireworks at 9 p.m. and the arrival of Santa Claus on a fire truck, which will take him for a ride and drop him off near the Racer rollercoaster.

See the large Christmas tree adorned with 250,000 lights and walk under the tunnel of lights as you enter the West Mifflin park. Guests can enjoy some of the rides such as Noah’s Ark, the Merry-Go-Round and Paratrooper as well as most of the Kiddieland attractions. Thomas Town will also be open.

There are nearly 2 million lights throughout the park. In additions, some of the rides are adorned with wreaths and presents and bows.

Details: www.kennywood.com


Luke Combs

Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music award-winner Luke Combs brings his “Beer Never Broke My Heart Tour” to PPG Paints Arena, Uptown on Saturday. The show is sold out via Ticketmaster, but third-party tickets remained available as of Friday morning, starting as low as $144.

Combs is a multi-platinum, No. 1 country singer-songwriter from Asheville, N.C. He is the first artist to score five consecutive career-opening No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. He recently released “The Prequel,” which features five new songs including lead single “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” which has had 11 million streams — setting the record for the best first week of streaming ever for a country song. Special guests include Morgan Wallen and Jamison Rodgers.

Details: lukecombs.com


The O’Jays

The rhythm and blues band from Ohio will be on stage at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall on Friday. The band’s latest studio album in 15 years is “The Last Word,” which the group’s website says will be the last. Founding members Eddie Levert and Walter Williams Sr. have been making music for four decades. Eric Nolan Grant rounds out the trio. The O’Jays have 10 gold and nine platinum albums. They are 2005 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

Details: mightyojays.co

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About the Writers

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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