Get Into the Holiday Spirit With These Local Events and Festivals
An inclusive round-up of holiday happenings from across the region, from winter wonderlands to hands-on crafts.
PHOTO BY DAVE DICELLO | THE PLAZA AT PPG
Despite the bouts of unseasonably warm weather, the holiday season is fast approaching, and Pittsburgh loves any excuse to party.
In 2026, both Light Up Night and the Holiday Market in Market Square are celebrating major milestones, but they’re far from the only festivities taking place across the Steel City. Here’s a guide of holiday happenings, from themed museum tours to last-chance ballet performances.
Nov. 13 – Jan. 3
Take a stroll through more than three million twinkling lights and snap a photo with the tallest Christmas tree in Pennsylvania at Kennywood Park. Visitors will also be able to enjoy an offering of seasonal food and drink options, hop on 20+ family and thrill rides, explore Gingerbread Junction, share a wish list with Santa and enjoy special entertainment for all ages. Plus, families can meet Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his friends Clarice, Bumble and Sam the Snowman. Tickets can be purchased online. Admission is also included with the purchase of a 2027 season pass.
Weihnachtsmarkt: the German Christmas Market
Nov. 14-15 | Downtown Harmony
Frohe Weihnachten! Come celebrate Christmas in the style of the town’s founders. Harmony hosts its traditional German Christmas Market on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 15 from 12 to 4 p.m.Christmas markets are a quintessential part of the holiday season in Germany, and they have become so for families just north of Pittsburgh: each year thousands visit the historic town for wholesome fun for the whole family. Sing, raise a toast of Glühwein to the town and its history, and shop — candies to candles, homemade gifts to kitchen goods. Purchase tickets in advance online or at the gate.
Nov. 20 – Jan. 10 | Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
This year’s theme, Botanical Brilliance, celebrates the beauty of plants through sparkling metallics, rich jewel tones and imaginative topiary displays. Poinsettias, amaryllis and narcissus fill the glasshouse with seasonal color, while gilded foliage and luminous sculptures reveal botanical beauty in unexpected ways. Outside, the iconic Winter Light Garden transforms the night with colorful displays for guests of all ages. Tickets can be purchased online.
Nov. 20 | Settlers Ridge
Kick off the holiday season at Settlers Ridge from 4-6 p.m. The event will feature a tree lighting at 5:30 p.m., as well as visits with Santa, a photo booth, a prize wheel and plenty of holiday charm. The rain date for the event is Nov. 21.
Nov. 20 – Jan. 3 | The Frick Pittsburgh
On this seasonal tour of the Clayton Mansion, where the Frick family lived at the turn of the 20th century, visitors can see the home decked out in Christmas cheer while learning about Gilded Age holiday celebrations. Tours run Tuesdays through Sundays and sell out quickly; attendees are strongly encouraged to buy tickets in advance, as same-day admission cannot be guaranteed.
Nov. 21 | Penn Center East
Come ring in the holiday season with your friends and neighbors in Turtle Creek. The event, which kicks off at 6 p.m., will feature free music, snacks, and cocoa, plus an appearance by Santa Claus and a fireworks show.
Select nights Nov. 27 – Jan. 3 | Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium
You don’t have to leave the warmth of your car to enjoy the display at Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. This drive-thru light show features thousands of eco-friendly lights and twinkling illuminated animals, yuletide scenes, familiar Pittsburgh icons and an area dedicated to the Zoo’s recent babies. A new hospitality station in the Zoo’s entrance plaza will also feature seasonal food and beverages. Tickets can be purchased online.
Opening Nov. 21 | Carnegie Museum of Art’s Hall of Architecture
For more than six decades, the annual installation and decoration of the soaring evergreens in the Hall of Architecture, fondly known as the Carnegie Trees, has been the signature tradition of the Women’s Committee of Carnegie Museum of Art. This year’s installation celebrates 130 years of the Carnegie International. Each of the five Fraser Firs is inspired by an artwork acquired by the museum from a past Carnegie International.
Opening Nov. 21 | Carnegie Museum of Art’s Scaife Gallery 9
Since 1957, Carnegie Museum of Art has marked the holiday season with the Neapolitan presepio. A centuries-old tradition in Naples and southern Italy, the presepio is an elaborate nativity scene recreated with miniature figures arranged in a detailed panorama of 18th-century life in Naples. Handmade by artists in the Royal Court of Naples between 1700 and 1830, the presepio includes superbly modeled humans, animals, angelic figures and architectural elements.
Nov. 23-24 | Phipps Conservancy and Botanical Gardens
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre brings the magic of The Nutcracker to Phipps’ historic glasshouse on Monday, Nov. 23 and Tuesday, Nov. 24, for Poinsettias and Pointe Shoes. Complete with a sneak peek of Phipps’ Holiday Magic, this family-friendly event joins two beloved holiday traditions under one roof. Tickets can be purchased online.
Nov. 29 | National Aviary
Bring the whole flock for a magical morning filled with holiday cheer, a scrumptious breakfast crafted by Atria’s Specialty Catering, and a very special visit from the big man himself: Santa Claus. Kiddos can write (and hand-deliver) a letter to Old Saint Nick, partake in a special Santa storytime and take a photo with Santa and a fan-favorite Animal Ambassador. To make reservations and to view the menu, click here. You can also check out more of the Aviary’s holiday happenings here.
Dec. 4-27 | Benedum Center
Live at the Benedum Center from Dec. 4-27, the Nutcracker will end its decades-long run this season. Next year, a new and reimagined version of the beloved story will take center stage, featuring a range of Pittsburgh-themed allusions and Easter eggs. Nevertheless, this is your last year to see the ballet performed as it has been since 2002. Tickets are on sale now.
PHOTO COURTESY PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE
Dec. 4 | The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake
Indulge in a festive, four-course meal, featuring chef seasonal specials paired with a variety of holiday ales from regional and local breweries during the Holiday Ale Tasting Dinner Friday, Dec. 4 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake. The price per person for dinner only is $85 before tax. Book online or call 440-466-7100 and press 0 to make a reservation.
Handmade Arcade’s Holiday Market
Dec. 4-6 | David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Named one of “35 Indie Craft Fairs Every Creative Person Needs to Visit” by Buzzfeed in 2014, Handmade Arcade’s Holiday Market is Pittsburgh’s premier handmade holiday shopping event. Each year, the Holiday Market features 275+ makers and welcomes more than 10,000 shoppers to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Tickets can be purchased online.
Dec. 6 | Margaux
Pittsburgh’s annual Chanukah celebration for young professionals is back, and this year, it will be held at Margaux in East Liberty. Held on Saturday, the second night of Chanukah, the event will feature festive fun, including an open bar with craft cocktails, a buffet of Chanukah bites and handmade latkes. Indulge at the donut station, join the annual dreidel tournament and help light the menorah as the community celebrates together with great food, great drinks and even better company.
Nationality Rooms Holiday Open House 2026
Dec. 6 | University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning
In the spirit of an open house tradition and to foster connections among neighbors, members of the Nationality and Heritage Room Committees will welcome guests into the Cathedral of Learning for an afternoon of exploration and engagement. Guests will be invited into the Nationality and Heritage Rooms, which will be decorated for the holiday season, and can participate in traditional crafts and cultural demonstrations to learn about the rooms, the committees and their ethnic communities and traditions. In the Cathedral of Learning Commons, guests will enjoy traditional treats as they listen to world and holiday music and shop for handcrafted, cultural wares. The event takes place from 12-4 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
Dec. 7 | 1700 Murray Ave
Every year since 2016, Chabad of Greenfield organizes a community-wide Chanukah Festival and Public Menorah Lighting. The event brings together the entire Pittsburgh community to celebrate the message of Chanukah together. Jews and non-Jews alike join in learning about and celebrating the holiday.
Dec. 8 | City County Building
Join Mayor Corey O’Connor and community leaders in lighting the giant 12-foot Menorah located in front of the City-County Building. The Menorah serves as a beacon of light, symbolizing freedom and peace for all. The celebration includes live music and Chanukah refreshments of latkes and donuts.
Dec. 11 | Carnegie Music Hall Foyer
The 59th Carnegie International stays up late with you as the museum transforms for a night of music, art, and high-energy celebration. Explore the exhibition, move to the sounds of Arie Cole and his special guests, and join a crowd ready to shake off the cold and turn up the heat. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
2026 Lawrenceville Cookie Tour
Dec. 12 | Lawrenceville
The 30th annual Lawrenceville Cookie Tour invites folks through the streets of Lawrenceville, where local small businesses will be giving out free cookies to celebrate the holiday season. The walking tour will take place from 12-5 p.m. More information is coming soon on the event’s website.
Dec. 18 | Kamin Science Center
Celebrate the Winter Solstice with a night under the stars at the Science Center! Come dressed in your celestial best and enjoy all things astronomy in an exclusive atmosphere from 6-10 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.
Dec. 19 | Pittsburgh Glass Center
Join the Pittsburgh Glass Center for an immersive evening of hot glass demonstrations, candlelit activities, fireside snacks and hands-on creative experiences that celebrate the turning of the season. Have your cards read to explore what the new year might have in store for you and create a custom herb blend for bathing or burning to help you get rid of the old and bring in the new with Arts & Crafts: Botanica & Occult Shop. Participate in a collective intention ritual: write down something you’re ready to let go of or something you hope to carry forward, then release them with the help of our hot glass artists and the power of the furnace itself. It’s a symbolic act of change: fire, glass, and intention working together. Plus, give glass blowing a try under the guidance of experienced artists. Registration is required.
The Miniature Railroad and Village
Ongoing | Kamin Science Center
Take a trip through Western Pennsylvania through the Kamin Science Center’s popular Miniature Railroad, which is peppered with festive decorations throughout the holiday season. You can also scope out its newest addition to the diorama, the Andrew Bayne Memorial Library. Admission is included with your ticket.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KAMIN SCIENCE CENTER
More important dates to keep in mind:
Chanukah: Dec. 4 – Dec. 12
Chanukah, also spelled Hanukkah, is the Jewish Festival of Lights. Keep an eye out for various celebrations around the city that week, including various neighborhood and hyperlocal menorah lightings.
Winter Solstice/Yule: Dec. 21
This festival, often celebrated in Wiccan, Neo-Pagan and Germanic traditions, marks the shortest day and longest night of the year.
Kwanzaa: Dec 26, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Kwanzaa is the annual celebration of African American culture culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually on the sixth day. Local groups, including the Community Empowerment Organization and the Ujamaa Collective, often announce events closer to the date. Keep an eye out for more festive fun!
