Pittsburgh Ushers In 2017 With Highmark First Night Celebrations
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Crowds flocked downtown to enjoy the celebrations at Highmark First Night and usher in the New Year on Saturday night.
Festivities started early Saturday evening, with plenty of family-friendly activities and a special early fireworks show so the kids who may not be able to stay up until midnight were still able to enjoy the show.
Hundreds lined the streets for the FedEx Ground Parade and headed to the outdoor stage for a performance from the Nigel Hall Band, while others warmed up indoors with a sing-off competition at the Benedum and the Childrens Theater Festival at Fifth Avenue Place.
It was a chilly, damp night, but things heated up at the fire and ice plaza, where dancers and fire-breathers from "Steel Town Fire" lit up the night sky for a sixth straight year, and Richard Bubin chilled out the crowd with his amazing ice sculptures.
As they were celebrating, people thought to the future, revealing their resolutions for 2017.
Some had health-related goals, like eating healthy, working out, and quitting smoking. Plenty of people expressed a desire to help others more in the year to come.
Even some of the younger folks in attendance had some goals in mind for 2017.
"My New Year's resolution is to make my mom happy," one young girl said.
"To make it to the NBA!" a young boy said.
"Eat more candy," another said.
Of course, the whole night of celebrating all led up to the moment everyone was waiting for -- the countdown to midnight and the rising of the Future of Pittsburgh ball.
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