Thousands Expected To Pack Downtown For Light Up Night
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Thousands of people are expected to pack Downtown Pittsburgh today for Light Up Night festivities.
Light Up Night, sponsored in part by KDKA, has become a way to kick off the holiday season. Over the last 53 years, it has certainly grown and expanded.
"Last year, we were told record numbers. This year, we expect nothing but even bigger," Jeremy Waldrup with the Downtown Pittsburgh Partnership said. "It's going to be amazing. There's eight tree lights, four stages, and this year for the first time, we're activating Mellon Square."
While there are dozens of events planned, some of the highlights include:
- Concerts starting at 5 p.m. on the Clemente Bridge as part of a party on the bridge.
- At 5:45 p.m., the countdown to the Season of Lights with Santa begins in Market Square.
- The tradition carries on at Macy's, with the holiday window unveiling at 6 p.m.
- There will be free horse-drawn carriage rides at One Oxford Center from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- You can also party through the decades over at Mellon Square starting at 6 p.m.
"We want people to come down and experience the downtown holiday scene. It's going to be amazing," Waldrup said.
Between Light Up Night festivities around town and the Santa Spectacular at The Point, anywhere from 400,000 to 600,000 people are expected to pack Downtown.
With all the activities, it could be a nightmare getting in and out of town.
Several streets are also closed off specifically for Light Up Night.
The Clemente Bridge, Andy Warhol Bridge and the Rachel Carson Bridge will be closed to traffic along with a portion of Fort Duquesne Boulevard.
Sections of Fourth Avenue and Forbes Avenue leading up to Market Square will be closed, along with the streets around the square.
A portion of Smithfield Street will also be shut down by Mellon Square.
"We love mass transit. We think this is a great opportunity for folks to get on the buses, get on the T to get downtown," Waldrup said.
For more information about all of the Light Up Night festivities and road closures, click here.
For more information about the Santa Spectacular, click here.
RELATED LINKS
