Christmas in Pittsburgh with kids.
Christmas in Pittsburgh kicks off with Light Up Night downtown on November 21. The city tree goes up, and the rink at PPG Place opens around its giant tree. Phipps Conservatory fills its glass houses with holiday flowers and lights.
For bigger outings, try Kennywood's Holiday Lights, the zoo's drive-thru lights, or Oglebay's Festival of Lights in Wheeling. Winters are cold, so dress warm for anything outside.
Before you go
- On Light Up Night, the fireworks are loud. Pack ear protection for babies.
- The zoo's holiday lights are a drive-thru this year, which is easy with little kids.
- Phipps is indoors, so it's a good pick on a cold or rainy day.
- Oglebay's Festival of Lights is in Wheeling, West Virginia. Plan it as a day trip.
- Dress warm for outdoor events. Pittsburgh winters are cold.
Family Christmas events in Pittsburgh
19 events
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- Parades and tree lightings Good for toddlers
Highmark Light Up Night and City Tree Lighting
- Dates
- Nov 21 · Sat Nov 21, 4-7:30pm at the City-County Building. Tree lighting, fireworks and light show at 5pm. PPG Place lights its tree at 6pm.
- Where
- City-County Building, Grant St., and around Downtown
- Price
- No ticket price listed
- Ages and booking
- All ages · Arrive early for a spot on Grant Street
Downtown's kickoff night for the season. The city lights its tree with fireworks and a light show. The gingerbread house display opens in the City-County Building lobby.
Parent tip: Duck into the City-County Building lobby to see the gingerbread houses and warm up. Fireworks are loud, so pack ear protection for babies.
- Zoo lights Good for toddlers
Zoo Lights Drive-Thru at the Pittsburgh Zoo
- Dates
- Nov 27 - Jan 3 · Select nights, 5-10pm. Closed Nov 30, Dec 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 24, 25, 31 and Jan 1.
- Where
- Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, Highland Park
- Price
- $45 per car ($40 for members). Flex ticket $65.
- Ages and booking
- All ages · Timed tickets. Buy online ahead.
A drive-through light show inside the zoo, with lit-up animals, holiday scenes and Pittsburgh landmarks. You stay in your car the whole time.
Parent tip: Staying in the car makes this easy with babies on cold nights. The entrance plaza has bathrooms and snacks.
- Santa visits Good for toddlers
Brunch with Santa at the Pittsburgh Zoo
- Dates
- Dec 5-20 · Dec 5 and 6, 11am-12:30pm. Dec 12, 13, 19 and 20: breakfast 9:30-11am or lunch noon-1:30pm.
- Where
- Education Complex, Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, Highland Park
- Price
- $45 ($40 members). Kids under 2: $10. Includes zoo admission.
- Ages and booking
- All ages · Book ahead. Tickets go fast.
A buffet meal with photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, crafts, letters to the North Pole and visits with animal ambassadors.
Parent tip: Your ticket includes zoo admission, so stay and see the animals after.
- Christmas lightsSanta visits Good for toddlers
Holiday Lights at Kennywood
- Dates
- Nov 13 - Jan 3 · Fri-Sun from Nov 13 to Dec 13, then more days later in December. Check the park calendar.
- Where
- Kennywood, West Mifflin
- Price
- Dated tickets from $21.99 online. Any-day ticket $44.99.
- Ages and booking
- All ages · Buy dated tickets online to save
The amusement park reopens for the holidays with millions of lights, a giant Christmas tree and 20+ rides. Kids can meet Santa, Rudolph and friends.
Parent tip: Warm up at the model train display in the Penny Arcade or by the bonfire near Noah's Ark. Rides run weather permitting.
- Christmas lightsHoliday festivals Good for toddlers
Phipps Holiday Magic
- Dates
- Nov 20 - Jan 10 · Daily except Nov 26 and Dec 25. Open evenings until 10 or 11pm. Closes 5pm Dec 24.
- Where
- Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Oakland (Schenley Park)
- Price
- See the official site. Kids under 2 free.
- Ages and booking
- All ages · Reserve tickets ahead. Public tickets open in waves.
Phipps fills its glasshouses with holiday plants and lights and adds an outdoor light garden. A model garden railroad winds through the greenery.
Parent tip: Evening visits show off the lights best. Valet parking costs $15 at peak times.
- Shows and Nutcracker Good for toddlers
Poinsettias and Pointe Shoes
- Dates
- Nov 23-24 · Mon Nov 23 at 5:30, 6:45 and 8pm. Tue Nov 24 at 5:30 and 6:45pm.
- Where
- Phipps Conservatory, Oakland
- Price
- $40 adults, $22 kids
- Ages and booking
- All ages · Buy ahead
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School dancers perform Nutcracker scenes inside the Phipps glasshouse. Kids can meet the dancers after.
Parent tip: Pick the 5:30pm show for younger kids. Your ticket includes a peek at Holiday Magic.
- Shows and Nutcracker
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker
- Dates
- Dec 4-27 · Dec 4-27, 24 shows. Sensory-friendly show Sun Dec 6 at 4:30pm.
- Where
- Benedum Center, Cultural District
- Price
- See the official site
- Ages and booking
- Kids who can sit through a full ballet · Buy ahead online or call 412-281-0360
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's holiday Nutcracker, staged downtown at the Benedum Center.
Parent tip: Families who go to Poinsettias and Pointe Shoes first get a half-price Nutcracker ticket offer.
- Shows and Nutcracker
Pittsburgh CLO's A Musical Christmas Carol
- Dates
- Dec 11-23 · Dec 11-23. About 2 hours with one intermission.
- Where
- Byham Theater, Cultural District
- Price
- See the official site
- Ages and booking
- Ages 3 and up (under 3 not admitted) · Buy ahead
Pittsburgh CLO's musical take on Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
Parent tip: Choose a matinee for younger kids. Children under 3 can't come in.
- Ice skating
The UPMC Rink at PPG Place
- Dates
- Nov 13 - Feb 28 · Daily. Nov 13-Dec 18: Sun-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm. Dec 19-Jan 2: 10am-11pm.
- Where
- PPG Place, Downtown
- Price
- Adults $8-12, kids 12 and under $8-11. Skate rental $4-6.
- Ages and booking
- All ages · Buy session tickets online
Downtown's outdoor rink wraps around a big Christmas tree at PPG Place. Santa skates with families on some December Sundays.
Parent tip: Skate with Santa runs Sundays Dec 6, 13 and 20, 1-3pm. From Jan 5, one child skates free with a paid adult on Tuesdays.
- Christmas lights Good for toddlers
Oglebay Festival of Lights
- Dates
- Nov 5 - Jan 3 · Nightly, dusk to midnight, including holidays.
- Where
- Oglebay Park, Wheeling, WV (about 1 hour from Pittsburgh)
- Price
- See the official site
- Ages and booking
- All ages · Drive up
A drive-through light show that winds for miles through Oglebay Park. The park also has holiday lights at its zoo and a Santa's Village with skating and train rides.
Parent tip: Arrive between 5 and 6pm to beat the rush. Traffic moves faster Monday to Wednesday.
- Christmas lights Good for toddlers
Overly's Country Christmas
- Dates
- Nov 19 - Dec 30 · Select nights, 5:30-9pm (10pm Fri-Sat). Closed many weeknights, so check the schedule.
- Where
- Overly's, 116 Blue Ribbon Lane, Greensburg, Westmoreland County
- Price
- $25 per carload (up to 8 people). Park and walk: $5 a person.
- Ages and booking
- All ages · Drive up. Arrive at least an hour before closing.
A country light show you can drive through or walk. It ends at a small Christmas Village.
Parent tip: Carload lanes can be slow. Field parking and walking in usually means a shorter wait.
- Santa visitsHoliday trains Good for toddlers
Santa Trolley at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
- Dates
- Nov 27 - Dec 20 · Nov 27, 28, 29 and Dec 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 9am-5pm.
- Where
- Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, 1 Electric Way, Washington, PA
- Price
- See the official site
- Ages and booking
- All ages · See the official site for tickets
Ride a vintage trolley with Santa, then see toy train displays and warm up with hot chocolate and cookies.
Parent tip: A sensory-friendly Santa Trolley runs Sun Nov 29, with dimmer lights, quieter sound and fewer riders.
- Holiday trains Good for toddlers
Trolleys and Toy Trains
- Dates
- Dec 3-26 · Dec 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18 and 26, 10am-4pm.
- Where
- Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, 1 Electric Way, Washington, PA
- Price
- See the official site
- Ages and booking
- All ages · See the official site for tickets
Holiday days at the trolley museum with a big Lionel toy train layout and a LEGO display.
Parent tip: Most of these dates are Thursdays and Fridays, handy if Santa Trolley weekends don't fit.
- Holiday festivalsFree Good for toddlers
Nationality Rooms Holiday Open House
- Dates
- Dec 6 · Sun Dec 6, noon-4pm.
- Where
- Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh, Oakland
- Price
- Free. Food and gifts for sale.
- Ages and booking
- All ages · No registration needed
The university's Nationality Rooms, decorated for holidays from around the world, open to visitors. There are crafts, music and food from many cultures.
Parent tip: Bring money for the food and handmade gifts sold in the Commons.
- Shows and Nutcracker
Highmark Holiday Pops (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
- Dates
- Dec 11-20 · Dec 11-20. Evening shows plus afternoon shows on Dec 12, 13, 19 and 20.
- Where
- Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (see the official site for the hall), Cultural District
- Price
- $35-129
- Ages and booking
- Kids who can sit through a full concert · Buy ahead
The Pittsburgh Symphony's holiday pops concert of seasonal music.
Parent tip: Pick an afternoon show for younger kids.
- Santa visits Good for toddlers
Santa at the Heinz History Center
- Dates
- Nov 27 - Dec 20 · Nov 27, 28 and Dec 5, 6, 12, 19, 20, from 10:30am.
- Where
- Heinz History Center, 1212 Smallman St., Strip District
- Price
- Included with museum admission. Kids 17 and under get in free.
- Ages and booking
- All ages · Buy museum admission
Kids share their wish lists with Santa in the museum's Great Hall. He sits in a copy of the old Kaufmann's Santaland chair.
Parent tip: Kids get in free, so only adults need tickets.
- Santa visits Good for toddlers
Santa Family Fun Cruise (Gateway Clipper)
- Dates
- Nov 28 - Dec 6 · Sat Nov 28, Sat Dec 5 and Sun Dec 6. Board 9:45am (sails 10:30am-12:30pm) or 12:45pm (sails 1:30-3:30pm).
- Where
- Gateway Clipper Fleet, Pittsburgh's rivers
- Price
- $36.66 adults, $26.19 kids
- Ages and booking
- Kids 16 and under with an adult · Book ahead
A two-hour river cruise with Santa, a DJ and special guests, made for kids and families.
Parent tip: The morning sailing fits better around afternoon naps.
- Christmas lights Good for toddlers
Holiday Lights Mini Golf at Fun Fore All
- Dates
- Nov 20 - Jan 3 · Sun-Thu 5-9pm, Fri-Sat 5-10pm. Closed Dec 24 and 25. Weather permitting.
- Where
- Fun Fore All, 8 Progress Ave., Cranberry Township
- Price
- $15 for one course, $20 for both. Kids 2 and under free with a paid adult.
- Ages and booking
- All ages · Walk up
Play mini golf on courses decked out in holiday lights.
- Santa visitsIce skating
Skate with Santa at Schenley Park Skating Rink
- Dates
- Dec 13 · Sun Dec 13, 1:30-3pm.
- Where
- Schenley Park Skating Rink, Oakland (Schenley Park)
- Price
- Adults $6, youth 17 and under $3. Skate rental $3.
- Ages and booking
- Kids who can skate or use a skate aid · Buy session tickets online. Sessions cap at 300 people.
Santa joins the Sunday afternoon session at the city's outdoor rink in Schenley Park.
Parent tip: Skate aids are first come, first served. Non-skating adults still pay admission.
Dates and prices were checked on each event's official site. They can change, so check the official site before you go.
On a budget? See every free Christmas event in Pittsburgh, including parades and tree lightings.
Planning a Santa visit? See where to find Santa in Pittsburgh, plus free Santa photos, breakfasts with Santa and tips for skipping the line.
Going to the ballet? Compare every Nutcracker in Pittsburgh, with run times, age tips and sensory-friendly shows.
Questions parents ask
What is there to do in Pittsburgh for Christmas with kids?
Go to Light Up Night downtown, skate at PPG Place, and see Holiday Magic at Phipps Conservatory. Ride through Kennywood's Holiday Lights or the zoo's drive-thru lights.
Little kids love the Santa Trolley at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.
When is Light Up Night in Pittsburgh in 2026?
Light Up Night is on Saturday, November 21, 2026, downtown. The city lights its tree with fireworks and a light show, and the gingerbread house display opens in the City-County Building lobby.
Where can you see Christmas lights in Pittsburgh?
Kennywood Holiday Lights, the zoo's drive-thru lights, Phipps Holiday Magic, and Overly's Country Christmas are local favorites. Many families also drive to Oglebay's Festival of Lights in Wheeling.
Christmas in other cities
- Christmas in New York
- Christmas in Chicago
- Christmas in Boston
- Christmas in Washington, DC
- Christmas in Nashville
- Christmas in Seattle
- Christmas in Denver
- Christmas in San Diego
- Christmas in San Francisco
- Christmas in Los Angeles
- Christmas in Atlanta
- Christmas in Houston
- Christmas in San Antonio
- Christmas in Gatlinburg
- Christmas in Philadelphia
- Christmas in Las Vegas
- Christmas in Orlando
- Christmas in Miami
- Christmas in New Orleans
- Christmas in Charlotte
- Christmas in Kansas City
- Christmas in Dallas
- Christmas in Austin
- Christmas in Phoenix
- Christmas in St. Louis
- Christmas in Tampa
- Christmas in Cincinnati