Upcoming Pittsburgh Christmas Events: Fun Pittsburgh Holiday Traditions

Long-time Pittsburghers remember when the Pittsburgh Christmas season was referred to as the "Sparkle Season." Well, it's been awhile since we've had the official "Sparkle Season ," but there are plenty of fun Pittsburgh Christmas events to look forward to. Here are four Pittsburgh Christmas events that you shouldn't miss this year:

Light Up Night: Get your holiday season started off right with Light Up Night on November 16, the traditional start to the Pittsburgh Christmas season. Light Up Night has special activities for all ages, with music and games for the youngsters, the unveiling of Macy's holiday windows for the older crowd, and fireworks for everyone. Light Up Night is a Pittsburgh Christmas tradition and is a great way to put yourself into the holiday spirit.

Hartwood Acres Celebration of Lights: Another fun Pittsburgh Christmas thing to do is visit the Hartwood Acres Celebration of Lights. Held nightly through the holiday season (November 16 - January 8), the Hartwood Acres Celebration of Lights not only benefits a great cause (Project Bundle Up and other local charities), but it boasts of 400 amazing light displays over 3.2 miles with background music piped in. Displays at the Hartwood Acres lights event include replicas of downtown and the awesome 12 Days of Christmas exhibition. If you do plan to visit the Hartwood Acres Celebration of Lights, go early as the display can get crowded, especially on the weekends.

Nutcracker: Pittsburgh Christmas would not be the same without a visit to the Benedum Center for the annual showing of the Nutcracker. The highlight of the Nutcracker show is the ballet steps by local dance students. The Ballet Theatre puts on a great show that shouldn't be missed!

Nativity Scene: If you haven't heard, Pittsburgh has a wonderful nativity scene at the USX Tower. The nativity is a replica of the famous St. Peter's crèche in Rome, Italy and is a beautiful way to celebrate the Pittsburgh Christmas season. The nativity opens with Light Up Night, so make sure to stop by on your way to watch the opening of Pittsburgh's Christmas season