PITTSBURGH, PA — The City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Works Forestry Division announced traffic restrictions and transport plans for the arrival of the city’s 113th official Christmas tree at the City-County Building.
This year’s tree is a 38-foot blue spruce donated by Anthony Vallecorsa from the Brighton Heights neighborhood. Crews will escort the tree Downtown on Saturday, November 14, beginning with rolling traffic closures between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. along Richbarn Road, Brighton Road, Termon Avenue, Brighton Heights Boulevard, Route 65, Interstate 279, the Fort Duquesne Bridge, Fort Pitt Boulevard, Smithfield Street, Boulevard of the Allies, and Grant Street.
To accommodate hoisting and securing the tree, Grant Street will be closed between Third Avenue and Fifth Avenue from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday, November 15, the northbound curb lane of Grant Street adjacent to the City-County Building will close from 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to allow forestry personnel to complete hanging ornaments and lights.
Pittsburgh’s live outdoor holiday tree tradition dates back to 1913, when Councilman Robert Garland organized the city’s first communal tree on property provided by Henry Clay Frick between Fifth and Sixth avenues. The celebration moved to the construction grounds of the City-County Building in 1914, where it has remained an annual civic centerpiece for more than a century.
The official lighting ceremony and holiday festivities will take place on Grant Street during Highmark Light Up Night on Saturday, November 21, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The evening will feature performances by Chantal Joseph and the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts Jazz Quintet, food vendors, and a craft market. The tree will be illuminated at 5:00 p.m. alongside rooftop fireworks, followed by facade light shows at the City-County Building. Visitors can also view the 24th Annual Gingerbread House Display in the Grand Lobby through January 8, 2027.
The Pittsburgh Times
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Pittsburgh, PA
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