Pittsburgh’s biggest New Year’s party is celebrating its twentieth anniversary in a big way with a variety of musical and visual attractions.
First Night Pittsburgh will be ringing in the New Year with more than 150 art-focused and family-friendly attractions to commemorate two decades of festivities. The attractions will be spread throughout the Cultural District, starting at 6 p.m. Dec. 31 until a fireworks celebration and the raising of the “Future of Pittsburgh” ball at midnight.
To commemorate the anniversary, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust commissioned Rich Rubin of Ice Creations to build a full-size Ice Labyrinth next to the Fire and Ice Plaza. The walls of the maze will be lit by LED lights to bring the cool and colorful creation to life.
The evening’s headlining performer will be soul artist “Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires.” Some of the other featured performers include yo-yo performer and juggler Mark Hayward, Johnny Angel & the Halos, NOMaD, and Attack Theater whose debut performance was at the inaugural First Night Pittsburgh in 1994.
First Night Pittsburgh Director Darcy Kucenic said the celebration is sure to draw a crowd.
“Last year we estimated around 36,000 people overall came so we anticipate some great crowds again this year," Kucenic said.
First Night Pittsburgh will also feature a one-of-a-kind parade with Puppets for Pittsburgh and Mr. McFeely of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.
“It is a unique parade,” said Kevin Mcmahon, president and CEO of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “It’s not like any of the other parades that you see around town and around the country it’s very participatory and in fact towards the end of the parade we invite everybody to participate in the parade so we have lots of additional parade marchers, so to speak, at the end of the parade every night.”
“First Night” originated in Boston in 1976.
