First Night Pittsburgh returns to Cultural District

PITTSBURGH — Thousands gathered in downtown Pittsburgh to ring in 2022 with the return of Highmark First Night Pittsburgh.

Live music, art, fireworks and the raising of “The Future of Pittsburgh Ball” were part of the festivities.

Last year, COVID-19 prompted organizers to shift the celebrations online.

Safety was at the forefront of planning for the in-person event, according to Sarah Aziz, director of festival management at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

“90 percent of the activities are outside this year so we’ve got four outdoor stages, we’ve got lots of heating lamps that will be around,” she said.

“We’ve got 14 blocks of the Cultural District. There’s a lot of space. Plenty of room to social distance.”

Those who attended the indoor events, with reduced capacity, were required to show proof of vaccination and wear a mask.

The art included a massive installation of a 50-foot-tall blow-up rabbit — Intrude XXL, also known as “Bunzilla” — located at 8th and Penn in the Cultural District.

“Rabbits are an intrusive species in Australia and so that’s, that was the basis of the installation but they’re also just really cute and fun,” said Aziz.

For a full list of events and activities, CLICK HERE: https://firstnightpgh.trustarts.org/

RAW: Setup for First Night Pittsburgh underway