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Release Date: Tuesday, November 1st 2011
51st Duquesne Light Light Up Night® Schedule Announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Nov. 1, 2011
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Ida D'Errico
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51st Duquesne Light Light Up Night® Schedule Announced
Pittsburgh Stars, Santa Claus, Smiley and More Kick-off Downtown Holiday Season
Pittsburgh, PA— Downtown Pittsburgh’s most anticipated event of the year, the 51st Duquesne Light Light Up Night®, presented by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP), is just weeks away. Details for the weekend-long holiday kick-off were announced at a press conference in the Highwoods/PPG Place Wintergarden this morning.
“Downtown will be lit up and decorated in its holiday best, creating memories for generations to come,” said Jeremy Waldrup, President and CEO of the PDP. “There is something very special about this time of the year and we encourage families to discover the incredible dining and shopping experiences as well as the world class entertainment that is offered only in Downtown during this holiday season.”
Duquesne Light is returning for its second year as the title sponsor of both Light Up Night® and the Downtown Holiday Season. “Duquesne Light is once again proud to continue its long-standing commitment to helping light Downtown Pittsburgh for the holiday season. We are pleased that our sponsorship of events such as the 51st Light Up Night® provides tremendous economic impact and tourism for the City. We are committed to enhancing the economic vitality of Downtown Pittsburgh,” said Rich Riazzi, President and CEO Duquesne Light Company.
Pittsburgh’s stars come out as the stars come up! The entire Golden Triangle becomes the stage for one of the largest holiday celebrations in the nation. The 2010 two-day 50th Anniversary attracted more than 850,000 visitors and generated $21 million economic impact. People of all ages will have the opportunity to experience Downtown like never before during two big days filled with free high-quality family entertainment by some of Pittsburgh’s most memorable performers.
Performances begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18 in Market Square and on the Clemente Bridge. Students representing regional high school and college marching bands will make their way through Downtown in the Highmark® March which begins near the U.S. Steel Plaza Crèche and ends at the Unity Tree at the corner of Penn Avenue and Stanwix Street. The magical evening concludes with the Pittsburgh Brewing Company 150th Anniversary Fireworks Celebration launched from the Warhol Bridge at 9:38 p.m.
Pittsburgh’s most renowned musical entertainers, from the velvet undertones of smooth jazz to contemporary rock beats, country rhythms and classic oldies standards will ring in the holiday season on the Northwest Savings Bank Market Square Stage and at the Bridge Party (Clemente).
Performance Schedule: Friday, Nov. 18
6:15 pm Highmark® March leaves U.S. Steel Plaza Crèche
7 pm Lighting of the Unity Tree (corner of Penn Avenue and Stanwix St.)
Northwest Savings Bank Stage: Market Square
5 pm Al Dowe and Etta Cox Trio
6:45 pm Jeff Jimerson and Airborne
8:30 pm Borelli’s Dance Gallery
Celebrate Santa™! Stage Show
Eat’n Park Market Square Season of Lights, featuring Smiley and Sarah Marince
Bridge Party (Clemente Bridge)
5 pm NOMaD
6:15 pm Johnny Angel and The Halos
8 pm No Bad Juju
9:38 pm Pittsburgh Brewing Company 150th Anniversary Fireworks Celebration
Highmark March ‘Lights Up’ Downtown
Regional high school and college students will play and march to holiday music stepping off near the U.S. Steel Plaza Crèche on Grant Street at approximately 6:15 p.m. They will make their way through Downtown to the corner of Penn Avenue and Stanwix Street to pay tribute to the Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Unity Tree—a Pittsburgh tradition since 1953 when it was introduced by Horne’s Department Store.
Participating bands include:
- New Castle High School, under the direction of Nick Yoho
- Pittsburgh Allderdice High School, under the direction of Brian Lee
- St. Vincent College Band, under the direction of Father Jean-Luc Zadrogen
More to be announced.
Celebrate Santa™! Stage Show and Eat’n Park Market Square Season of Lights
Direct from North Pole Productions, Celebrate Santa! is an all-new musical stage show heralding the Downtown arrival of the Jolly Big Guy. Santa, Smiley and Sarah will need everyone’s holiday spirit when they flip the giant switch to the dazzling Eat’n Park Market Square Season of Lights. The synchronized show features more than 150,000 LEDs, including a 33-foot, one-ton sphere tree. Country music artist and Eat’n Park spokeswoman, Sarah Marince, will also perform on the Northwest Savings Bank Stage. Sponsored by Eat ‘n Park and made possible by the Colcom Foundation and the PDP, the Eat’n Park Market Square Season of Lights is a gift to the City for the enjoyment of thousands of holiday season visitors. Nightly choreographed shows are scheduled every thirty minutes from 5-10 p.m. through January 7, 2012.
Pittsburgh Brewing Company 150th Anniversary Fireworks Celebration
No Duquesne Light Light Up Night® is complete without a memorable fireworks grand finale. This year, Pittsburgh Brewing Company, in celebration of 150 years as one of the nation’s oldest and most innovative breweries, promises a spectacular pyrotechnics display synchronized to the sounds of the season.
Choreographed by the renowned Zambelli Internationale Fireworks Company, and set to launch promptly at 9:38 p.m. from the Warhol Bridge, the 22-minute show will be broadcast LIVE on 3WS Radio 94.5 FM. The theatrical production will include dynamic special effects such as strobes, Roman candles, comets, rainbows and Zambelli’s signature effect—only seen in Pittsburgh during Duquesne Light Light Up Night®—a Niagara Falls of white fireworks suspended from the bridge.
RIVER CLOSURE: The Allegheny River will be closed from 7:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. and will re-open under the direction of public safety officials following all required clearances. The closure shall be in effect from the Roberto Clemente Bridge to the Rachel Carson Bridge from milemarkers .6 to .8 on the Allegheny River.
Duquesne Light Light Up Night® Venue Highlights and Media Partners
Fifth Avenue Place: Explore Pittsburgh’s own North Pole at the Fifth Avenue FREEZE! See and touch our icy life-sized Nutcracker and snap photos with frozen elves, reindeer and more. Catch live ice carving shows, and kids can test their skills at Arctic games. Get in the holiday spirit with live musical performances ongoing throughout the night. Kids can create their own Souvenir Snow Globe with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. Visit with holiday characters and celebrate with a signature Airbrush Tattoo.
One Oxford Centre: Free horse-drawn carriage rides, photos with Santa, live reindeer, face painting and musical entertainment.
PPG Place: CLO Mini Stars, American Cancer Society Tribute of Light/ Plaza Tree Lighting, holiday exhibits and live entertainment in the food court.
The PDP is pleased to have the support of the following media partners: WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, City Paper, Froggy Radio Network, 3WS FM, Q92 FM, BOB FM and KQV AM.
Performance Schedule: Saturday, Nov. 19
Noon to 2 pm 2nd Annual Mascot Skate (The Rink at PPG Place)
Northwest Savings Bank Stage: Market Square
Noon Joe Negri Quartet
1:45 pm DoubleShot!
3 pm Vanessa Campagna
4:30 pm Granati Brothers
7:30 pm Billy Price Band (immediately following the Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade)
2nd Annual Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade
The 2nd Annual Horse-drawn Carriage Parade returns this year, featuring nearly 100 horses pulling more than two dozen holiday-decorated carriages through Downtown streets illuminated in bright white lights. The all-equine parade showcases horses of all sizes from majestic Clydesdales to adorable miniatures to mounted riders. Leading the stunning line-up of carriages will be the famous Wells Fargo stagecoach, one of the most recognized and enduring corporate symbols in America. Special guest riders will include our favorite furry friends from Sesame Street Live, Cookie Monster and Elmo! Resembling a Currier and Ives postcard, the parade will step off from the David L. Lawrence Convention Center at
6 p.m. and will proceed down Grant Street, Fifth and Liberty Avenues.
Duquesne Light Light Up Night® Community Commitments – Operation Santa Claus
The PDP is supporting the efforts of media partner Trib Total Media and the Salvation Army for this special campaign to raise funds to provide complete holiday dinners to hundreds of thousands of needy families across Southwestern Pennsylvania. Children in those families also receive coloring books, crayons and a new or gently-used storybook as well.
A complete schedule of events at each location, road closure information and parade route details, will be posted to www.DowntownPittsburgh.com later Tuesday afternoon. The 51st Duquesne Light Light Up Night®, the Saturday, Nov. 19 events and the Horse-drawn Carriage Parade are alcohol-free.
About the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership
The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP) is a dynamic, nonprofit organization comprised of business and community leaders, property owners, civic organizations, foundations and residents who provide energy, vision and advocacy for Downtown Pittsburgh. Working collaboratively with its partners, the PDP strives to create a positive Downtown experience for residents, workers and visitors alike. The PDP’s strategic initiatives include clean and safe services, transportation, housing and economic development and advocacy. For more information, visit www.DowntownPittsburgh.com, follow us on Twitter (@DowntownPitt) and “like” the PDP on Facebook.
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