The Very Local Pittsburgh team wishes you a happy and very merry holiday season! Here are some ideas & events to help you make this a very local weekend before Christmas.
FOR GOOD: Know before you give
Looking to make an end of year charitable donation? We’ve put together a know-before-you-give guide to help you understand how your dollar makes a difference.
PODCAST: Surprise destinations
Episode 07 of The Slaw: Staying on Top of Pittsburgh is all about travel. What to pack and how to spend a day in Pittsburgh. We talk to Lillian Rafson, founder of Pack Up + Go, a Pittsburgh-based travel agency that plans surprise trips for travelers.
BEER: Stock up for Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
We did the research for you. Want to grab a growler to bring home to mom? Planning to give the gift of beer? Most of Pittsburgh’s breweries are closed for Christmas Eve & Christmas Day. We’ve put together a guide to all of the holiday hours for all of the local breweries.
SHOP LOCAL: Last-minute gifts
We’re getting to the end of the holiday market season. Stop by 7800 Susquehanna St on Saturday for Ceramic Solstice – six local artists will be selling their wares. Still need to shop? Check out some of the suggestions from Very Local readers on the best gift shops for last-minute gifts.
HOLIDAY PERFORMANCES: Old favorites and new Pittsburgh holiday classics
Skip the slippers and coffee mugs. A better holiday gift is taking your friends and family to one of the many holiday performances happening around town.
🎄FRI 12/20: Holiday Harmonies at the Frick
🎄12/20 – 12/22: Yinzer Yuletide: Pittsburgh Lights & Legends Hosted by Rick Sebak
🎄12/20 – 12/22: Highmark Holiday Pops
🎄12/21 & 12/22: Yinzer Yuletide: Breakfast with Santa & Mickey’s Christmas Carol
🎄SUN 12/22: Trans-Siberian Orchestra
NOW OPEN: 1700 Penn Pop-Up
Helltown Brewing & PA Libations are opening up a new store on Penn Ave. in the Strip District. The new space isn’t quite ready, so they’ve set up a (heated) tent where you can pick-up cans from Helltown and wine from six Pennsylvania wineries. Shopping in the strip? Stop by for a beer or a glass of wine.
NYE: All the places to watch the ball drop
Do you have plans for New Year’s Eve yet? Before you know it, we’ll be starting a new decade. We’ve put together a list of all the New Year’s Eve parties in Pittsburgh.
SAVE THE DATE: New Year/New Galaxy with Starship Mantis
We’re partnering with Epicast, Dancing Gnome & Black Forge Coffee to bring an out-of-this-world collaborative event to fruition on January 4, 2019. Music by Starship Mantis, Trio+ featuring Shad Ali & DJ Femi. Tickets are limited! (Listen to Episode 06 of our podcast for a code to get a bonus beer at the event.)
This weekend in Pittsburgh:
Friday // December 20
Outdoor Film Night: ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ @ 3 Rivers Outdoor Company
For years, the Regent Square theater would screen this classic movie for free. With the recent closing of the movie theater, 3 Rivers Outdoor Company (located just a block away from the theater) will be showing this holiday classic outdoors. Bring a chair and curl up next to their fire pit for the evening.
Saturday // December 21
HoHoHonky-Tonk Jukebox: Country Christmas @ Bloomfield Liedertafel Singing Society
The Honky-Tonk Jukebox crew is bringing country to Bloomfield for a special holiday show. Tickets are $10. (ICYMI we made a little video about Honky-Tonk Jukebox.)
Sunday // December 22
Alpacas & Ales @ Strange Roots Experimental Ales
Strange Roots has invited the alpacas from Stone’s Throw Farm to hang out at the brewery on Sunday. The alpacas will be hanging out in the beer garden. Stone’s Throw Farm will be hosting a pop-up shot in the brewery.
