Embrace the Season: Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s Newest Guide Will Convince Park Visitors that Winter is Best Spent Outdoors
From cozy trail tours with hot cocoa to experiencing the holiday magic downtown, the nonprofit’s winter programming guide provides plenty of warmth to carry Pittsburghers through to spring.
PITTSBURGH – DECEMBER 5, 2024 – The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy today announced its impressive lineup of winter programs that will take place throughout Pittsburgh’s regional and local parks this season. As winter descends upon the Steel City, the Parks Conservancy staff remains positioned to bring engaging, free, and accessible programs to the city’s green spaces despite the cooler temperatures. This year's winter lineup is designed to help people connect with nature, stay active, and form new connections, no matter the time of year.
To kick off the holiday season, the start of winter programming shines brightly with Aurora: Illuminating the Holiday Magic of Mellon Square. In collaboration with Shiftworks and acclaimed light installation artist Joshua Challen Ice, Aurora bedazzles visitors of Mellon Square through mid-January. With the generous support of The Benter Foundation and Eden Hall Foundation, Aurora is set to be the marquee holiday attraction in downtown Pittsburgh, offering a unique blend of art, light, and festive cheer.
“Mellon Square is typically closed each year beginning in early November. We’re thrilled to be opening the park this year and turning it into a winter gathering space for the holiday season,” said Matthew Hileman, Director of Operations and Visitor Engagement. “We’ve put together an exciting lineup of events and holiday-themed performances that will draw visitors to the park and invite them to experience the magic of Aurora.”
A hallmark of the Aurora programming is Saturdays in the Square, which runs every Saturday through December 28 and offers an exciting lineup of live music, tasty bites and beverages, merry and bright performances, and holiday cheer. Featured events and attractions include the Mellon Square Holly Trolley, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre appearance, Best Bites & The Holiday Hop food and fun tours, and a rendition of Duke Ellington's Nutcracker by the Adam Lee Morgan Orchestra. Visit pittsburghparks.org/msq to see the entire agenda and plan your visit.
In addition to Aurora, the Parks Conservancy will provide plenty of opportunities to indulge in the luster of winter with Lichen Walks in Frick and Schenley Parks, Birding Pittsburgh's Parks in Allegheny Commons and Highland Park, Winter Seed Sowing 101 with Bird Lab, and Trail Tours in Hays Woods Park, among others.
“Winter is a great time for birding in Pittsburgh’s parks,” said Stephen Bucklin, Naturalist Educator. “Birds can remain active even during extreme cold weather thanks to adaptations they’ve developed over time. Some of these are physiological, like down feathers, while others are behavioral, like foraging in groups to improve success at finding seeds, spiders, and insect eggs, or huddling together while they sleep to stay warm.” Learn more during Stephen’s Birding Pittsburgh’s Parks series.
New on the list are the Trail Tours in Hays Woods Park, which promise discovery, community-building, and hot cocoa. “We’ve seen a lot of community interest in Hays Woods Park, and yet a lot of folks still aren’t aware of all this urban forest has to offer,” said Jared Belsky, Ecological Restoration Coordinator for Hays Woods Park. “We’re hoping our trail tours will become a recurring series where community members can come together for a hike, discover new areas, and learn about the importance of the ecological restoration efforts taking place in the park and how they can get involved.”
Park lovers can also learn about the intersection of nature and art with the next art exhibit coming to the Frick Environmental Center, Collective Legacy II, presented by Boom Concepts. Featuring diverse practices, experiences, and influences, the exhibition highlights over 50 years of Black arts in the region, drawing from critical research, exploration of institutional archives, and studio visits with contemporary artists across the Greater Pittsburgh area. The art on display is part of a larger exhibit hosted across multiple venues in Pittsburgh.
Finally, the Discovery Time series returns to the Frick Environmental Center, offering children a hands-on opportunity to learn about animals and their habitats from our naturalist educators.
Winter is the perfect time to explore your parks, connect with your fellow neighbors, and learn about the fascinating things happening in nature after the leaves have fallen and the first snow blankets the region. Registration for select events is required. For more information and to view the complete schedule, please visit pittsburghparks.org/events.
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About Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy:
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy was founded in December 1996 by a group of citizens concerned with the deteriorating conditions of Pittsburgh’s historic city parks. A non-profit organization, the Parks Conservancy works closely with the City of Pittsburgh under an official public-private partnership agreement to restore and improve the city’s park system to its full potential. To date, the Parks Conservancy has raised more than $145 million and completed 23 major park improvement projects. The Parks Conservancy works with thousands of volunteers, hosts hundreds of events, and provides programming for more than 7,500 children annually.
CONTACT:
Alana Wenk
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
412.527.0020
awenk@pittsburghparks.org