First Night 2025: What to know if you’re heading to Downtown Pittsburgh to ring in the new year

PITTSBURGH — The year 2024 is coming to a close, but Highmark First Night is ready to ring in 2025 in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Highmark First Night Pittsburgh 2025 is a six-hour community celebration of the arts on New Year’s Eve. It features free and ticketed events.

Here’s what to know if you’re heading downtown for the festivities:

Countdown to Midnight:

It wouldn’t be New Year’s without counting down to midnight to ring in the new year. The Steel City is unique in that instead of a ball dropping at midnight, the Future of Pittsburgh ball rises nearly 75 feet to its pinnacle position as fireworks fill the sky.

The Future of Pittsburgh ball can be found at the corner of Stanwix Street and Penn Avenue.

Fun events for all:

First Night features a family-friendly lineup of performers, art installations and an early fireworks display for children at 6:00 p.m. on the Highmark Stage

Some of the free featured events include the annual New Year’s parade, an ice maze, a holiday block party and the Countdown to Midnight.

Some of the ticketed events include a VIP experience, a comedy show and Pittsburgh jazz icon Roger Humphries celebrating the music of Ray Charles.

Local rapper FRZY headlines the event.

For a full lineup of events, click here.

Safety and precautions:

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police will be staffed with 80 officers to provide maximum security coverage in the Cultural District, supported by Pittsburgh EMS, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire, Emergency Management and more than 10 crossing guards. At this time, there are no known security threats to the event, Pittsburgh Public Safety officials said.

What’s the weather?:

While the weather forecast indicates the likelihood of rain throughout the afternoon and evening, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Inspector will evaluate conditions closer to the time of the fireworks display to determine if any adjustments need to be made.

As of Monday night, we are expecting to see some showers arriving in the early afternoon. Some of the initial rain may be heavy at times, with steady light rain expected throughout New Year’s Eve.

Make sure check in with Channel 11 News for the latest on the forecast. Don’t forget to download Severe Weather Team 11 App for the latest updates and alerts.

Major road closures:

The following roads will be closed for the festivities:

Stanwix Street between Fort Duquesne Boulevard and Liberty Avenue beginning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31.
Penn Avenue from 5th Avenue to 9th Street starting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31.

For a full list of road closures and parking options visit: https://bit.ly/pghfirstnight

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