PITTSBURGH — It’s the 31st year for First Night celebrations in Downtown Pittsburgh. Organizers have some new sights for the thousands who will make their way to the cultural District Tuesday night. Pittsburgh Police say they’re also prepared to make the New Year’s celebration a safe one.
“Our number one priority is ensuring that everyone attending first night in Pittsburgh can enjoy the festivities safely,” said Christopher Ragland, Pittsburgh police’s acting police chief.
It’s a simple but important message from Ragland as the city plans to welcome tens of thousands to downtown Pittsburgh Tuesday night.
Pittsburgh Public Safety says 80 police officers in uniform and in plain clothes will be strategically positioned throughout the footprint of the cultural district. They’ll be joined by dozens of others from Allegheny County.
“County officers are going to be there. Sheriffs are going to be there, point park police, port authority police - we’ll all be working together that day,” said Commander Novosel with Pittsburgh police.
In total, more than 100 police officers will be present for First Night - which touts itself as a family-friendly event.
“It’s a different kind of New Year’s Eve event. It’s not like Times Square which is more oriented towards adults - this is very family-oriented,” said Kannu Sahni, of Highmark Health.
The New Year’s Eve celebration put on by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Highmark aims to give people of all ages the ability to ring in the new year.
“You can build your own night. It’s not just about coming to one spot and having one experience. You can really put together and evening of all sorts of things,” said Brooke Horejsi, of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.
One of those things is an incredible ice maze located at 8th and Penn.
Master Ice Carver and the owner of Ice Creation, Rich Bubin says this is the 4th time he’s built an ice maze downtown for the celebration. The theme this year - “We love Pennsylvania”
“That’s why I’m having like a sailboat scene from Erie. I’ll have the liberty bell, I’ll have the state capitol, the state flag. We have Heinz ketchup, the Primanti’s sandwich,” Bubin said.
The free installation opens Tuesday at 5 p.m. Bubin suggests getting there early as the line will get long.
Also, Pittsburgh police are asking children and teenagers to be accompanied by an adult for First Night.
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