Peoples Gas Holiday Market

There are only so many places in Pittsburgh that I can blog about. And some are harder to blog about than others. So rather than always blogging about specific places in Pittsburgh, I decided to also include seasonal events. And since the holiday season is upon us, I figured I’d do one or more posts on Pittsburgh’s annual holiday events. To start, I’m going to talk about the Peoples Gas Holiday Market. It’s a great place to check out during the holiday season, whether you’re looking to shop, embrace the cultural diversity of Pittsburgh, or just get into the holiday spirit!

As you may know, in past posts, I’ve backed up my information by including online reviews, and occasionally information from people I’ve interviewed. Well, the information in this post is mainly going to be backed up by a student at my university who I interviewed; I didn’t find too many helpful reviews online, seeing as this is event is only held annually.

The Peoples Gas Holiday Market is an annual event held in the Market Square area of Pittsburgh. It takes place from the weekend before Thanksgiving to a few days before Christmas. It is based on German Christkindlmarkts (or “Christmas Markets”), featuring several vendors selling all types of items from all over the world. And to really get folks into the holiday spirit, The Peoples Gas Holiday Market also features meet-and-greets with Santa, as well as holiday entertainment for visitors to enjoy and participate in.

As I mentioned, the market aspect of the Peoples Gas Holiday Market is modeled after German “Christmas Markets.” Therefore, all the vendors’ stands are built in the form of Alpine-style wooden chalets. And you can buy all kinds of things made both locally and overseas, from clothing items to trinkets to jewelry to food. To see what exactly you can buy there, check out the online list of vendors. But for a few examples, let’s take a look at what my interviewee had to say. She told me that, “There’s lots of things that represent different countries, from jewelry such as necklaces to hand-knit scarves and hats.” Nowadays, it’s difficult to find a lot of international goods in shops without having to travel overseas yourself. But you don’t have to worry about that if you’re in the Pittsburgh area around the holidays, because the vendors at the Peoples Gas Holiday Market have got it all.

It may seem as though a market filled with international handmade goods would be hard for the younger crowd to appreciate. Well, that’s not the case. The Peoples Gas Holidays Market brings something to the table for both kids and adults. To put it bluntly, it’s very family-oriented. For example, at the market, kids can stop by Santa’s house, where they can meet Santa. Plus, families can make a $5 donation to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank in exchange for a photo with Santa. But Santa isn’t the only thing that’ll appeal to kids at the Peoples Gas Holiday Market. My interviewee gave me her thoughts on this: “Everything is very visual and very tactile, so that people can almost ‘feel’ Christmas. It’s so lit up that kids are going to be drawn to it even if they’re not there to buy anything. There’s also an open spot for kids to run around in.” So if you’re contemplating whether or not to bring your kids to the Peoples Gas Holiday Market, go for it! They’re sure to enjoy it just as much as you are.

One great way to get into the holiday spirit while at the Peoples Gas Holiday Market is with the live performances. Several local artists, bands, and school groups perform holiday music on various days at the market. To see the lineup of performances, check out the event website (hyperlinked above.) And visitors to the market can not only enjoy but also participate in the live entertainment as well; starting in 2017, the Peoples Gas Holiday Market is featuring a Holiday Karaoke Contest. You can sign up for it on the website (I think, don’t count on me for that; the contest started this past week, so I don’t know if you can still participate in it or not. If not, try again next year!) Contestants can participate in a singing battle held every Monday and Tuesday for a chance to make it to the grand finale, in which the winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize. “I would say that having live music definitely brings a personal atmosphere to the event,” said my interviewee. “It’s a better idea than having holiday music playing over a speaker, because you can hear that anywhere.” If you’re sick of hearing the same versions of Christmas songs over and over again on the radio, at the Peoples Gas Holiday Market you’ll hear versions that are not only brand new but also live.

There are a few more things I want to say about the Peoples Gas Holiday Market. First, it definitely transforms Market Square. My interviewee will tell you that, “Market Square is a lot more open other times of the year.” This is true; it’s a more open, park-like area, and features shops and restaurants on the sides of the streets. There aren’t any vendors, so it isn’t much of a “market,” as the name might suggest. So the Peoples Gas Holiday Market really transforms it into something special; it provides the perfect holiday atmosphere in more of a “market-like” environment. I actually put two pictures side-by-side below, so that you can compare Market Square around the holidays to what it looks like other times of year. Also, one of the great aspects of the Peoples Gas Holiday Market is its cross-cultural appeal. The vendors’ stands that are based around different countries really help bring together a lot of cultures, which I think is really important in a big city like Pittsburgh. “When I was at the market, it was cool to see that the vendors were talking to each other and making relationships. I really think that kind of thing helps bring their cultures together,” said my interviewee. “It’s cool to bring all of Pittsburgh’s cultures together into one location.” Another thing I should mention is that Market Square is right next to PPG Place, which is well-known for its ice rink which is open around the holidays; this is another thing to check out if you’re near the Peoples Gas Holiday Market. The Peoples Gas Holiday Market truly transforms Market Square in more ways than one.

To get into the holiday spirit, buy some Christmas gifts you may never find anywhere else, or take in the cultural diversity of Pittsburgh, stop by the Peoples Gas Holiday Market this holiday season.