By Brianna Horan, Manager of Tourism & Visitor Experience | Image: In the Historic Harmony District, the ball is dropped at 6:00 p.m. to ring in the new year on German time, as part of the Silvester celebration.
Celebrating Silvester in the Historic Harmony District
As the calendar turns from what is often a rollicking evening of socializing to a usually quiet and introspective first morning of a new year, our minds naturally turn to reflections on the past and visions of what’s to come. The Silvester New Year’s Eve celebration in Harmony, a quaint historic district in Butler County, does that too, wrapping up historic ethnic traditions in a salute to a new year that’s still six hours in the future. The town comes together in the afternoon of New Year’s Eve to celebrate when the clock strikes 6 p.m.—which is midnight in Germany—to usher in the new year alongside a country that has shaped much of Harmony’s history.
This celebration of Silvester—German New Year’s Eve—is free to attend and has been going on for more than a decade in the village, which was the first settlement in America of the Harmonist Society, a group led to the United States by George Rapp of Württemberg, Germany. The town was laid out by 90 families in 1805 as a “Community of Equality,” and named Harmony for one of the society’s core principles. When the Harmonists left in 1814 in search of more land and better water transportation (they would eventually end up founding Economy in present-day Ambridge), a farmer and blacksmith from Lehigh named Abraham Ziegler purchased it, and then led a group of German-speaking Mennonites from eastern Pennsylvania to resettle in Harmony.
Today there are more than 50 preserved buildings in the Harmony Historic District, a National Historic Landmark, about half of which date to the Harmonist period. In addition to Silvester, the town also hosts annual Oktoberfest and Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) events that draw on traditional crafts and culture.
The ties between Harmony and Germany aren’t just a thing of the past—Rodney Gasch, president of the Harmony Museum, remembers a local resident’s story of playing phone tag with her cousin in Leipzig, Germany, in the days after Christmas. Finally, the two connected at about 5:30 p.m. local time on December 31. “Before long she heard fireworks start to go off over the telephone where her cousin was in Germany, and then a few seconds later heard them go off here in Harmony,” Gasch recalls. The women celebrated Silvester together even though there were more than 4,000 miles and an ocean between them.
So why is New Year’s Eve called Silvester in Germany? December 31 is the Feast Day of Pope Silvester I (his name is also spelled Sylvester) in Western Christianity, a day that marks the burial of this Roman-born saint in the year 335. In 1582, the Gregorian calendar placed the last day of the year on December 31, combining the two occasions. Many of the traditions that are observed during German Silvester stem from an even older pagan celebration in Bavaria called Rauhnächte—like making a lot of noise to drive away evil spirits. Fireworks do the trick these days and are a big part of New Year celebrations in both Germany and the United States. In Harmony, fireworks go off at 6 p.m. after a countdown and ball drop, orchestrated by a local tree trimmer who donates the use of his bucket truck to lower a sparkling ball in the middle of the town square. After that, attendees have the rest of the night to revel until midnight—or sleep soundly knowing that they did their part to welcome the new year. “We have a lot of families with little kids who get to see the fireworks and then go home in time to not miss their bedtimes,” Gasch says.
New Year’s Eve, 2019 at Historic Harmony
Attendees can even take home a traditional German dinner meant to bring good luck in the new year: pork loin with sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, applesauce, a cookie, and roll with butter. Typically, the meal is served in one of the historic buildings in Harmony, but because of the pandemic the meals are all carryout this year, and must be ordered ahead of time by December 27. “The Harmony Museum has a couple of volunteers who like to cook for large groups of people, so it’s all homemade,” says Gasch. “Pork with sauerkraut is traditionally considered good luck in the coming year. One of the reasons for that is because a pig roots forward to gather his food, and in the new year you always want to move forward. Isn’t that appropriate for the end of 2021?” Sauerkraut is also thought to bring blessings and wealth in the new year, and before enjoying it diners wish each other as much goodness and money as they number of shreds of cabbage in the pot of sauerkraut—which is quite a lot! You can read more about Silvester food traditions in Germany by clicking here.
Speaking of dinner, one of Germany’s most consistent New Year rituals is watching Dinner for One on television while gathered with friends and loved ones around the dinner table. This ten-minute British comedy sketch is shown on German television every year on New Year’s Eve, and holds the Guinness Record as the most frequently repeated TV show in history as a result. In past years, the sketch has been shown in the town’s historic wine cellar, built in 1809. While it’s a beautiful space built from hand-cut stone from the nearby hillside, indoor activities have been eliminated from this year’s festivities because of the pandemic. “It’s usually a really nice place to get out of the cold,” says Gasch.
Participants run in a 5K during a “Silvester” celebration, reflecting the HarmonyÕs historic German roots, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, in front of the Harmony Museum. (Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette)
There are still a lot of ways to stay warm at Harmony’s Silvester New Year’s Eve. A 5K Run / Walk and 1-Mile Fun Run kicks off the festivities at 3:30 p.m., an event organized by the Harmony Parks Board, which also sponsors the ball drop and fireworks. Another more recently adopted tradition that emerged in Germany is the Christmas Tree Toss. Harmony Museum volunteers drive the streets of Harmony and neighboring Zelienople in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve looking for Christmas trees that have been tossed to the curb early. Then at the Silvester celebration they get tossed dozens of more times! There is a men’s and women’s division for the competition, along with a wreath toss for kids 12 and younger. The farthest throw in each category wins a gift certificate for $20.22 to one of Harmony’s local coffee shops. This tradition isn’t followed precisely, however. “In Germany, they culminate in tossing all of the Christmas trees in the town square and lighting them on fire for a big bonfire,” Gasch explains. To avoid a big blaze, the tournament is contained to the driveway of the Harmony Museum, and no fire is involved.
Sheila Yencik of Ross participates in the Christmas tree toss during a “Silvester” celebration, reflecting the Harmony’s historic German roots, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019, in front of the Harmony Museum. (Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette)
Gasch has the perfect winter warmer for those who prefer to watch the festivities rather than tie up their racing shoes or roll up their sleeves: Gluhwein. He often spends Silvester in the Gluhwein hut, dressed in lederhosen, knee socks, and a German alpine-style hat while he serves a warm blend of burgundy wine, apple cider, and spices that that translates to “glow wine” in English. This traditional beverage is found at many of the traditional Christmas markets in Germany. Harmony’s is served in a glass keepsake mug that can be brought back that evening or to future events for low-cost refills.
But gluhwein in hand or not, chilly weather is no reason to stay home. This year will mark the return of Silvester after a year off last year due to the pandemic, but in the past around 3,500 people have participated in the German New year’s celebration, which is organized by both the Harmony Museum and the Harmony Parks Board. The crowd is filled with locals and visitors from around the region. Gasch says he often meets people who are recent immigrants to the area from Germany, who studied there, or were stationed in the country while serving in the military. “It’s a great excuse to bundle up and be outside,” says Gasch. “Several years ago, we had gigantic snowflakes that were floating down as the ball dropped and the fireworks started. It was magical, and we’re hoping that happens again!”
Silvester New Year’s Eve starts at 3:00 p.m. and ends a bit after German midnight at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, December 31. The event is free, and full details can be found by clicking here.
By Gita Michulka, Contributing Writer | Image: The Carothers Family cabin in the Historic Harmony District will showcase how 19th-century setters worked.
Community Spotlight
The Community Spotlight series features Rivers of Steel’s partner organizations whose work contributes to the vibrancy of the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area.
Harmony Museum’s Newest Display will Showcase how 19th-Century Settlers Worked
Harmony Historic District—a National Historic Landmark sitting north of Pittsburgh “30 miles and 200 years from the big city”—is home to one of the region’s largest preserved collections of buildings dating to the first quarter of the 1800s. The Harmonists, a communal society from Germany, first settled in the area in 1804. “They were very industrious,” points out Rodney Gasch, President of the Harmony Museum. “When they left in 1814 after just 10 years, they left 135 buildings, of which we have 25 left. It’s a great concentration of old buildings, and we’re really blessed to have all of this historic structure here in town.”
Thanks to a generous donation from a supporter of the museum, paired with funding from River of Steel’s Mini-Grant Program, this historic collection has grown by one log cabin and one unique display.
“There is a supporter of the museum, the P.W. Carothers Family, and the house that they grew up in was getting torn down, and the basis of that house was a circa 1820 log cabin,” says Gasch. “They offered to donate the log cabin part of the building to the museum so it could be preserved. We were able to partner with the Borough of Harmony—they had what was just a gravel municipal parking lot at the entrance to Harmony’s Historic Landmark District—and we reassembled the log cabin on that gravel parking lot to serve as a new focal point as you enter the historic district.”
A collection of Harmony Museum volunteers worked to dismantle, relocate, and reconstruct the log cabin. Work included numbering the logs as they were taken down—so they could be put back together “like Lincoln Logs,” sealing the area between the logs with cement chinking, installing a roof, and adding an era-appropriate porch.
Once this work was complete, the porch was used to house visitor information for both Butler County and places of interest in the Borough of Harmony.
“But we didn’t have the funding to finish the inside,” explains Gasch. “And so the Mini-Grant Program was really crucial for us, because we could match the Mini-Grant money with our labor, and we have a lot of really talented volunteers. Like most nonprofits, funding is a challenge, but we have skilled people who are happy to help out.”
Harmony Museum volunteer Frank Luek applies a finish to the beadboard ceiling. Recessed ceiling lights, powered by rooftop solar panels, provide the lighting.
The Harmony Museum is already home to a similar cabin that was donated about 40 years ago, which is included as part of the museum tour to showcase how a 19th-century pioneer family would have lived. The display includes old rope beds, a spinning wheel, and candle making tools, among other artifacts.
Once completed, the Carothers Family cabin, which Gasch considers a “sister cabin” to this current display, will showcase how settlers from the same era worked.
With the funding from the Rivers of Steel grant, the interior of the cabin is in the process of being completed as true-to-the-era as possible. The cabin received a new sub-floor, and a museum member with a particular interest in having things look historically correct arranged for the delivery of hemlock plank flooring. The interior chinking has been fortified, and Gasch was also able to locate rosette nails from a manufacturer in Massachusetts that still makes the old-fashioned square-headed nails, to complete the look.
Installing solar panels on the cabin.
In order to have greater flexibility to offer programming throughout the year while staying true to the integrity of the time period, the museum also had solar panels installed on the roof that will power recessed direct-current lighting to illuminate the cabin during tours and programming. “The cabin is still ‘off-the-grid’,” notes Gasch, “but we now have flexibility to hold events into the evening hours or during dreary winter months.”
An additional donation from the Carothers Family will be put toward the final installation of the exhibit itself, which will include wood working tools, blacksmith tools, rake making, and representation of domestic work as well, with 150-year-old washing machines and butter churns.
Visitors to the cabin will also be able to learn how settlers utilized natural freeze / thaw cycles to create what locals call “barn stones”—massive chunks of sandstone that were carved down into square building blocks used as bases for buildings and structures.
Beyond the permanent displays, a new feature of the museum’s programming will be an artisans-in-residence series offered at the cabin. The exhibits housed in the center of the space will live on moveable panels, allowing the museum to open up the cabin to showcase an artisan at work. “We can invite a wood carver, or someone who spins or weaves, to come in and spend some time demonstrating their craft,” says Gasch. “We’re looking forward to highlighting artists who can demonstrate these skills that would have also been integral to the daily lives of the 19th-century settlers.”
Harmony Museum volunteers are working to complete the interior of the cabin and the displays by the spring of 2022. Learn more at harmonymuseum.org.
All photos provided by Historic Harmony, Inc.
About the Mini-Grant Program
Rivers of Steel’s Mini-Grant Program assists heritage-related sites and organizations as well as municipalities within the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area to develop new and innovative programs, partnerships, exhibits, tours, and other initiatives. Funded projects support heritage tourism, enhance preservation efforts, involve the stewardship of natural resources, encourage outdoor recreation, and include collaborative partnerships. Through these efforts, Rivers of Steel seeks to identify, conserve, promote, and interpret the industrial and cultural heritage that defines southwestern Pennsylvania.
The Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is one of twelve supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Funding is provided via DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program and the Environmental Stewardship Fund to Rivers of Steel, which administers the Mini-Grant Program. The Historic Harmony, Inc. is one of six organizations who received Mini-Grant funding through this program in 2021.
Gita Michulka is a Pittsburgh-based marketing and communications consultant with over 15 years of experience promoting our region’s arts, recreation, and nonprofit assets.
Otets Paissii Performing Folk Ensemble. All images courtesy of the BMNECC.
Heritage Highlights
Rivers of Steel’s Heritage Arts program strives to represent the region’s diverse cultural heritage, from ethnic customs and occupational traditions directly linked to Pittsburgh’s industrial past to new American folk arts and cultural practices emerging from the region’s diverse urban experience. Usually passed down from person to person within close-knit communities, these cultural traditions are as varied as they are unique, each representing one aspect of what makes southwestern Pennsylvania’s heritage so rich.
This month, Jon Engel popped down the street to 449 West Eighth Avenue in West Homestead, which has been home to the Bulgarian Macedonian National Educational and Cultural Center for nearly a century. There, he met a tight-knit—yet ever-expanding—community, bound by their rich folklife and universal love for food, music, and each other. He spoke with some of their members about the specific traditions that the Center seeks to preserve, why those traditions are valuable, and how they remain relevant to this day.
The Bulgarian Macedonian National Educational and Cultural Center
By Jonathan Engel
The Bulgarian Macedonian Club
Lambe Markoff immigrated to Pittsburgh in 1909. He was part of that vast generation of Eastern Europeans who came to the United States at the turn of the century, one of the working class immigrants from whom so many in this region now claim descent.
He brought his family over from Macedonia in 1912—his wife, daughter, and father. His descendants have lived in the Steel Valley area ever since. In 1930, Lambe and a group of other Bulgarian and Macedonian immigrants banded together to create the Bulgarian and Macedonian Benefit Association. They established themselves as one of many ethnic clubs that sprouted around this time. As new arrivals, they sought to make new lives in America, under the ashen sky of the steel city. Like other such clubs, the Association’s primary directives were to support their community and to preserve the arts and traditions of their home cultures. When Ed Markoff, Lambe’s grandson, tells me this, he is brimming with pride. Ed is 73-years-old—we spoke on his birthday. He has spent his life continuing his family’s legacy. He is the current president of the Bulgarian Macedonian National Educational and Cultural Center (BMNECC), the Association’s new form, still located in the original brick building in West Homestead.
Ninety-one years after the club was founded, while many other 20th-century ethnic clubs have closed, BMNECC has evolved into a multifaceted organization with a focus on community events and cultural education. The endurance of the Bulgarian and Macedonian folk culture in Pittsburgh is largely due to the efforts of people like Ed, who speak of their families and friends in poetry. But he is not alone. At BMNECC, a cohort of life-long locals and recent immigrants strive to maintain their ancestral traditions and unique histories, both of which transcend borders.
Ed Markoff with a portrait of Lambe Markoff.
The Founders
Lambe Markoff was not a steelworker. In fact, back then, very few Bulgarians and Macedonians were. As Ed sees it, they were “entrepreneurs,” an “independent people” coming from rural countryside with no steel mills. Many preferred to start their own businesses. In the early 1900s, Pittsburgh may have been home to something around twenty Bulgarian bakeries, BMNECC member Zhelyzako Latinov recalls.
Lambe was a founder of the West Homestead Baking Company, which was supported by twenty more Bulgarian and Macedonian immigrants. Located next door to the Center, they operated well into the 1960s, providing bread and baked goods to the city. That building has since been demolished and the land is now used as the Center’s parking lot, to which they have recently added a patio and garden.
Zhelyzako “Jak” Latinov
The Baker
But that history survives to this day. Zhelyzako “Jak” Latinov moved to Pittsburgh in 2010, drawn by the support the public education system offered his kids. Jak, like many members of the Center, is part of a “new wave” of immigrants who have come from Bulgaria since the end of the Cold War. If you ask him, it is fate—his name translates, literally, to “steel”. He began his business, Jak’s Bakery, back in his home city, but it now operates out of the Center’s large, recently renovated kitchen. The Center offers it to him at a small rent, to help him build capital in America and to honor their own culinary heritage. Jak is giddy when he talks about this: “Everything is so connected. . . . I feel special when I’m saying ‘Oh, I’m a Bulgarian baker in Pittsburgh’. It’s awesome! To be part of it . . . everything’s kind of meant to happen.”
The Bread
Bread is absolutely central. Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Macedonia border each other, straddling Europe and Asia. For as long as records go back, the region has been a throughway for travelers from many disparate lands, each of whom brought a piece of their own world with them, . . . much like Pittsburgh itself, Jak wagers. Bread became a key part of this history, being the thing that locals offered the weary. “Even if you don’t have anything,” Jak says, “you always have bread and salt to share with strangers.” As well as a staple food, bread became a symbol of Bulgarian folk culture’s core value: hospitality. And Bulgarian bread takes many forms, especially at Jak’s Bakery. From layers of cheesy banitsa to jam-filled kifla crescents, Jak combines traditional recipes with local ingredients to create unique, but storied, treats. Much like Americans have birthday cakes and holiday pies, in Bulgaria, there is a bread for every occasion, including pita za proshtapulnik, a ceremonial bread prepared to celebrate the first steps of a newborn child. Layered with walnuts and sugar, traditionally, it is completed by imprinting the shape of the baby’s feet on top. Jak serves a variation, footless, as a delicious dessert.
The School
Another recent immigrant is Nick Nedev, who has become the head of BMNECC’s Bulgarian Sunday school. Nick says that the community and focus of the Center has been vital to him as a first-generation citizen: “Being immersed in the sounds and the images that I’m used to, from my childhood, allows me to take myself back to where I was born and kinda’ charge me with energy for this quest that I’m on. Y’know, deciding to pursue a better life, in a different country, and still not forget where I came from. Just having that experience, essentially once a week, is beneficial to me. And, at the same time, it’s very important that I pass these traditions that I’m aware of—this wonderful music as well!—to my own children.”
Every week, students enrolled in the Center’s classes practice speaking Bulgarian and learn traditional folk dances. “Moving to a different country is a huge step,” Nick says, “and usually there is a sense of sadness. You miss the homeland. Places like this remind you of where you came from. At the same time, having a school for the kids is a way to not dismiss their past. Just like I am trying to teach my kids the culture and the music—that sense of pride, a lot of parents are treating the school as a way to teach their kids about where their parents are from.”
Danka Folk Dance Ensemble
The Dancers
Frances Wieloch is not Bulgarian. She grew up in a Croatian church in Steelton, Pennsylvania, dancing. But in accordance with the Bulgarian code of folk ethics, there is a place for her at BMNECC too. Their two dance troupes—the performance-level Otets Paisii and casual Danka ensemble—focus on the traditional dances of Bulgaria, but offer membership to anyone interested in partaking. Fran is a member of both and, like many of her colleagues, is a former member of the local folk dance legends, the Tamburitzans. (Other alumni include Ed Markoff, multiple staff members, and several performers in Otets Paissii.)
“It’s definitely filled the void for me,” Fran says of BMNECC, reflecting on her participation in folk dance troupes across the world, ranging in traditions from Israeli to Ukrainian. Like many other non-Bulgarians, Fran is drawn to this folk dance—called horo, in Bulgarian—because of its unique rhythms. While American music traditionally employs time signatures like 2/4 or 3/4, Bulgarian folk music is often much faster, ranging from 5/8 to 11/16. This means that the dances are also faster and more challenging, even for veterans like Fran. This challenge has attracted many dancers and exercise enthusiasts from all around the world.
Otets Paissii Dancers
The Dances
Despite being relatively small, Bulgaria and Macedonia are hugely diverse in their geography and culture. Within Bulgaria itself, dance styles range greatly, stemming mostly from the history and topography of the many subregions. As Bilyana Stafura explained it, there is a deep contrast between the fast-paced, highly competitive dances of the Shop region and the modest, elegant dance of Pirin, arising from exchanges with different neighboring countries and the many different contexts in which people danced. She also contrasts the light, wide dances of the Moesia plains with the subtler, smaller dances of the cold Rhodope Mountains, which follows from how the people moved through the different landscapes and different histories. This variety also shows through in Otets Paisii’s costumes, which are based on the clothing rural Bulgarians would have worn in their daily lives. Performances that draw heavily from Moesian dance styles will favor lighter clothing, while performances focused on Rhodope will tend towards heavy, chill-friendly costumes. In a way, each dance performance serves to symbolically recreate the homeland on any stage—adopting the wardrobe and even the physical postures of daily life there, though with a theatrical flourish.
The Ensemble
The Choreographer
As artistic director, Bilyana shapes every Otets Paisii performance. In each show, she tries to incorporate styles from as many of the different folklore regions of Bulgaria as possible, as well as some contemporary movement, while honoring the unique traditions of each. She describes the steps in a performance as part of a “dance vocabulary.” Like learning a language, performers begin by carefully memorizing the physical actions of each step, then slowly piecing them together into routines and then routines into performances. “You have to learn the letters before you can learn the words,” Bilyana says, “and then you can arrange them in a sentence. Before you can write the novel, you need the basic foundations. So, in dance, we learn the foundation. Then we expand on it. We expand the vocabulary. And then we write the poem—we do the dance.”
Since taking charge of the troupe in 2008, Bilyana has worked with Otets Paisii to stage annual shows that are accurate to Bulgarian culture, entertaining to audiences, and collaboratively challenging to the dancers. Bilyana has been dancing all her life, having trained at two national academies back in Bulgaria: “I was five, sitting and watching my brother dancing, and my feet were just going. And the dance teacher told my mother, she will be a dancer!” Just as BMNECC has sought to maintain the folk dances brought over by immigrants to America, in Bulgaria, the government established national academies and dance troupes to professionalize the art. Recent years have also seen a resurgence in informal interest and practice in horo within the Bulgarian people.
A Musical Performance
The People’s Songs
Bilyana has danced these dances her whole life. “For me, half of my soul is in the folklore,” she says, “It’s how I was able to connect with others, how I was able to find myself as a person, how I was able to cope in life.”
These traditions are held onto, most of the members agree, because they are at once expressive and communal. “It’s community, 100%,” folk musician and frequent player at the Center, Paul Stafura, explains. “It’s the community, and it’s the culture, and it’s the people!” He has played Eastern European ethnic music all his life, in many different venues, and greatly enjoys the niche audiences he performs for.
“People are interested in what you’re doing. . . . They request songs, the whole thing. I think that’s a powerful experience. Most musicians would agree, especially in an ethnic context, that once you get in a crowd, and the crowd’s around you, and everybody’s singing the same songs and they’re arm-in-arm, arms on the shoulders, whatever—it’s a special moment.”
To the patrons of the Bulgarian Macedonian Center, these traditions are alive and vital, connecting them to their ancestry and to the here and now. To the musicians who play there, their audiences are friends that they know well and understand what they are seeking. “We call them ‘people songs’,” says Nick Nedev, “Y’know, the folk songs. Those are the ones that have existed for hundreds of years, and we all know them, and we’re all able to sing them. When a song like that comes on, and you look around, you can definitely see people appreciating it. You can almost just nod at them and it’s like, ‘Yep! I got you.’ It’s an unsaid experience, an unspoken experience.”
Ed Markoff with the mural featuring dancers at the BMNECC.
The People’s Center
When I visited the BMNECC this fall, I walked in to see the students of a weekly conga class filter out. The Center is available for anyone to rent and often hosts events featuring other forms of folk music, especially other Eastern European bands. As Ed puts it, the Center is focused on “unity in diversity.” This attitude means that, while Pittsburgh’s Bulgarian and Macedonian population have never been relatively large, it has always been the center of the traditional arts scene. Many members recall the Pittsburgh Folk Festival, where immigrant cultures from around the city would gather together to put on public performances and cultural displays. Every year, the crowd would consume huge music halls or the massive convention center, only to end up back at the annual BMNECC afterparty.
“You bring an instrument, you got in for free,” Fran Wieloch recalls, “because you got up on stage and played! Everybody came, everybody played anything. So there was this sense of community, an ethnic community, that the Bulgarian Center fostered. And I think that is part of Bulgarian traditions—to be welcoming. It transcends over to how they live and how they present themselves with culture.” Ed states it more simply: “You never have a bad time at the Bulgarian Macedonian Center.”
It is my belief that BMNECC will celebrate its 92nd anniversary next year because of this, more than anything: because they understand that, if these traditions are to survive—in this place or any place—they are to survive together, in mutual appreciation and respect. Because that is what a tradition exists for. That is what a community exists for. And that, if I may editorialize a bit, is what life exists for.
I wish you all happy holidays, and I thank you for a wonderful year.
Festive cocktails from the Krampus, Baby pop-up bar at Lorelei, Photo: Tom O’Connor/ Lorelei Instagram @loreleipgh
By Brianna Horan, Manager of Tourism & Visitor Experience
Making Spirits Bright—A Tasty Holiday Happenings Guide
In this companion piece to our Ultimate Holiday Happenings Guide, we share local restaurants, breweries, and distilleries that are capturing the spirit of the season with special menus and offerings. Raise a glass of cheer, or take a warm meal home to go and and be fueled by the holiday spirit!
Holiday Happy Hour Hike through Downtown Pittsburgh
Looking for the best of the holiday sights, bites, and sips in the city? NEXTPittsburgh’s Sally Quinn created a 12-stop jaunt through downtown to make sure you don’t miss a thing. Take a Holiday Happy Hour Hike.
Hop Farm Brewing Company, Photo courtesy @hopfarmbrewing Instagram
Hop Farm Brewing’s Hip-Hop Holiday
5601 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
This Lawrenceville Brewery’s holiday party on December 17 features throwback hip-hop jams from DJ Femi & DJ Big Phil, along with a beer release, cocktails, and holiday fun. Pfeffernusse Stout, inspired by the traditional German spiced cookie, debuts this evening. Portions of the proceeds will be donated to Alle-Kiski Hope Center. Event Details.
Holiday Pop-Up Bars
Various Locations
An array of festive spots appear for the holiday season, with the halls decked and cozy cocktails at the ready. Many pop-up holiday bars collect donations for charities or contribute portions of their profits to organizations in need.
Warm up the holidays with a special treat from Kingfly Spirits. Stop by their Strip District distillery and tasting room to get your hands on a bottle of Nocino, their take on the classic Italian liqueur, featuring hand harvested green walnuts, clove, Tanzanian dark roast coffee beans, and panela. It’s a limited run—one not offered via their website—so perhaps it’s just that something special you’ve been looking for to gift this season. If walnuts are not your thing, Kingfly has a plethora of tasty, new spirits to try, including Chamomile Liqueur, Orange Liqueur, Coffee Liqueur, Rye Whiskey, and Gin. Info about each of these spirits is available on their website.
Lorelei Pittsburgh is getting in the spirit with their Krampus, Baby pop-up bar Photo: Lorelei Pittsburgh Instagram, @loreleipgh
Krampus, Baby Holiday Pop-Up Bar at Lorelei
124 S Highland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Those on the “naughty” list will feel right at home in this seasonal pop-up inspired by the horned character from Alpine folklore! Leave it to Krampus to deal with the children who have misbehaved throughout the year, while you enjoy wood-fired pizzas, cocktails, and mocktails—and resolve to be better next year! Website and more info from Good Food Pittsburgh.
La Prima Espresso Co.’s Buon Natale 2021 Blend
Various Locations
To celebrate the winter holidays, La Prima’s head roaster crafts a cozy coffee blend each year. Buon Natale 2021 enters the palate as smooth dark fruit, mellows with a hint of rosemary, and finishes with comforting cacao—a friendly medium roast. Website.
Penn Brewery’s St. Nikolaus Bock
800 Vinial Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
This rich, strong, malty lager is a seasonal tradition at this German-style brewery. Website.
Puppuccino Boutique’s gift boxes have you covered if you need to deliver some puppy love! Photo: Puppuccino Boutique’s Instagram, @puppuccinoboutique
Puppaccino Boutique Gift Box
Four-legged friends deserve something sweet this time of year, too! Pittsburgh-based Puppuccino Boutique has you covered with their gift boxes, which include two dozen baked treats, available in flavors like baked sweet potato cinnamon, or baked peanut butter bacon. Website or Instagram.
Seasonal Sipping at BrewDog Outpost Pittsburgh
144 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Cozy up at this local outpost of Scottish Brewing Company BrewDog, and enjoy festive beers like Hoppy Christmas, Ginger All the Way, and more on tap. Website.
Shell’s Sweets & Treats’ Sweet Potato Red Velvet Pies
500 Pine Hollow Rd., McKees Rocks, PA 15136
Can’t decide whether you want to serve sweet potato pie or red velvet cake at your holiday gathering? Shell’s Sweets & Treats has combined them both in one delicious dessert!
Threadbare Cider House & Meadery’s holiday flavors make a great gift for friends—or yourself! Photo: Threadbare Cider House Instagram, @threadbarecider
Threadbare Cider House & Meadery’s Frost & Sip Events
1291 Spring Garden Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Frost festive Christmas-themed cookies at Threadbare Cider House & Meadery in Spring Garden, where you’ll learn how to make and color royal icing, and then practice techniques like outlining, flooding, and wet-on-wet decorating. Events on December 16 & 22. Threadbare is also serving up seasonal ciders, like Pomegranate, Sweet Cranberry, and Gingerbread. Event website.
As the manager of tourism and visitor experience for Rivers of Steel, Brianna Horan is always discovering new things to do throughout the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area—and getting to know its people! Check out her Ultimate Holiday Happensing Guide.
By Gita Michulka, Contributing Writer | Image: Project partners from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Architecture and Hazelwood’s Arts Excursions Unlimited pose with the newly installed Rocking Cradles in Hazelwood Green, a project created in partnership with Center of Life and supported with funding from Rivers of Steel’s Mini-Grant Program. Photo by Lake Lewis.
Community Spotlight
The Community Spotlight series features Rivers of Steel’s partner organizations whose work contributes to the vibrancy of the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area.
Center of Life and CMU Team Up to Create Urban Furniture for Environmental Justice in Hazelwood Green
When an object is created with a 3D printer, it is built up layer by layer, each one supporting the next. The same can be said for Center of Life’s urban furniture project in Hazelwood Green—a collaborative project built from the ground up, quite literally, with community members, artists, and nonprofit and university partners each supporting the layers of the work.
With funding from River of Steel’s Mini-Grant Program, Rocking Cradle—Urban Furniture for Environmental Justice took shape over the last year. These 3D-printed cradle rockers are embedded with community-created art and will serve as both seating and planters for native species. Through the design process, the team also took a deep look at the environmental impacts of industry on the landscape with a vision for how things can be created in a beneficial way moving forward.
Rocking Cradle Concept Drawings (Courtesy of and copyright by Dana Cupkova)
Development Without Displacement
“The Hazelwood Green development has become a huge development property in Pittsburgh, and now that we see more and more things happening, more and more businesses establishing themselves there, the project [was pitched] to create a communal space where everyone in the community could use that space,” says Patrick Ohrman, development manager at Center of Life.
“Our intention, with the artistic guidance of Edith and in collaboration with Center of Life, was to create meaningful pathways for Hazelwood youths to have a presence in the current development of Hazelwood Green,” says Cupkova. “This co-authorship would embody their voice present through the combined language of art and ecology, and that would project into the future of development at the site.”
This project was not only supported by funding from Rivers of Steel’s Mini-Grant Program, but also by matching funds from industry ExOne and a research grant from Manufacturing Futures Institute.
Students with Center of Life help conceive the project at CMU.
Hazelwood Green’s Postindustrial Landscape
Hazelwood, a Monongahela River community sandwiched between its industrial neighbors in the South Side and Homestead, was once home to several Jones & Laughlin Steel Company industrial plants and was a hub of industry. The area produced so much steel it necessitated the installation of the Hot Metal Bridge, which became the second most heavily guarded piece of infrastructure in the United States during WWII. The adjacent neighborhood swelled to over 13,000 residents up until the 1980s, but with the decline of the steel industry that number has dwindled to less than 6,000.
Since the early 2000s, the brownfield site along the river has undergone significant remediation, including the installation of a nursery in Hazelwood Green by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, where the cradle rockers are installed.
“Hazelwood built a large portion of Pittsburgh utilizing the former steel mill on the Hazelwood Green site,” notes Ohrman. “Visiting the site to see this installation and all of the new development is an opportunity for people to really understand the history of Hazelwood and where it’s been and where it’s going now. And so instead of the site being more closed off… you know, you can walk to it, there are bike lanes down there, and we want people to feel welcome to it. We always say, we don’t want development to happen to Hazelwood, we want it to happen through Hazelwood.”
From left to right: Samuara Green (Arts Excursions Unlimited), Longney Luk, (School of Architecture CMU, graduate student), Dana Cupkova (School of Architecture CMU, associate professor), Kirman Hanson (School of Architecture CMU, graduate student), Edith Abeyta (Arts Excursions Unlimited and Center of Life), Matthew Huber (School of Architecture CMU, adjunct professor), Tayshaun Watkins (Arts Excursions Unlimited), Louis Suarez (School of Architecture CMU, graduate student). Photo by Lake Lewis.
Forging Connections
Center of Life has been active in Hazelwood as a community empowerment organization since 2001. In the 20 years since, they have engaged K–12 students, their families, and the community at large to provide diverse educational and art opportunities while also advocating for inclusive development of Hazelwood.
“As we started to craft this project—we’ve always had a great relationship with Carnegie Mellon University; they’ve always been willing to help us out in various ways, whether that’s dedicated to programming for kids, allowing students to learn from them, especially as Pittsburgh becomes more of a tech city,” says Ohrman.
“We wouldn’t have been able to afford the 3D printing without this Mini-Grant. And CMU felt it was a natural partnership to tap into in order to complete this project. When we start to have a presence down there [at Hazelwood Green] then the community can start to trust and realize that this isn’t happening without the voices of Hazelwood.”
Abeyta had help with this project from two high school students enrolled in the Start on Success program. Photo by Lake Lewis.
This trust included the leadership of Edith and the involvement of AEU programming to engage Hazelwood youth in the design process as well. Working with Center of Life’s Fusion after-school program, Abeyta held workshops with students ages 5–17 twice a week to generate the text that is embedded on the rockers. The students went on photography walks around the neighborhood to capture handwritten text found on buildings and landmarks; they participated in Mad Libs-style exercises, working together to fill in the text components; and they spent time looking at specific contemporary African American artists who primarily work with text, all to generate visual content that was meaningful to the community.
“Through this art-making and design process, and working with the CMU School of Architecture, solutions, innovation, and advanced manufacturing, as well as social justice and environmental issues, are embedded in the work…it’s a great project that pulls all this content together, not just in the end-result, but also throughout the process,” says Abeyta.
After they drafted initial designs, the participating teens traveled to CMU with Edith and Dana to brainstorm and refine the designs. The students were given an intro and exposure to the 3D design process and helped finalize the pieces that would ultimately be printed from sand and installed on site.
Urban Furniture for Environmental Justice
Cupkova notes the significance of the project from an ecological viewpoint as well. “The 3D printing process is part of a bigger research trajectory that reconsiders the lifecycle of construction and contributes to carbon reduction through design of innovative ecologically conscious materials, while using construction waste to intelligently shape future environments.”
As Hazelwood Green grows, it is fitting for this kind of forward-thinking development to occur on the site of a former industry hub. And it is the hope of community leaders like Center of Life and AEU that other outside organizations take note.
“If we look at how Center of Life operates,” says Ohrman, “we have a blueprint for how communities and nonprofit organizations can forge great partnerships with larger entities like universities or businesses or other nonprofit partners. And really when you work together rather than in silos, we see there’s a lot of development that happens.”
About the Mini-Grant Program
Rivers of Steel’s Mini-Grant Program assists heritage-related sites and organizations as well as municipalities within the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area to develop new and innovative programs, partnerships, exhibits, tours, and other initiatives. Funded projects support heritage tourism, enhance preservation efforts, involve the stewardship of natural resources, encourage outdoor recreation, and include collaborative partnerships. Through these efforts, Rivers of Steel seeks to identify, conserve, promote, and interpret the industrial and cultural heritage that defines southwestern Pennsylvania.
The Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is one of twelve supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Funding is provided via DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program and the Environmental Stewardship Fund to Rivers of Steel, which administers the Mini-Grant Program. Center of Life is one of six organizations who received Mini-Grant funding through this program in 2021.
Gita Michulka is a Pittsburgh-based marketing and communications consultant with over 15 years of experience promoting our region’s arts, recreation, and nonprofit assets.
If you’d like to know more about community projects supported by the Mini-Grant Program, read Gita’s recent article about the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.
By Brianna Horan, Manager of Tourism & Visitor Experience
The Ultimate Holiday Happenings Guide for the Rivers of Steel Heritage Area
Holiday merriment brings light and warmth as the nights grow longer and the air turns frosty around the winter solstice. ’Tis the season—and however you celebrate it, there’s a lot of fun to be had in the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area! We’ve assembled the ultimate guide to events and activities happening throughout the region over the next month, which range from classic observances to new twists on tradition!
As you make your plans, be sure to check the organization’s website and social media to stay informed of updates to pandemic safety protocols.
We wish you all a healthy and happy holiday season around the Heritage Area!
Events: December 4, 2021
AWC Community Day: Holiday Edition at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center
This family-focused party at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center is filled with festivities indoors and outside, including performances by the Center’s hip-hop campers, Brandon Terry’s Fusion Illusion Band, Kwanzaa drummers and dancers, a choir, and a DJ. There’s a Kwanzaa educational workshop, a visit from Santa, and a free hot chocolate bar!
Chanukah Bash hosted by Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, Young Adult Division
Join Pittsburgh’s young adult community for an evening of joy and light to celebrate Chanukah at Iron City Circus Arts in Pittsburgh’s South Side. Attendees will enjoy an open bar, hot donuts from Bella Christie, music, aerial dancers, and more. Capacity is limited and advance registration is recommended.
Chanukah Celebration: Light Up Night 7 hosted by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh
All are invited to this free, family-friendly program at the JCC in Squirrel Hill. There will be crafts, games, and sufganiyot (Israeli donuts!), followed by Havdalah and a Chanukah candle lighting. Attendees are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to be distributed through the Christian Church of Wilkinsburg to children who celebrate Christmas.
Walk along a candlelit cobblestone street and visit the historic buildings with interpreters eager to show off wares from the nineteenth century. People looking for last-minute gift ideas will find unique handmade items for sale by vendors. Local choirs will be performing. Children’s crafts and activities along with Belsnickel, a fur-clad companion to St. Nicholas from German folklore, will be found in the Granary. Food is available for purchase.
This Valencia farm will have local Christmas trees and wreaths available for purchase, along with food, face painting, and access to the petting zoo and corn pit. Santa will be at the farm, along with dozens of handmade product vendors for special holiday gifts.
This hilarious original production takes us to Miami, where the December temps are high, and people’s greed is causing chaos—even Santa Claus finds himself in legal trouble. Judge Jude E. might be able to save Christmas—or make it worse!
Kick off your Christmas celebrations with Santa, Mrs. Claus, Buddy the Elf, and many more characters at this farm in Hickory, Washington County. Check out the food trucks, private workshops, and local small business vendors!
Head to Vandergrift, on the northern edge of Westmoreland County, to enjoy activities for the whole family, including a parade, craft and food vendors, live entertainment, a cookie contest, caroling, Christmas trivia, a gingerbread house contest, and more.
Look forward to games, crafts, entertainment, and a visit from Santa at this site of a pivotal battle fought between the British and Native Americans during the conflict known as Pontiac’s War in 1763 in what is today Jeannette, Westmoreland County. The party is intended for children ages 5 to 12 years.
Temple David in Monroeville welcomes spectators to cheer on teams of all ages as they participate in a variety of fun activities and challenges to earn points and win prizes! The closing ceremony and Chanukkiah lighting will also be streamed on Zoom.
A Local Santa’s Workshop with Channel Craft Toys at the Westmoreland History Education Center
Since 1983, Dean Helfer, Jr., has kept alive the tradition of wooden toys, games, and puzzles with his “Made in the USA” company, Channel Craft, in Charleroi, PA. Items are tailor-made for thousands of specialty toy and gift stores, museums, parks, and attractions. Join Dean for an informative talk about his business, along with toy demonstrations and giveaways. This presentation is great for adults and children alike.
The snowflake lights on Second Avenue will be aglow, and businesses all along Hazelwood’s main street will have music, food, and activities for the whole family. Enjoy live music and food trucks, along with lawn games, face painting, balloon arts, horse and buggy rides, live ice carving, a photo booth with fairytale princesses and superheroes, and more! It’s also the perfect time to check out the Illumin-Ave art project, which features a series of five light and art installations along Second Avenue through January 31, 2022.
Maybe you’re not on the “nice” list this year—Krampus Fest is the place for you. Live music and festivities abound in Market Square in downtown Pittsburgh, where Krampus will also visit to bring coal and pose for socially-distanced photos. True to German Alpine folklore, Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure who deals with the children who have misbehaved while Saint Nicholas brings gifts for those on the “nice” list.
Discover how American Christmas traditions changed over three centuries on this special holiday tour of Historic Hanna’s Town. Costumed guides lead you through buildings from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries that are adorned in period-correct decorations and share stories of Christmases past. When people came to America, they brought the traditions from their homeland with them. Learn about the origins of the Christmas tree, the tradition of mailing cards, the evolution of Santa Claus, and so much more while enjoying the historical ambiance of Hanna’s Town and sampling holiday treats.
A Magical Wurlitzer Christmas at Lincoln Hall in Foxburg
Travel just north of Heritage Area to Clarion county to give yourself the gift of A Magical Wurlitzer Christmas with the keyboard artistry of the Dave Wickerham on Sunday, December 12 at 2 p.m. in Foxburg’s Lincoln Hall. One of the preeminent theatre organists acclaimed internationally, Dave Wickerham performs his theatre organ arrangements of Christmas carols, anthems, and joyous holiday songs.
Fused Glass Poinsettia Workshop at Main Exhibit Gallery & Art Center
Head out to Ligonier, Westmoreland County, to learn how to cut basic glass shapes and layer them to fuse a poinsettia suncatcher. Assemble your own design to be fired in the kiln that evening, and then pick up your beautiful glass art the next day.
Remembering the McGinnis Sisters: Food & Family Stories, presented virtually by the Senator John Heinz History Center
Take part in a discussion of food traditions and innovations with one of Pittsburgh’s most renowned food families, the McGinnises. The McGinnis Sisters were recognized as one of the region’s early leaders in the gourmet and specialty food business, and visiting their store was a holiday staple for generations of Pittsburghers to find special ingredients for traditional foods. The conversation will be led by Dr. Ashley Rose Young, Food Historian at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and daughter of Sharon McGinnis Young. Joining the discussion are McGinnis sisters Bonnie McGinnis Vello and Noreen McGinnis Campbell, as well as Jennifer Daurora, part of the third generation who ran the family business.
The Nutcracker Ballet at State Theatre Center for the Arts
The State Theatre in Uniontown, Fayette County is proud to produce the annual production of The Nutcracker Ballet featuring local dancers of all ages performing the classic story to Tchaikovsky’s beautiful score, choreographed by Donna Marovic. Make this beautiful production of The Nutcracker part of your family holiday tradition with this beautiful performance!
Enjoy a day in Carnegie with the family, and get your photo taken with Santa and a goat! Enter your pet in a costume contest, do some holiday shopping, and listen to caroling throughout the day. In the evening, a Wassail Walk features adult beverages and an ugly sweater contest.
Holidays Around the World at Community Library of Allegheny Valley
Bring the kids and celebrate holiday traditions from around the globe in Natrona Heights, with Bright Star Theatre. Join Nick and Joy in their quest to make it home for the holidays. Winter traditions and holidays are celebrated in this show. From Kwanzaa to Christmas to The Festival of Lights, this unique production offers people a look into the celebrations that occur around the globe during this special time of year. Suggested for grades K & up. Registration required due to limited space.
The Mexican War Streets Winter Wonderland Extravaganza
The Mexican War Streets Society welcomes all to this Victorian neighborhood on Pittsburgh’s North Side for a picturesque evening stroll of lights, decorations, and community cheer to highlight the area’s history.
Bring your favorite holiday cookies to share with your community and build a unique cookie tray with baked goods from other bakers in the Adult Reading Room at the Carnegie of Homestead.
Get creative at Painting with a Twist in Pittsburgh’s South Side, where you’ll paint a Kwanzaa-inspired design on a canvas or wood plank board to decorate your home.
Winter Warm-Up Hike with the Wampum Chapter of the North Country Trail Association
You’ll get nice and toasty on a four-mile hike along the North Country Trail. Meet up at the Darlington Trailhead, where you’ll be shuttled to Hodgson Road before hiking back to Darlington, where a hot cocoa bar, pastries, and snacks will be waiting for you.
Holiday Family Day at Westmoreland Historical Society
The Westmoreland Historical Society welcomes all ages to Historic Hanna’s Town for a fun day of activities celebrating winter and the holiday season. There will be winter crafts, cookie decorating, history-themed story time, and musical interludes. Demonstrations of holiday celebrations in the late 18th century take place fireside at Hanna’s Tavern, and walking paths are open for self-guided tours of holiday history. The Westmoreland History Shop will also have holiday items on sale at 40% off.
Ring in the new year at this free, family-focused evening of outdoor performances, hands-on fun, and fireworks to start 2022 on a celebratory note. The night begins with fireworks at 6 p.m. for kids with early bedtimes, and ends with the grand finale fireworks at midnight.
Harmony is a town with deep German roots, and the Harmony Museum invites one and all to celebrate Silvester and the arrival of the new year at 6:00 p.m. on December 31—when it’s midnight in Germany! The Silvester celebration, so named by Germans because New Year’s Eve is also the feast day of Pope Sylvester I, kicks off with a 5K run / walk & 1-mile fun run. Afterwards, gather at the Harmony Museum lot for a Christmas Tree Toss as well as a kid’s wreath toss, and enjoy the warmth exuding from the Gluhwein (mulled wine) Hut. A take-out pork & sauerkraut dinner can be ordered ahead, and there will be music in the town square. Stick around for the ball will drop and fireworks will glow at 6 p.m.!
The sounds of the season will fill the Grand Staircase of the Allegheny County Courthouse (436 Grant St., Pittsburgh, PA 15222), where high school orchestras, jazz ensembles, choruses, choirs, and bands will perform throughout December. Audiences are invited to participate in the Holiday Project to provide holiday gifts to children in families receiving Department of Human Services support.
This pop-up market supports and showcases Black-owned businesses from around the region and is a buzzing destination in Downtown Pittsburgh during the holiday season, located at 623 Smithfield St. December 4, 5, 11, and 12, 2021.
Pittsburgh’s scariest haunted house is filled with creepy toys and evil elves to torment naughty boys and girls as The ScareHouse opens for the season December 10, 11, 17, and 18, 2021. Parental discretion is advised for children under 13.
This year, Christmas will look a little different at West Overton! Take a candlelit tour of the 1830s Overholt home on Saturdays and Sundays in December. Enjoy historically accurate decor as you learn the development of some of our most beloved Christmas traditions and how the Overholts celebrated (or not!) in the 1800s. As you tour room to room, follow their traditions over the century and learn about Christmas in southwestern PA as far back as 1800, the lore of gift givers like Belsnickel and Santa Claus, and the origins of other customs. There will be tasty treats and warming drinks, along with the opportunity to sample and purchase a bottle of the first whiskey made at West Overton since Prohibition. Advance tickets are recommended due to limited capacity.
Christmas with Santa & Alpacas at WestPark Alpacas
Have your picture taken with Santa and his alpaca helpers in Slippery Rock! You may roam the pastures with the alpacas while feeding them treats! The shop will be open for your alpaca Christmas shopping. Open December 11, 18, 19, 22, and 23, 2021.
Visit Ligonier Town Hall at 120 E Main St., Ligonier, PA 15658, to create your own gingerbread house, or vote for your favorite from December 3 – 12, 2021.
Stroll among more than one million twinkling lights, and marvel at the tallest Christmas tree in the state of Pennsylvania, surrounded by the nostalgia of Kennywood Park. There are rides for the kids and special entertainment for all, along with festive new foods and holiday drinks. Ongoing, select nights through January 2.
Winter Flower Show and Light Garden at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
The gardens are aglow at Phipps Conservatory for the winter flower show, Sparkle and Shine! Enjoy holiday trees, topiaries, detailed scenes, and more than 1,600 poinsettias. This year marks the return of the Winter Light Garden, with luminous orbs, trees, fountains, a tunnel of lights, and an all-new ice castle display.
Holiday KidsPlay Selfie Garden in the Heinz Hall Courtyard
Take fun family selfies with cutouts and character standees from your favorite Fred Rogers Productions children’s TV series, open daily through December 28, with story times on select Sundays.
Model railroaders are passionate about their craft all year round, but many welcome the public to enjoy the scenes in miniature that they recreate with loving detail.
Penguins on Parade at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium
Cold-loving penguins are always dressed for winter weather, and on weekends through February 27 they’ll take a walk to explore the world outside of the PPG Aquarium—as long as the weather is below 45 degrees and nonhazardous.
Shop from more vendors than ever before as you stroll through an illuminated Market Square at the tenth annual Peoples Gas Holiday Market, weaving through wooden chalets brimming with high-quality gifts and holiday experiences uniquely filled with international flair and local charm. This is the 10th Anniversary of the Market, which is open daily through December 23.
The Pittsburgh Creche is the only authorized replica of the Nativity scene that Saint John Paul II commissioned for the Vatican, and 2021 marks the 23rd year that it’s been on display in Pittsburgh. The 30-ton structure is assembled at U.S. Steel Plaza by labor union volunteers, serving to train apprentice carpenters. Display information, featuring a 3-D model.
Pittsburgh Cultural District’s Holiday Performances
Downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District is filled with cheer and festive performances across its many theaters and venues. Get in the spirit and enjoy the arts—check the performance schedule here.
Santa Trolley at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
Santa Trolley at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s stockings are hung by the trolleys with care with the knowledge that Santa Claus will soon be there! The man in red will join visitors for a ride aboard a beautifully restored antique streetcar in Washington, and visitors can also marvel at a large Lionel toy train layout and LEGO display by Steel City Lug. Children can make a craft, and all are welcome to enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and cookies.
This outdoor ice skating rink is back for its 20th year, surrounded by the sparkling spires of PPG Place. Tuesdays are family nights, with one child admitted free with each adult admission.
The Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka are a sight to be seen any time of year, but during the holiday season St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church is dressed in its Christmas best for an especially festive experience. You’re invited to celebrate the season with the Vanka Murals and a docent-led tour with all the trimmings on the following dates: December 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30, and January 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The 60-minute tours begin at 7:00 p.m. with light refreshments served in advance. Cellist and docent David Bennett will perform before select tour dates.
A Very Merry Pittsburgh exhibit at the Senator John Heinz History Center
This special exhibition is sure to make you feel like a kid again, featuring family keepsakes and imagery that explores how western Pennsylvanians have celebrated major winter holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, and Kwanzaa. There are also decorations and artifacts from department stores of Downtown Pittsburgh’s past, like Kaufmann’s, Macy’s, Horne’s, and Gimbels. Kids age 17 and younger get free admission to the History Center in December, and Santa visits on select Saturdays for socially distanced photos. Exhibition website.
Winterfest and Winter Lights at The Frick Pittsburgh, courtesy of The Frick Pittsburgh,
Winter Lights at The Frick Pittsburgh’s Winter Garden
Looking for an outdoor space to gather with friends and loved ones during the dark and chilly days of winter? The Frick Pittsburgh has extended their hours and decorated their beautiful grounds with live greenery—as was the Frick Family and Gilded Age custom. Twinkling lights are strung up in the grounds’ winter garden to make for magical surroundings. It all culminates in Winterfest, from December 28 to January 2, when the grounds will be alive with storytelling, carolers, wagon rides, ice skating, and more.
It’s a big dill that only in Pittsburgh can you find the World’s Largest Pickle Ornament! All decked out for the holidays, the giant, three-story high Heinz pickle balloon is a sight to relish at EQT Plaza in Downtown Pittsburgh, located at 624 Liberty Ave.
A table set for the holidays, photo by Askar Abayev (Pexels).
By Brianna Horan, Manager of Tourism & Visitor Experience
Winter Holiday Cultural Heritage Recipe Box: In Case You Missed It
The holidays that mark the winter season may vary in their meaning and origins, but much of their warmth and cheer comes from the kitchen—where traditions are passed down and people tend to gather. At the end of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic prevented many families and loved ones from celebrating together as usual, we asked people from throughout the Rivers of Steel Heritage Area to share the recipes that make it feel like the holidays to them. Our Winter Holiday Cultural Heritage Recipe Box is filled with secret ingredients, family memories, and beloved traditions from a range of faiths and backgrounds.
To the home cooks and professional chefs who shared their special dishes with us, we offer many thanks! We hope that this recipe collection will illuminate different ways to celebrate the winter holidays and that our readers enjoy a festive season with their favorite traditions—and maybe a few new ones to share with their loved ones. Happy Holidays!
A quick look back at the highlights of 2021 with Rivers of Steel.
Looking Back & Looking Ahead
Rivers of Steel’s accomplishments in 2021 set the stage for bigger things to come!
2021 was a dynamic year for Rivers of Steel.
It marked the launch of the new Uniquely Pittsburgh Sightseeing Tour on the Explorer riverboat, along with a resurgence of student environmental education programs on the vessel.
It saw the return of the Carrie Carpool Cinema and the Alloy Pittsburgh exhibition at the Carrie Blast Furnaces.
A ten-year restoration of the Machine Shop was completed, and new restoration work at Carrie began with support from a Save America’s Treasures grant.
A record number of visitors participated in our tours and workshops—and community-based programs engaged with neighbors in new ways!
Through it all, Rivers of Steel forged connections with our region’s industrial and cultural heritage with visions for its future. Support these efforts by donating to Rivers of Steel today!
This summer 72 educators from across the country will convene in Pittsburgh for a National Endowment for the Humanities-funded Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop presented by Rivers of Steel and the Archives & Special Collections Department at the University of Pittsburgh. Entitled The Homestead Strike & the Growth of America as an Industrial Power, the workshop will be offered to two cohorts of 36 educators each during the weeks of July 10 – 16 and July 17 – 23, 2022.
The Battle of Homestead is considered the most famous event in American labor history. This workshop will provide educators with a comprehensive look at circumstances that led to the armed conflict and what its lasting impact has been in the United States. Participants will immerse themselves in the battle from both sides by examining primary sources related to Carnegie and Frick’s business practices, worker conditions, the direct aftermath of the battle, and what came in later years as U.S. business took stock of the relationship between management and labor.
The seven days of programming and research includes extensive discussions and lectures with visiting scholars, along with faculty and staff from the presenting organizations. Daily site visits to relevant historic landmarks and museums will help educators to explore the details and consequences of the Homestead Steel Strike, expanding their insight into these impactful events.
Notable visiting scholars include: Les Standiford, historian and author of Meet You in Hell: Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and the Bitter Partnership That Transformed America; Dr. Paul Kahan, author and a leading expert on the political, diplomatic, and economic history of the United States in the nineteenth century; Quentin Skrabec, author of Henry Clay Frick: The Life of the Perfect Capitalist and The Carnegie Boys: The Lieutenants of Andrew Carnegie That Changed America; along with notable locals Steffi Domike, Tammy Hepps, Barbara Jones, Ken Kobus, Charlie McCollester, Ted Muller, and Joel Woller. Visit the workshop website for more details on these distinguished scholars, along with descriptions of the presenting Rivers of Steel and University of Pittsburgh staff.
Teachers, librarians, museum educators, and the like are encouraged to apply here before March 1, 2022. Selected participants will receive a $1,300 stipend to assist with travel expenses. Successful applicants will be notified of their selection on March 25, 2022, and they will have until April 8, 2022 to accept or decline the offer.
For inquiries and application submissions, please contact:
Kathryn Miller Haines
Associate Director
Center for American Music
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh PA 15260
412.624.4100
kmill@pitt.edu
By Gita Michulka, Contributing Writer | Image: Students from Carmichaels Middle / High School look for birds during the Environmental Science on the Three Rivers program. Photo by Jason Cohn.
Exploring “Environmental Science on the Three Rivers”
How healthy are Pittsburgh’s three rivers?
With the help of some water and mud samples and the plankton who live in them, a group of middle school students from the Greater Latrobe School District set out to answer that question as they boarded the Explorer riverboat for Rivers of Steel’s Environmental Science on the Three Rivers STEM program.
“Anytime you can get the kids outside, get them doing hands-on experiments—it’s great,” says Patrick Roberts, the science teacher at Greater Latrobe Junior High School. “Especially after this past year, with so much screen time, having this opportunity is really special.”
Students from Mapletown Junior / Senior High School present their hypothesis by voting thumbs up, thumbs down, or a combination thereof. October 15, 2021.
Once on board, the students are asked to give either two thumbs up, two thumbs down, or a combination of the two to indicate if they think the rivers are healthy enough to support life. There is a mixed reaction at first, followed by immediate interest in the activities they will be using to support or disprove their hypothesis. As the boat sails down a portion each of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers, the students are split into three groups to rotate through different stations. In each, they get a hands-on approach to thinking like a scientist.
Suzi Bloom, director of education for Rivers of Steel, leads the program, along with seven part-time instructors. Each one has a background in environmental science in one form or another; Bloom holds a master’s degree in Parks and Resource Management with an emphasis on environmental education. During the program, one instructor is paired with every ten students, allowing for truly collaborative interactions within the groups.
In the three-hour version of the program, students rotate through three stations: Plankton, Water Chemistry, and Aquatic Macroinvertebrates. If a school chooses the four-hour program, two additional stations cover Birds and Fish and the River Continuum. There are discussions on watersheds, tributary rivers, and river basins. The students conduct a review of a topographic map for the area near the rivers and discuss rainfall and water runoff and the diversity of life found in the rivers.
Students from Carmichaels Area Middle / High School filter water through a planton tow to collect samples. Photo by Jason Cohn.
And then the fun begins. Students help cast a plankton tow into the river and then look at samples of the water they brought up under their microscopes, where they discover an array of plankton zooming around in the water. There is immediate excitement as their slides come into focus and they begin comparing what they find. Water samples are also tested for pH and oxygen levels, as well as turbidity—the measure of clarity of a liquid. At a stop on the Allegheny River, students assist with collecting a mud sample from the river bottom using Petite Ponar sieve buckets. These samples hold macroinvertebrates—slightly larger critters than plankton, with shells and exoskeletons. As one student noted, with pure joy, as she carried a cup of mud to her station: “It’s disgusting, but cool!”
Large debris is filtered from the mud samples gathered using Petite Ponar.
Students from Mapletown gather samples of aquatic macroinvertebrates.
Macroinvertebrates are sourced from muddy water and examined to determine the identity.
Roberts, who holds degrees in biology and science education, is also a research scientist for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. He has used the creek that runs behind their school for some interactive lessons but appreciates the opportunity to bring his students directly to the rivers as an expansion of their curriculum. In particular, he noted the quality of instruction the Environmental Science program offers and the enthusiasm of the teachers as they engage the kids in the scientific method and research process.
Latrobe is one of three schools who were able to participate thanks in part to a corporate sponsorship by Peoples Gas that allowed for waived fees for up to 100 students. Other schools who received a scholarship include Mapletown Junior / Senior High School, located near Greensboro, in Greene County, and Carmichaels Area Middle / High School, also located in Greene County about an hour south of Pittsburgh.
“This scholarship program has been wonderful,” Roberts adds. “Because the students’ fees were waived, we could afford the transportation needed to get them here. That wouldn’t have happened without that help.”
Greater Latrobe students use chemistry to study the river water.
This fall 395 students from 11 separate districts attended an Environmental Science on the Three Rivers session. The ability to waive fees for their students presented an opportunity for Greater Latrobe, Mapletown, and Carmichaels to move toward a “return to normal” as the schools began allowing field trips for the first time in two years.
Additionally, all proceeds from public sightseeing tours and from private charters on the Explorer help to underwrite Rivers of Steel’s STEM-based education programs for students throughout southwestern Pennsylvania.
Explorer, which is a “floating lab,” as Bloom notes, has long hosted educational programming for students. The Environmental Science program is open to any school interested in participating, but the help of scholarship funds allows outlying districts the ability to bring their students to the city. “The impact of a donation from just one sponsor has been incredible. Think of how many more kids we could reach if just one or two other sponsors added to that.”
After the Mapletown students returned to their school, teacher Amber Burkett asked the students what they thought of the trip. A lot of students commented on how fun it was to spend the morning “digging in the mud” and using science equipment, but one reply in particular really summed up the effect of the program—“I learned that we can all make an impact. Learning about the aquatic life was fascinating and meaningful to me.”
Carmichaels students use microscopes to determine what types of planton they sourced from the river. Photo by Jason Cohn.
For more information on Environmental Science on the Three Rivers visit, contact Suzi Bloom at sbloom@riversofsteel.com.
About Rivers of Steel Education
Rivers of Steel Education offers unique, inquiry-based opportunities for students to discover how southwestern Pennsylvania’s natural resources have shaped our industrial past and cultural heritage—and how our environment today impacts our region’s future.
Blending history with hands-on STEM exploration, Rivers of Steel’s education programs guide students in understanding the complex nature that industry, innovation, environment, and economics play in defining our region’s assets and opportunities.
Rivers of Steel offers student programming on the Explorer riverboat, at the Carrie Blast Furnaces, and at the Bost Building and Pump House, in addition to off-site and virtual programming. Visit riversofsteel.com/programs/education/ to learn more.
Gita Michulka is a Pittsburgh-based marketing and communications consultant with over 15 years of experience promoting our region’s arts, recreation, and nonprofit assets.
Celebrating Silvester in the Historic Harmony District
Celebrating Silvester in the Historic Harmony District
Community Spotlight
