Peoples Gas Holiday Market

’Tis the season for eating, shopping and merry-making, and Pittsburgh’s Peoples Gas Holiday Market provides a destination for all things holiday cheer. Each year, the enticing tastes, scents and sounds of a European-style Christmas market pop up in the city’s historic Market Square beginning in late November. It’s an event that promises nostalgia and yuletide fun around every corner.  

Aromas of roasted nuts, spiced sausages and pleasantly pungent melty cheeses waft from a maze of wooden chalet stalls nestled among twinkling lights in the shadow of the city’s modern skyline. In addition to winter-warming foods, vendors sell imported and locally made artisan items like knit clothing, sports-themed merchandise, pottery and confections. This is the place to pick up a few must-have signature souvenirs including blown-glass pierogi and pickle ornaments (iconic symbols of Pittsburgh’s food and culture). 

In the Christkindlmarkt tradition, Peoples Gas Holiday Market features a gathering place to warm up with a mulled beverage or malty lager and a prime spot to enjoy live music and fireworks on select nights. Don’t miss the chance to snag a festive picture for your annual Christmas letter to family and friends in front of a towering Christmas tree or along one of Pittsburgh’s scenic bridges, which are beautifully illuminated for the season. 

Santa makes regular appearances downtown for photographs, and the market is filled with hand-crafted items like wooden ornaments, nesting dolls and toys for kids of all ages. The Peoples Gas Holiday Market runs Friday, Nov. 21 through Dec. 24 in 2026. The market has expanded hours in the week leading up to Christmas. Market Square is at Forbes Avenue and Market Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222, 412/566-4190, downtownpittsburghholidays.com  — Lisa Sands