Free events in Pittsburgh

8 listings in Pittsburgh, PA: free concerts, festivals, shows and things to do. Each one checked against its official source, every catch spelled out.

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This weekend 1 listings

EntertainmentFree (worth about $5)

Pittsburgh Veterans Day Parade downtown

Sat, Nov 7, 10:30 AM

Downtown Pittsburgh (starts at 11th Street and Liberty Avenue)

Pittsburgh's Veterans Day Parade steps off Saturday, November 7 at 10:30am, rain or shine, from 11th Street and Liberty Avenue and heads down Grant Street and the Boulevard of the Allies. Expect veterans of every era, military units, Junior ROTC and youth groups, floats, and military and vintage vehicles.

Verified Oct 27 · alleghenycounty.us

No catch

Coming up 7 listings

EntertainmentFree (worth about $15)

Winter Wonderland: free light displays, fire show and ice carving at The Westmoreland

Fri, Nov 13, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

The Westmoreland Museum of American ArtPittsburgh

The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg opens the season on Friday, November 13 from 5 to 8pm: outdoor light displays, a DJ, a fire and flow show, balloon artists, marshmallow roasting, live ice carving and photo ops, plus the immersive Winter Tales experience inside and free admission to the Ansel Adams and Victoria Sambunaris exhibitions. Drinks at the cash bar cost extra.

Verified Oct 27 · thewestmoreland.org

No catch

EntertainmentFree (worth about $15)

Carnegie Mellon Wind Ensemble: free concert of Messiaen, Stravinsky and Vaughan Williams

Sat, Nov 14, 4:00 PM

Kresge Theatre, College of Fine Arts, Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh

Carnegie Mellon's Wind Ensemble plays Beethoven marches, Messiaen's Oiseaux Exotiques, Milhaud's La Création du Monde, Stravinsky's Symphonies of Wind Instruments and Vaughan Williams' Sea Songs in Kresge Theatre. Free and open to the public, but you need a free ticket: register online.

Verified Oct 28 · events.cmu.edu

Catch: Free ticket required: register online

EntertainmentFree (worth about $10)

Pittsburgh's official Christmas tree lighting, fireworks and light show on Light Up Night

Sat, Nov 21, 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM

City-County Building portico and Grant StreetPittsburgh

The City of Pittsburgh lights its official Christmas tree, the only live holiday tree downtown, on Highmark Light Up Night, Saturday, November 21, 2026. Grant Street fills from 4 to 7:30pm with live music, food trucks, artists and makers, games and the gingerbread house display. Tree lighting, fireworks and light show at 5pm; another light show at 6:30pm. Food truck food costs extra.

Verified Oct 27 · pittsburghpa.gov

No catch

EntertainmentFree (worth about $10)

Carnegie Mellon Holiday Brass Concert, free with no tickets

Mon, Nov 30, 7:30 PM

Kresge Theatre, College of Fine Arts, Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh

Carnegie Mellon's School of Music holds its Holiday Brass Concert in Kresge Theatre on Monday, November 30 at 7:30pm. Free and open to the public, no tickets required. Program to be announced.

Verified Oct 28 · events.cmu.edu

No catch

EntertainmentFree (worth about $10)

Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic and Choir's free noontime holiday concert

Fri, Dec 4, 12:00 PM

Great Hall, College of Fine Arts, Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh

Continuing a 70-year tradition, the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic and CMU Choir give a free noon concert in the College of Fine Arts Great Hall on Friday, December 4: Poulenc's Gloria, Arvo Pärt's Sequenza and the premiere of the orchestral version of Nancy Galbraith's Hodie Christus Natus Est. No tickets required. (The full evening concert the night before at Carnegie Music Hall is ticketed.)

Verified Oct 28 · events.cmu.edu

No catch

EntertainmentFree (worth about $5)

Menorah lighting with latkes and donuts at the City-County Building

Tue, Dec 8, 5:00 PM

City-County BuildingPittsburgh

Mayor Corey O'Connor and community leaders light the giant 12-foot menorah in front of Pittsburgh's City-County Building on Tuesday, December 8 at 5pm, with live music and Chanukah refreshments of latkes and donuts.

Verified Oct 27 · pittsburghpa.gov

No catch

Show 1 more coming up
EntertainmentFree (worth about $15)

Winter Nights: free Friday evenings with hot drinks and art-making at The Westmoreland

Fridays, 5–8pm, Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 15, 2027 (not Dec 25 or Jan 1)

The Westmoreland Museum of American ArtPittsburgh

Every Friday from November 20 to January 15, The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg stays open 5–8pm for Winter Nights: explore the Winter Tales immersive experience, warm up with a complimentary seasonal hot drink, try art-making and see the Ansel Adams and Victoria Sambunaris exhibitions free. Closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day (both Fridays). Cash bar drinks cost extra.

Verified Oct 27 · thewestmoreland.org

No catch