❄️ Your guide to December in Pittsburgh

💸 County Council Offers Smaller Tax Hike

Allegheny County Council presented a counterproposal to Executive Sara Innamorato’s budget. Council voted 4-3 to advance the plan, which would cost residents a little less each month than what Innamorato proposed. [TribLive]

• 📈 Why do we need a tax increase? Innamorato says it's necessary to fund essential services and prevent “catastrophic” cuts. [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh]
• 🗓️ County Council meets again tomorrow at 5 p.m. [Allegheny County Council]

🎤 Steel City AF Closes Up Shop

Steve Hofstetter, founder of the Steel City Arts Foundation, is selling the property where he ran a nonprofit comedy performance and production center. Hofstetter left Los Angeles in 2021 to launch Steel City AF inside an old Methodist church in Stanton Heights, but he says zoning rules made it difficult for him to achieve his full vision for the space. [90.5 WESA]

⭐ Morcilla Makes Top 100 List

The Lawrenceville spot serving Spanish-influenced cuisine is one of OpenTable’s top 100 restaurants of 2024. Chef Justin Severino opened Morcilla in 2015 with his wife and co-owner, Hilary Prescott Severino. [OpenTable]

• 🍽️ What should you order? Host Megan Harris shares her tips on today’s podcast episode! [City Cast Pittsburgh]

Whether you’re looking for twinkly lights, festive entertainment, DIY seasonal decor, or ways to ring in the new year, we’re helping you make the most of Pittsburgh this December.

💌 Send Some Snail Mail

Sign, seal, and deliver a little love with locally-made holiday cards, like creations from Gingerly Press, Abby Winkler, Winter Pickle Press, Finch + Flourish, or Alternate Histories. Need more options? Browse the colorful display of stationary at WildCard in Lawrenceville, pictured above.

🍪 Try New Cookies

We take cookies very seriously here in Pittsburgh. Find out why on our podcast episode about wedding cookie tables, then make some of producer Sophia Lo’s favorite recipes or taste sweet bites at the Lawrenceville Cookie Tour Dec. 15.

🌲 Make Holiday Decor

Bring the outdoors inside for Winter Solstice with workshops on garland making and everlasting holiday centerpieces at Armful of Flowers or GreenSinner’s wreath workshop benefiting Tree Pittsburgh Dec. 4. Not into greens? Paint candles and holders with WorkshopPGH Dec. 21.

🌟 Be Dazzled by the Lights

There are so many ways to see Pittsburgh shine. Get nostalgic with Holiday Lights at Kennywood, Wild Illumination at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, or Holiday Mini Golf at Fun for All.

Admire sparkles among nature's beauty at Phipps Conservatory's Holiday Magic and Winter Flower Show or Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens’ Dazzling Nights.

Or take a mini road trip to Enchanted Lights in Freedom, the Christmas Light Up drive-thru in Clinton, the Holiday Laser Show in North Park, or Oglebay’s Festival of Lights in West Virginia.

🎶 🎭 See A Seasonal Show

‘Tis the season for spectacular performances. Take in the sounds from Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra’s holiday concert Dec. 13 or the Pittsburgh Symphony’s holiday shows, like the Brass Spectacular Dec. 19.

If theater and dance are more your thing, there are a bunch of performances through Dec. 22: City Theatre’s The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley; Pittsburgh Public Theater’s A Christmas Story; Pittsburgh CLO’s Who’s Holiday!; and PMT’s A Lyrical Christmas Carol.

Or check out Confluence Ballet’s Jazz Nutcracker Dec. 14-15; the Hip Hop Nutcracker Dec. 17; and Pittsburgh Ballet Theater’s Nutcracker through Dec. 27.