PITTSBURGH, Pa – Every year my sister and I take a two-day girls trip to Pittsburgh. It’s long enough, close enough and far enough to be an escape from daily life without being a vacation commitment.
We have two items on our agenda. The first is to shop the eclectic collection of ethnic and specialty food retailers in the city’s Strip District. The second is to find bargains in nearby thrift shops.
This year we added a third item to that agenda. We shopped opening day at the city’s Holiday Market. The market, which was inspired by the original German Christkindlmarkts or “Christmas Market,” is in its 14th year.
This year, 40 Alpine-style wooden chalets fill three squares of downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. The Market is usually in the city’s Market Square, but the square is currently undergoing renovations that should be complete in early 2026.
At the market, we found gift items from the region and the world. We sampled rum and prebatched cocktails like a Lavender Martini from Pennsylvania-based Boyd & Blair Distillery. We tried on funky animal hats, fondled soft alpaca clothing and accessories from Peru and marveled at nutcrackers of various themes.
Pittsburgh’s 2025 Holiday Market runs until Christmas Eve.Paris Wolfe
The best thing for this Clevelander was the selection of pierogi-themed Christmas ornaments, ponytail ties and pins. They were available in a variety of materials including felt and glass. I wanted to buy them for everyone on my list.
Jeremy Waldrup, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, which manages the market, said there were more than 20 versions of pierogi art available throughout the market.
One vendor, Cute as a Dumpling, had dozens of pierogi ornament options handmade in Nepal. These included fishing pierogi, Christmas tree pierogis, baking pierogi, football pierogi, teacher pierogi and so much more. If you have a hobby, there’s probably a pierogi ornament for it.
Pittsburgh’s 2025 Holiday Market is spread across three blocks in the city’s Cultural District.Paris Wolfe
The market is large enough to spend an hour, maybe more if it’s crowded. And it’s small enough to avoid overwhelm.
Advice: If you see something you like, buy it then so you don’t have to negotiate later crowds. And, so you don’t forget it. (I still wish I’d bought that bottle from Boyd & Blair.)
A handful of chalets sell food and beverages to fuel shoppers. Shoppers 21 and over can grab a hot cup of traditional Glühwein – mulled wine — as well as seasonal beer and cocktail options from local restaurant Proper Brick Oven Pizza.
To be part of the broad and varied product mix, vendors apply and are chosen to ensure a diverse array of goods, said Waldrup.
He notes that the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership uses a local firm, the Carpenter Connections, to build and store the chalets where goods are sold.
“The Peoples Gas Holiday Market is a cherished tradition that brings festive energy and a unique seasonal shopping experience to downtown,” said Waldrup, in a statement. “Now in its 14th year, it serves as a vibrant showcase of holiday magic that supports local businesses and the city’s revitalization, making it a one-of-a-kind destination for families to create joyful memories in true Pittsburgh fashion.”
My sister and I found it a delightful way to get into the holiday spirit and jump start our shopping, even if we were there before Thanksgiving. (Spoiler alert to my friends: Be ready for pierogis!)
The 2025 Holiday Market, open daily through Dec. 24, is at 7th Street and Penn Avenue. Through Dec. 18, hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday–Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.
Starting Dec. 19, hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Dec. 19-20, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 21, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 22-23 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 24.
Parking can be found in nearby garages. Be prepared to pay $25 or so.