Santa coming to South Hills
Community events kick off holiday season
Santa will listen to children’s wishes when he makes his rounds this week in the South Hills area.
Santa Claus is coming to town, and the jolly old elf will be making stops in the South Hills this week.
Bethel Park welcomes Santa on Dec. 4 at the community center, located at 5151 Park Ave. The municipality will also hold its annual tree lighting from 6 to 8 p.m.
The evening includes activities for children, including making snacks for Santa’s reindeer, writing and mailing letters to Santa as well as a photo booth, cookies and hot chocolate. In addition, entertainment will be provided by the Bethel Park School District’s musical departments. The high school’s Top 21 vocal group will perform an array of songs for the season.
The Top 21 will also perform at the Benedum Center during “A Very Yinzer Christmas ’24” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9. Visit www.yinzerchristmas.com or www.trustarts.org for more details.
Bethel Park will also host the annual Dean Streator Holiday Concert at the community center. The concert will be held at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 8.
The Community Band South, under the director of Max Gonano and Chad Hill; Bethel Park High School’s Top 21 Choral Ensemble, Todd Kuczawa, Director; and the Handbell Ringers of Southminster Presbyterian Church, conducted by Samantha DeFurio and Mark Etzel, will provide the entertainment.
Admission is free, but contributions to the Bethel Park Community Foundation are accepted. Call 412-851-2910 for more details.
Santa Claus travels to Mt. Lebanon for two holiday events on Dec. 5 and Dec. 7. He will visit the Beverly Road business district from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday and the Uptown Washington Road corridor from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Both events are free to the public and feature a tree-lighting ceremony. There will be music and opportunities to chat with Santa.
During Beverly Brite Nite, non-perishable food items will be collected for the Brookline Food Pantry. Beverly Road will be closed to vehicles during the event.
The Uptown Winter Market and Holiday Celebration will feature dozens of food and craft vendors, shopping, music, an elf scavenger hunt and cookie tables.
Vintage trains will be displayed in the municipal building. Santa will pay a visit from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Howard Hanna office (701 Washington Road). The tree-lighting ceremony takes place at 5 p.m. in Clearview Commons.
While Washington Road will be open to vehicle traffic during the Uptown Market,
parking will be available in the North and South garages for $1 until 6 p.m.
In between his trips to Mt. Lebanon, Santa will make a short stop in Peters Township. He will visit the community and recreation center, located on Meredith Road inside Peterswood Park, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6. The holiday kickoff event features free activities, including crafts, games and refreshments, as well as letters to Santa.
Visit www.peterstownship.com or call 724-942-5000 for more details.
Canonsburg’s Old Fashioned Christmas will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 6 and from noon to 8 p.m. Dec. 7 along Pike Street.
The tree-lighting ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Friday. At 5:30 p.m. there will be Christmas caroling at Pike and Central with St. Oscar Romero Parish Choir. A drone light show will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
There will be more than 60 Christmas vendors, reindeer games, story time with Mrs. Claus, photos with Santa, a miniature train display, gingerbread house contest, live reindeer, raffles and a variety of entertainment.
The Grinch will visit from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and 6:45 to 8 p.m. Friday and from 2 to 4:30 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday.
Visit www.canonsburgsoldfashionedchristmas.com for complete details.
Dormont kicks off the holiday season with a parade at 10 a.m. Dec. 7 and continues with its Home for the Holidays event on Potomac Avenue.
In addition to music and artisan fair, vendors will be positioned along Potomac Avenue from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be cocoa and cookies with Santa from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Holly Jollies provide the musical entertainment and there will also be ice sculptures.