Season of Lights Brightens Market Square

One hundred forty-three thousand two hundred sixty eight twinkles...that's how we measure the dazzling Seasons of Light that will brighten Market Square during the upcoming holidays. And we're telling you now so that you won't want to miss this amazing choreographed, mega-watt, synchronized show of dancing, multi-colored lights that will be ready to plug in just in time for our favorite Downtown celebration of the year — the special, two-day 50th Anniversary of Light Up Night on November 19 and 20.

You'll have to excuse us for sounding a little hyper-amped, but the Market Square Seasons of Light really puts a jolt in our jumper. After all, this luminary-palooza is designed by Blachere Illuminations, the very bright people who created legendary light shows at the Eiffel Tower and Disney World's Cinderella's Castle in Orlando. Over the next couple weeks you'll notice workers installing the displays, which will include thousands of lights around the Square blinking and flashing in time to everyone's favorite holiday tunes. And along with pole banners and swags draped over streets and sidewalks around the Square, the centerpiece of this electric extravaganza is a 33-foot tall red and white "sphere tree" made up of different size balls that will blink and twinkle each night through early January. And just in case you're keeping count, there will be almost 26,000 lights on the sphere tree.

Ronnie Brown and Luke Ravenstahl 

Now, don't worry about being blinded by the light during this special Season in the Square. You see, we're keeping the Season of Lights very, very green thanks to Blachere's innovative LED technology, which is light years ahead of the competition. In fact, according to Blachere president Ronnie Brown, the amount of energy needed to power the nearly 150,000 LEDs in the Seasons of Light show is equal to the electricity required to fire up 80 everyday household 100 watt light bulbs. Which means Santa will have a lot of extra lumps of coal to go around for those little boys and girls who were more naughty than nice this past year.

Colcom Foundation President Timothy Inglis

Of course, if you happened to be in the crowd during the Grand Reopening of Market Square a couple of days ago, you got a sneak peek of Seasons of Light when Mayor Ravenstahl and Ronnie Brown unveiled a poster of the project. But, if you weren't there, be sure to visit Seasons of Light for the synchronized shows every evening during the holidays beginning with the inaugural lighting on November 19. And after hours, it won't be lights as the tree will flash and fade and blink and brighten the Square all night long.

Just so you know, Colcom Foundation generously presented Pittbsurghers with an early holiday gift by providing the funding that will flip the on-switch for Market Square Seasons of Light. And we certainly want to second the emotions of Foundation President, Timothy Inglis, in hoping that the display becomes another Pittsburgh tradition that lights up the Downtown holiday season for years to come.