It's Here! Sewickey Lights Up Tonight with Fireworks, Entertainment

The holiday season will begin in grand fashion tonight as Sewickley celebrates its annual .

Borough officials all agree the winter event in is special.

“It’s just, people are happy,” said Sewickley Councilwoman Susan Aleshire. “I don’t know how to describe it. There’s something for everyone, and it keeps getting better and better.”

One of the newest features is the fireworks.

Kirsten Stripay of Village Green Partners, a sponsor of the event, said Pyrotechnica is setting off the fireworks this year.

“It’s a nice addition to an already wonderful event,” she said. “Fireworks had been discussed last year, but this was the year capable of handling it.”

Stripay said the Sewickley Cemetery has been kind enough to allow the fireworks to launch from that location. The show begins after the official lighting ceremony with Mayor Brian Jeffe and John Tucci at 6:30 p.m. 

As for other events this year, well, the list is almost as long as Santa’s.

Light Up Night is a part of Yuletide in Sewickley, a month of events and activities throughout December.

Stripay said the sponsors have been organizing music and events for every Wednesday and Saturday throughout the month to complement the free carriage rides and to encourage visitors to come to Sewickley on other days in addition to Light Up Night.

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership last year enforced its trademark on the Light Up Night name. Stripay said Downtown Partnership started charging smaller towns to use the “Light Up Night” title, so the Sewickley Valley Chamber of Commerce at one point called the event .

“This year, they decided to pay the $150 and use what the town has always used, which is Light Up Night.”

Stripay said the Chamber of Commerce, , , and have all made special efforts for this time of year.

Merchants also prepare their stores and have special offerings, such as the Trunk Show at , where you can view fabulous eye wear, or , which Stripay said was hosting a school choir in its outdoor patio. In addition, there's the annual tradition of .

“There are generous people and companies every year that help support this event. Our sponsors this year were very supportive and without them this would not be possible. , , , , , Sewickley Academy, First National Bank and Trib Total Media just to name a few.”

Entertainment includes live music at 5 p.m. with Dancing Queen on the main stage and 7 p.m. with No Bad JuJu performing, along with a list of other entertainment on a second stage. Plenty of food vendors will be selling comfort foods like pizza, wings and ribs. The developmental hockey team will have a hot chocolate bar and the hockey team will have hot cider.  

“It is one of the biggest events Sewickley holds in that the merchants, residents, the Borough of Sewickley, numerous churches and many organizations come together to make this event special,” Stripay said. 

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Santa arrives at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and stays until 1 p.m. for visits with all good girls and boys. The event at Wolcott Park includes live entertainment, free parking and free carriage rides.

Additional nonprofits participating

         The will have a table seeking donations to help match a $2,000 grant the center received. 

• Clique Vodka will have a bar table on site, and patrons will be able to receive a drink in return for a donation to The Union Aid Society, a local nonprofit that helps Quaker Valley residents.

• Boy Scout Troop 164 will have 50 homemade keychains for sale at .