PITTSBURGH — The 2023 holiday season had the most economic impact on downtown Pittsburgh since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, 2.2 million people came into downtown Pittsburgh during December for holiday festivities, shopping and dining.
On average, officials say nearly 95,000 people went downtown each day — making December one of the busiest months in the area since 2019. It’s also 10% more visitors than December 2022.
Market Square, which hosts some of the most beloved Christmas traditions in Pittsburgh, attracted nearly 14,000 people on average each day of the season. Officials say that’s a 29% increase in foot traffic over 2022.
The Cultural District also felt a boost akin to pre-pandemic numbers, with almost 600,000 visitors stopping by for a show, art or dining experience.
The influx of activity was a welcome boost for downtown restaurants and retailers.
“This holiday season was our best ever, and December was our busiest month in our 11 years of business in Downtown,” said Brent Kightlinger, General Manager of Redbeard’s Bar & Grill on Sixth St. “Outside of our usual sports crowds, we had people stopping by who were visiting the pop-up bars, seeing shows, and shopping at the Holiday Market. We hope that this trend continues into the spring, summer, and into next year’s holiday season.”
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