What’s going on in Pittsburgh this weekend, Nov. 28-Dec. 1? Find out here. Know of a cool event? Email us.Thursday, Nov. 28: YMCA Turkey Trot on the North Shore7:30-11 a.m.The city’s favorite Thanksgiving Day “appetizer” returns with its biggest race yet. Before feasting, join 7,500 of your newest friends to raise funds for YMCA food pantry programs and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. The 34th annual event offers four options, so there’s a pace for every flock. Try the 5-Mile or 5K routes or ease into the holiday with the 1-Mile Family Fun Run. Feeling extra energized? Try the Double Gobble 5K + 5-Mile challenge. Donning festive Thanksgiving costumes, runners will take to the streets. At the finish line festival near PNC Park, local artist Ebtehal Badaw will display her signature Building Bridges paintings and invite participants to make their mark by contributing to the artwork. Register.“A Very Electric Christmas.” Photo courtesy of Lightwire Theater.Friday, Nov. 29: “A Very Electric Christmas” at the Byham Theater2 p.m. & 7 p.m.Looking to spark up your holidays? After wowing audiences on “America’s Got Talent,” New Orleans-based Lightwire Theater brings their captivating blend of puppetry, theater and dance to Pittsburgh for just two shows. Find out what transpires when a young bird named Max heads south with his family for the winter but gets lost during a snowstorm and ends up at the North Pole. Along the way, you’ll encounter caroling worms, dancing poinsettias, Nutcracker soldiers, mischievous mice and an evil Rat King. Even humbugs will be moved by this story of family, friendship and hope. The high-tech theatrical experience features stunning visuals, holiday hits and a menagerie of animated characters. Tickets.Friday, Nov. 29-Sunday, Dec. 1: Walk the Burgh Holiday Lights Tour in Downtown Pittsburgh5 p.m.From a towering LED Christmas tree and one-of-a-kind gingerbread house displays, to the world’s largest pickle ornament and the only authorized replica of the Vatican’s Nativity scene — Downtown Pittsburgh is a winter wonderland to behold. It’s best experienced on foot during this open-air stroll led by a local expert guide. Through the magical shimmer of holiday lights and decor, you’ll learn about the city’s history, people and architecture. Covering 2 miles, the two-hour tour starts at 1049 Penn Ave. near the Convention Center and ends at the Peoples Gas Holiday Market in Market Square. Tickets.Photo by Kgtunney Photography.Friday, Nov. 29-Sunday, Dec. 1: “Who’s Holiday!” at the Greer Cabaret TheaterVarious timesShe may have stolen the Grinch’s heart and saved the world in Dr. Seuss’ classic holiday tale, but Cindy Lou is all grown up now and has way outgrown Whoville. That means holiday merrymaking that’s more naughty than nice, filled with “cocktails and cursing and jokes.” Matthew Lombardo’s R-rated show starring Lara Hayhurst is here to remind us all that the world “just needs kindness” (and witty wisecracks, too). The strictly R-rated (leave the kiddos at home!) holiday romp is directed by Pittsburgh native Trey Compton. Tickets.Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden.Friday, Nov. 29-Sunday, Dec. 31: Dazzling Nights at Pittsburgh Botanic GardenVarious timesPittsburgh Botanic Garden is one of our favorite places to visit in all four seasons and is especially magic when it transforms into a winter wonderland. Embark on this mile-long interactive holiday display featuring hundreds of thousands of lights, neon candy canes and a spectacular 70-foot-long tunnel. Read more about Dazzling Nights in NEXT. Tickets.Saturday, Nov. 30: Carnegie Museum of Art Film Series at the Carnegie Museum of Art Theater2-5 p.m.After kicking off in April, the esteemed Carnegie Museum of Art Film Series will wrap up with its final monthly screening this weekend. Programmed by artist and curator Astria Suparak, the final program of the series “examines the concept of the archive through a selection of films that utilize archival material as part of their process and question the inherent authority these institutions hold.” View a list of films and artists here. Tickets.Photo courtesy of Ritual House.Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.Photo courtesy of Ritual House.Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.Photo courtesy of Ritual House.Saturday, Nov. 30: Saturday at the Square and Aprés-Ski Bar in Mellon Square4:30-9 p.m.Bask in the glow when Pittsburgh’s newest light display makes its official debut. Join the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy for the season’s inaugural Saturday in the Square party and watch the interactive light installation, “Aurora,” activate the Downtown landmark. Don’t miss the chance to create a keepsake holiday photo with the one and only Keep Pittsburgh Dope. Stroll across the street to warm up inside the breathtaking Union Trust lobby with free live music by Pittsburgh Festival Opera and DJ Femi. Pop into Ritual House, which will be transformed into a luxe lodge for the unveiling of its new Lotus Room (tickets required). Don your chic slope-ready attire and defrost in style sipping sparkly prosecco, Sleigh Bell White Sangria and spiked Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa. Next, hop on the Jolly Trolley for a scenic ride between Mellon Square and Market Square. Read more about Aurora in NEXT.Saturday, Nov. 30, & Sunday, Dec. 1: “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley” at City Theatre Co.5:30 p.m. & 7 p.m.If you loved last season’s “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” then you can’t miss the second installment of the holiday trilogy penned by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon. Spend the holidays with Austen’s iconic characters when the Darcys and Bennets return to the South Side theater. What will go down when an uninvited guest appears in the middle of the night? Follow the turn of events unfolding upstairs with Miss Bennett, while the house staff below deal with their own “holiday scandals.” Directed by Kyle Haden, the charming holiday tale exploring “forgiveness and forthrightness in the season of giving” is presented in partnership with the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama. In the spirit of the season, the company is collecting donations for Community Human Services. Tickets.Saturday, Nov. 30: Suite Life at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater7:30 p.m.This beloved Thanksgiving weekend tradition celebrating the Kelly Strayhorn Theater’s legendary namesakes is back with an exciting new beat. Directed by composer and drummer Hugo Cruz and Freshworks artist Pria Dahiya, the show infuses Billy Strayhorn’s musical compositions and Gene Kelly’s cinematic appearances with Afro-Cuban riffs, Latin percussion and a fresh vitality. Tickets are offered at a Pay What Moves You scale. Read more about Suite Life in NEXT.Mariana Iacono and Juan De La Mar, “El VIH se enamoró de mi (HIV Fell in Love With Me),” 2024. Commissioned by Visual AIDS for Red Reminds Me …Sunday, Dec. 1: Day With(out) Art 2024: Red Reminds Me … at Wood Street Galleries11 a.m.-5 p.m.Wood Street Galleries and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust are teaming up with the NYC-based nonprofit Visual AIDS to honor this year’s Day With(out) Art. Underscoring the reality that “AIDS is not over,” the annual Day With(out) Art event aims to provoke dialogue, support HIV+ artists and preserve a rich cultural legacy. During the free program, gallery-goers can view seven newly commissioned videos by international artists that explore the “emotional spectrum of living with HIV today.” The event’s title is drawn from the words of activist and poet, Stacy Jennings, a long-term survivor with HIV. Information.Photo courtesy of Carnegie Science Center.Sunday, Dec. 1: Laser Holiday Magic at Carnegie Science Center2 p.m.Take a break from the outdoor light shows and warm up with pulsing lasers projected across one of the most technologically advanced planetariums in North America. Sing along to traditional and contemporary versions of cherished holiday tunes set to immersive laser choreography. Tickets.The post 11 things to do this weekend in Pittsburgh, from the YMCA Turkey Trot to Dazzling Nights appeared first on NEXTpittsburgh.