What to know about Pittsburgh's NYE bash

• Rather than one big parade rolling through on NYE, performers and activities will be spread across the Cultural District for a choose-your-own-adventure experience.

Zoom in: Starting at 7pm Dec. 31, the night packs in live music, pop-up performances, interactive art, family activities, a battle of the bands, caricatures, live ice sculpting, a 10-foot clown and two fireworks shows.

• An "early eve" kids countdown at 8pm with fireworks and a family dance party anchors First Night's lineup of family-friendly fun.

The intrigue: Pittsburgh rings in the new year with its own spin on the Times Square ritual: the Future of Pittsburgh Ball rising nearly 75 feet above former Horne's department store at Penn and Stanwix. The tradition started in 2007.

• Crafted from recycled materials, the 1,000-pound sphere glows with 1,000 energy-efficient LEDs arranged in the shape of the city's three rivers — a nod to Pittsburgh's commitment to sustainability.

• The crowd counts down to midnight, the clock strikes twelve, and fireworks light the sky as "Auld Lang Syne" plays.

If you go: Most First Night activities — nearly all free and open to the public — will take place throughout the Cultural District Downtown from 7pm to midnight on Dec. 31.

• Find the full lineup here.