This pickle didn’t pop.
After the ornament that the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership tried last year to install deflated, there’s a new one to take its place.
Thought to be the world’s largest pickle ornament, it was unveiled on Thursday in Downtown Pittsburgh. It is located in EQT Plaza at 625 Liberty Ave.
“The new giant pickle ornament was custom-designed to remain unsliced, and to withstand the elements throughout the holiday season,” said Richard Hooper, vice president of marketing and communications for the PDP, via email. “With the pickle dill-saster disappointing a lot of people last year and becoming a metaphor for 2020, we wanted to really deliver on the spectacle this year.”
The green balloon structure is three stories high and is a “sight to relish,” according to Hooper.
It will be lit at night.
The pickle was grown as a gift from KraftHeinz to celebrate Heinz’s hometown roots, according to the PDP, which is inviting visitors to take a photo with the pickle and post it on social media via #PickleOrnamentPGH.
The pickle represents a German-American holiday tradition of hiding a pickle-shaped ornament on the family Christmas tree.
The first person to find the pickle on Christmas morning receives an extra present — or year of good luck.
Hooper said this pickle should give the entire city good luck since you really can’t miss it.
“Of course, pickles, pickle ornaments and pins have a well-established historical connection to Heinz, and who doesn’t relish one of the greatest events of the year – Picklesburgh,” Hooper said, referring to the annual summer festival. “This city is pickle proud. It’s a really big dill around these parts.”
The challenges of last year arose because they tried to retrofit the balloon from the Picklesburgh Festival and use it in a way that wasn’t intended.
Hooper said there was no anxiety this time around.
“This year, we commissioned a custom-made design so we had significantly more confidence that this could dill-iver a sight that all would relish,” he said. “Coupled with the return of Light Up Night, we know it means a lot to the community. As for who made it … I’m told that it was pulled from an unbelievably large jar.”
