Be SEEN this holiday season

Alyce Claerbaut, left, Gregory A. Morris Jr., and Cheryll M. Chakrabarti at the 2017 Suite Life: Billy Strayhorn Birthday Bash at Hotel Indigo in East Liberty. (Haley Nelson/Post-Gazette)

Charles “Poogie” Bell performs at the 2017 Suite Life: Billy Strayhorn Birthday Bash at Hotel Indigo in East Liberty. (Haley Nelson/Post-Gazette)

Suite Life: Billy Strayhorn Birthday Bash

Mark your calendar: Nov. 24, Hotel Indigo in East Liberty.

#CelebrateLife: This annual birthday party, one of the Kelly Strayhorn Theater’s signature events, celebrates the life and legacy of the late jazz composer Billy Strayhorn. “The man’s music — he was a genius,” said Charles “Poogie” Bell, a drummer who performed at last year’s event. “He had the ability to paint pictures in your mind. … You can take his music and insert it in all sorts of newfound ways, because it’s that strong.” Partygoers will enjoy a lively cocktail event inside the Wallace Whiskey Room at Hotel Indigo before making their way to the theater for a tribute performance by percussionist and jazz legend Roger Humphries and The RH Factor.

Party details: Cocktails begin at 6 p.m. with concert to follow at 8 p.m.

Tickets: Pay what makes you happy at https://kelly-strayhorn.secure.force.com/ticket#sections_a0F6100000IQI8IEAX.

Katherine Bantleone, left, Heather Chronis and Elizabeth Windsor at the Carnegie Trees Opening Celebration in 2016. ( Mary Mervis)

Ava Gagne, left, of Sewickley, and her mother, Jane, admire the Christmas trees at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Oakland on Christmas Eve in 2016. (Stephanie Strasburg/Post-Gazette)

Carnegie Trees Opening Celebration

Circle the date: Nov. 28 at the Carnegie Museum of Art, Oakland

#DeckTheHalls: One of the most beloved events of the holiday season, the Carnegie Trees Opening Celebration presented by the Women’s Committee of Carnegie Museum of Art will not disappoint. Carnegie International artist Karen Kilimnik will collaborate with the museum for the first time to create a unique experience. Feast your eyes on the Colorado spruce trees decorated as a “joyful fantasy and a quest for the romantic sublime,” said Ms. Kilimnik. Patron-level guests will continue the celebration after cocktail hour with a seated dinner.

Party details: Cocktails begin at 5:30 p.m. and dinner service at 7:30 p.m. inside the Hall of Architecture.

Tickets: $125-$325 at https://cmoa.org/event/carnegie-trees-opening-celebration-2018/.

Aurora Prugar, left, Nora Edwards and Charlotte Edwards hold hands and dance together at Pittsburgh Mercy’s Reindeer Ball in 2017 at the Westin Convention Center hotel. (Antonella Crescimbeni/Post-Gazette)

Peter Pan characters pose with Tao Goetz, center, and her parents, Julie Maloney and John Goetz at Pittsburgh Mercy’s 2017 Reindeer Ball. (Antonella Crescimbeni/Post-Gazette)

Pittsburgh Mercy’s 15th annual Reindeer Ball

Mark your calendar: Dec. 9 at the Westin Convention Center Hotel, Downtown.

#HolidayCheer: Kick off the holiday season with the whole family while supporting a wonderful cause. Pittsburgh Mercy provides services for families and children in need, serving more than 33,000 people annually. This year’s festivities include “Santa’s Christmas Circus,” a performance by New York City-based entertainment company RWS Productions. Dress in your holiday best and enjoy libations and food stations while the little ones embark on a fairy-tale journey with storybook characters.

Party details: The fun begins at 4 p.m.

For tickets: $115, $60 for children at https://www.pittsburghmercy.org/event/pittsburgh-mercys-1

5th-annual-reindeer-ball/.