It was one of the most august assemblies this city has seen in its 250 years. A sold-out crowd of 780 packed the Westin Convention Center Hotel ballroom on Friday to celebrate Pittsburgh's birthday. But the emphasis was on the present, not the past, with an eye towards the future of a city that continues to reinvent itself.

The people who have made it great in our lifetime have been honored each year since 1992 by the Senator John Heinz History Center. They came together en masse for the Pittsburgh 250 History Makers Gala, a mega celebration of the extraordinary people from Pittsburgh who have made a difference here and around the world. Some are legendary, while others have toiled quietly in their chosen field. Sadly, a number of the honorees are now deceased, including Paul Mellon, Fred Rogers, August Wilson and Willie Stargell. The contributions of the 79 recipients are so enormous that it was impossible not to feel proud to be a Pittsburgher. And that was before historian David McCullough got up to speak!

"How can you really love your city without caring about its history?" he asked in that stentorian voice that lent instant import to his moving, almost folksy remarks. Welcoming the star-studded crowd, a who's who of Pittsburgh, were history center CEO Andy Masich, board chair Dan Sandman and Jim Rohr, CEO of PNC Financial Services, gala chair and chairman of Pittsburgh 250. He introduced Teresa Heinz Kerry (who arrived with Sen. John Kerry, son Chris Heinz and daughter-in-law Sasha) after a tribute to her late husband, Sen. John Heinz.

Beverlynn Elliott chaired the patron committee with help from co-chairs Sandy Mellon and Nadine Bognar, and Audrey Brourman produced the event. Beautiful decor by Bloom's Florist, a delicious dinner and Harry Cardillo's wonderful jazz helped the evening to gross $600,000.