You know how Light Up Night requires a lot of walking around from place to place?

You get to stand still and watch others march in the annual Macy's and WPXI-TV Celebrate the Season Parade Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m.

It will travel through Downtown with high school marching bands, floats, costumed characters and Santa Claus.

The musical guests include The Legendary Drifters (with their hits "On Broadway" and "Under the Boardwalk"), B.E. Taylor, Mark Milovats, and The Softwinds. Sure to get a rise from the crowd will be "The Bus," Jerome Bettis, plus soap opera star Joe Mascolo (Stefano on "Days of Our Lives") and Jimmy McGuire ("Jeopardy Clue Crew)."

Doing acrobatic things will be world champion jump roper Tori Boggs, the Last American Cowboy, the Amazing Christopher and his dancing dummies, and Polynesian fire dancer Mr. Tuika.

Also on the route will be Mr. McFeely from "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," Elmo, Bob the Builder, Garfield and Hello Kitty. Costume characters Iceburgh, Steely McBeam, the Pirate Parrot, Wild Thing, Curious George, Maisy Mouse and Yogi Bear.

It begins at Mellon Arena and continues down Fifth Avenue, turns left onto Wood Street, right onto the Boulevard of the Allies and ending at Stanwix Street.

It will air live on WPXI from 9 to 11 a.m.

Prodigal Son of Waltz

Josef Strauss (1827-70) tried but ultimately could not escape the magical pull of the Viennese waltz nor his own genes. While his famous brother, Johann Strauss II, took up the mantle from their father and was dubbed "The Waltz King," Josef first went into civil engineering. Not that it was a pure act of escapism; Josef was truly talented. He created several mechanical designs, including rotating street-cleaning brushes.

But when his brother fell ill, Josef took over the popular dance orchestra in Vienna and started writing his own music. Pittsburgh Symphony music director Manfred Honeck takes a closer look at it when he offers music of the Strauss family at Heinz Hall, Downtown. "People say he was the more sentimental, sensitive and most gifted of all three brothers," says Honeck.

It's the second year that the Austrian conductor will present a lighter and fun program of polkas, waltzes and marches over the Thanksgiving weekend. Also on the program is the debut of Chinese pianist Sa Chen performing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1.

Concerts are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $12.50-$79; visit www.pittsburghsymphony.org or call 412-392-4900.

Just for Kids

Looking to keep the kids occupied over the weekend? The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh on the North Side comes to the rescue with a variety of activities that are free with museum admission.

On Friday, it presents the dance troupe KNOTDance, performing its newest piece "Fall in Love," described as "a blustery and beautiful tale about a boy and his beloved." Times are 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.

On Saturday, Harlem stride pianist Tom Roberts, who appeared on "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson" and "A Prairie Home Companion," will perform at 1:30 p.m.

On Sunday, the museum begins a four-week run of "I Made It! Jr. Workshops," a chance for kids to make one-of-a-kind gifts alongside experts from the Pittsburgh Craft Collective. This week's subject is Wacky Whimsical Birds. It runs 1-3 p.m. through Dec. 20.

Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Call 412-322-5058 or visit www.pittsburghkids.org.

RCBB with 'Bells'

In musical parlance, the bell of a brass instrument is the end of the tube that flares out to let the music resound. But around Christmas time, the only bells we seem to think of are those jingly percussion ones. We don't know which the River City Brass Band means with the title "The Bells of Christmas" for its holiday concerts, but we'd like to think it at least had an idea of the double-entendre. The band's flugelhornist and associate conductor Drew Fennell will lead it in a "wider-than-usual" variety of Christmas tunes, from "Greensleeves" and "Joy to the World," the Caribbean-flavored "Latitude Adjustment," and Randall Thompson's "Alleluia."

During one of the eight concerts, audiences will be treated to a special guest performance. On Dec. 3, the River City Brass Band will be joined at Oakland's historic Carnegie Music Hall by the members of the River City Youth Brass Band.

Shows are 8 p.m. Thursday at Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland; 8 p.m. Friday at Carson Middle School, McCandless; 8 p.m. Saturday at Palace Theatre, Greensburg; 3 p.m. Sunday at Pasquerilla Arts Center, Johnstown; 8 p.m Dec. 8 at Upper St. Clair Theater; 8 p.m. Dec. 10 at Gateway High School, Monroeville; 3 p.m. Dec. 13 at Baldwin High School. Tickets range from $20-$41; call 1-800-292-7222.

Trains running

It's a much shorter drive to see Fallingwater this weekend. You'll just have to look closely.

Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece is the new addition in the Carnegie Science Center's Miniature Railroad & Village when it reopens on Friday for its 88th season.

The village brings hundreds of animated scenes of 20th century to life, such as Luna Park, Gobbler's Knob and last year's new entry, Forbes Field.

While at the Science Center, you can check out "roboworld," the largest comprehensive robotics exhibition in the world, and see the newly opened IMAX film "Volcanoes of the Deep Sea."

For details, call 412-237-3400 or go to CarnegieScienceCenter.org.

Trolley ride

The Santa Trolley is making its annual stop at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum. Families can ride the restored vintage streetcar. Santa will be aboard, and kids can check in with their wish lists.

Dates are Friday through Sunday, Dec. 5-6, and 12-13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: the last trolley leaves at 4 p.m.

While you're there, check out the Yuletide Shuttle ride and the Lionel toy train display, featuring the new Steeler train. The Trolley and Trains exhibit runs through Jan. 3.

They're also collecting toys for "Toys for Tots" through Dec. 8. Bring a toy worth at least $10 for one free admission.

Information: 724-228-9256.

Songs on Paper

Karl Mullen conflates interests in music and art at a free opening and performance, "Songs on Paper/Acoustic Paintings," at 6 p.m. Saturday at Mindful Yoga, Hartwood Town Center, 3394 Saxonburg Blvd., Indiana Township (412-973-5657). Mullen -- founder of the local 1970s Punk band Carsickness, The Ploughman's Lunch and Karl Mullen Band -- received a Grammy nomination for his song "Whiskey From the Field." He will be joined by musicians Hugh Watkins, Megan Williams and daughter Maura Mullen. A self-taught artist, Mullen uses organic substances like tea, clay and spices to create images born out of Irish mythology, family and dreams.

PacSun at Altar

It's a mall rock night at Altar Bar in the Strip Sunday with the PacSun Tour, a taste of the Warped Tour in November.

The headliner is Saosin, the Orange County, Calif., alt-rock band that broke out in 2006 with a self-titled debut and just released its second album, "In Search of Solid Ground."

Bringing a completely different vibe is P.O.S., a Minneapolis rapper who was one of the breakout artists of SXSW 2009 with his blend of hip-hop and punk rock. He stopped here this summer on the Warped Tour, as did Innerpartysystem, arriving on the PacSun Tour with an industrial rock sound.

Getting things started at 5 p.m. will be Eye Alaska.

For more on the show, see page W-21.

• Manhattan Chamber Soloists give a free concert at 4 p.m. Sunday at First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh with works by Hugo Wolf, Richard Strauss, Roderick Gorby, Albert Manders and the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble's 2009 Harvey Gaul competition winner, Ned McGowan.

• Pittsburgh horror legend "Chilly Billy" Cardille will be the special guest at the Pittsburgh Record & CD Convention XXIX Sunday at the Radisson Hotel Green Tree. It runs 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Cardille will be there 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Admission is free. Call 412-331-5021.

• The handbell ensemble Raleigh Ringers makes itself heard Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall, Oakland. Tickets, $10-$15, 1-800-514-3849 or www.johndaniel.com/rr.

Critics Andrew Druckenbrod and Scott Mervis talk about music on "The Beat," available exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.