Light Up Night, with its fireworks, visit by Santa Claus, and other holiday festivities, brings lots of people Downtown, but not necessarily for shopping or dining.

In a first-ever survey of Light Up Night and its impact, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership found that the vast majority of the people who attended did so for the events, not to shop or to eat.

Of the 177 people surveyed, 79 percent said they did not spend any money in department stores and 85 percent spent nothing in specialty stores.

The numbers weren't much better on the dining side. Sixty-three percent said they did not spend any money on casual dining, 51 percent didn't spend any on fast food, and 94 percent spent nothing on fine dining. Only 11 percent reported spending any money in bars or pubs.

While Light Up Night traditionally has been viewed as the kick-off of the holiday shopping season Downtown, Mike Edwards, the partnership's president and chief executive officer, said the results aren't that surprising.

"You're just not going to go shopping when you got three kids with you," he said.

He added Light Up Night is aimed more at "reintroducing people to Downtown" than anything else. "It's really an event. If we can capture some revenue off it, terrific," he said.

That's not to say Light Up Night had little economic impact. The survey, done by the Strategic Metrics Group of Pittsburgh, calculated that the estimated 200,000 people who attended last year spent an average of $128.95, or $5.1 million total.

Those who did buy spent an average of $201.42 in department stores, $180.08 in specialty stores, $48.98 on casual dining, and $21.77 on fast food.

Mr. Edwards said the department store spending probably indicates how central Macy's, with the unveiling of its holiday windows, is to the night.

The survey found that Light Up Night visitors tended to be female, Caucasian, under the age of 44, and with incomes under $75,000. They came mostly from Allegheny County, although some visited from Ohio and West Virginia.

"It really is a true regional event that brings people Downtown to celebrate the coming holidays," Mr. Edwards said.

The partnership hopes to use the study to demonstrate the value of Light Up Night and to generate more sponsorships.

In a separate sampling of 387 people who visited Downtown on one of four Saturdays leading up to the Christmas holiday, the survey found that nearly 50 percent spent money in department stores, with the average being $139.77, while 39 percent bought in specialty stores, with the average being $121.83.

In all, 60,000 to 80,000 people visited on those Saturdays, spending an estimated $6.7 million to $9 million, or an average of $225.23, based on survey projections.

Of interest is that while the four Saturdays generated more total revenue than Light Up Night, those who spent on Light Up Night tended to spend more, on average.

Mr. Edwards said he's not sure what to make of the economic totals, as they relate to the holiday season.

"To me that's kind of the unknown. What does $9 million mean? Is that good for the central business district?" he asked. "Is it all Macy's, all Saks? We need to get a better understanding of it."