Halloween is here! Well, not quite…but if you’re anything like us, then you’re the type of person who wants to celebrate all month long. Here are the most spooktacular events and happenings in the ‘Burgh to help you celebrate the holiday this October!
Watch Pumpkins Sail Through the Air
The 4th Annual Punkin’ Chunkin’ at Hartwood Acres Park on October 19th may just bring out the inner kid in you. You’ll be amazed to see pumpkins get launched across the amphitheater field by SHARP Robotics, while also enjoying games, crafts, and activities. Hosted by Allegheny County Parks, this family-friendly event will also feature food and drinks from BRGR, Le’s Oriental, and Hop Farm Brewing Company.
Learn How to Decorate Halloween Cookies
Not only will you learn the tricks of the trade for decorating Halloween cookies at Halloween Frost ‘n’ Sip, but you’ll also find out how to make royal icing and get to take your creations home to eat! Hosted by Threadbare Cider and Mead, this unique event will be held on October 24th, 2019. A glass of delicious cider, light snacks, and a mini-tour of the cider house are all part of the fun that’s included in your $40 ticket fee.
Take a Ghost Tour
Learn about the ghosts in one of America’s most haunted cities! Haunted Pittsburgh will take you on a ghost tour of downtown on Friday and Saturday evenings up until November 9th. Walk by some of Pittsburgh’s spookiest sites while you hear macabre tales of ghosts galore. You can also attend an Evening With The Ghosts of Pittsburgh at The Oaks Theater on October 10th to hear true tales of supernatural sightings in the city and take a virtual ghost tour through photos and videos.
Visit a Halloween Pop-up Bar
Delight in the demonic decorations, flashing red lights, and costumed bartenders at Nightmare on Forbes Street! This Halloween pop-up bar in Market Square is serving up creepy cocktails for the entire month of October. Signature drinks are named The Krueger (named after Freddie, not Alan) and the Pumpkin Head, while the food names include Twisted Souls (pretzels) and Crystal Lake Fungi (fried mushrooms).
Peruse a Halloween Craft Market
At the Danksome Art & Craft Market, every day is Halloween! On Saturday, October 12th, weird and spooky handmade art and crafts will be available to purchase from over 30 different artists and vendors at the Union Project on North Negley Avenue. Admission is $5 for adults and free for kids, and food will be available to purchase from the Cool Beans Taco Truck.
See a Scary(ish) Movie
Hit up Late Nights at Row House Cinema to see a scary movie on Friday and Saturday nights this October. The films range from classics to cheesy B-list movies to true horror films, meaning that some are spookier than others, but all of them are fun to watch. You can bring beer and soda into the cinema from the neighboring Bierport bottle shop, and some of the movies are even interactive (The Rocky Horror Picture Show is on the list!).
Do a Fundraising Run in Your Costume
Waking up to run on a Saturday morning is tough enough, but if you want to make it a little more challenging, wear a Halloween costume! The Emmaus Spirit Run Costume 5k and 1 Mile Fun Walk will take place on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail on Saturday, October 19th starting in the South Shore Riverfront Park. Costumes are encouraged, and proceeds benefit individuals with intellectual disabilities through the Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh. The event also includes other festivities, such as a costume contest, food and drinks, a raffle, and pumpkin painting.
Ride the Rollercoasters at Phantom Fright Nights
Phantom Fright Nights at Kennywood falls on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights from September 27th through October 27th, 2019. This award-winning event at Pittsburgh’s original amusement park boasts a variety of “haunt and scare zones.” Several rides and coasters are open, including the always terrifying Phantom’s Revenge. Tickets can be purchased online in advance or at the park.
Experience a Haunted House
If you want to inject a little terror into your Halloween celebrations, visit one of Pittsburgh’s Haunted Houses. Rumor has it that a haunted house will open in the Strip District called the ScareHouse Scream District, but the opening date is still TBD. Hundred Acres Manor in Bethel Park is another popular haunted attraction that covers over one square mile of the park, or drop into one of the aforementioned haunted areas at Kennywood’s Phantom Fright Nights.
Walk Through a Monster Pumpkin Patch
The Pittsburgh Monster Pumpkins Festival will take place on October 19th and 20th at the Great Lawn at North Shore’s Riverfront Park. Pumpkins weighing up to 2,000 pounds will be displayed proudly on the lawn, there will be a 5K Costume Walk/Run, and Master Pumpkin Carvers will be there showing off their skills. You can even cheer on humungous “pumpkin boats” racing down the rivers!
Go on a Halloween Bar Crawl
Crawl like a zombie at Night of the Crawling Dead. On Saturday, October 26th, don your craziest costume and meet up with other Pittsburghers for drink specials and a tour of the city’s best bars. Tickets start at $7.50 for a group discount and $10 for individuals. On Saturday, October 19th, Make-A-Wish is hosting a Boo Brew Bash benefit with four different stops downtown (ticket options range from $10 to $40).
Laugh Your Way Through the Weekend
On Friday, October 25th, head to the Steel City Improv Theater for a special Halloween show called Nightmare on Ellsworth. “It’s like Psycho with much less attractive people,” claim the show’s creators. For just $10 in admission, it’s worth finding out if that’s true or not!
Show Someone the Magic of Halloween
There are plenty of magical activities for kids (and their grownups) to do on Halloween. Take someone that you love to ZooBoo at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, a Boo-Tanical Bash at Phipps Conservatory, or a Halloween Cruise on the Gateway Clipper. There’s also a Halloween Parade in Edgewood, and of course, trick-or-treating is always an option for the little ones!
Play a Game of Halloween Trivia
To win prizes and play horror themed trivia, check out Super Spooky Taproom Trivia at Bierport on October 16th. If you prefer TV and movie themed questions, Zone 28 has Hocus Pocus Trivia on October 22nd and The Office Halloween Episodes Trivia on October 29th.
Haunt a Halloween Party
There are plenty of public parties for adults this October to celebrate Halloween. Fright Up Night downtown boasts 12 different parties, Bar 11 is having a Halloween Party with a costume contest to benefit HEARTH, and the Dark Magic Manor Halloween Dance Party at the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel will also feature a costume contest, along with DJs, drinks, and appetizers. Jam on Walnut on October 26th is an outdoor street festival with bands and beer that will be sure to bring out plenty of folks in costumes the weekend before Halloween.
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.