In honor of the season of pumpkin spice and spooky movies, here’s a list of some fun fall activities perfect for you and your friends to celebrate before Halloween.
Soul Food Comedy Murder Mystery Show (Wilkinsburg, Pa.)
Think you have what it takes to solve a crime? Assemble your team of detectives, and put on your thinking caps this Saturday for this year’s annual “Whodunnit dinner” at the Hosanna House in Wilkinsburg! The show will place you and your friends at the scene of the crime and will have you sort through given clues to figure out the culprit. Prizes will be awarded for the team with the best detectives. The event includes dinner and dessert; alcohol is served, so this event is reserved for those who are 21 and older. Tickets are $50, and the show is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Pittsburgh’s Monster Pumpkin Festival (The Stacks At 3 Crossings, Pittsburgh)
You won’t find these pumpkins at your nearest patch. This FREE event includes two days of giant pumpkins, ranging in size from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds! Each pumpkin is uniquely carved or painted by local artists, including Max “GEMS” Gonzales, who was once considered to be Pittsburgh’s “most-wanted” graffiti artist. Still not interested? Not only does this event display ginormous pumpkins, but it also drops them from a crane nearly 11 feet, eight inches off the ground! Pittsburgh’s Monster Pumpkin Festival also provides glass-blowing exhibits, selfie locations, pie-eating contests, and food from local vendors! Admission is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 15-16.
Fall Slam Music Festival (Homestead, Pa.)
Ever want to spend the weekend listening to live music and enjoying the best that food trucks have to offer? This Sunday the Forge Urban Winery in Homestead has exactly what you are looking for. The Forge Urban Winery will be hosting their venue to over 20 vendors with 13 artists providing musical performances as well. Additionally, participants will have the chance to win free giveaways from sponsored companies. Tickets range from $15 to $50 and the event lasts from 12 – 11 p.m. Open to all ages!
HalloWeekend At Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio)
Looking for some extra thrills this Halloween season? Duquesne’s Program Council is hosting a trip to Cedar Point on Oct. 15. This will be an all-day excursion filled with haunted mazes, roller coasters, and live music. Have fun during the daylight hours, participating in all sorts of traditional fall festivities, but be prepared for terrifying frights come nighttime! Tickets are $60 and transportation is provided. The bus leaves campus at 8 a.m. and will depart from Cedar Point at 10 p.m.
Duquesne’s Union Ballroom Halloween Social
Duquesne’s Ballroom Association is hosting this event on Friday, Oct. 28 from 7 – 9 p.m. in the Union Ballroom. Enjoy some free treats, games and get ready to show your finest moves on the dance floor. Don’t forget to bring some friends and dress in your Halloween best for a chance to win some prizes in their costume contest. After all, the Monster Mash is better when you dress the part. This occasion is open to all students free of charge, so now you have an excuse to wear your costume more than one time this year!
Hundred Acres Manor (Bethel Park, Pa.)
Named by several renowned periodicals as the largest and scariest haunted experience Pittsburgh has to offer, Hundred Acres Manor features five haunted houses that are guaranteed to give you a fright. They also provide other attractions, including a haunted maze and a simulator designed to make you feel like you are being buried alive. The first 100 guests arriving at the park will also receive a free, limited edition t-shirt! Hundred Acres Manor is located in Bethel Park, nearly 25 minutes from campus. General admission costs $28 and includes access to all five houses.
Trax Farms Fall Festival (Finleyville, Pa.)
Spend the day at Trax Farms, located in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, getting lost in corn mazes, going on hayrides, picking pumpkins and more! This 75-acre farm has been family-run for over 150 years, and this year will be their 53rd annual Fall Festival. Tickets are $10 online at traxfarms.com and $12 in-person. Fall activities are offered every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. now through Oct. 23.