Looking for great shows? Fall festivals? Halloween happenings? Pittsburgh has all of these and more for your family this October. Carve out some memories with these great events.
1. Fall Festival at Soergel Orchards: weekends in October
The whole family will find plenty to do at the annual Soergel Orchards Fall Festival. Each weekend in October, enjoy hayrides, a pumpkin patch and apple picking, and browse at Soergel’s Gift Barn, Garden Center and Wine Shop. For the kids, there are pony and horse-drawn wagon rides, face painting, games and more. And don’t forget to sample great food like roasted corn at the Back 40 BBQ and Food Barn, and delicious desserts at the Sweet Saloon.
The Fall Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free and games and activities are priced at $1-3 each.
2. Italian Heritage Day at Heinz History Center: October 1
The Heinz History Center kicks off National Italian Heritage Month with the 4th annual Italian Heritage Day. Presented by the History Center’s Italian American Program, which is dedicated to preserving the history and culture of Italian Americans in Western Pennsylvania, the event includes educational activities for families to learn about Italian American history and culture. Enjoy Italian American cooking demos and sample Italian American recipes in the Weisbrod Kitchen Classroom, learn basic Italian vocabulary with La Scuola d’Italia Galileo Galilei or play bocce with Major League Bocce. There’s also live entertainment, vendors and information tables, and arts and crafts inspired by the museum’s Italian American Collection.
Italian Heritage Day takes place from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Admission is free for youth 17 and under, $16 for adults, $14 for seniors 62 and over, free for History Center members.
3. 3-2-1 Ride Pittsburgh on the North Shore: October 1
3-2-1 Ride returns to Pittsburgh for another fun day of biking for a good cause. Now in its fifth year, the event welcomes cyclists of all skill levels and ages for a variety of races along the North Shore Riverfront trail or Great Allegheny Passage. Go for a more casual trip on the seven-mile Rita’s Ride family trail ride or the 25-mile Tim’s Tour, or take on the 62-mile Metric Century ride or brand new 80-mile VIP ride.
Registration is open now through September 29 at midnight. Registration for the seven-mile family ride costs $10 for kids 12 and under and $40 for adults. Kids receive a t-shirt and adults get a t-shirt, water bottle and swag bag. There will be no same-day registration. Sponsorship is required for the Metric Century and VIP ride, and optional for Rita’s Ride and Tim’s Tour. Proceeds will benefit The Woiner Foundation, an organization dedicated to fighting melanoma and pancreatic cancer.
4. Halloween Family Fun Day at Monroeville Mall: October 8
Families will find plenty of spooky fun during the 2nd annual Halloween Family Fun Day at Monroeville Mall. Kids can trick or treat as adults shop from dozens of crafters and vendors on the second level. Take part in a variety of kid-friendly activities, including coloring and costume contests with prizes, face painting, and crafts, as DJ Zombo spins some fun tunes. There’s also live music by Nathan Janov, a dance party and meet-and-greet with Princess Perfect Entertainment, and a charity auction.
Halloween Family Fun Day takes place from 12-6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Fees apply for some activities.
5. Acro-Cats at Bricolage: October 11-15
Have a purr-fectly good time when the Acro-Cats take over Bricolage. The act has appeared on national TV shows like the “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and the 2017 Puppy Bowl broadcast on Animal Planet. Led by animal trainer Samantha Martin, the troupe of performing house cats rides skateboards, leaps through hoops, and features Alley, a fabulous feline known for holding the Guinness World Record for the longest cat jump. See the world’s only all-cat band, Tuna and Rock Cats, and its talented lineup of musical beasts, including Oz on guitar, Asti on drums, Nue on keyboard, Ahi and Albacore on cowbell and woodblocks, Buggles on trumpet, and Cluck Norris the chicken on the tambourine.
Tickets for Acro-Cats cost $23-$38. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Humane Animal Rescue.