10 great Pittsburgh weekend events: STOMP is here, plus so many free festivals and things to do

Photo above courtesy of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

As Halloween looms closer, the city and surrounding areas are brimming with fun and festive events. We’ve got a big guide with all the not-so-spoooky fun across the Pittsburgh area, so don’t miss it. This weekend also has two shows by STOMP as their tour comes through the Steel City, plus a mental health awareness event and more. Read on before making any weekend plans:

Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19: “STOMP” at the Benedum Center

For two days only, the critically acclaimed STOMP show will be in town. Do not miss your chance to see creative performers use a variety of objects to create rhythm in a dazzling performance. Tickets begin at $44 through the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

Friday, Oct. 18-Sunday Oct. 20: Pumpkin Patch Trolley at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum

A train ride to a pumpkin patch? That’s every young ferroequinologist’s (that’s the word for a train lover!) dream come true. On the weekend of Oct. 18, enjoy a whole day of family-friendly fall activities. Tickets begin at $20 and include a pumpkin. Find details and tickets here.

Saturday, Oct. 19: Super Science at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Bring out your curious kids for this free and fun event at the South Side branch of the CLP. This event, which is designed for kids in kindergarten through 5th grade, will give a chance to get excited about a science topic. Librarians pair a read aloud with hands-on, high quality STEM activities that make kids curious and spark their imaginations. Find more info here.

Saturday, Oct. 19: Community Campfire at Frick Park, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Celebrate the beauty of fall at this family-friendly community campfire hosted by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Park staff will provide the fire, sticks, and a limited supply of marshmallows and cookies. They encourage families to bring your own roast-ables, blankets, and chairs for a fun and cozy night. The night will include live music, mini pumpkin painting, leaf crafts, and lawn games. This event is $5 per person, and kids 3 and under are free. Registration is required.

Saturday, Oct. 19-Sunday, Oct. 20: Pittsburgh Monster Pumpkin Festival, Strip District, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

This is one of the most unique festivals in Pittsburgh, so don’t miss it. Enormous pumpkins are the stars of this celebration that includes a costumed fun run, horsedrawn carriages, pumpkin eating contests, and smashing pumpkin drops. Admission is free. You can find more details here.

Saturday, Oct. 19 and Sunday, Oct. 20: Campfire Ghost Stories at Allegheny County Parks, 7 p.m. 

Fall nights and the spooky season set the scene for family-friendly ghost stories and songs by the glow of a roaring campfire. Halloween costumes are encouraged. No registration is required, and these events are totally free! Find more info about this event here.

Sunday, Oct. 20: HOWL-o-Ween at SouthSide Works Dog Park, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

Come on down to the South Side and enjoy some tricks and treats with your furry friends. Dress up Fido for the ultimate pet costume contest plus enjoy plenty of games and activities to celebrate this fun spooky paw-liday. (Pet parents can enjoy frosty refreshments at Levity Brewing.) Contact SouthSide Works for more info.

Sunday, Oct. 20: The Great (Pink) Pumpkin Patch at SouthSide Works Town Square, 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This charity pumpkin patch and faBOOlous party runs from noon to 4:30 p.m. You’re invited to pick a pumpkin from the patch with Women Who Rock. Pink and traditional pumpkins will be for sale benefitting Magee-Women’s Research Institute and Foundation. Enjoy live music and the return of the Little Kids Disco, along with a kids costume contest (at 1:30 p.m.), a Halloween pop-up bar for grownups (courtesy of SouthSide’s own Kŭlcher Kitchen and Bar), plus face painting and more. Contact SouthSide Works for more info.

Sunday, Oct. 20: Children’s Harvest Festival, Oliver Miller Homestead, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Kids can celebrate the season the way they did in the 18th century at Oliver Miller Homestead. Colonist kid crafts include butter churning, writing with a quill and making dolls. Compete in a sack race, apple bobbing and other games. Admission is $2.

Sunday, Oct. 20: Strong Minds Showcase at the Lindsay Theater, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

This special evening at The Lindsay Theater in Sewickley is appropriate for teens and adults. Ninety percent of the public thinks America is having a mental health crisis, according to the American Psychological Association. This crisis includes anxiety, depression, eating disorders and much more, says Benjamin Carlucci, an award-winning filmmaker and creative director at the Strong Mind Project. This evening will showcase important resources and work happening around the topic of mental health. Activities begin at 5:45 p.m. with a panel discussion featuring Matt Walsh (Oasis Mental Health’s co-founder and chief clinical officer), Listen Lucy CEO Jordan Corcoran and artist Hayden Caico, whose short film, “The Creature and Me,” will screen at the festival. Find more details here. Tickets are free, but please RSVP.

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