Fall Festival Fever!—West Allegheny

As Autumn approaches, let the fall fun begin! Pumpkins, corn mazes, hayrides, applefests and more await.

Down on the Farm

Half Crown Hill Orchard Pick-Your-Own

Where: 600 North Branch Road, McDonald

For more info: hchorchard.com

Fall fun down on the farm! Half Crown Hill Orchard is a family-owned and operated farm and retail market providing homegrown apples, pumpkins, and honey. Pick your own apples and have a guided orchard tour, available by appointment.

Hozak Farms Fall Festival

Where: 488 Anderson Hozak Road, Clinton

For more info: hozakfarms.com

Make some new memories with your kids by taking them on a hayride to the pumpkin patch. Other activities include pumpkin painting, a straw pile, a maze, and farm animals.

Janoski’s Pumpkinland

Where: 1714 Route 30, Clinton

For more info: janoskis.com

Get the whole family together to celebrate the season at Pumpkinland, located behind the Farm Market. Take a walk to the pumpkin patch or enjoy a scenic hayride. A corn maze, haunted barn, pony rides, petting zoo and corn pit are all part of the fun too, along with food and craft vendors.

Fall Fairs and Festivals

Coraopolis Fall Festival & Art Walk

When: October 11

Where: Downtown Coraopolis

For more info: corycdc.org/event

Take the kids out for a fantastic day of fall fun! There will be a lot of family-friendly activities, food trucks and local vendors. Stroll the art walk and admire works created by local artists.

McFall Fest

When: October 11

Where: McDonald Presbyterian Church, 119 Station Street, McDonald

For more info: mcdonaldpres.org

McFall Fest will be old-fashioned fun for the whole family. The event will offer a bake sale and food, crafters and vendors, games for the children and more. Check out Sandi’s Treasure Chest resale shop while you’re there.

Nationality Festival

When: October 2-4

Where: St. Malachy Campus, 343 Forest Grove Road, Coraopolis

For more info: archangelgabrielparish.org/festival

Prepare yourself for outstanding cooking of Italian, German, Mexican, Slovak, and American cuisine by parish volunteers. Enjoy the food, games, raffles and an Oktoberfest experience with live music nightly.

Halloween Activities and Events

The Curse of Frankenschnoz

When: October 18

Where: Western Allegheny Community Library, 181 Bateman Road, Oakdale

For more info: westernalleghenylibrary.org

Frankenschnoz returns to the Youth Services Desk and you can pick his nose! Like an old challenge on “Double Dare,” reach up in the monster’s “schnoz” and dig around for a spooky surprise. (One per child while supplies last.)

Movies in the Moonlight: ‘Wicked’

When: October 3

Where: Moon Park Amphitheater, 1350 Joe DeNardo Way, Moon Township

For more info: moonparks.org

Take a blanket or chair to relax on the hillside for a unique movie-going experience, Halloween style.

Trail of Terror

When: October 10 & 11, 17 & 18, and 24 & 25

Where: Carnegie Park, 21 Cooks Lane, Carnegie

For more info: carnegieborough.com

A beautiful park setting is transformed into an outdoor haunt with ghosts, goblins, zombies and more.

Live Entertainment

Emerging Artist Jazz Series: Jonathan DiGiulian

When: October 26

Where: Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Avenue, Carnegie

For more info: carnegiecarnegie.org

This exciting new collaboration spotlights rising stars alongside some of Pittsburgh’s most accomplished jazz musicians. This event features Jonathan DiGiulian, a rising talent in the area.

Moon Market & Music

When: September 24 and October 1

Where: Moon Park, 1350 Joe DeNardo Way, Moon Township

For more info: moonparks.org

Moon Park is the happening place on these evenings, featuring a traditional producer-only market, food trucks, craft beers, kid-friendly activities, and a concert you won’t want to miss.

‘Oklahoma!’ Presented by Stage 62

When: November 6-16 (Thursday through Sunday)

Where: Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Avenue, Carnegie

For more info: stage62.org

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” takes place just after the turn of the 20th century. A high-spirited rivalry between local farmers and cowboys provides a colorful background for Curly, a charming cowboy, and Laurey, a feisty farm girl, to play out their love story.

Other Fun in the Fall

Fall for Your Library

When: September 20

Where: Celebrations, 8110 Steubenville Pike, Imperial

For more info: westernalleghenylibrary.org

Join Western Allegheny Community Library for the annual Fall for Your Library event. It is the library’s largest fundraiser and the community’s premier food and beverage tasting event, featuring special food and wine pairings, games, auctions, and live music.

Forest Bathing: A Guided, Restorative Woodland Walk

When: October 11

Where: Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, 799 Pinkerton Run Road, Oakdale

For more info: pittsburghbotanicgarden.org

Experience nature’s power to soothe, refresh, and open your heart. The Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) is a slow, sensory-based walk in the woods, focusing on the sights, sounds, smells, feels and tastes of nature.

Halloween Campfire (21+)

When: October 16

Where: Montour Woods, 1874 Hassam Road, Moon Township

For more info: hollowoak.org

Join the Hollow Oak conservation rangers for this widely requested grown-ups-only Halloween campfire night.

Harvest Moon Race

When: November 15

Where: Starting point is St. Philip’s Church, 1629 Beaver Grade Road, Moon Township

For more info: harvestmoonrace.org

Grab your sneakers for this family-friendly community event featuring a 10-mile run, 5K run/walk, and 1-mile fun run.

Kids Spooky Nature Campfire

When: October 10

Where: Montour Woods, 1874 Hassam Road, Moon Township

For more info: hollowoak.org

Get in the Halloween spirit by celebrating some spooky species! Join the Hollow Oak Land Trust conservation rangers around a crackling fire to learn about some of nature’s most misunderstood species.

Mary and Mike’s Miles 5K Fun Run & Walk

When: November 1

Where: Tiger Stadium, 8353 University Boulevard, Moon Township

For more info: moonarea.net

Ready to lace up and change students’ lives? Mary and Mike’s Miles raises funds for scholarships for two Moon Area High School seniors. One scholarship is for vocational training and one is for college. Your strides will make a difference!

P.A.L.S. Golf Outing

When: September 27

Where: Quicksilver Golf Club, 2000 Quicksilver Road, Midway

For more info: north-fayette.com/339/Parks-Recreation-Events

This charity golf outing benefits P.A.L.S., a community-based, volunteer organization dedicated to developing and facilitating structured recreational opportunities for children, youth, and adults with special needs.

‘Tour the Montour’ Trail Ride

When: September 21

Where: Montour Trail (at Mile Marker 0), Coraopolis

For more info: montourtrail.org

Tour the Montour is a non-competitive, family-fun bike ride that offers a variety of distances, each following the off-road Montour Trail. The surface is hard-packed crushed limestone.

Autumn in the Burgh

Festival of Combustion

When: October 4

Where: Carrie Blast Furnaces, 801 Carrie Furnace Boulevard, Rankin

For more info: riversofsteel.com

This festival is a celebration of the industrial arts and American crafts. Hands-on activities for adults and kids, with demonstrations and experiences throughout the day, will add to the fun.

Handmade Arcade

When: December 5 & 6

Where: David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Boulevard, Downtown Pittsburgh

For more info: handmadearcade.org

This holiday market is Handmade Arcade’s longest-running and largest event, hosting up to 275 makers and artists and more than 10,000 enthusiastic shoppers.

Idlewild’s HallowBoo!

When: September 13 through October 26 (Saturdays and Sundays)

Where: Idlewild Park, 2580 US-30, Ligonier

For more info: idlewild.com

It’s the Idlewild you know and love, with a fun, family-oriented, Happy-Halloween twist! Trick-or-treat through Story Book Forest, hop on favorite rides, and enjoy special entertainment perfect for the season.

Jack O’ Lantern Extravaganza

When: October 2 through November 2 (Check the website for exact dates.)

Where: Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, 7370 Baker Street, Highland Park

For more info: pittsburghzoo.org

Thousands of artistically carved pumpkins will glow in the night during the walk-through Jack O’ Lantern Extravaganza. The gallery of pumpkins will feature an array of beloved zoo animals, famous sites, and some familiar characters presented with sound, light, and other special effects.

Phantom Fall Fest at Kennywood

When: Select dates in September and October

Where: Kennywood Park, 4800 Kennywood Boulevard, West Mifflin

For more info: kennywood.com

Phantom Fall Fest lets you do Halloween your way. Family-friendly fun starts early, including rides, festive food, and a unique autumn atmosphere. When the sun goes down, the Phantom takes screams to the extreme with haunted houses and scare zones.

Phipps’ Fall Flower Show: Visions of Japan

When: Opening October 4 (Check the website for additional dates.)

Where: Phipps Conservatory, 1 Schenley Drive, Oakland

For more info: phipps.conservatory.org

Celebrate the prominence of the chrysanthemum in Japanese culture during the Fall Flower Show at Phipps. Enjoy mums in all shapes and sizes, as well as props that include jewel-toned fans, a moon gate, a pagoda, footbridges and a dragon.

Pittsburgh Empower Walk & 5K Run

When: September 25

Where: Acrisure Stadium, 100 Art Rooney Avenue, Pittsburgh’s North Side

For more info: act.autismspeaks.org

Participation in this event directly supports crucial programs and services for the autism community.

Pittsburgh Monster Pumpkins Festival

When: October 18 & 19

Where: 3 Crossings Campus (between 28th and 29th Streets), Pittsburgh’s Strip District

For more info: monsterpumpkins.com

This event features pumpkins so big, so heavy, and so fascinating-to-behold, you’ll be doing double takes all day long!

Schenley Plaza Kids Day

When: October 13

Where: 4100 Forbes Avenue, Oakland

For more info: pittsburghparks.org

Kids Day includes free carousel rides, interactive activities, unique live performances and more!

We love to inform our readers about fun events happening in our local communities. Send an email message to d.mountain@icmags.com if you have details about a future event in the area.

We kindly ask that before attending an event, please check the website provided. We do our utmost to make certain the information we provide in this section is accurate; however, events are subject to change.