Frightening Functions

The entire month of October is often laden with trips to pumpkin patches, nights spent watching scary movies under piles of blankets and parties where everyone shows off their handmade Halloween costumes.

And whether it’s a Halloween bar crawl, a haunted amusement park or a live rendition of a spooky cult classic, The Pitt News has got you covered. Check out these events to ensure you’ll be in the Halloween spirit come the night of Oct. 31 — well, unless you have a night class.

Phantom Fright Nights at Kennywood – Fridays and Saturdays

If riding the more than 100-year-old rickety wooden roller-coasters that normally operate in the park during the summer doesn’t scare you enough, try visiting Kennywood durings its Phantom Fright Nights. The park adopts a dark, post-apocalyptic vibe as it offers not only its usual rides, but haunted houses and graveyards as well.

Oct. 20-21, Halloween Tour of the Nationality Rooms

Having to sit in a Nationality Room pew for the duration of a night class may be a scary concept for your behind, but the Halloween Tour is even scarier — the ghost stories and urban legends from some of the room’s countries are chilling. Not to mention there’s a ghost named Marsha in the Early American room.

Oct. 21, Halloween Bar Crawl — South Side Flats

This Halloween-themed bar crawl seems to have it all — a costume contest, wristbands for specials and even a Halloween T-shirt if you finish the crawl.

Oct. 21, Boo & Brew Bash 2017 — Downtown Pittsburgh

There can’t be too many Halloween-themed bar crawls! Put on your spookiest costume and buy some drinks to help benefit Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Oct. 22, Pitt Tonight Season 3, Episode 2: 2 sPoOpY 4 U

With all of the wacky things Pitt Tonight has pulled off, its Halloween episode is something you surely don’t want to miss. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and audience members are encouraged to wear costumes.

Oct. 25, Silence of the Lambs

The IMDB Top 25 must-see film will be showing in Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum — the same place it was filmed 26 years ago.

Oct. 25, Rocky Horror Picture Show — WPU Assembly Room — 8-10 p.m.

Pitt’s Engineering Student Council is putting on a production of the cult classic in the William Pitt Union Assembly Room. Admission is free and includes popcorn and prop bags.

Oct. 27, Pitches & Tones presents Potions & Bones — Alumni Hall — 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Don’t miss the Pitches & Tones’ seventh Annual Halloween Concert in Alumni Hall featuring all seven of Pitt’s acapella groups, including Pitt Avaaz, C Flat Run, The Pitt Pendulums, Pittch Please, The Songburghs and Sounds like Treble.

Oct. 28, Fright Up Night

You’ve heard of Light Up Night during the holiday season, but Fright Up Night for Halloween in Market Square is entirely different — there’ll be live music, face painting, drink specials and even contests for the best costumes.

Oct. 28, Ghost Hunt — Carrie Furnaces

Real paranormal investigators are guiding a ghost hunt through the Carrie Furnaces, the old steel mills of Pittsburgh. Participants must be 18 years old and are required to bring a flashlight.

Oct. 29, Cathedral of Burning Halloween Party

Held at Black Forge Coffee House, this Halloween party will be taking its costume contest very seriously — only 25 contestants can enter the full costume contest and the person with the best costume receives a cash prize.

Oct. 31 Halloween Party at Therapy Dogs Tuesday

The therapy dogs that come to the Cathedral every Tuesday evening to let us scratch their furry bellies and smile lovingly into their big eyes are gearing up to give us all a fright! Seeing dogs dressed up in Halloween costumes is one of the best types of therapy out there.