PHOTO BY PAUL SELVAGGIO
Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza: Unless you’re a seasoned artist (or have figured out the miracle of stenciling), your Halloween pumpkins probably never looked quite right. An eye in the wrong place, a bad ratio of gourd to decoration — there are many ways for a Jack O’Lantern to go wrong. Leave the carving to the professionals, then, and marvel at more than 3,000 professionally prepared pumpkins at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium’s annual Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza, a family-friendly, nighttime event. You’ll stroll through the Jack O’Lantern Trail and marvel at hand-carved pumpkins featuring zoo animals, Pittsburgh sports heroes, famous witches and hundreds of other subjects (with a big, bold grand finale we won’t spoil here). The event also features seasonal snacks, live carving demonstrations and more spooky surprises — plus, of course, the animals that call the zoo home. The Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza continues nightly through Nov. 2.
“The Rocky Horror Show”: This year marks the 50th anniversary of the late-night cinema sensation “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” — but before shadowcasts were doing the “Time Warp” in theater aisles, Dr. Frank N. Furter made his debut onstage. The musical version, “The Rocky Horror Show,” has all the great songs from the movie and (thanks to some judicious script edits) makes … marginally more sense than the infamously kooky on-screen version. A new production from Pittsburgh CLO soars thanks to an irresistible cast led by Alexander E. Podolinski as the fabulous mad scientist, plus Connor McCanlus and Laura Frye as sinister minions Riff Raff and Columbia. Hopefully, your audience will feature a few folks familiar with the show’s call-and-response lines — the chaos is part of the charm at “Rocky Horror.” The show continues through Nov. 8, perfect for extending your spooky-season festivities.
Phantom Fall Fest: Want to optimize your night at Phantom Fall Fest, Kennywood’s annual season of thrills and chills? The best option is to buy a Speedy Pass, which allows you to skip the line at the park’s six haunted houses — vital, since wait times often last an hour or more this close to Halloween. If you don’t want to spend the extra cash, though, get there early. While the park is open all day on Saturdays and Sundays, the haunts don’t open until 6 p.m.; be in the park beforehand and get in line before the rush to knock out a scare or two before the evening gets too crowded. Whatever you do, make a point to visit the park’s newest and most ambitious haunted attraction, “Detached,” a puppet-themed maze found in the Arcade (near the Jack Rabbit). It has some of the most inventive and surprising scenes the park has ever offered.
Night of 1,000 Skulls: Andy Warhol had a spooky side, evidenced by the prevalence of deathly and spiritual themes in his work — including his famous screenprints of skulls. Appropriately, the Warhol will celebrate the opening of the new exhibit “Andy Warhol: Vanitas” with the brilliantly named Night of 1,000 Skulls, a Halloween party held in the North Shore museum. Costumes — or, rather, “macabre couture” — are requested as you enjoy tarot readings, aura photography, screenprinting lessons, a dark DJ set from Second Skin and more. The 21+ event kicks off at 8 p.m. this Friday night and continues until the clock strikes midnight.
Haunted History Center Halloween: It’s a family-friendly Halloween celebration — and, since it’s at the Heinz History Center, it’s free for kids. The museum is always free for those 17 and under (part of the Kamin “Free for Kids” program), and young visitors this Saturday will enjoy trick-or-treat stations and spooky activities, plus scary stories from the city’s history and more. The fun starts at 10 a.m.; if you need a morning boost, the Coffin Bean & Co., a coffee bar hauled behind a hearse, will be on hand.
“Nosferatu” with Live Score: Much of horror history begins with “Nosferatu,” the 1922 vampire tale that gave us the first big-screen (unauthorized) adaptation of “Dracula.” The haunting film will come back to life this Thursday night at the Harris Theater, where it will be accompanied by pianist Tom Roberts, performing an original score to accompany the silent masterpiece.
“Night of the Moth Man”: We’re only a few hours’ drive from Point Pleasant, W.V., the home of the infamous cryptid known as the Moth Man. See a live tabletop role playing comedy show take on the flying creature this Friday night (and next) at Arcade Comedy Theater, as a team of local improvisers rolls the dice and faces the beast.
Looking for more things to do? Check out our complete list of events in Pittsburgh for today, tomorrow and the weeks ahead.