Pumpkins, apple festivals and other food events in October
After a summer of dog days and rainstorms, it’s finally here: the season of colorful leaves, hot chocolate (and hot cider), pumpkin spice lattes and apple dumplings. It’s sweata weatha, and multiple festivals will be celebrating autumn every weekend through October.
Cider to cupcakes
All treats apple, including pancakes and a pie baking contest, will be celebrated at the 40th Franklin Applefest.
The outdoor event, highlighting the region’s abundance of red apples, is hosted by the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce and will be held downtown from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 6-7 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 8.
More than 350 food and craft vendors are expected, along with a farmers market, 5k race, classic car show, live music and children’s activities.
Apples are the star, so come prepared to enjoy the sweet fruit and take home a basket, a jar of apple butter and some apple pastries (although they may not make it home). Details: www.franklinapplefest.com
Fall in the Highlands
Seven Springs Mountain Resort will highlight the autumn beauty of the Laurel Highlands with its annual Autumnfest, set for every Saturday and Sunday Oct. 7-22, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Live music, chairlift rides (providing a bird’s eye view of the hillside foliage), artisans and food and craft vendors will fill the Somerset County resort’s property. Visitors can also check out the pumpkin patch, hay maze or take a ride on the Alpine Slide.
Kids attending Oct. 21-22 can wear their Halloween costumes for a kids’ costume parade and trick or treat — remember your treat bags! Those 21 and up can enjoy the resort’s Foggy Ghoulggle Halloween party on Oct. 28, with best costume prizes, dancing and more. Tickets are $10. Details: 7springs.com
Apples and arts
The Delmont Apple ’n Arts
Festival returns to Shield’s Farm Oct. 7, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Oct. 8, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Fort Allen Antique Farm Equipment Association will give live demonstrations, including of its 1907 antique apple press, used to produce the festival’s delicious apple cider.
Bags of apples, apple butter, and food ranging from hot sausage to ice cream to baked goods, along with crafts/art from over 100 vendors, will be sold. Skilled bakers, ages 9-17 and 18 and over, can enter the Apple Bake contest, showing off their pies, breads, cookies and more featuring the signature fruit.
Have an apple-cheeked little one? He or she can earn bragging rights (and a trophy) by entering the “Baby Apple Cheeks” contest, open to children ages 3 months-4 years ($10 entry fee). Live music, a petting zoo and pony rides, apple slingshot, scarecrow straw bale maze and pumpkin painting will entertain the younger set.
The festival is free, parking is $ 7-$ 10, benefitting festival expenses and various community organizations. Details: delmontapplenarts.com
Hickory Apple Fest
Washington County’s Hickory Apple Fest, benefiting the Mt. Pleasant Township Volunteer Fire Company, is scheduled for 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 7-8, with a pancake breakfast both days from 7 a.m.-noon.
Held on Hickory’s Main Street, the festival will feature live music, a pie-eating contest, apple bobbing, face painting and a pet show.
Dig into apple crisp, handdipped candied/caramel apples, brick oven-baked bread, mini apple Bundt cakes and other fall goodies while you watch demonstrations of chainsaw sculpting, blacksmithing, rope making, chair caning and thread spinning. Details: hickoryapplefest.com
Houston, we have pumpkins
The 40th Annual Houston Pumpkin Festival, held at the American Legion Post #902 picnic grounds, raises funds for the Houston Volunteer Fire Company.
Held from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 1314 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 15, the Washington County celebration of all things pumpkin includes a children’s games and activities, pumpkin decorating, pumpkin-related contests, decorated scarecrows, live music and a parade at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Over 175 food and craft vendors will fill the grounds. Details: houstonpumpkinfestival.net
Allentown Night Market
The bi-annual artist and performance fair that is the Allentown Night Market will return to the 800 block of East Warrington Avenue on Oct. 14 from 7-11 p.m.
This year’s installment will feature over 100 unusual and unique artisans, sideshows and obscure musical acts along with a wide selection of local food and drink vendors and local businesses offering special surprises.
Started in 2017 by The Weeping Glass curiosity shop in partnership with Hilltop Alliance, the onenight event celebrates the “strange and unusual.”
Two free shuttles, one wheelchair-accessible, will be available from a parking lot at South 21st and Josephine streets from 6: 30 p. m.- midnight. Details: allentownnightmarket.com
Fun on the Diamond
Fort Ligonier Days beckons crowds each year to the Laurel Highlands, commemorating a key French & Indian War battle and featuring music, food, arts and crafts vendors, local spirits, a parade at 11 a.m. Oct. 14 and a 5K walk/run, all centered around the scenic Ligonier Diamond.
Visitors also can check out Fort Ligonier (admission fee) during the festival, which runs from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 13-14 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 15.
Stroll the quaint downtown and visit the shops and restaurants in between stops at the numerous crafts and food vendors. Details: fortligonierdays.com
Hay rides, mazes
Triple B Farms in Monongahela has long offered visitors a farm market featuring locally grown fruits and vegetables, baked treats, jams and other goodies.
Its rolling fields transform into an autumn wonderland this time of year, with hay rides, two corn mazes, a barnyard carnival, a haunted barn, a field full of Storybook Pumpkinland characters, giant slides and singing (animatronic) chickens.
Fall Fun weekends run 10 a.m.-6 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 28. Admission wristbands are $17, age 2 and under free.
Visitors also can “pick your own” apples, flowers and pumpkins (added fee) and visit the food barn for apple fries, apple cider doughnuts, apple cider slushies, sandwiches and more. Details: triplebfarms.com
Soergel Fall Festival Soergel Orchards Fall Festival
will offer tractor rides, games and food every Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through Oct. 29.
There is no admission fee, with activities at the Wexford site, including apple, pumpkin and flower picking, priced individually.
There’s fun for mom and dad, too, who can can enjoy a hard cider at Arsenal Cider House. Details: soergels.com
Hay rides and hops
Trax Farms in Finleyville will hold its Fall Festival from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 22.
Guests can take a hay ride ($12 online, age 2 and under free), wander through a three-acre corn maze and pick a pumpkin (extra cost), with activities including train rides and bungee jumper (extra cost).
Bands will perform 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and a variety of food trucks will be on site, along with cafe offerings including nachos, apple cider, cider slushies and caramel apples.
For adult fun, check out Hops & Hayrides, from 4-6 p.m. Fridays through Oct. 27. Guests can purchase beer or wine at the Arrowhead Wine Shop, grab dinner from a food truck and relax at the fire pits. Details: traxfarms.com
Pumpkin plunges
If you’ve got game when it comes to pumpkin pie gobbling, or if you think your muscles are up to a (500pound) “pumpkin pull,” mark your calendar for the Pittsburgh Monster Pumpkins Festival, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 21-22 at The Stacks at 3 Crossings in the Strip District.
Watch master carvers turn pumpkins into art, shop the farmers market and craft vendors, check out hay bale character portraits, glass blowing demonstrations, enjoy children’s activities and pose with some of your favorite Halloween characters.
Help out WTAE-TV’s Project Bundle-Up by participating in the Pumpkin Drop on Oct. 21. Purchase a ping pong ball for $10, and if the smashing pumpkin sends your ping pong ball the farthest, you’ll win a prize.
Admission is free, with fees for food concessions and carriage rides. Details: monsterpumpkins.com
A side of history
Good Taste! Pittsburgh’s Hometownfood expo will mark its 10th year of catering to the ‘Burgh’s dedication to food, with an additional focus on history, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 4 at the Sen. John Heinz History Center.
More than 40 local food and drink purveyors will offer delicious samples, along with activities families can enjoy throughout the museum in the Strip District.
Sample bites from iconic Pittsburgh foodie favorites like Isaly’s, Wholey’s, 5 Generation Bakers, Pittsburgh Pickle, Penn Mac and more. Pick up come cooking tips by watching local culinary personalities demonstrate their skills. And take a tour of the history center’s five floors to learn more about Western Pennsylvania’s culinary history. Details: goodtastepittsburgh.com