Bigger, Better, Bursting With Thrills

In the Strip: The Stacks at 3 Crossings Campus

Railroad Street, between 28th and 29th Streets

The Greatest Growth on Earth…at Pittsburgh’s Most Engaging Neighborhood—The Strip District!

The Skinny:

When: Saturday, Oct. 15 through Sunday Oct. 16
Where: The Stacks at 3 Crossings in the City’s fabulous Strip District…for your GPS, use the following address: 2875 Railroad Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Time: Festival starts and ends same times each day—10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: admission is FREE and so is almost everything else at the event [except food concessions, carriage rides]
Parking: best options…try The Hub, a 590-space parking facility just a few streets from the event. For your GPS, use: 114 27th St Pittsburgh, PA 15222… or even closer, The Hive, a 600-space parking garage recently opened. For your GPS, use: 115 28th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

The Schedule:

Both Days…Oct. 15 & 16:

All Day—Misty Lane Farms Horse Drawn Carriage Rides...the folks at Misty Lane Farms return to take you on an enchanting carriage ride…pulled by a team of magnificent Percheron horses. Come early, ride early as the rides are one of most popular attractions at the event!
All Day—Champions Row at Hopper Park…these are the “fat boys” of the festival folks…the stars of our show, our 3 largest pumpkins of the festival basking in glory awaiting your gasps…each weighing over a ton!…including a massive 2,400+ pound Goliath of a gourd that will leave you speechless.
All Day—Carvers Court at Stacks Courtyard…see the nearly 30-foot long continual scene of prehistoric artistry carefully and completely carved out of pumpkins by our master sculptors, plus painted pumpkins by our extremely talented graffiti muralists.
All Day—Vessel Studio Glass at Stacks Courtyard…hand-blown glass demos and featured products by the artisans of Vessel Studio Glass as they showcase the timeless “free-blowing” technique and bring with them lots of colorful, handmade products to sell.
All Day—Fall Festival Fantasia along Hopper Place behind Stacks Courtyard…all types of food, craft and charismatic festival vendors to fill your day and your appetite for Fall-like treats and eats.
All Day—Pumpkin Pedal Pull…NEW! Test your pumpkin mettle as you attempt to pedal a bike hitched to a 300-500 pound pumpkin…winner takes home nice prizes!
All Day—Kids Pedal Tractor Pull at Hopper Park…fun for tykes as they pedal a replica farm tractor with a weighted sled…and get a tasty candy treat after they’re done.

Saturday Oct. 15 [times subject to change]:

11:30am-12:30pm , 1:00pm-1:55pm, 3:00pm-4:00pm, 4:30pm-4:50pm.—Punkin’ Pic Photo Spots …uniquely configured and staffed with “authentic-looking” characters. Featured on Saturday are Snow White and Spider-Hero
Noon to 6pm—Color With Chrissy…the talented and tastefully creative Christine Patton brings her palette of incredible designs to add joy and surprise to the faces of everyone
2 p.m.—Pumpkin Pool Drop 1…just look for the tall and large LOMMA Crane as we drop the first pumpkin in the pool for the day!
3:30 p.m.—Pie-Eating Plunge at Hopper Place behind Stacks Courtyard…10 brave eaters take a shot at devouring a 9-inch pie the fastest…earning a nice prize for the one who does.
5 p.m.—WTAE Project Bundle Up Pumpkin Drop…our most anticipated drop and highlight of the festival, and rightfully so, as we help support this standout charity. Still don’t have your ping-pong ball entered? That’s ok, you can get one right up to when we pull the cord on a nearly 2,000 pound behemoth in one mighty splash to raise some cash.

Sunday Oct. 16 [times subject to change]:

11:30am-12:30pm , 1:00pm-1:55pm, 3:00pm-4:00pm, 4:30pm-4:50pm.—Punkin’ Pic Photo Spots …uniquely configured and staffed with “authentic-looking” characters. Featured on Sunday are Cinderella and Space Ranger
Noon to 6pm—Color With Chrissy…the talented and tastefully creative Christine Patton brings her palette of incredible designs to add joy and surprise to the faces of everyone
2 p.m.—Pumpkin Pool Drop 2…again, just look for the tall and large LOMMA Crane as we drop the first pumpkin in the pool for the day!
3:30 p.m.—Pie-Eating Plunge at Hopper Place behind Stacks Courtyard…round two of brave eaters take their shot at devouring a 9-inch pie the fastest…earning a nice prize for the one who does.
5 p.m.—PGPGA Splash…Pumpkin drop for the Pennsylvania Giant Pumpkin Growers Association, our partners in performance and growers of most of the giants used at the festival.