Things to Do in Pittsburgh This Weekend: Oct 29-Nov 1
The lineup features upcycled fashion awards, classic horror film screenings with live musical accompaniment, multi-venue art crawls, and immersive haunted waterfront attractions.
Cee Jay Awards Launch Festival Programming on the North Side
The weekend opens on Thursday, Oct. 29, at the New Hazlett Theater with the third annual Cee Jay Awards & Fundraiser, hosted by construction material reuse hub Construction Junction. Dubbed the Oscars of Reuse, the 7 p.m. event invites attendees to wear upcycled looks to support local sustainability efforts. Built in 1889 as the first Carnegie Music Hall and dedicated by President Benjamin Harrison, the venue will host salvage art displays, drinks, appetizers, and an awards ceremony recognizing local reuse projects. Tickets are required.
Downtown at the historic Harris Theater on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m., pianist, composer, and arranger Tom Roberts will provide a live score for a screening of the 1922 German Expressionist horror film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.
Hadestown and Seasonal Screenings Fill the Weekend Schedule
The Benedrum Center hosts the national tour of Hadestown from Thursday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Nov. 1, with showtimes varying by day. Written by Anaïs Mitchell and directed by Rachel Chavkin, the musical blends modern American folk and New Orleans jazz to reimagine the Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone. The production won eight Tony Awards and a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album during its 2018–2019 Broadway run.
Family-oriented programming takes over Schenley Plaza on Friday, Oct. 30, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy presents a screening of the 1993 film Hocus Pocus at 7:30 p.m., featuring appearances by the Sanderson Sisters portrayed by Fairytale Princess Visits, alongside carousel rides and lawn activities.
Also on Friday, Oct. 30, from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Oakland hosts a Silence of the Lambs Cage Night. The event includes a screening of Jonathan Demme’s 1991 film, a replica of the film’s holding cage featuring a live actor portraying Hannibal Lecter alongside original set pieces and blueprints, a creepy vendor market, tarot readings, and a ballroom dance party with DJ Teddy T.
Art Crawls and Maritime Haunts Round Out the Holiday
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents its monthly Gallery Crawl through the Cultural District on Friday, Oct. 30, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The free event features visual art, live music, and dance across multiple venues, including a Halloween Party at Wood Street Galleries featuring a record release show by noise artist Aaron Dilloway, immersive audio installations by Hprizm, and exhibition openings at SPACE Gallery and 707 Gallery.
Along the North Shore, The Plaza hosts Devil’s Night on Friday, Oct. 30, and The Final Hangout on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Produced as part of the ScareHouse attractions, the maritime-themed event features a haunted pirate ship, Stolen Stitches Sideshow acts, live mermaids in a 41,000-pound tank, tarot readings, themed food and beverages from SugarBird, and a costume contest with cash prizes on Saturday night.
Additional weekend events include the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performing Alexandre Desplat’s score live alongside screenings of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 at Heinz Hall on Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.; Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens hosting Phipps After Dark: House of Haunts on Friday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. with Alice in Wonderland-themed costumes and psychic readings; and the fourth annual Pittsburgh Art Book Fair taking place Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Carnegie Museum of Art’s Hall of Sculpture and Carnegie Music Hall Foyer, featuring more than 70 exhibitors.
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