What time is Halloween in the Pittsburgh area? Here's a trick-or-treat guide in Western Pennsylvania.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Halloween season is here, and families across Western Pennsylvania are preparing for a night of spooky fun.
Pittsburgh and numerous surrounding communities have announced their trick-or-treat times. Halloween is on Oct. 31, and most communities will celebrate the ghostly holiday on Thursday.
Before heading out for some Halloween fun, get into a costume and grab a treat bag for a night to remember. If you're looking for some last-minute costume inspiration, here are pictures of your favorite KDKA-TV anchors and reporters in their spookiest and scariest looks.
Here's when some communities in the Pittsburgh area are trick-or-treating.
When is trick-or-treat in Pittsburgh?
The city said all neighborhoods can participate in trick-or-treating on Thursday, Oct. 31, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
When is trick-or-treat near me?
Most communities in the Pittsburgh area have scheduled trick-or-treating for Thursday, Oct. 31, including Washington, Cranberry Township, Greensburg, Beaver and Connellsville. Times vary for each location, but most communities have a trick-or-treating timeframe between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Before heading out for a night of fun, make sure to check when you can trick-or-treat in your town.
Ultimate trick-or-treating houses in the area
When it comes to trick-or-treating, the best houses give out the full-sized candy bars. But there is another factor to consider, the neighbors who go all out on spooky decorations.If you're looking for communities where you can check out some elaborate front yard Halloween frights, check out McMurray, the North Hills and Whitehall.
In McMurray, Patrick and Terry Conti change up the theme at their home every Halloween. This year, they're going with a haunted diner where the undead get their burgers and ice cream floats. From zombie Fonzy playing the jukebox to a bloody waitress serving Freddie Kruger his meal, the display is making passersby take a second look.The Contis come up with fresh ideas every October. Patrick is an engineer by trade and helms the building of the projects with repurposed wood and supplies.
Over in North Hills, the Ring family and the Sell family have a little friendly competition going on along their street. The Ring family says they take their inspiration mostly from scary movies, but this year added a Flyers fan imprisoned in a pillory.
"We love doing this for the neighbors," Marie Ring said. "We have cars that drive by everyday that just honk or wave and we just really enjoy everything that comes with it."
Two doors down, the Sell family have a "Beetlejuice" theme going on this Halloween. But also have characters from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Little Shop of Horrors."
"They think we're crazy," Jenn Sell said of the neighbors. "But they enjoy it and they thank us, so it's worth it. The kids in the neighborhood really like it."
But no bones about it, the Walker's house in Whitehall is No. 1 in the whole neighborhood. The couple won the inaugural Halloween House Decorating Contest in the borough.
They've got skeleton displays. Lights, a giant spider and more. People are slowing down in the neighborhood just to take it all in.
If you want to visit a corn maze in our area instead, Yelp might be able to help.
The CBS News Data Team asked Yelp for data on businesses with corn mazes, and they provided data where business reviews mention corn mazes. While not a comprehensive list of all the nation's corn mazes, the user reviews allowed the Data Team to map out corn mazes with satellite photography, offering a bird's eye view of the nation's most elaborate corn mazes. For the full story, click here.
Trick-or-treat safety tips
Here are some Halloween safety tips to remember before trick-or-treating.
- Check all candy when home before any is eaten.
- Carry hand sanitizer or wash hands frequently.
- Wear bright costumes or make sure costumes are visible to everyone.
- Avoid baggy costumes and flowing cloaks that can cause a trick-or-treater to trip or fall.
- Avoid costumes or accessories with sharp edges.
According to the American Trauma Society, children are twice as likely to be hit and killed by the driver of a vehicle on Halloween than on any other day of the year.
Experts also want to remind drivers to be vigilant the night of trick-or-treating. They remind drivers to avoid speeding and be aware of trick-or-treaters enjoying the night.
Also, besides eliminating any tripping hazards on your property for the kids, Robert Pierce and Associates attorney Robert F. Daley said that dogs are an issue.
"When someone comes to the door, [the dogs] get quite excited," he said.
He also offered a word of caution - don't assume "my dog would never."
"People are coming to the door, ringing the doorbell, knocking on the door, in dresses, as vampires, witches, clowns, and the like," Daley said. "It can put a dog in a state of anxiety. And even, I think a normal, gentle dog who's in a state of anxiety might be at risk, you know, for biting out of fear."
So, you might put Fluffy in a back room with some music playing or the TV on or move your candy distribution center to take the dog and tripping hazards out of the picture.
"You might want to consider moving it out to the front of your steps so that people don't have to walk," he explained.
Click here for additional Halloween content from KDKA.
