October is a time of transitions punctuated by fall flavors, festivals and outings. If the temps are any indication, it’s an idyllic time for getting out and about. Here at NEXT, we adore October, so we couldn’t stop at just 10 things to do. We added a few bonus events, so FOMO is out of the question.1. Oktoberfest Pittsburgh in Market Square: Oct. 3-13Who knows if a giant Ferris wheel will ever land on the banks of the Ohio River as part of the Esplanade, but the whimsical ride IS coming to the Roberto Clemente Bridge. The first Ferris wheel was developed by George Ferris on Pittsburgh’s North Side for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and will now be the hub of activity for the city’s newest festival. The multiday event transforms Market Square into an immersive Bavarian village. On the Sixth Street Bridge, the 60-foot Ferris will be surrounded by food vendors, activities and carnival games. Watch Feats of Strength competitions like stein holding, keg races and pretzel tosses, and sip brews in the Market Square Biergarten. Savor classic German delights and sway along to traditional polka tunes, oom-pah-pah rhythms and toasting songs. Tickets.“Trans Heaven, Pennsylvania,” Hansen Bursic, 2024. Film still courtesy of Reel Q.2. Reel Q Film Festival at The Warhol Museum, Row House Cinema and Harris Theater: Oct. 4-12For its 39th season, Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ+ film festival brings queer stories to life via 14 full-length films and 30-plus shorts. The festival opens at The Warhol with a screening of the 2024 feature film, “Perfect Endings,” following a struggling filmmaker who is “fresh off of a 10-year-long relationship and ready to dive back into the single dating life.” Arrive early to see the AWS + Warhol exhibition and grab a drink in the lobby. After the film, director Daniel Ribeiro will lead a Q&A. Another hot pick? The 50th anniversary of John Waters’ cult classic “Female Trouble” starring Divine as “nightmare psycho teen” Dawn Davenport. Tickets.Festival of Combustion. Photo courtesy of Rivers of Steel.3. Festival of Combustion at the Carrie Blast Furnaces: Oct. 5, 1-9 p.m.The furnaces are no longer churning out steel, but the creative sparks are flying. Inspired by the site’s iron-making legacy, this year’s Festival of Combustion debuts new engagements and experiences from 50 collaborators. Explore the fusion of industrial arts and American crafts as you witness iron pours and glassblowing, welding and blacksmithing. Pop into the Heritage Craft Tent to sample rye whiskey, make mosaics or take a tour of the National Historic Landmark. Visit the Punk Rock Corner, Iron Garden and Guild on the Go activities area. Fuel up with food trucks, fall brews and cocktails. Don’t miss flame shows, circus arts and performative wood-fired ceramics and a fireworks show. Tickets.Fall Flower Show: Rhythm and Blooms at Phipps. Photo by Paul g. Wiegman.4. Fall Flower Show: Rhythm and Blooms at Phipps: Oct. 5-27Music and Mother Nature converge at the country’s longest-running fall flower show. At this year’s show, each room is inspired by different genres of music. Sounds from rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, hip-hop and classical music create multi-sensory environments. Step into a jazz club where a piano flows with water, gaze into pink mums as classical music fills the air and sing along to reggae underneath a “three little birds” mobile. Tickets.Photo courtesy of the Allegheny County Parks Foundation.5. Park ‘til Dark and Pour at the Park at North Park: Oct. 12, 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m.From sunrise to sunset there are so many ways to support the Allegheny County Parks Foundation. Roll up your sleeves and help the Allegheny County Park Rangers plant 100 trees in North Park. The free daytime portion offers a Spooktacular costumed bike ride, nature journaling, an open house at Latodami Barn, a power hike and a mindful meditation session. Kiddos can join the Pine Creek Land Conservation Trust for arboretum activities and a storybook walk. Stay to experience magic hour under the stars at the ticketed Pour at the Park benefit bash. Sip spirits and brews, rock out to music by Paging Doctor Moon or test your skills with activities hosted by Coach Dave of CDG. Information.Performer Scarlett Fairweather at the 2023 Art for Change event to benefit Persad Center. Photo by Emerson Aniceto.6. Art for Change at Stage AE: Oct. 18, 6:30 p.m.A striking portrait of David Bowie by renowned celebrity photographer Herb Ritts is just one reason you can’t miss this party on the North Shore. Art can change lives, as Persad Center – the region’s oldest LGBTQ+ nonprofit – knows firsthand. Funds raised at Art for Change support mental health services for Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ+ community. Acclaimed Pittsburgh artist Mia Tarducci has curated 100 original works donated by a community of local and national artists. The live auction includes pieces by Mark Zets, Scott Butler and Ellen Chisdes Neuberg. Tickets.7. BOOM Concepts Legacy Gala at The Maverick: Oct. 19, 5-11 p.m.Designed to be an intimate atmosphere, the evening in East Liberty will illuminate BOOM’s role within Pittsburgh’s arts ecosystem. Emceed by Pittsburgh comedian and “Drinking Partners” co-host Ed Bailey, the gala kicks off with a cocktail hour and then a formal dinner by Roxanne’s Catering followed by a dance party. Connect with the local arts community, and enjoy entertainment by a special musical guest. Proceeds from the gala support BOOM’s programming benefiting local artists. Tickets.In Dead By Ten. Photo courtesy of This Is Red.8. In Dead By Ten at This is Red: Oct. 19, 5-10 p.m.You definitely won’t turn into a pumpkin after this event. Dance your way into the spooky season – and get home in time to finish your favorite show. Start working on that costume now, because Pittsburgh’s favorite early-bird dance party is back with an eerie twist. In Bed by Ten teams up with Hidden Harbor to transform a landmark Slovakian church in Munhall into a Halloween mecca. Sip sinister drinks crafted by four fearsome bars and groove to ghoulish tunes from devilish DJs Formosa, Rojo and EZ Lou. Watch “cursed video curiosities” during the Scream-o-Rama program and vie for prizes in the costume contest. Tickets.Photo courtesy of the Moonshot Museum.9. SpaceBurgh in Market Square: Oct. 19Pittsburgh’s newest festival is set to launch at noon on Oct. 19. From Astrobotic’s collaborations with NASA to the Flying Saucer monument in Mars, our region has become a space-age destination. This festival brings together all of the space industry and institutions in Pittsburgh – and beyond. Celebrate our city’s pivotal role in space exploration and science with robotics demonstrations and interactive displays. Build rovers to conquer rough terrain and explore vertical wind tunnel experiments. Dive into sci-fi worlds through cosplay, comics and lightsaber battles and indulge in space-themed refreshments. Leading up to the Keystone Space Collaborative Conference, the city has declared “Space Week” in the Burgh from Oct. 19 to 26. Information.Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Monster Pumpkins Festival.10. Monster Pumpkins Festival at the Stacks at 3 Crossings: Oct. 19-20Where can you play tug-o-war with a 1,500-pound Atlantic Giant gourd, compete in pie-eating contests and hop on a horse-drawn carriage ride right in the middle of the Strip District? This signature “Fall Festival Fantasia” returns with all the pumpkin fun you can imagine – and it’s all free. Watch pumpkin carvers and artists work their magic in a 30-foot-long courtyard of sculptors and graffiti muralists. Watch a 2,000-pound pumpkin drop 130 feet into water and snap selfies with a gigantic Jack-o-Lantern. Dress up for the Costume Caper 5K Run/Walk happening Saturday morning, watch glass pumpkins being made and shop for autumnal gifts in the vendor marketplace. Information.Photo courtesy of the Dirty Dozen Bike Ride.11. Dirty Dozen Bike Ride starting in Highland Park: Oct. 26For some, it’s an epic challenge to be faced every fall, while for others, it’s a bucket list fantasy. For me, it’s a nail-biting spectator sport. During one of Pittsburgh’s unique extreme events, bikers traverse open city roads attempting to conquer Pittsburgh’s 13 steepest hills. The ride’s nine heats include a women’s division, handcycling competition and the “party bus.” The ninth hill puts the “dirty” in Dirty Dozen, taking riders up the world’s steepest public street — Beechview’s Canton Avenue, with its staggering 37% gradient — where Audi filmed a commercial on the hill. Soothe those sore muscles at the after-party and awards ceremony at East End Brewing. Register.Zine by Empress Editions. Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Zine Fair.12. Pittsburgh Zine Fair at the Kingsley Association: Oct. 27Put down those digital devices and experience firsthand why print media matters at this diverse showcase. Celebrating the art of the self-published, small-circulation zine, nearly 100 local and regional creators will share and sell original work. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., meet the makers while perusing an extensive selection of publications exploring political, educational, poetic, personal and literary topics. Attendees can also purchase art prints, handmade crafts and more. You’ll leave inspired to fire up that printer, reload the stapler and start creating. One week before the event on Oct. 20, the Zine Fair is hosting a swap and mixer at Paper + Dirt, from 1 to 4 p.m. Information.Bonus eventsBread + Puppet Theater at The Falk Laboratory School: Oct. 3Night Market in Allentown: Oct. 5Title Town 15th Anniversary at Spirit: Oct. 5Neon Night: Glow in the Dark Pickleball Showdown in Schenley Park: Oct. 5Geek Out Gala at Carnegie Science Center: Oct. 17Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District: Oct. 25From Dusk Till Dawn Halloween Party at Spirit: Oct. 26Find more things to do in Pittsburgh, including live music, outdoor recreation, farmers markets, movies and family activities.The post 12 reasons to love October in Pittsburgh appeared first on NEXTpittsburgh.