Making Fall Fun (Even While Physically-Distant)
It’s Fall in Pittsburgh! Normally, the town is bustling with awesome autumnal activities, but COVID has made fun a little more fraught than in past years. Instead of pumpkins, parties, and bobbing for apples, we’ve got masks, hand sanitizer, and a six-foot bubble around us. However, students Chenoa Baker ’21 and Abigail Kneuss ’23 put together a list of fun, socially-distanced activities to enjoy in Pittsburgh and at Chatham to show that hanging out with friends is possible during this special spooky season.
Oh the Places You’ll Go
Museums Galore:
Art is all around us in Pittsburgh. There are numerous museums and galleries to explore, as well as murals and artsy neighborhoods. The Carnegie Museums, the Andy Warhol, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, are free with your ID and accessible via 71B or 71D buses. Other fun places to go are the Frick Art and Historical Center, Mattress Factory, the Heinz History Center, August Wilson Cultural Center, Wood Street Gallery and SPACE, and the many galleries in Lawrenceville and Garfield, such as the Redfish Bowl Studios or Bunker Projects.
Yummy Eats:
Grab some grub with friends. There are loads of restaurants in Pittsburgh: classic restaurants, Black-owned restaurants, and other streets full of food, such as Walnut Street, Forbes Ave, and Craig Street. Seriously, it is great to grab some to-go from these establishments and get to know the city (and plan where you want to dine-in when it’s safe to do so). If spookiness is your jam, try The Abbey on Butler Street. This restaurant is housed in a repurposed funeral parlor that is not far from the Allegheny Cemetery.
Row House Spooky Movie Drive-in:
Each Friday and Saturday of October, The Row House Cinema is hosting a drive-in movie theater in The Strip District featuring classic movies like Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Beetlejuice. Tickets are $30 a car and social distancing we be implemented. Grab a friend, grab a blanket, and enjoy a fun night watching Hollywood’s classic stars under the stars.
Carnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh:
If you would like a nice place to study or learn outside of Chatham, check out the Carnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh. It’s free to get a library card. Make sure to check the websites of each library for their COVID precautionary measures. Even the great Pittsburgh playwright August Wilson spent tons of time at the Carnegie Library in Oakland as a place to do self-directed learning and retreat from the world.
Fall in Love With Seasonal Nature Walks:
Being outdoors possess an amazing healing power for the body and mind--especially needed for pandemic times. There are fabulous places to go: hiking trails at Eden Hall Campus, Mellon Park, Frick Park (locals call it Blue Slide Park), Highland Park, and The Point. On a nice day go for a stroll with a friend or by yourself with your tunes on in your headphones, set up a picnic, and do yoga in the park.
It's a “Brewtiful” Day in the Neighborhood:
You guessed it, it’s the season to enjoy steamy tea or coffee. This is a great activity to warm up while it is chilly and to mingle with friends and mentors. There are many great places for tea including: Adda Coffee House, Dobra Tea, Bantha Tea Bar, Zeke’s Coffee, Rose Tea Cafe, and many more. One of Chenoa’s personal quests, as a connoisseur of tea, is to compare chai teas at many places and find her favorites.
Artsy Hobbies:
Engage your creative side by sitting at a park bench or be in the middle of downtown and bring your sketchbook along. This is a great thing to do when you want a break from everything but still want to keep your brain active. If you’re up for a fun challenge, try drawing scenes of some of the different bridges in Pittsburgh. Did you know that we have more bridges than Venice?
Take a Pumpkin Pause:
From October 30-November 5, the parking lot of Heinz Field will be transformed into a massive pumpkin drive-by event! This pop-up will feature art by some of the world’s most talented carvers and is free to the public. Find out more about this spectacle of colossal cucurbits here.
Chatham Happenings
Crafts on the Quad:
Join the Office of Student Engagement every Monday in October for spooky crafts on the quad (or the Carriage House in case of rain). Painted pumpkins, trick-or-treat bags, Oktoberfest pretzels, and mug decorating are all on the agenda! Check out myChatham for more info.
Ghost Stories Will Have You Asking For “S’more”:
Sit around the AFC firepit with CAB, the Chatham Archives, and JKM Library eating s'mores brownies on Friday, October 16th from 8-10pm. Hear the ghost stories connected to each of Chatham's buildings and peruse the array of spooky literature to get you into the autumn spirit!
Don’t Get Spooked by Sexual Health:
Join BSU for their 4th annual, Boo! Sexual Health Fair on Friday October 23rd from 3-6pm in the Carriage House. This event will provide students all the resources they need to avoid/protect themselves from spooky STIs.
Celebrate Día de los Muertos at the JKM Library:
The JKM Library will be hosting two events in October to celebrate The Day of the Dead. The first will be held virtually October 27th from 4:00-5:30pm and will focus on the history and culture of this international holiday. The second will be held October 29th from 4:00-5:30pm and will cover how to cope with grief, celebrate life, and honor both. Check out myChatham for more information.
We hope these suggestions help make your fall a little more festive!