Halloween is here again!

It is that time of year again!! It is time for jack-o-lanterns, shrieking at haunted houses, wearing outlandish costumes and for those still young at heart, trick-or-treating. Halloween is one of the world’s oldest holidays that is celebrated all over the world. In China, the Halloween festival is known as “Teng Chieh”, where food and water are placed in front of photographs of family members who have departed while bonfires and lanterns are lit in order to light the paths of the spirits as they travel the earth on Halloween night. In Mexico, Latin America, and Spain, they celebrate “El Dia de los Muertos”, which means the Day of the Dead. It is a three day celebration that begins on the eve of October 31^st and ends on November 2^nd. Designed to honor the dead who are believed to return to their homes on Halloween, many families construct an altar in their home and decorate it with candy, flowers, photographs, fresh water and samples of the deceased’s favorite foods and drinks. During the celebration, parades are held, where people dress as skeletons and dance in the streets. In Ireland and Canada, Halloween, which was once a frightening and superstitious time of year, is celebrated much as it is in the United States, with trick-or-treating, costume parties, and fun for all ages.

The Halloween spirit has trickled over to East Liberty this year. There a number of activities planned for children and adults to participate in on Halloween. Determining which activity to attend might be a harder than deciding on a Halloween costume! Check out the fun activities listed below, and pick one if you dare!!

East Liberty’s 1^st Annual October Harvest Festival: October 30^th 4:30-9:00p.m., October 31^st 11:00am- 8:30 p.m., Located at 344 N. Sheridan Avenue & Rodman Street, across from the Home Depot, Cost: Free, There will be a parade, live entertainment, vendors, petting zoo, haunted house, face painting, arts and crafts, and more!  

Halloween Mayhem: October 31^st 1:00-5:00p.m., Located at Kelly-Strayhorn Theatre on 5941 Penn Avenue, Family-friendly activities including trick-or-treating, mask making with Squonk Opera, Spooky Storytelling on stage, Cost: Free, From 8:00p.m.-2:00a.m. there will be a Zombie History 101 Movie Marathon, plus live performances, activities, dancing and more for adults! Cost: $10, $5 with a costume.

East Liberty Harvest Day: October 31^st 10:00am-1:00pm, Located behind Peabody High School, at corner of Black and Beatty Street, Cost: Free, Join GTECH, ELDI and your neighbors on as we complete the 2009 growing season by harvesting seeds! For more details, contact Maureen at 412-241-1013 ext 3.