Pumpkin Carving Competition Guts Tops 5 Weekend Things To Do Around Peters

PETERS TOWNSHIP, PA - Guts is a friendly annual pumpkin carving competition hosted by the Pittsburgh chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design. The primary goal of this event is to unify the creative community in support of the kids who fight the real fight everyday at Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

The competition is open to the public, local and regional creative professionals that want to test their pumpkin carving skills, and more importantly, raise money for the brave kids of Make-A-Wish. Money is raised through the carver's registration fees, the silent auction at the event, food, drink and merchandise sold at the event.

For those who can't make it or would like to do a little extra, anyone, anywhere, can to contribute to a wish by donating.

Guts takes place Oct. 22 from 3:30-7 p.m. at Spirit, 242 51st St. Lawrenceville. Admission is free to spectators; carver registration fees are $50.

Other weekend highlights:

• School of Rock The Musical, Oct. 20, 8 p.m.; Oct. 21, 2 and 8 p.m.; Oct. 22, 1 and 6:30 p.m., Benedum Center, Downtown

Based on the hit film, this hilarious new musical follows Dewey Finn,a wannabe rock star posing as a substitute teacher who turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. This high-octane smash features 14 new songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber, all the original songs from the movie and musical theater’s first-ever kids rock band playing their instruments live on stage.
School of Rock The Musical tickets start at $30.

• ZooBoo, Oct. 21-22, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, Highland Park

Trick-or-treat throughout the zoo at this daytime family favorite event. Enjoy two not-so-spooky haunted houses, a costume competition, and more! ZooBoo activities are included with general admission but additional fees are charged for rides and pumpkins.

• Hollywood Theater Annual Halloween Party, Oct. 21, 7 p.m., Hollywood Theater, Dormont

Costumes are encouraged as there will be a contest, including a category for the best '80’s-inspired vampire. Or forget the costume and be transformed into a creature of the night at the '80's hair bar and vampire makeup station. There also will be vendor tables, a raffle, tasty treats, and other scary fun. The evening is BYOB (corkage fees will apply). At 8 p.m., there will be a screening of 1987’s “The Lost Boys,” starring Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Patric.
Hollywood Theater Annual Halloween Party tickets start at $12.

• Xanadu, Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 21, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 22, 2 p.m., Cabaret at Theater Square, Downtown

Re-live the ‘80s with a retro feel-good night of nostalgia. From the golden age of romantic comedies, legwarmers and Pac-Man, “Xanadu” is a classic tale of boy meets girl – except that girl is actually Greek muse Kira sent from the heavens to Venice Beach, California to help struggling artist Sonny achieve his greatest dream – to open the first roller disco. This hysterical ‘80s musical adventure’s legendary hit score featurie “Magic,” “All Over The World,” “Suddenly,” “I’m Alive,” "Evil Woman," "Have You Never Been Mellow" and, of course, “Xanadu.”
Xanadu tickets start at $38.75.

Photo via Associated Press.