Things to Do in Lancaster this October

Autumn has officially made its way to Lancaster, bringing with it an exciting lineup of festivities for the community. Fall into the season with First Friday in Lancaster City, find harvest-themed activities, plan out your Halloween weekend, celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, and get artsy at Lancaster Art Vault—there’s so much to explore this month!

First Friday, October 3

• First Friday Artisan Markets | Lancaster Art Vault
• First Friday Open House | Urban Arts House
• Fall Bouquet Making Workshop | Central Market Flowers on Queen
• First Friday with Friends: Bookish Trivia | Lancaster Public Library
• First Friday Live Music | South County Park Bar
• First Friday Salsa Dance Lessons | The Village Nightclub
• Drag Trivia: Queer Art History | The Midnight Oil
• “Organic Reflections: Autumn Shades” | First Reformed Church
• Halloween Pop-up! | Cult Classics
• Pocket Books Shop Opening Party on Prince | Pocket Books on Prince

Halloween & Fall Festivities

• Harvest Breakfast | October 4 at Lancaster Central Market
• South County Oktoberfest | October 4 at South County Brewing
• Haunted Encounters | October 15 at Historic Rock Ford
• Murder Mystery Dinner | October 15–17 & 22–24 at The Log Cabin Restaurant
• Boos & Brew Beer Fest | October 25 at Penn Medicine Park
• Eerie Elegance: A Sophisticated Charcuterie Workshop | October 24 at KelSas Sweet Box
• All Horrors Eve | October 24 at Southern Market
• Halloween Horrorama Strikes Back! | October 28 at West Art
• Halloween at West Art! | October 31 at West Art

Performing Arts & Culture

• Disenchanted: A Sassy Musical Comedy | October 2, 3, 4, 5 at Prima Theatre
• Lancaster’s Got Talent | October 4 at The Trust Performing Arts Center
• Music in the Round: Brass & Organ | October 4 at First United Methodist Church

• The DrumBeatsArt Experience | October 4 at PAVAA Gallery
• Highland Performing Arts: Steven Courtney | October 5 at Highland Presbyterian Church
• Jekyll & Hyde: Opening Night at Fulton | October 10 at Fulton Theatre
• Family Fun Fest | October 11 at Ware Center for the Arts
• Social Dance | October 12 at Historic Rock Ford
• “Streamers” by Lancaster Shakespeare Theatre | October 16 at Holy Trinity Church
• Deceived: Opening Night | October 24 at the Fulton Theatre

Art, Education & Workshops

• Quest for Learning | October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
• Audiobook Walk | October 4 at Nooks
• Banned Books Read-In | October 5 at Nooks
• Round Robin Critique Workshop | October 7 at curio. Gallery & Creative Supply
• High School Open House | October 13 at Lancaster Mennonite School
• The Book Was Better Book Club | October 16 at Nooks
• From the Heart of Lydia Book Signing with Darlene Colon | October 18 at LancasterHistory
• Fall Open House | October 18 at Thaddeus Stevens College
• Open House | October 22 at New School Montessori
• A Conversation with Author Kaitlin Curtice | October 24 at Nooks

Special Events & More!

• Annie Bailey’s 18th Annual Oysterfest | October 4 at Annie Bailey’s
• EmpowHer Market by Lancaster County Women for Good | October 4 at Brightside Opportunities Center
• Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration | October 4 at Binns Park
• Pizza & Pints | October 6 at Cartel Brewing
• Lancaster County RV Show | October 10 at Penn Medicine Park
• Live Music with Bobby Wilson | October 11 at Cartel Brewing
• Lancaster Public Librewery | October 17 at Lancaster Public Library
• Live Music with West & West | October 18 at Cartel Brewing
• Greenfield Community Blood Drive | October 23 at High Companies Corportate Office
• A Century United: United Way Celebrates 100 Years | October 25 at Lancaster County Convention Center

What’s Happening at Lancaster Art Vault

• Painting and Drawing from Photographs with Jason Ward | October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
• “Mixed” in the Main Gallery | October 2–November 29
• “On the Threshold of Abstraction” by Resident Artist James Michael Elia | October 2–October 25
• Showing in the U-Gallery – Peter Stevenson, Julia Swartz, Jess Shiner and Ann Benton Yeager | October 2–November 29
• Resident Artist, Oscar Mcdonah presents: [transit] | October 2–October 25
• Lancaster Art Vault Presents: Jeff Sibbett | October 2–November 29
• Plein Air Painting the Streets of Lancaster with Brooklyn Based Painter Pete Sinjin | October 11–12
• Live Model Figure Drawing | October 14
• Critique Club | October 21
• Discover the Magic of Wet Felting with Ellen Silberlicht! | October 23
• Pysanky Egg Ornament Workshop with Jennifer Domal | October 25

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