Pittsburgh Halloween Costumes, County Cancels Christmas, and a Zoo Lawsuit
National Geographic says Pittsburgh is one of the best places in the world to visit in 2026, Bon Appetit featured — of all places — The Squirrel Cage, and a South Side brewery was named the best in the nation. City Cast Pittsburgh’s Megan Harris and Sophia Lo are talking about six different national lists we should be proud to make, plus a couple that just made us laugh. Also, the downstream effects of the state budget stalemate are coming home to roost: Pittsburgh Regional Transit announced all the nice things we won’t be getting, Allegheny County officials canceled Christmas decor and tours at the historic Hartwood Acres Mansion, and an animal rights group is suing the Pittsburgh Zoo. Plus we’re sharing some of our favorite mostly-last-minute Pittsburgh costume ideas, including several submitted by you!
What’s your favorite Pittsburgh costume? Call or text us at 412-212-8893. We might use it on an upcoming show.
Notes and references from today’s show:
- The best places in the world to travel to in 2026 [National Geographic]
- PODCAST: How Fet-Fisk Turned A Pop-Up Into Pittsburgh’s Best New Restaurant [City Cast Pittsburgh]
- Pittsburgh ranks 3rd in national look at car-optional living [WESA]
- Fat Head’s named Brewery of the Year at festival [TribLive]
- 3 Pennsylvania cities ranked among worst places to live for people with asthma [Allegheny Front]
- $750,000 Homes in Virginia, Florida and Pennsylvania [The New York Times]
- Experience Pittsburgh Dining Like a Local: Chef Nik Forsberg Shares His Secret City [Bon Appétit]
- Sheetz and Wawa tied in new convenience store customer satisfaction ranking [KDKA]
- Animal-rights group sues to free elephants from Pittsburgh Zoo [TribLive]
- Social media influencer charged after jumping into Pittsburgh zoo enclosure [TribLive]
- PODCAST: Baby Animals, Snake Emergencies & Why AZA Matters to the Pittsburgh Zoo [City Cast Pittsburgh]
- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's memoir is coming out in January [WESA]
- Routes spared, but upgrades nixed in Pittsburgh Regional Transit funding fix [PublicSource]
- Hartwood Acres Mansion holiday tours canceled due to state budget not passed [WTAE]
Learn more about the sponsors of this October 28th episode:
Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership
Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.
Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh!
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Stay connected to City Cast Pittsburgh and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
Paid Parental Leave Proposal Gets a Makeover
After weighing over 1,400 public comments — mostly from parents, health care workers, and small business owners — the county health depar...
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Philly Is Reducing Violence With Parks — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh
Would Pittsburgh be better with fewer vacant, blighted lots? In Philly, the answer is overwhelmingly yes, with significant drops in crime...
Ripping Out Skill Games, Mandatory Fun & RIP Annie Dillard
Will state police start ripping skill games out of convenience stores, vape shops, and other spots? That's what could happen if lawmakers...
Pittsburgh Restaurant Empires, Explained
Did you know a ton of Pittsburgh's most influential dining spots are run by the same six restaurant groups? Some are massive, some are lo...
Measles, Go-Karts & Wylie’s Opening Lineup
Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak is getting worse. At least four people have died and nearly 700 cases are being tracked statewide. Host M...
What To Do During an ICE Encounter in Pittsburgh
Community leaders and business owners in Beechview — the heart of Pittsburgh's Latino community — say ICE activity has been increasi...
Won't You Be a Reader? The Campaign to Raise Lifelong Readers {SPONSORED}
On this bonus episode sponsored by the Grable Foundation, we're talking about a local push to make sure every child has access to the boo...
Does Pittsburgh Have the Meats? A Guide to Pittsburgh BBQ
Can Pittsburgh hold its own when it comes to barbecue? We definitely don’t have the smoked-meat reputation of Texas or the Carolinas, but...
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Las Vegas Is Handling Record-Breaking Heat — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh
It may not feel like it right now, but extreme heat is coming for Pittsburgh, and Las Vegas might have the answers you need. An already s...
Iceburgh Loaf Pan, Fetterman's GOP Lovefest & Pittsburgh Remembers 9/11
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Western PA was directly affected: one of the hijacked planes crashed...