Many of us are looking forward to this upcoming long weekend. Some of us are going home, while others are traveling with friends. But what about those of us who are staying on campus for the mid-semester break? For those who are staying in the 'Burgh this weekend, there are a wide variety of events and experiences worth checking out.

First, if you missed Clippership, The Gateway Clipper Fleet is offering two boat tours this weekend. The first is the Fall Foliage cruise, which is running at various times all weekend. Pittsburgh is gorgeous at this time of the year, and for those of you who aren't used to this season, you should definitely take this cruise. The second cruise is only offered on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. This is the Sunset Sightseeing Cruise. The boat will take you up and down the three rivers as the sun sets the city. Again, the city is beautiful this time of year, so this is worth looking into. However, a word to the wise, if you intend to go, be sure to dress warmly as it is supposed to get colder this weekend. For more information, visit http://www.gatewayclipper.com.

There are dozens of theaters in the greater Pittsburgh area. In addition to regular movies showing at places like the Waterfront Loews Theater (http://www.waterfronttowncenter.com), there's the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival taking place this weekend at the theater at the SouthSide Works. To see what movies are playing, visit the festival's website at http://www.pilgff.org.

Halloween is on its way, and Pittsburghers know how to create some scares. For those of you who are dying for a spooky time, there are plenty of haunted houses in the area, as well as other Halloween-themed attractions. There are the Scream Asylum at Trader Jack's Flea Market (http://www.screamasylum.com), Fright Nights at Station Square (http://www.stationsquare.com), and the Hundred Acres Manor Haunted House (http://www.hundredacresmanor.org). Dracula: The Musical? is a spoof on the story of the original vampire in the most hilarious and, oddly enough, musical form that it has ever taken at Fr. Abbate Hall (http://www.gruntware.net/gp).

Kennywood Park is open for its annual Phantom Fright Nights until October 29. Even if you are not one for Halloween, Kennywood's beautiful scenery and historic coasters are worth a visit and the thirty dollars for an all-day pass. For more information, visit their website at http://www.kennywood.com. An insider's tip: go on Sunday and the lines will be practically non-existent, giving you the optimal riding experience. A historic amusement park, great rides, and people running around in costumes trying to scare you... can it get better than this? How about the original stage version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show playing at the Cresson Lake Playhouse all next week starting October 21 (http://www.geocities.com/cressonlakeplayhouse)? There's just plenty of Halloween to go around.

Pittsburgh's nightclubs and concert halls will be full this weekend as well. For the under 21 party scene, go to Club Zoo for the TGIF Dance Party. It starts at 7:30 p.m. and the cover charge is $10. For more information, visit http://www.clubzoo.net. U2 is playing in Pittsburgh on Saturday night at the Mellon Arena from $49.50 and up per ticket. Can't afford it, but still in the mood for live music? You're in luck, because there is a large variety of bands performing on Saturday night for much less than that. The Dresden Dolls are playing at Mister Small's Fun House & Theater at 9:00 p.m. (http://www.mrsmalls.com), Life In Balance at HKAN at 10:00 p.m. (412-381-1812), and Too Tall Jones at Club Café at 10:30 p.m. (www.clubcafelive.com). Saturday isn't the only night for concerts, though. The Mountain Goats will be playing a show on Friday at 8:00 p.m. at the Andy Warhol Museum (http://www.warhol.org). Kanye West is performing as part of his "Touch the Sky" tour on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at the University of Pittsburgh's Petersen Events Center (http://www.peterseneventscenter.com). If you are in the mood for classical, on Friday and Sunday there are also two concerts called "Mellon Grand Classics: Sublime & Spectacular" at Heinz Hall (http://www.pittsburghsymphony.org). The performance on Friday starts at 8 p.m. and on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.   

There are a few art shows in the area that are closing this weekend. The first of these is the graffiti-inspired street art exhibit called "Static-Free." It is showing at SPACE and the exhibit closes on Friday, October 21 (http://www.spacepittsburgh.org). "Both Color: Ten African American Artists," showing at the Society for Contemporary Crafts (www.contemporarycraft.org), and "360: Art in the Round" at the Wood Street Galleries (http://www.woodstreetgalleries.org) are closing down on Saturday. If you are interested in any of these exhibits, this weekend is your last chance. Another artistic event wrapping up this weekend is the Black Sheep Puppet Festival. This show is up at the John Harvard's Brew House (412-824-9440) on the SouthSide and will have its last performances this Friday and Saturday.

There is a Humanity Day Celebration on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. at the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh. This is a celebration that only takes place during the month of Ramadan, and will feature ethnic foods and talks about Islam. This is a free event and open to everyone. For more information, visit http://www.icp-pgh.org.

For those of you who haven't had enough intellectual stimulation for the past two months at Carnegie Mellon, this weekend is National Chemistry Weekend. The Carnegie Science Center is celebrating with various interactive activities for all ages. For more information, visit http://www.carnegiesciencecenter.org.

This is only a small sampling of what is happening this weekend. For more information about these and other events going on this weekend, visit www.pghevents.com. Take this weekend to explore Pittsburgh a little more. You can do as much or as little as you want this weekend, but get out and have fun. Just remember to be safe and keep warm!

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