The leaves are turning bright colors. The air is becoming cool. The days are getting shorter. For the Erie area, this all means one thing, which is that fall is here.

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As an Erie native, I can assure you that one thing that many locals wait for all year is the Fall Fest at Peek ‘n Peak. Just a short drive from campus, this festival offers a little something for everyone. Craft vendors, food tents, and a petting zoo cover much of the land, while a pumpkin cannon shoots off every few minutes trying to aim flying pumpkins at a large target on a skiing mountain. One ski lift also operates during the festival for visitors to enjoy a view of fall foliage for miles. The festival’s last weekend is this coming Saturday and Sunday, October 21st and 22nd.

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On a lighter note, Mason Farms is a popular destination for all things fall. While they offer hundreds of fresh-picked pumpkins and bushels of concord grapes, the market also has an in-house store with home décor. Sticking with the not-so-scary theme, the Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm in Edinboro, right off of I-79, hosts its annual corn maze. Each year, an aerial view of the maze shows a new fall-like pattern that has been plowed into the corn.

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Switching gears to the scary side are two of the area’s Halloween themed events. The first is Sparrow Pond’s Spooky Hayride and Walk Thru Cabins, located in Waterford on Upper Peach Street. The hayrides are offered every Friday and Saturday night between now and Halloween and are $15.95 per person, according the Sparrow Pond website.

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On an even scarier level is Conneaut Lake Park’s Ghost Lake 13 Levels of Fear. Located about 45 minutes away from campus, Ghost Lake offers 13 levels terrifying enjoyment, speaking from my own experience and that of many other friends. The terror starts as soon as you walk up to the ticket booth with an axe-carrying rabbit and all of his dressed up friends. Each level offers a different twist, such as Demon House and Roadside Clowns. The 8th level, Haunted Hotel Conneaut is located inside the park’s real-life haunted hotel. If you’re up for a bit of a scare, tickets are $25 for Friday and Saturday nights and $20 for Sundays between now and Halloween.

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Whether you’re looking to enjoy some fall festivities or get your socks scared off of you, October in the Erie Area has something to offer for everyone.