BY RUTH RICE

RRICE@TRIBDEM.COM

The third annual Great Pumpkin Masquerade Ball will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday at Ace’s, 316 Chestnut St. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

Featured bands are Ribbon Grass, YUM and Shades of June.

Door will open at 8, with music starting at 9:30.

Those who wish to participate in the costume contest must be at Ace’s before 9:30 to register.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three male and female entries.

Tickets will be $10 at the door.

Frightening fights

Fright Night Fights will bring professional boxing to the area at 8 p.m. Saturday at Cambria County War Memorial Arena, 326 Napoleon St., downtown Johnstown.

The featured Main Event will be Johnstown’s own Andres “TaylorMade” Taylor defending his WBF Cruiserweight championship belt against Leo Bercier.

A special Halloween-themed stage production, complete with dancers from TNT Gymnastics, is planned for Taylor’s entrance into the arena.

Other fighters are Joey Gilbert from the NBC reality television series “The Contender” and Russian brothers Dmitry and Fedor Chudinov.

Fans are encouraged to come dressed in costume.

During intermission, a $100 cash prize will be awarded for the best adult costume, and $50 will be awarded for the best children’s costume.

Children in costume accompanied by an adult will be able to participate in a safe trick-or-treat session inside the arena prior to the start of the fights.

Tickets are $62, $32 and $22, and doors will open at 7.

Information: 536-5156 or (800) 745-3000.

Tip-top tap

“Thank You, Gregory: A Tribute to the Legends of Tap” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, Richland Township.

An all-star cast of tap dancers and jazz musicians will present tap-dance history and artistry while paying tribute to Gregory Hines, Gene Kelly and Ray Bolger and the integral role of tap in the movies and on Broadway.

Tickets are $28 for regular admission, $26 for Pitt-Johns-town staff, faculty and alumni and $10 for students.

Information: 269-7200, (800) 846-2787 or www.upjarts.com.

Battle of the bands

The Phi Kappa Theta fraternity at St. Francis University in Loretto will host its first ThetaFest Battle of the Bands competition from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday at the JFK student center on campus.

The bands will play a variety of music.

The winner will receive a trophy and a cash prize.

The audience will vote for the best band, and each admission fee will include one vote for one band.

Additional votes may be purchased during the event.

Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door.

Proceeds from the event will go to Geisinger’s Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville, Montour County.

Information: (661) 714-8806.

Always a bridesmaid

“Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” will be presented at 7:30 tonight and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Studio Theater at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, Richland Township.

The cast consists of five bridesmaids who hide out in an upstairs bedroom rather than attend the wedding and one male who provides a romantic interlude.

The play is described as a funny, irreverent and touching celebration of women’s spirit.

Tickets: $15, $13 and $10.

Information: 269-7200 or (800) 846-2787.

Amazing mazes

The corn maze at Weakland Farms, Route 164, west of Portage, will be open from 4 to 8 tonight and 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The cost is $6 per person.



A fall harvest and corn maze at Barr Ridge Farms, Route 271, north of Nicktown, will be held from 10 a.m. to 8 tonight and Saturday.

The cost is $4 for adults and $3 for children.



The corn maze will be open at Faranda’s Farm at 1171 Penn Ave., Hollsopple, from 4 p.m. to dusk tonight and 11 a.m. to9 p.m. Saturday.

Flashlight Nites will be held tonight and Saturday.

Admission to the maze is $10 or $8 for groups of more than 20.

Frightful hauntings

Hauntings at Huston’s Haunted Hollow Campground, Route 281, Rockwood, will be held from dusk to 11 tonight and Saturday.

The hollow is not recommended for children younger than 7 or those with medical conditions.

There also will be 30-minute Hayrides of Horror that venture into the Evil Forest.

The cost is $13 for adults and $11 for children ages 10 and younger and group discounts.



Ghostly and ghastly spirits will take over Kennywood Park for Fright Nights from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. tonight and Saturday.

Fright Nights are not recommended for those 13 and younger.



A Haunted Village will be held from 6 to 9 tonight and Saturday at Old Bedford Village, 220 Sawblade Road, Bedford.

A haunted village, hay ride and haunted corn maze are included with admission.

Evening admission is $8. Children ages 5 and younger will be admitted free.

Information: 623-1156, (800) 238-4347 or www.oldbed-fordvillage.com.



Ghosts & Goblins Tours at Lincoln Caverns near Huntington will combine the good and evil of the season tonight and Saturday.

Family-friendly tours will be offered from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, while haunted, scary adventures will be held from 6 to 10 tonight and Saturday.

Tickets for the friendly tours are $11.95 for adults and $6.95 for children ages 4-12.

Tickets for the haunted cave tour and trail are $11.95.

Fitness fun

The DiSepio Institute 5K Fitness Challenge hosted by St. Francis University’s DiSepio Institute for Rural Health and Wellness will be held Saturday at the mall on the Loretto campus.

Events will include a two-mile walk for competitive walkers and families beginning at 8 a.m.; a half-mile Fun Run for children ages 10-13 starting at 8:45; and a 100-meter Tot Trot for children ages 5-9 starting at 9:15.

A 5K run-walk will start at the mall at 9:30 and wind around the campus.

All participants will receive a ribbon for finishing their respective event, a long-sleeved T-shirt and a free breakfast.

Registration forms can be accessed online at www.francis.edu/DiSepioInstitute.htm.

Information: 472-2783.

Celtic music

Last Friday will begin at 5 tonight at the Ethnic Social Club at Heritage Discovery Center, 201 Sixth Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

Live music from the Celtic group Tree will start at 5:30.

The event is free.

Information: 539-1889.

Beat goes on

A drum circle will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center, 411 Third Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

Those interested in joining the circle do not need experience in music to participate.

The facilitator is Rachel Allen.

The cost is $5 per person.

Information: 536-5399.

Bling benefit

A Christmas jewelry sale to benefit Beginnings Inc. will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Beginnings office at 111 Market St., Johnstown.

Jewelry designs by Jeanne Ann Norris of Jeanne’s Jewelry by Design will be featured.

All sales will be cash and carry with proceeds benefiting Beginnings’ court appointed special advocate and early literacy programs.

Book barter

The American Association of University Women will accept used books today and Saturday at Giant Eagle on Scalp Avenue in Richland Township and BiLo Market in the Westwood Shopping Plaza.

Books will be used for the group’s annual book sale, which will be held June 16-19 at The Galleria, Richland Township.

Slovak Christmas

Reservations must be made today for the Slovak Heritage Association of the Laurel Highlands’ presentation of a vilija, or traditional Christmas Eve dinner, which will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Am-Slo Social Club, 85 Lenhart St., Johnstown.

Information 255-5517.

Buried treasure

A book presentation by Johnstown native Jean Crichton will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Portage Station Museum, 400 Lee St., Portage.

Crichton will discuss her book “Digging for Treasure: Two Pioneer Coal Developers in Portage, Pennsylvania.”

The book will be available at the museum, and a book signing will follow the presentation.

Information: 736-9223.

Allegheny frontier

Author Dave Hurst will give a presentation on his book, “Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains: The First Frontier,” at 7 p.m. Thursday at Heritage Discovery Center, 201 Sixth Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johns-town.

A book signing will follow Hurst’s presentation, which is free and open to the public.

Information: 539-1889.

Children’s films

Two presentations of CineMuse Hi-Def Cinema will be held at the Children’s Museum at Heritage Discovery Center, 201 Sixth Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

“Creature Feature” will be presented at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

“Operation Dung Beetle” will be shown at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The programs are free with museum admission or to JAHA members.

Information: 539-1889.