The weather will be comfortable with highs in the 70s as fall arrives Sunday. Plenty of regional events will celebrate community, the outdoors and the change of season.
Disability Pride
PA Inclusive and Disability Pride PA partnered to create the inaugural Disability Pride Pittston. The event at the Tomato Festival lot, 7 Spring St., will promote inclusivity and celebrate ten years of PA Inclusive, formerly NEPA Inclusive.
Kaitlin Hall is the marketing and development director at PA Inclusive, a provider of services to people with disabilities.
“The main goal is to get everybody out in an excessive and inclusive environment,” she said. “We’re also going to have people from PA Inclusive share their life stories.”
There will be sensory activities and educational resources for people with various disabilities. A cool-down tent will provide respite for those who need it, and other activities will be provided by Special Olympics of NEPA.
Several food vendors, including Coffee Inclusive, will be on site. Jeannine Luby from Laugh to Live will teach laughter yoga and comedian and mental health speaker Gab Bonesso will be the emcee.
Disability Pride Pittston
7 Spring St., Pittston, PA
Saturday, Sept. 21
11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Light and Laughter Comedy Show
A group of comedians will perform in Scranton this Friday in a fundraiser event for the John Malvizzi Foundation.
The Light and Laughter comedy show is a partnership between financial advisor Megan Alpert, who owns Joy World Wealth Partners, and comedian Jeannine Luby, who founded Laugh to Live.
“She likes to spread joy, I do as well,” Luby said. "What I hope people will gain from this evening is laughing their stress off."
Local comedians Micki Orlowsky, Mary Rapach and Luby will perform at the event planned for the middle of Suicide Prevention Month.
The headliner, Gab Bonesso, will travel from Pittsburgh. She is a mental health public speaker and talks about her journey in her stand-up routine. The John Malvizzi Foundation was founded in honor of a local man who died by suicide.
This is an alcohol-free event, and purchasing tickets in advance is encouraged.
Light and Laughter Comedy Show
Joy World Wealth Partners
125 N. Washington Ave.
Friday, Sept. 20
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Nurture in Nature walk
Jeffrey Lake founded The Lake Foundation to increase awareness and resources around mental health in NEPA. The nonprofit will host its second event this weekend with a hike at Lackawanna State Park.
The free group hike this Sunday will be led by Evan Cobb, a board member at the Lake Foundation. Lake says the hikers will learn about positive psychology.
“Research suggests that taking a walk in nature is more conducive to happiness, (it) produces more positive results than walking in the city,” he said. “So we are going to gather some people to go on a little walk and talk about the benefits of nature to your happiness, an overview of positive psychology and the science of happiness."
Nurture in Nature
Lackawanna State Park
1839 N. Abington Road, N. Abington Twp.
Sunday, Sept. 22
10 a.m.
Other events
- Freshen up your wardrobe at the Clothing Swap at Groove Brewing in Scranton on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. People can bring between two to 15 new or gently used clothing items or accessories and take just as many items home.
- StrangeFest at the Ritz Theater is a curated market with vendors such as Eclectic Florals, Witchletoe and Gemini Rose Tarot. It takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to
4 p.m., and it is is the second Strangefest event, a partnership between the Ritz and the Strange and Unusual. - The Lackawanna County Celebration & Walk will recognize freedom from addiction Sunday at Nay Aug Park in Scranton. Registration for the free event starts at 11 a.m., and the one-mile walk will begin at noon. The recovery celebration will start at 1 p.m. and wrap up around 4 p.m.
- Paranormal Cirque III is a traveling R-rated horror circus currently set up at the Wyoming Valley Mall. Guests age 13 -17 must be accompanied by an adult, and children under 13 will not be admitted. Tickets are available for shows Sept. 19-22.
- The 3rd Annual Archery Eve Party will be hosted at the Outdoors Insiders store in New Milford. There will be archery competitions and guests will have free range access throughout the day. Live music, food trucks, a beer tent and more are planned for the event Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- The Pocono Township Food Truck Festival runs Friday to Sunday at 112 Township Drive in Pocono Township. Proceeds will benefit the Pocono Township Fire Company. The festival is 5-10 p.m. Friday, 12-10 p.m. Saturday and 12-4 p.m. Sunday.
- Wyoming Valley Ghost Tours will host The Killing Game: A Murder Mystery Dinner Friday evening at 7 p.m. The 18-plus event will be at the Mary Stegmaier Mansion. A $79 ticket includes dinner and gratuity and must be purchased ahead of time.
