Idlewild's Hallowboo + $10 discount code

HallowBoo! is back at Idlewild Park, the “Best Kids’ Park in the World” voted by Amusement today.  Park-goers and families looking for a fun and friendly alternative to the more frightening events of the season will love Hallowboo!

HallowBoo! runs every Saturday and Sunday, October 8 - 30, 2016. 
12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Gates will open at 11:30 a.m., and Story Book Forest will close at 5:00 p.m.

It’s the Idlewild you know and love, with a FUN, family-oriented, Happy Halloween Twist! Enjoy the rides and attractions of Olde Idlewild, Story Book Forest, Jumpin’ Jungle, Hootin’ Holler, Raccoon Lagoon kiddieland, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. Plus, Trick-or-Treating through Story Book Forest, Live Entertainment, Costumed Characters, Themed Attractions and more! 

Trick-or-Treat Through Story Book Forest 

Follow the trick-or-treat trail through the forest and visit with Mother Goose and all of her story book friends.

Themed Rides & Attractions

From the Haunted Train to the Hay Maze, plus your favorite rides decorated for the season, your family will enjoy some spooky family fun.

Promo Code
I have a promo code for my readers to save $10 per ticket! Use code pghhallowblog16 and order your tickets here.  *Ages 2 & under are free!

ABOUT IDLEWILD & SOAKZONE - Founded in 1878 as a picnic ground along the Ligonier Valley Rail Road, Idlewild & SoakZone (Idlewild.com) is the oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania and third-oldest in America. Idlewild is recognized as the world’s best amusement park for children per Amusement Today magazine (http://www.amusementtoday.com). Featuring several theme areas, Idlewild is part of the Palace Entertainment family of parks. Palace Entertainment is one of the leading leisure park operators in the United States with parks located in 10 states, greeting over 13 million visitors annually.  For more information, call 724.238.3666 or visit http://www.idlewild.com and http://www.palaceentertainment.com.
Editors Note: The SoakZone, Wild Mouse, and Loggin’ Toboggan do not operate during Hallowboo! 

Twitter: @Idlewildpark
Facebook: www.facebook.com/IdlewildPark
Instagram: @Idlewildpark
#HALLOWBOO

This post is sponsored so I received compensation or products in exchange for my promotion. All opinions remain my own as I don't endorse companies that I don't value.

Ticket Giveaway to Triple B Farms Fall Festival

October has arrived and with it comes a flurry of pumpkin everything, fall festivals galore and flannel begging to be pulled from the closet! Our family tradition is to head to Monongahela, PA for a special family fun day at Triple B Farms. Triple B Farms is a working family farm that offers hayrides to the pumpkin patch, Pop's Farmyard, apple picking, a corn maze, human board game + much more!

2016 Fall Festival Sept. 24th-Oct. 31st

We love to pick our own apples and these trees are all at kid-friendly height so the kids can pick their own!

The Liberty Tunnel slides are one of the highlights of my kid's day! It's hard to believe how many times they will run up this hill!

We were so excited to find a brand new feature at the Fall Festival this year! Triple B Farms has created a human board game and my kids loved it!

Pop's Farmyard includes: 

• Storybook Pumpkinland 
• mazes 
• boo barn 
• meet the farm animals
• tunnel slides
• giant inflatables
• duck derby
• education acres
• + more!

All Day Play Wristband: $13/child $8/adult

Storybook Pumpkinland is a fun walk to see over 250 characters from stories both old and new! 

Of course, you can't leave without everyone picking out their perfect pumpkin! 

Also not to be missed: apple cider donuts, fresh pies, apple cider, + other farm fresh goodies. 

GIVEAWAY:

I'm thrilled to be able to pass on the opportunity for this fantastic fall festival to one of you! I have 4 tickets to give away to one family. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

HAPPY FALL, Y'ALL!!

Triple B Farms

823 Berry Lane

Monongahela, PA 15063

This post is sponsored so I received compensation or products in exchange for my promotion. All opinions remain my own as I don't endorse companies that I don't value.

In the Spirit of Giving: Chick-fil-A

As the month of November rolls around, we are often freshly reminded about the importance of giving. Although I fully believe that giving back should be on our minds year round, this annual month of reminders is not a bad thing! As I have worked with some of the business side of Chick-fil-A this past year, one thing that has continually stuck out to me is how generous they are as a business. Whether it's from the corporate level or the local stores, a spirit of generosity seems to encompass the entire company. We experienced this personally as my family attended a lot of Chick-fil-A events this past month and they fed our family of 6 multiple times. This means a lot to a mom! And I simply wish every restaurant had a play area because they are magical resources for parents. :)

An amazing cake as we said "Happy 10th Birthday!" to the South Hills location!

 But nowhere has it been more apparent for me than with their generosity towards my charity, the Foster Love Project. Maybe you participated in it for the first time last year or maybe this year is your first time hearing about it. The Foster Love Project was created after seeing multiple foster children arrive at my door with either nothing or a few items thrown in a trash bag.

The FLP is an initiative to provide Placement Bags for kids that come into care and provide a bag, pajamas, stuffed animal, blanket, soap, toothbrush and other goodies to show love and compassion to kids on some of their hardest days.

We were so thrilled for over 1,300 bags to be donated last year!

Because foster children usually come with very short notice, we also asked for donations of gift cards for both restaurants and Target/Walmart that could be given to foster families during those times of crazy transition. Again, Chick-fil-A was beyond generous in donating over $1,000 worth of gift cards! It was such a pleasure to be able to send the gift of meals to foster families throughout the year. 

I am thrilled that several local Chick-fil-A locations have offered to be drop off locations for the Foster Love Project this year! So if you live or work near the Washington, South Hills or Waterfront locations, they will be ready as a donation site from November 16 - December 18. Go here for complete details. 

Thank you, Chick-fil-A, for continually making efforts to give generously and continuing to inspire all of us to find ways to give back in our communities.  

#CFAPITTMoms

This post was sponsored by Chick-fil-A. All opinions remain my own as I don't endorse companies I don't love. :) 

Splash Lagoon: Ticket Giveaway

I've heard so many people mention Splash Lagoon and we were thrilled to have the chance for our first visit this past weekend. WOW! We were blown away by how amazing a venue it is for families! Splash Lagoon is located in Erie, Pa and includes nine water slides, pools, hot tubs, a 12-level interactive Tree House, a Tree Tops Ropes Course, 6,500 square foot Arcade with over 100 games, a state-of-the-art Lazer Tag facility, an Aqua Tumbler and Wild Waters Wave Pool. We were looking for a fun fall/winter family getaway and this was perfect!

As a person who HATES cold water, I think I was most excited to learn that all that of the water temps were a balmy 84 degrees. :) But even better, my kids just had the very, very best time!

This zero depth entry pool with small slides is perfect for babies and toddlers!

My 3, 4, & 6 year old could all ride this slide by themselves and they did it dozens of times, at least!

The turquoise slide was probably their favorite of all. We could ride down together in a double tube and it was so much fun!  

Be sure to bring another adult with you so you can swap turns in the adult only hot tub. :) There are also some family hot tubs which have a little lower temps. 

The arcade games have a separate pricing scale. But how fun is this giant Connect Four game?! (Laser Tag and the Ropes Course are also a separate admission fee.)

We stayed in the Residence Inn by Marriott, which is one of 3 hotels directly connected to Splash Lagoon. We couldn't have been happier with a wonderful 2 bedroom suite (a bit of a necessity with 4 kids!) that also boasted a complete kitchen and 2 full bathrooms with huge jacuzzi tubs. 

This sitting room with a fireplace was a perfect connecting space! The sofa is also a pull-out bed for additional sleeping options.

We get to watch TV before bedtime AND eat caramel apples in bed? Winning all the parent points right there. (wink, wink.)

The hotel had a great complimentary hot breakfast with options for everyone! Eggs, sausage, waffles, cereal, yogurt, fruit, juice, coffee.....

And, of course, you can't leave Erie without a stop at the beautiful Presque Isle State Park! Even though it wasn't swimming weather, it was a beautiful day and my kids loved running and digging at the beach. 

GIVEAWAY: 

Splash Lagoon has been kind enough to giveaway a family 4 pack of tickets to their indoor waterpark! (Please note: this does not include hotel accommodations.) You can choose to book a hotel if you wish, or it also an easy day trip from Pittsburgh. 

Go here to enter: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was kindly provided lodging and passes for my review by Splash Lagoon. All opinions remain my own as I don't endorse venues that I do not love!

Triple B Farms: Fall Festival Giveaway

It's that time of year again as the air turns crisp, pumpkin explodes into everything, and apples are begging to be picked! Our Fall family tradition has become picking apples as well as choosing pumpkins and mums for the front porch and my kids are already asking when we get to head to the farm! We love the local fall festivals and Triple B Farms has stayed at the top of our list. Ride a wagon to the pumpkin patch to view Storybook Pumpkinland, pick apples from the trees at kid height, slide down the Liberty Tube, munch on apple cider donuts + much more!

Triple B Farms

823 Berry Lane

Monongahela, PA 15063

The Fall Festival opens the last weekend in September (9/26-27) and runs each weekend through the end of October. Open Saturday/Sunday, 10am-6pm. Beginning Oct. 7th, they will also be open W-F, 4-7pm. A wristband gets you unlimited access to all activities! Adults: $8 / Kids: $12. Face painting + pony rides are $4 each. 

A hayride to the pumpkin patch takes you through Storybook Pumpkinland where your kids will delight to identify 250 storybook characters from nursery rhymes and children's movies. 

The corn maze, bounce houses, duck derby, farm animals and wooden play structures are just a few places around the farm that you will want to stop!

These slides are one of the highlights of our visit for my kiddos! Grab a burlap sack, chug up the hill and get ready to take on the Liberty Tubeslide. 

Nothing beats a freshly picked sack of apples and we have a hard time making sure we come home with a full sack. :) The dwarf apple trees are at perfect kid-height, so parents can sit back and let them do the work! 

The food barn has been known to hold such treats such as apple cider donuts and pumpkin fries with caramel dip. I don't know for sure what they have planned for this year, but I have no doubt it will be tasty!

 There are plenty of beautiful options for your front porch pumpkin display! My kids can't wait to pick their special pumpkin. Orange, blue, white or gnarly.....we love them all.

GIVEAWAY:

Triple B Farms has kindly offered to give away a family 4 pack of tickets to one family for their Fall festival! Enter below (please note that a blog post comment is required for an entry): 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Special Events:

Sept. 26-27: Build Your Own Scarecrow Benefits Autism Speaks. 11-3pm. $20 per scarecrow. Call to reserve.724.258.3557

Oct. 3-4: Build Your Own Scarecrow Weekend Benefits Autism Speaks. 11-3pm. $20 per scarecrow. Call to reserve.724.258.3557     

Spookley Scavenger Hunt 10-12pm.

Oct. 10: Special Music by Glassport Swing Band. 1pm

Oct. 11: Al-Amazing Magician 12-3pm

Oct. 12: COLUMBUS DAY. ALL Activities Open 12-6pm. Extra Day of Fall Fun!    

Oct. 17: Special Music Presentation.

Oct. 18: Al-Amazing Magician 12-3pm      

Oct. 24-25: Mad Science Experiments 12-3pm  

Oct. 31: Treats for Children ALL Day! Happy Halloween!

Nov. 1: LAST Day Savings! Stock Up for Winter! Call for details. 724.258.3557.

This post sponsored by Triple B Farms. All opinions remain my own. 

Pittsburgh Irish Festival: Ticket Giveaway

Growing up with a name like 'Kelly O'Neil' and having red, curly hair, I had more than a few Irish comments sent my way when I was younger! Now that my last name has changed and the red has faded from my hair, no one refers to my Irish heritage any longer. But those roots are still there and I am excited to take part for the first time in the Pittsburgh Irish Festival. It will be held at the Riverplex (between Sandcastle and Waterfront). 1000 Sandcastle Drive, West Homestead (Pittsburgh), PA 15120

 

Friday, September 11,  4:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Saturday, September 12, 11:00 am to 11:00 pm

Sunday, September 13,  9:00 am to 5:00 pm

 

The Pittsburgh Irish Festival is a celebration to bring together the Pittsburgh community for three days of Celtic camaraderie. The goal is to contribute to the rich cultural expression of Irish history and tradition that exists in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Irish Festival is also the largest Irish festival in the state!

 

What is there to do at the festival? 

Children’s Arts and Crafts for the wee folk: Take home a handmade souvenir, enjoy an Irish story sing-a-long, and dance an Irish jig! There will also be traditional and contemporary entertainment, Irish food and refreshments, Irish marketplace, children’s activities-performances-sing-a-longs, storytelling, Irish dance workshops and performances, ceili dancing, Irish Mass (Sun 10am), Irish conversation, Irish musical instrument demos, Hedge School, Whiskey and Cider Tastings, Blarney Bingo, Sheep, and more. Visit with dogs native to Ireland in the Irish Dog Tent! Meet breeds such as Irish Setter, Irish Wolfhound, Irish Water Spaniel, Irish Terrier, Kerry Beagle, and the Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier.

 

 

Are you ready to try some mouth-watering Irish eats? Menus will include Irish sausage, Irish stew, boxty pancakes, corned beef and cabbage, Dublin Coddle, potato soup, fish, colcannon, ham and cabbage and more. The desserts will be plentiful and delicious as well!

 

Here are a few of the Irish entertainment acts you can enjoy: 

Gaelic Storm, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Screaming Orphans, Makem and Spain, The Willis Clan, We Banjo 3, The High Kings, JigJam, Matt and Shannon Heaton, Rice Brothers, and Dennis Doyle. Local Entertainers: Abbots Cross, Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh, Bell School of Irish Dance, Burke Conroy School of Irish Dance, Corned Beef and Curry, Devilish Merry, Donnie Irish, Cahal Dunne, Mike Gallagher, Terry Griffith, Hooley with Liz Shovlin, Alan Irvine, Macdonald Pipe Band of Pittsburgh, Matthew Craig and The Kerry Tipper Band, NaGaels, Pittsburgh Ceili Club, Pittsburgh Irish Reelers, Pittsburgh Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums Band, Jack Puskar, Red Hand Paddy, Patrick Regan, The Rivermen, Shovlin Academy of Irish Dance, and The Wild Geese. (Program subject to change)

Have you seen The Willis Clan on America's Got Talent or their recent TLC show? A family of 12 kids who are fantastic musicians! We are excited to see them and they will be performing all 3 days of the festival. 

 

 

ADMISSION:

$12.00 - adult advance, $14.00 - at the gate, $30 - weekend pass, $8.00 - Senior (60+), Students with ID, Military Active/Retired and Public Safety Officers with ID,

Kids, 12 and younger, are FREE!!

Tickets can be purchased at the gate or in advance at www.pghirishfest.org.

$5.00 ADMISSION FRIDAY 4:00-6:00PM ages 13 +,

$5.00 ADMISSION FRIDAY 6:00-8:00PM WITH COLLEGE ID.

GIVEAWAY:

We have a giveaway for 2 tickets (keeping in mind that kids under 12 are free). Go here to enter:

  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post sponsored by Pittsburgh Irish Festival. All opinions remain my own.