It’s almost time for Halloween! And if you’re still looking for a costume, then have no fear – we not only have some great suggestions that will have your neighbors roaring with appreciative laughter, but they give a little wink and a nod to our beloved South Central PA.
Instead of the typical witch or ghost costume, why not dress up as something truly scary… like a spotted lanternfly or a pothole? Or maybe you just really love Utz potato chips. Whatever your vibe is, we’ve got something for you here. Read on for some hilariously awesome costumes just for us Pennsylvanians.
READ: DIY Halloween Costume Ideas – For Kids AND Moms!
The Albatwitch
Everyone’s heard of Bigfoot, but only those of us from South Central PA know what the Albatwitch is. Meaning “Apple Snitcher” in Pennsylvania Dutch, the Albatwitch is sort of like a mini-Bigfoot, with yellow eyes, and it really loves apples. The Albatwitch legend started in Lancaster County, with Albatwitch Day celebrated in Columbia each year in the fall.
So grab yourself a Bigfoot costumes, add a basket full of apples, and you’ve got yourself an easy costume fit for a Pennsylvania legend.
Utz Girl
Us here in South Central PA know that Lays and Pringles have nothing on our local chips and pretzels. There are so many awesome local brands that are just so much better – and one of them could be your next Halloween costume!
Utz is manufactured in Hanover, and their mascot is the Utz Girl – and it’s a super easy costume to make. You might even have some of it already on hand, too. You need a navy blue skirt and a red blouse, red shoes, and a red bow. (Get yourself a blue bob wig if you REALLY want to go all out.) Use blush to draw the circles onto your cheeks, and then – with your bag of Utz Chips, of course – you’re ready to go!
Hershey Kiss
C’mon, we couldn’t not include one of South Central PA’s most well-known brands! You could dress up as any of Hershey’s candy brands, but the Kiss is the best symbol of Hershey, Pennsylvania in our opinion.
Now, there are a few ways you could play this. You could get a ready-made Hershey’s Kiss costume, or you could make one yourself. A silver dress would serve as the body, and then get a strip of white fabric. Using a blue fabric marker or paint, write “Kisses” on it, and tie it into your hair. And ta-da! You’re done – a super cute, no-fuss, Pennsylvania-centric Halloween costume.
Spotted Lanternfly
Ah, the spotted lanternfly. It’s the scourge of all of us here in PA, and every year, there’s a mad dash to kill as many as we can. But this year, it can be your new Halloween costume.
Start with a black dress, for the body. Then, you can go one of two ways, depending on how detailed you want to be. You can get ladybug wings and call it a day, or make your own wings to be more realistic – using cardboard, you’ll make four wings. The bottom two will be red with black dots, like a ladybug, while the top two will be beige with black dots, except for the very bottom, which are heavily striped. For good fun, you can carry around a shoe… just in case any real spotted lanternflies show up needing to be killed.
Pothole
Nothing is more Pennsylvania than potholes, right? So for Halloween, we can all poke a little fun at our state and dress up as the thing that plagues us all: potholes.
Get a some cardboard, and paint it like the road. Cut a hole for your face, and around the hole, you’ll fill it in to look like a pothole. Maybe throw some caution tape around yourself too, just for good measure. And voila!
Nittany Lion
We all love Penn State around here, and with a little ingenuity, you can dress up as the mascot: a Nittany Lion! Of course, buying a ready-made Nittany Lion mascot costume could be pricey, but you could make one yourself without too much fuss.
Wear some tan or brown clothes, with some lion ears. And then, with some Penn State gear, you’re set!
Do you have any other ideas for Pennsylvania-themed costumes? Let us know in the comments!
