How to have a very Pennsylvania Halloween – costume edition

Having a hectic Halloween season? We’ve got you covered. 

If you’re in need of a last-minute costume in the Penn’s Woods department, you’re in the right place. City & State has put together our annual Halloween guide, complete with a collection of commonwealth-centric spooks and spoofs, all frighteningly fashionable – and feasibly fun to fabricate – for some do-it-yourself fun. 

Costumes

Tall bald U.S. Senator

The commonwealth’s senior U.S. senator has made a name for himself on quite a few occasions – for a few different reasons. Try out his starter pack to take a walk in the big man’s shoes.

Contains: Carhartt hoodie, shorts, phone with pre-written troll posts

Sexy mail-in ballot

The absentee voting method, which has become a contentious judicial issue, is essentially the hanging chad of the 2020s. If you’ve got cardboard and creativity, it’s an easy DIY costume for anyone with an Amazon box. The only question is: Are you valid?

Nightmarish State Amphibian

In 2019, then-Gov. Tom Wolf declared the Eastern Hellbender Pennsylvania's State Amphibian in part to bring attention to conservation and clean water initiatives. Despite the ominous name, the large, harmless salamander isn’t as scary as you’d think. In reality, the costume is more ‘Geico Gecko meets brown Barney.’

Contains: Hellbender mascot costume, lollipops for every child terrified by the sight of you

Capitol escalator repair person

The person with the best job security in Harrisburg is none other than the Capitol’s escalator repair expert. Another doable DIY for anyone with a tool belt and hard hat, the Capitol repair person has the blue-collar look that shows effort without overdoing it. 

Sunday hunter

Exchange Sunday’s best for a high-vis vest – and not much else. Whether you’re in camo or reflective gear, the commonwealth’s newest Sunday hunters are eager to show off their guns now that the state’s shooting on the Sabbath prohibition is no more. 

Energy vampire

Show how much you’re looking forward to increased electric utility rates with this ode to the oncoming artificial intelligence onslaught in the state. This AI-inspired outfit is both timely and a good source of warmth when those heating bills get too high thanks to data center usage.

Contains: Indecipherable ChatGPT instructions for  costume and AI slop video explainer