Many consider the start of fall to be the first chill in the air or the turning of leaves. But for hundreds in Homestead on Sunday, that signal was “The Great Pup-kin Race.”

Despite the 80-degree weather, cheers roared out across the Waterfront as dogs in pumpkin outfits raced to their owners. The annual tradition crowns one speedy pup and showers them in treats — and a $350 PetCo gift card.

The Pup-Kin race is part of the Waterfront’s Fall Fest, ongoing for 10 years and an opportunity to gather at local shops and grab a sno-cone or free Panera lemonade while kids paint pumpkins, request a personalized balloon animal, or get their faces painted.

The fest brought families from across Allegheny County. Sarah Rutherford, a teacher with the South Allegheny School District, came from her hom

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