In the name of promoting art in Butler County, The Art Center is offering a new type of party.

The Art Parties will involve groups taking their own beverages and snacks to The Art Center which will provide paints, canvas and direction.

Events are available for both adults and children.

The Art Center is at 344 S. Main St.

Call 724-283-6922 or visit www.ArtPartyButler.com.

Tickets for the Butler County Symphony Orchestra's season opener Oct. 6 are available for adults for $18 in advance and $20 at the door. Student tickets are $5.New conductor and musical director Matthew Kraemer will make his debut at the 7:30 p.m. concert at the Butler Intermediate High School auditorium.The program will feature classics such as “Roman Carnival Overture,” “Capriccio Italien” and “Pines of Rome,” all under the theme “Italia.”Tickets are available at the symphony office, 259 S. Main St. Call 724-283-1402 or visit www.butlersymphony.org.

Butler native Glenn Crytzer and his band The Syncopators have recorded a new CD.This is the group's second album together, in addition to Crytzer's big band album.“Skinny Minne” was recorded live May 4 and 5 at the Midwest Lindy Fest in Minneapolis. It is set to be released in mid-October.Playing on the recording are Steve Mostovoy on trumpet, Evan Arntzen on clarinet and tenor saxophone, and Solomon Douglas on piano. Glenn Crytzer is on guitar and doing vocals, Steve Pikal is on string bass, Mike Daugherty on drums, and Meschiya Lake performs vocals.There are 17 songs on the album, some original compositions, others original arrangements of tunes from the '20s, '30s and '40s, and some transcriptions of old recordings. Crytzer completed all the arranging, composing and transcribing.For more information, visit store.syncopators.net.

PITTSBURGH — In the spirit of Smithsonian Museums, which have free admission every day, some Pittsburgh museums are offering special deals Saturday.One ticket lets in two people, and only one ticket is available per e-mail address. Visit www.smithsonianmag.com to obtain a free ticket.Museums participating are the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History at 4400 Forbes Ave.; Photo Antiquities at 531 E. Ohio St.; Heinz History Center at 1212 Smallman St.; and the ToonSeum at 945 Liberty Ave.

PORTERSVILLE — The Fall Apple Festival, sponsored by the Northwest Pennsylvania Steam Engine & Old Equipment Association of Portersville, will take place Oct. 6 and 7 at the show grounds on Route 19.Planned activities include apple cider pressing, apple butter making, old tractor pulls, saw milling, blacksmith shop, train rides, food and homemade ice cream.Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Admission is $2; children 11 and younger are admitted free.For more information, call 724-752-1845 or 724-840-2561 or visit www.portersvillesteamshow.org.

BRADY TWP — A fall walk is planned for 2 p.m. Oct. 7 at Jennings Environmental Education Center, Route 528. This 90-minute walk will be guided by Jennings' staff.Jennings is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and on weekends as scheduled. The trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset.For more information, call 724-794-6011.

The Musical Theatre Guild of Butler invites local churchgoers to attend its production of “Children of Eden” and at the same time earn money for their churches.For those who buy a ticket and take a recent church bulletin to the show, MTG will donate $1 to their church. Tickets are $17.The musical, based on the book of Genesis, is suitable for all ages.Shows begin at 8 p.m. Oct. 12 and 13 and at 3 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Succop Theater at Butler County Community College.Tickets are available at May's Music Shoppe, 247 E. Jefferson St., or by calling 724-287-8243.

CRANBERRY TWP — “Not Just Ballroom,” a monthly evening of dance held in the Cranberry Township gymnasium, will showcase a different set of moves during each of the three Friday evening programs scheduled through the remainder of 2012.The dances, all of which begin with a 7 p.m. lesson in that evening's featured dance steps, will include polka on Friday, East Coast swing on Oct. 26, and nightclub two-step on Dec. 7.In addition to the month's featured dance style, participants who enjoy swing, cha-cha, line dancing, waltz, salsa, foxtrot, freestyle and other dances are also welcome. To protect the gym floor, no spiked heels or black rubber-soled shoes will be allowed.Couples as well as singles age 16 and older are to register in advance. Registration for the three dances, each of which carries a $10 program fee, is being handled by Cranberry's Parks & Recreation Department. Call 724-776-4806, Ext. 1129, or visit www.cranberrytownship.org/programs.

GROVE CITY — Sofia, Melanie, Amanda and Justin von Trapp, the great-grandchildren of Captain von Trapp, father of the famous singing family featured in “The Sound of Music,” will perform Oct. 5 at Grove City College.The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Ketler Auditorium of the Pew Fine Arts Center.Tickets are $5 for GCC students, $15 for college employees and $20 for general admission.For more information, visit www.alumni.gcc.edu/vontrappsingers.

ZELIENOPLE — A paranormal investigation team will conduct an overnight ghost hunt starting at 10 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Strand Theater, 119 N. Main St.A limited number of “civilians” may attend. Cost is $65 per person. A maximum of 20 guests will be allowed to participate.Call 724-742-0400.

NEW CASTLE — Rehearsals for the 72nd annual presentation of Handel's “Messiah” have begun for the New Castle Music Club Chorus under the direction of Butler resident Harry Cunningham.Rehearsals are from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays. Anyone from high school, college, church and community choral groups, along with any residents who enjoy singing, may participate. For new singers, copies of the music will be available for $8.The presentation will be at 3 p.m. Nov. 25 at St. Jude's Episcopal Church, formerly Trinity Episcopal Church, 212 N. Mill St.For more information, call 724-652-8773.