BATON ROUGE — From finding the perfect pumpkin to celebrating the colorful world of comic books, Episode 8 of Positively BR has a little bit of everything.

We’re getting into the fall spirit, putting our puzzle-solving skills to the test and sharing a free self-defense opportunity on LSU’s campus.

Picking the perfect pumpkin 

Pumpkin patch season is officially here, but before you grab the first pumpkin you see, there are a few things to keep in mind.

We stopped by Mrs. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch in Hammond, where owner Heather Hughes says the first thing to do is give your pumpkin a good look.

“They’re all good, you just gotta look at them and make sure there’s no little holes in them,” Hughes said.

According to Hughes, you should look for a pumpkin without holes, cuts, cracks or soft spots. A pumpkin with about 1 to 2 inches of stem is also recommended, though experts say not to carry it by the stem.

If you’re picking a pumpkin to carve, a flat bottom can also help it sit upright. And while a perfectly round pumpkin may look traditional, the shape itself doesn’t determine whether it’s a good pumpkin. 

To make your pumpkin last through the spooky season, Hughes suggests trading in the knives for a pair of paintbrushes and painting your pumpkin instead. 

Mrs. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch is located at 11215 Lees Lane in Hammond. The farm is open seven days a week until Nov. 8.  

It’s National Comic Book Day!

National Comic Book Day is Friday, Sept. 25, celebrating the art, artists and stories behind comic books.

According to the Library of Congress, comic books have been collected by the institution since the early 1930s. Its collection includes thousands of comic books spanning decades, genres and styles.

And comic books aren't just about superheroes. The genre has expanded into everything from fantasy and horror to crime, romance, history and political satire.

So whether you’re a longtime collector or just looking for something new to read, National Comic Book Day is a chance to pick up a favorite issue or discover a new one.

Angelica interviews WBRZ's Digital reporter Domenic Purdy about what happens behind the scenes at WBRZ and his favorite comic books.

Comic book stores local to Baton Rouge: 

-Louisiana Double Play, 2834 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., Baton Rouge

-Jason's Southeast Cards and Comics, 1152 S. Acadian Thruway, Baton Rouge

-Red Stick Reads, 3829 Government St., Baton Rouge

-2nd & Charles, 10545 S. Mall Drive, Baton Rouge

BRICKS AND MINI FIGS

A new store in Baton Rouge is giving LEGO fans a place to buy, trade and build, carrying both new and pre-owned sets.

Bricks & Minifigs opened in August, stocking collectibles, loose pieces and sets ranging from a Titanic replica to Harry Potter and Star Wars builds, along with locally inspired creations.

"Get something and try it, you know... right when you open that first bag and you start following instructions and you hear that kind of nostalgic click when the parts go together, that's usually a great start," owner Luke Fontenot said.

Shoppers don't have to buy anything to start building. Interactive stations are set up throughout the store, including one where visitors can design their own minifigure.

"The possibilities are endless," Fontenot said. "We even have a little station behind you where kids and adults can make their own minifigures and customize it to what they want."

The store also has a birthday party room for families. For those with old collections at home, there's an option to bring them in.

"Families that have sets that either their kids have outgrown or no longer wanna play with, they can bring them in in any condition from loose parts and pieces to build sets or completely in the box and never been opened," Fontenot said.

Those sets can be traded for cash or put toward something new. Fontenot described the feeling people get when they walk through the door.

"I kind of acquaint it to coffee, that first sip feeling. It's kind of like that when you walk in the door. People are kind of overwhelmed and take that deep breath, so..." Fontenot said.

-Ready to escape?

If solving puzzles under pressure sounds like your idea of a good time, 13th Gate Escape has plenty of options.

13th Gate Escape features eight immersive escape rooms, each with its own storyline, theme and level of difficulty. From haunted asylums to ancient Mayan caverns, every room is designed to make guests feel like they've stepped into another world.

"We want to give people experiences so they feel like they're walking through a door and going to a whole different world," said Escape Manager Jeremy Scheel.

Unlike traditional escape rooms, the environments are built to resemble movie-quality sets. Hidden passageways, moving walls, secret doors and interactive elements transform the experience as players uncover clues and advance through the game.

Teams work against the clock to solve puzzles and unlock new areas before time runs out. According to Scheel, the attraction offers three beginner rooms, four intermediate rooms and one expert-level challenge he calls the "brain crusher."

The escape rooms have also earned national recognition—Cut Throat Cavern was voted the No. 1 escape game in the United States and No. 2 in the world in 2018.

Free self-defense classes at LSU

LSU Police is providing members of the LSU community an opportunity to learn more about personal safety through its Equalizer Women’s Self-Defense Program.

The classes are free for LSU students, faculty and staff and cover topics including recognizing potentially dangerous situations, personal safety and techniques intended to help participants survive and escape a physically violent situation. 

The program is taught in four instructional blocks, with classes held in secured rooms at the LSU University Recreation Center.

The next scheduled classes are:

-Monday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m.

-Monday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m.

For questions, contact LSU Police at 225-578-3231 or email lsupdoutreach@lsu.edu.

From pumpkin picking to comic book celebrations and escape room adventures, plenty is happening around Baton Rouge.

That’s Positively BR celebrating the people, places and moments that make Baton Rouge special.

New episodes drop Fridays at noon on YouTube and Spotify.