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Lee Terbosic to hang 100 feet above Pittsburgh for Houdini 100: The Great Firetruck Ladder Escape

Free Halloween event at Arts Landing marks 100 years since Harry Houdini’s death and creates a new moment in Pittsburgh history.

PITTSBURGH, PA — One city. One night. One moment a century in the making.

On Saturday, October 31, 2026, Pittsburgh magician, actor, comedian and daredevil Lee Terbosic will attempt an upside-down straitjacket escape while suspended from a Pittsburgh Fire Department truck ladder, 100 feet above Arts Landing.

The most dangerous stunt Lee Terbosic has ever attempted. Lee has been buried alive, performed the Chinese Water Torture Cell escape, and performed the deadly bullet catch illusion on Houdini’s Last Secrets. On October 31, he’ll face his most dangerous challenge yet: an upside-down straitjacket escape 100 feet above Pittsburgh from a firetruck ladder. The lifeline tethered to Lee’s feet will be set ablaze, giving him only a limited amount of time to free himself.

Houdini 100: The Great Firetruck Ladder Escape is a free, one-night-only public event taking place from 7 to 9 p.m., with the escape scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. Live music from DJ Bonics and DJ Midas from 7 to 8:30 p.m. will get the party started, followed by live hosts and a dramatic countdown as Pittsburgh gathers to witness a tribute to the world’s most legendary escape artist. Guests are encouraged to dress up and come in their Halloween costumes for the night.

The performance marks 100 years since Houdini’s death on October 31, 1926, and nearly a decade since Terbosic’s original Houdini 100 escape. On November 6, 2016, Terbosic hung upside down 100 feet above Pittsburgh at the intersection of Wood Street and Liberty Avenue, recreating Houdini’s Pittsburgh escape 100 years to the minute after the original performance. Thousands of Pittsburghers witnessed the event in person, with millions more viewing it online.

In 2016, Pittsburgh legends Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier and Tom Savini helped secure Terbosic in his straitjacket before he was lifted above Downtown. This year, the identities of the special guests who will buckle him in will remain a surprise until the night of the event, adding another anticipated reveal to an unforgettable evening.

Now, Terbosic is returning to the sky with an escape inspired by Houdini’s use of a firetruck ladder in 1925.

For Terbosic, the evening is about more than recreating an escape. It is about creating a shared moment in time: families, friends and strangers standing together, looking toward the same sky, watching history unfold above their city. A moment that happens once, then becomes a story people carry with them.

“You can watch a video afterward, but you can never recreate the feeling of being there,” said Terbosic. “The anticipation, the height, the whole crowd holding its breath together. I want people to remember where they stood, who they were with and what it felt like when I got free. That’s the power of a moment like this.”

Presented in collaboration with the Pittsburgh Fire Department, the event brings together Terbosic’s passion for Houdini’s legacy and his commitment to creating unforgettable live entertainment in his hometown. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is providing Arts Landing as the event location. Production is being supplied by The Cultural Trust stagehand union and Luxe Creative.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Terbosic has worked as an entertainer since the age of 10. He starred in the Discovery Channel network’s four-part series Houdini’s Last Secrets, traveling around the world alongside Houdini’s great-grandnephew, George Hardeen, as they uncovered secrets about Houdini’s magic and family. His television credits also include America’s Got Talent and History’s Greatest Mysteries, and he has received the Houdini family’s blessing to portray Harry on stage and screen.

Terbosic is the co-creator of Liberty Magic theater with The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, helping establish a home for world-class magic in Downtown Pittsburgh. He is also known for his popular productions In Plain Sleight, The Life & Death of Harry Houdini and 52 Up Close at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco.

“Houdini gave Pittsburgh moments we’re still talking about one hundred years later,” Terbosic said. “This Halloween, we get to bring generations together and create a memory of our own. It’s my tribute to Houdini and my gift to the city that has been home my entire life. Enjoy the show!”

Event details

What: Houdini 100: The Great Firetruck Ladder Escape
Who: Lee Terbosic, in collaboration with the Pittsburgh Fire Department
When: Saturday, October 31, 2026 · 7–9 p.m.
Main escape: Scheduled for 8:30 p.m.
Where: Arts Landing, Downtown Pittsburgh
Admission: Free and open to the public

Media & VIP credential pickup

Media credentials and VIP viewing credentials can be picked up near the stage at Arts Landing on Saturday, October 31, from 6–8 PM. The stunt starts at 8:30 PM. Don’t be late!

Media, press credentials & appearances

Media interview requests: Contact the publicist at leeterbosic@me.com. Please include your outlet, contact information, interview topic and preferred timing.

Request media credentials →
Event schedule · Event FAQs · Lee’s biography

The road to Chapter Two

Explore the official promotional photos below. Photography by Justin Boyd. Please credit Justin Boyd when using these 2026 promotional images. For photo information and coverage requests, contact the Houdini 100 team.