From fungi to fall fun, we're wishing you a festive October!
October is such a multifaceted month. From Oktoberfests and haunted forests to cultural festivals and a costume contest - for dogs.
This month is a cornucopia of festivals and special events. Run through a corn maze or run away from zombies - or both.
Time to put on a cozy sweater and get ready to play!
2025 Oktobearfest at Woodland Park Zoo (Image: Lauren Allain / Seattle Refined)Community Celebrations
This month, explore Fort Nisqually's Candlelight Tour, wonder at the Water Lantern Festival at Green Lake or hang out with your friend, the Fremont Troll, for Trolloween.
Candlelight Tour
October 2-3 / Fort Nisqually
Fife Harvest Festival
October 3 / Dacca Park, Fife
(Courtesy: Fife Harvest Festival)Fishermen’s Fall Festival
October 3 / Fishermen’s Terminal, Seattle
Issaquah Salmon Days
October 3-4 / Downtown Issaquah
Skagit Valley Festival of Family Farms
October 3-4 / Various locations, Skagit Valley
Water Lantern Festival
October 17-18 / West Green Lake Beach, Seattle
Fauntleroy Fall Festival
October 18 / 9131 California Ave. SW, Seattle
The Night Shift
October 23 / Pike Place Market, Seattle
West Seattle Harvest Festival
October 25 / The Junction, Seattle
Trolloween
October 31 / Fremont Troll Statue, Seattle
Trolloween 2023 (Image: Elizabeth Crook / Seattle Refined)Games People Play
October is the month for costumes with GeekGirlCon in Seattle, the Mrs. Roper Romp in Snohomish and Issaquah's Zombie Walk. Lace up your running shoes for the Burien Brat Trot, the Jimothy Jaunt, West Seattle's Monster Dash, and Captain Jack's Treasure Run.
Mrs. Roper Romp
October 3 / Downtown Snohomish
Burien Brat Trot
October 3 / Downtown Burien
The Great Port Townsend Bay Kinetic Sculpture Race
October 3-4, Port Townsend
Snohomish River Run
October 11 / Downtown Snohomish
The Jimothy Jaunt
October 11 / Phinney Neighborhood Center, Seattle
Jimothy, a raccoon with short spine syndrome, has been spotted around Seattle's Ballard neighborhood in recent weeks. (Credit to Instagram user C1VRGR1 via CNN)Kitsap Color Classic
October 11 / Brackett’s Landing N., Edmonds
Snowvana
October 16-18 / Magnuson Hangar, Seattle
Run for Beer
October 24 / Elysian Capitol Hill Brewery, Seattle
West Seattle Monster Dash
October 24 / Lincoln Park, Seattle
Thrill the World Seattle
October 24 / Woodin Creek Village, 17255 135th Ave. NE, Woodinville
Zombie Walk
October 24 / Downtown Issaquah
West Seattle Monster Dash
October 24 / Lincoln Park, Seattle
GeekGirlCon
October 24-25 / Seattle Convention Center’s Arch at 800 Pike, Seattle
Run Scared 5k & 10k
October 25 / Seward Park, Seattle
Captain Jack’s Treasure Run
October 25 / Redmond City Hall, Redmond
Trick or Treat 5k & 10k
October 31 / Green Lake, Seattle
Run for Beer
October 31 / Black Raven Brewing, Woodinville
Washington State Toy Show
October 31-November 1 / Washington State Fair and Events Center, Puyallup
Raining Cats and Dogs
Halloween month has gone to the dogs with Howl-O-Ween in Redmond and Barktoberfest in Seattle. Plus, the Cat-O-Lantern Pumpkin Carving with Cats at Seattle Meowtropolitan - although we seriously doubt that they will be any help at all.
Halloween Pet Parade
October 4 / Volunteer Park, Seattle
Volunteer Park Pet Parade (Image: Jeffrey Martin / Seattle Refined) Oct. 6, 2024Redmond Howl-O-Ween
October 17 / Redmond Town Center, Redmond
Howloween Dog Costume Contest
October 22 / W Seattle, Seattle
Barktoberfest
October 25 / 1540 NW Leary Way, Seattle
Cat-O-Lantern Pumpkin Carving with Cats
October 10-31 / Seattle Meowtropolitan, Seattle
Haunted Happenings
Lots of spooky things are afoot with Frighthouse Station, a Fright Factory, and A Nightmare on 9. Plus, the curious Circus of Steam and Shadows and the tale of Dracula told through ballet!
Frighthouse Station
October 1-31 / 626 E. 25th St., Tacoma
Fright Factory
October 2-31 / 2000 Collins Rd., Buckley
Haunted Woods
October 1-31 / Maris Farms, Buckley
Haunted Forest of Maple Valley
Octobre 2-31 / Royal Arch Park, Maple Valley
My Haunted Forest
October 2-31 / 17616 S. Vaughn Rd NW, Vaughn
Nile Nightmares
October 2-31 / 6601 244th St. SW, Mountlake Terrace
Nightmare on 9
October 2-31 / Thomas Farm, Snohomish
Stalker Farms
October 2-November 1 / Stocker Farms, Snohomish
Stalker Farms has 4 haunted attractions this year. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined 2026)Fright Fest
October 2-November 1 / Wild Waves, Federal Way
Georgetown Morgue
October 2-November 7 / 5000 E. Marginal Way, Seattle
My Morbid Mind Haunted House
October 9-31 / 4548 Marvin Rd. SE, Lacey
Circus of Steam & Shadows
October 16-25 / Georgetown Steam Plant, Seattle
Horror Con
October 23-25 / Washington State Fair and Events Center, Puyallup
After Hours Halloween
October 29 / Seattle Aquarium, Seattle
BOO! Seattle
October 30-31 / WAMU Theater, Seattle
2024 BOO! Seattle (Image: Elizabeth Crook / Seattle Refined)Alter Ego: Halloween at W Bellevue
October 31 / W Bellevue, Bellevue
Fashionably Undead: Outer Space
October 31 / MoPOP, Seattle
Tacoma City Ballet: Dracula
October 31-November 1 / Pantages Theater, Tacoma
Halloween Party Cruise
October 31 / Waterways Cruises, Seattle
It's a Small World
You’ll find more than just Oktoberfests to celebrate this month. Other world celebrations include Japan Week, a Greek festival, a Korean festival, CroatiaFest, Turkfest, Indigenous Peoples' Day, and more.
CroatiaFest
October 4 / Seattle Center, Seattle
Japan Week
October 5-10 / Bellevue College, Bellevue
Oktoberfest Northwest
October 9-11 / Washington State Fair Events Center
Oktoberfest Northwest (Image: Sy Bean / Seattle Refined)Tacoma Greek Festival
October 9-11 / St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Tacoma
Turkfest
October 10-11 / Seattle Center, Seattle
Indigenous People’s Day
October 12 / Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, Seattle
Khalako Lloyd, 2, of the Mandan and Hidatsa tribes, beats on a drum while carried on the shoulder of his father, Julius Lloyd during a celebratory march for Indigenous Peoples Day, Oct. 9, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)Diwali Community Celebration
October 17 / Seattle Asian Art Museum, Seattle
Dia de Muertos Celebration
October 30 / Spartan Recreational Center, Shoreline
Seattle Catrinas Festival
October 31-November 1 / Town Hall, Seattle
Music, Dance, Film and Theater
Enjoy a twisted Poe-themed tale or two in Seattle, a variety of film festivals, live spooky music in candlelight, the Northwest Record Show, and two marching band competitions.
Out There Experimental Dance Festival
October 1-10 / 12th Ave. Arts Mainstage, Seattle
Men in Dance
October 2-4 / Erickson Theatre, Seattle
Bellevue Jazz & Blues Music Series
October 7-11 / Meydenbauer Center Theatre, Bellevue
Earshot Jazz Festival
October 7-25 / Various locations, Seattle
Latino Chamber Music Festival
October 8 and 15 / Good Shepherd Center, Seattle
48 Hour Film Horror Project
October 9-11 / Harbor Island Studios, Seattle
Poe Unexpected
October 9-10, 16-17, 23-24, 30-31 / Unexpected Productions Improv, Seattle
Poe Unexpected at Unexpected Productions (Image courtesy of Unexpected Productions)Cascadia Poetry Festival
October 9-11 / Rainer Beach Community Club, Seattle
Seattle Latino Film Festival
October 9-17 / Various locations
Sunset Festival of Bands
October 10 / Sunset Chev Stadium, Sumner
Tasveer South Asian Film Festival and Market
October 13-18 / Various locations, Seattle
Seattle Latin Dance Festival
October 16-18 / Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center, Seattle
Northwest Record Show
October 18 / Seattle Center, Seattle
Tacoma Film Festival
October 22-25 / Grand Cinema, Tacoma
Seattle Polish Film Festival
October 23-25 / SIFF Cinema Uptown, Seattle
Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
October 23 and 30 / The National Nordic Museum, Seattle
Puget Sound Festival of Bands
October 24 / Everett Memorial Stadium, Everett
Carnevolar XIV Ascension
October 29-31 / Emerald City Trapeze Arts, Seattle
Collide O Scope
October 30-31 / 805 E Pine St., Seattle
Food & Drink
Woodland Park Zoo's "OktoBEARfest" blends Bavaria with zoo animals (and this one's just for the 21+ crowd). This month also offers the annual Northwest Chocolate Festival, Sip Puyallup, and the Seattle Coffee Festival. Go to that, and you'll perk right up!
OktoBEARfest
October 3 / Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle
2025 Oktobearfest at Woodland Park Zoo (Image: Lauren Allain / Seattle Refined)Sip Puyallup
October 3 / Downtown Puyallup
Sip & Stroll
October 3 / Gig Harbor Waterfront
The Northwest Chocolate Festival
October 3-4 / Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue
Fall Mead Festival
October 18 / Skal Beer Hall, Seattle
PROOF WA Distillery Festival
October 24 / Old Log Cabin Distillery, Seattle
Seattle Coffee Festival
October 24-25 / Magnuson Park Hangar 30, Seattle
The Sacred Supper Club
October 31 / La Loba, 1 Hotel Seattle
Arts, Crafts and Hobbies
This month, there are events tailored to those who like coins, glass, stamps, antique books, strange stuff, and even – gulp – Christmas.
Olympia Fall Arts Walk
October 2-3 / Downtown Olympia
SEAPEX Stamp Collector Show
October 9-10 / Tukwila Community Center, Tukwila
Refract (Glass-Making Festival)
October 15-18 / Various locations, Seattle
2024 Gather at Retract, Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum (Image: Elizabeth Crook / Seattle Refined)Tacoma Holiday Festival
October 15-18 / Tacoma Dome, Tacoma
Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair
October 24-25 / Seattle Center, Seattle
Fall Coin Show
October 30-November 1 / Tukwila Community Center, Tukwila
Washington State Toy Show
October 31-November 1 / Washington State Fair and Events Center, Puyallup
Home, Auto and Garden Shows
This month: an RV show, a home show, an orchid show, and not one but two wild mushroom shows.
Tacoma Fall RV Show
October 1-4 / Tacoma Dome, Tacoma
Fall Conservatory Show
October 10-11 / Volunteer Park Conservatory, Seattle
Wild Mushroom Show
October 18 / Forest Park, Everett
Evergreen Fall Home Show
October 23-25 / Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe
PSMA Annual Wild Mushroom Show
October 24-25 / Shoreline Community College, Shoreline
From fungi to fall fun, we're wishing you a festive October!
Thanks to Seattle Refined freelance contributor Jeff Totey for compiling this list. If we're missing something, email hello@SeattleRefined.com
EXPLORE MORE:
