11 Local Events to Get You in the Halloween Spirit
From adult entertainment to family-friendly fun, Seattle has all the spooky happenings to get your Halloween fix
By Jorn Peterson October 2, 2019
Halloween may technically only be one day, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting the celebration started early. Whether you’re in the mood to eat, run, laugh or scream, October’s spookiest events have you covered.
Here are our top picks for the month:
Halloween Pet Parade
(10/20) Don’t let your furry friends miss out on the Halloween happenings. Grab a costume for yourself, as well as your pet and bring them down to Volunteer Park for the Halloween Pet Parade. Activities will include a parade, costume contest, “Ask the Vet” with Jet City Animal Clinic as well as various booths and food trucks for pets and humans alike! Free. Volunteer Park; volunteerparktrust.org
This Is Halloween
(10/18-10/31) Catch dinner and a show at The Triple Door in a night filled with comedy, music, drinks and even a little burlesque. Accompanied by a live orchestra this cabaret style show promises to show you the true spirit of Halloween, with a little adult twist. Whether in pure shock or blissful amusement, This Is Halloween will have you dropping your dinner roll. Prices vary. Downtown; tickets.thetripledoor.net
Pumpkin Bash
(10/26-10/27) Ever seen a hippopotamus eat an entire pumpkin? Woodland Park Zoo is giving you the chance to witness this feat with their annual Pumpkin Bash. Hippos, bears, Malayan tigers, lemurs and other animals will be given pumpkins to smash, chomp and otherwise entertain and educate. Whether you want to learn more about the techniques and capabilities of the animals, or just want to see animals smashing pumpkins, Pumpkin Bash will not be an event you soon forget. Free with admission. Phinney Ridge; zoo.org/events
West Seattle Harvest Fest
(10/27) An annual addition to the West Seattle Farmers Market, Harvest Fest has all the Halloween activities you want, plus a few you didn’t know you needed. The day’s events include a costume parade (led by West Seattle High School marching band), a chili cookoff featuring local restaurants ($10 for 9 tastings) with proceeds benefitting the West Seattle Food Bank, a hot cocoa and cider garden, Applepalooza (taste different apples and vote for your favorite one!), trick or treating and even, yes, a kids’ pumpkin pie eating contest. This won’t be your typical farmers market. Free. West Seattle; wsjunction.org
BenDeLaCreme Presents: Beware the Terror of Gaylord Manor
(10/3-11/2) Internationally-acclaimed drag performer BenDeLaCreme and cast return to Seattle for their third October to put on a haunted house show that will leave you feeling like you got your money’s worth. Leave the kids at home for this one, as the alluring original will have you on the edge of your seat in anticipation, only to fall back into it in laughter. This shamelessly provocative production sold-out for a month of its stay at the ACT Theatre last year, so get tickets quick! Prices vary. Downtown; acttheatre.org
Bob’s Corn & Pumpkin Farm
(Daily through October) October wouldn’t be the same without our favorite orange gourds. That’s why Bob’s Corn and Pumpkin Farm invites you to come pick your own right out of their patch, with pumpkins for decoration and carving or even gourmet pumpkins for making an authentic pumpkin pie. Bob’s also features a corn maze, with reservable bonfire pits inside. Other fun features include apple cannons, hayrides and a farm market full of fresh produce. Prices vary. Snohomish; bobscorn.com
Georgetown Morgue
(Dates vary) Preceded by its lore as the site of one of Seattle’s most gruesome crimes, the Georgetown Morgue is not for beginners. This spooky destination, haunted by former residents recently set free from their Catacomb, is full of pop-outs and surprises. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. Prices vary. Georgetown; seattlehaunts.com
Spooky Kayak Tour
(10/13) Paddle Lake Union and Portage Bay by moonlight in this eerie night tour. Discover what lies beneath in the hidden water trails of the Arboretum. The lake will be serene and quiet—almost too quiet… $70. Portage Bay; aguaverde.com
Underground Paranormal Experience
(Dates vary) Learn the trade of a paranormal investigator in this underground ghost hunt, through the old, haunted Seattle that remains. You’ll be given special training and equipment like that of modern ghost hunters as you delve into the secret mystic of the underground, surrounded by the murdered spirits of Seattle’s former residents. $33. Pioneer Square; undergroundtour.com
Run Scared
(10/27) Choose from the 10k run, 5k run or 4k walk, with a free Kids’ Dash for the little ones in this not-so-scary charity run, benefitting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Registration includes a long-sleeve shirt, free photos, treats for after the race and a costume contest for humans and pets. Prices vary. Seward Park; runscared5k.com
Campfire: Improvised Ghost Stories
(Dates vary) Unexpected Productions is back with their coveted, Campfire: Improvised Ghost Stories. This long-running show of improvised stories based on audience suggestions is sure to make for a silly night of preposterous situations and goofy scares. Prices vary. Downtown; unexpectedproductions.org
Follow Us
Ferry Tales: Eight Indie Bookstores Worth the Ride
Plan a summer day around these bookshops in Seattle, Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Kingston, and Poulsbo.
Independent bookstores tend to be cornerstones of the communities in which they reside, and Seattle is no exception. In addition to helping customers discover their next read, these neighborhood hubs host weekly gatherings and events, like publication release parties, author talks, and book clubs. Many of them have cafés and reading tables that encourage lingering…
Rearview Mirror: Seattle Art Fair is Back, Nordstrom Throws a Block Party, and a Must-Try Ice Cream Sundae
Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).
SEATTLE ART FAIR RETURNS The buzziest event of the summer (well, aside from the World Cup), is returning next week. Now in its 10th edition, the Seattle Art Fair will once again take over the Lumen Field Event Center, packing it to the gills with art from 101 local, national, and international galleries. This year,…
Studio Sessions: Jennifer Leigh Harrison
Seattle artist Jennifer Leigh Harrison uses layers of paint and abstraction to explore what we carry beneath the surface.
Jennifer Leigh Harrison’s paintings are dense with movement. Color and texture gather into mosaic-like fields, as if they have been fractured and reformed. There are places in the work where a frenetic buzz seems trapped between the canvas and the first layer of paint. That energy runs through Patterns of Belonging, her current exhibition at…
ENHYPEN’s Jay Has K-Pop Stardom and a Seattle Heart
The Federal Way-raised singer talks hometown memories, Ivar’s clam chowder, and how it feels to perform in the place he grew up.
Long before he was performing in sold-out arenas around the world and representing brands like Prada, ENHYPEN’s Jay called the Puget Sound region home. Born Jay Park (not to be confused with the other famous K-pop star of the same name, who is also from Seattle) in Seattle and raised in nearby Federal Way before…