Fall Festivities in Gig Harbor & Beyond 2025
With cooler weather and the turning colors of the leaves, October offers so many fun ways to celebrate fall. Read on for a list of events and activities in Gig Harbor and beyond, from cider making to autumn festivals, fun at the zoo, and more!
GIG HARBOR
2025 HopeRaiser Breakfast and Silent Auction
Thursday, October 2, 2025
This annual breakfast and silent auction helps raise funds to provide housing and resources for at-risk youth and children touched by the foster care system. Your ticket purchase will help make a huge difference in a foster child’s life.
Friday, October 3, 2025
Grab your team of five, register now and get pulling as you enjoy a day of friendly competition. More information can be found on the Permission to Start Dreaming Foundation website.
Saturday, October 4, 2025
Don’t miss a day full of fun with a Local Makers Market, pumpkin launcher, food trucks, live music and dancing, a petting zoo, and more. There’s no charge to attend, but please consider bringing a donation of a non-perishable food item or personal care item. Check back here for updated information about this event.
Hands of Hope Gala and Auction
Friday, October 10, 2025
Enjoy an evening out for a good cause! This fundraiser for the local charity Harbor Hope Center ensures that they can continue helping Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula students who are homeless and at-risk. You can purchase individual tickets or a table for ten.
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Challenge your paddling skills during this open-water race. Bring your outrigger canoe, paddleboard, kayak, or other human-powered craft and participate in the short, intermediate, or expert course. You can find more information here on race proceedings and registration.
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Purchase your tickets now for this popular event! With over 25 stroll stops featuring delicious snacks, small bites and treats to pair with your 10 complementary sip tickets. You can also enjoy live music, a commemorative tasting glass and free shuttle access!
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Bring the whole family to this year’s Monster Bash for games, face painting, hayrides, a costume contest, a bounce house, inflatable obstacle courses, slides and more! Information is available at the Key Pen Parks website, and note that the event will be dependent on weather, so be sure to check back for updates.
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Grab your broomsticks and join the witches in the water or watch by land for this 3rd annual witches brew! Witches on a paddleboard is something you will definitely want to see this fall. If you don’t have a paddleboard you can still join in the fun with an SUP rental!
Sunday, October 26, 2025
This bike ride and costume contest offers three routes to accommodate all ages and abilities. Once the ride ends the party begins, with prizes for best costume and treats for all. The proceeds of the race will go to the GGHF Community Recreation Fund. Go here for more information and the registration page.
Friday, October 31, 2025
Dress up and enjoy views of the waterfront as you stroll through downtown Gig Harbor in search of candy provided by various businesses. Note that Harborview Drive will be closed between Pioneer Way and Rosedale Street.
Friday, October 31, 2025
Get dressed up and go uptown to collect candy from various places throughout Uptown Gig Harbor!
October – March | First Saturday of each month
Harbor WildWatch’s monthly program starts back up in October! Learn more about Gig Harbor and what’s in it as you watch from the dock while divers live stream from under water.
BEYOND GIG HARBOR
Key Peninsula Farm Tour - Key Peninsula
Saturday, September 27 & Sunday, September 28, 2025
Learn about the history of farming on the Key Peninsula during this interactive tour of various locations throughout the area. You’ll have a chance to talk to Master Gardeners, try your hand at a cider squeeze, listen to live music, ride ponies, enjoy a Fiber Arts Show, an antique car show enjoy wine and coffee tasting, and more! Some activities are only offered one day or for part of the day, so check out the Key Peninsula Farm Tour website for all the details.
Candlelight Tour - Tacoma
Friday, October 3 & Saturday, October 4, 2025
Step back in time and witness moments from history during this yearly tradition at Fort Nisqually. Through songs, dances, games, and vignettes, historical interpreters will be acting out events from 1859 in the life of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Pumpkin Chomp & Stomp - Eatonville
Saturday, October 4 & Sunday, October 5, 2025
Did you know animals love pumpkins, too? You’ll have just as much fun watching as the animals have fun playing with these orange edibles, many of which are grown right at Northwest Trek! Learn more on their website.
Apple Squeeze - Steilacoom
Sunday, October 5, 2025
The day can’t get much better with a street fair, live music, food, and fresh cider! Learn more on the Steilacoom Historical Museum Association’s website.
Cider Squeeze & Oregon Trail - Puyallup
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Press cider, take a hayride, tour the Meeker Mansion, visit the Hard Cider Garden, enjoy live bluegrass music, pick out fall decorations at the Pumpkin Booth, browse the vendor booths, and more!
Founders Day - Eatonville
Saturday, October 12 & Sunday, October 13, 2025
Bring a picnic lunch and spend the day touring the pioneer farm and Ohop Indian village, playing games, doing crafts, taking buggy rides, and more. All the details can be found online.
Hoot ’n’ Howl - Eatonville
Friday & Saturday, October 17, 18, 24 & 25, 2025
The Northwest Trek Wildlife Park offers a whole new experience at night! Dress up and have fun with games, follow the paths in search of trick-or-treat stations, and meet some nocturnal animals as part of the Keeper Chats. You can purchase tickets on location or in advance online.
Zoo Boo - Tacoma
Saturday, October 18 & Sunday, October 19, 2025
Have fun dressing up, playing games, and gathering treats as you make your way through the zoo. Visit this page for tickets and more information, including times and locations for games and other activities.
Haunted Farmer’s Market – Tacoma
Every Saturday in October 2025
This farmer’s market in South Tacoma includes some additional festive fun. It features 60-100 haunted themed vendors from taxidermy and crystals to tarot card readings. Shop for all your Halloween needs while enjoying some food from their delicious food trucks.
A Night at the Movies Costume Concert – Tacoma
Saturday, October 25, 2025
All of Tacoma Youth Symphony Association’s orchestras are playing music from hit movies while dressed in costumes from those movies. Purchase your tickets and dress up in costume and bring the whole family for a musical night of fun.
Monster Mash– Tacoma
Saturday, October 28, & Sunday, October 19, 2025
Explore cryptids, monsters under the bed and more with Das Biest Performance Project’s 4th annual Halloween show! You can purchase your $10 tickets at the door!
Harvest Fest - Port Orchard
Friday, October 17 - Sunday, October 19, 2025 | Friday, October 24 - Sunday, October 25, 2025
The whole family is guaranteed to have a great time at Miracle Ranch! Ride in the hay wagon, get your face painted, watch a rodeo, visit the petting zoo, make your way through the hay maze, try your hand at archery, play carnival games, take a pony ride, and lots more! You can come just for the day (it’s free, although some activities do cost), or stay overnight for multiple days of fun. All the information can be found on the camp’s website.
Ghost Train - Port Orchard
Nothing screams fall and Halloween like this spooky train ride through the heavily wooded forest of Kitsap Regional Park. Kitsap Live Steamers holds this annual ghost train run from 5-9pm and costumes are welcome. This extra special train run benefits Kitsap County Foster Care. The line is long, but it moves quickly and is so worth the wait. Check out their Facebook page in October for the date and details and to learn about their other train rides offered from April to October.
Autumn Leaves Tour - Bremerton
Saturday, October 18, 2025 | Friday, October 31, 2025 | Saturday, November 1, 2025
Experience fall colors on more than four acres containing over a thousand varieties of plants at the Albers Marcovina Vista Gardens in Bremerton. Enjoy an extra festive Halloween guided tour on the 31st where costumes are welcome! Tours are free (donation suggested), and you can register on the website.
Pumpkin Walk – Steilacoom
Friday, October 31, 2025
Enjoy an evening stroll through the Orr Orchard while sipping hot cider, eating donut holes and voting on your favorite decorated jack o’ lantern. Learn more on the Steilacoom Historical Museum Association’s website.
As you can see, this sweater weather is full of reasons to explore the season. So, find your favorite fall attire and get ready for some local festive fun!
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