So many things to take part of, we’ll keep you up to date the best we can on all that’s What’s Up in the Yakima Valley!
DOWNTOWN YAKIMA FARMERS MARKET
9A TO 1P!.. THE DOWNTOWN YAKIMA FARMERS MARKET IS LOCATED UNDER THE ROTARY MARKET PLACE PAVILION… AT 15 WEST YAKIMA AVENUE. COME SHOP FRESH FLOWERS, LOCAL PRODUCE, WINES AND HANDMADE GOODS! ENJOY DELICIOUS FOOD, LIVE MUSIC AND FUN ACTIVITES! FIND THE DOWNTOWN YAKIMA FARMERS MARKET ON FACEBOOK FOR WEEKLY UPDATES!
Thompson’s Farm Pumpkin Patch Saturdays & Sundays
Opens October 3rd on through October 31st from 9am-4pm! Enjoy Thompson’s Farms famous Pumpkin Donuts, Pumpkin Cannon & Pig races. Other activities include corn maze, hayride, a kids area, walnut cannon and gem mining. 9535 Old Naches Highway. Visit thompsonfarm.com for additional details.
Pumpkin Painting Kids Event
Join Hometown Ace Hardware (40th & Tieton) this Saturday October 17th for the annual Pumpkin Painting Event — a fun and festive activity for kids! Kids ages 13 and under can paint their very own pumpkin for FREE! Let’s get creative and celebrate the season together!
Yakima County Fall Career Far
Join us Friday October 16th from 1p-3p at Performance Park (Yakima County Courthouse) in Downtown Yakima. Whether you’re looking for your first job, a new career, a better opportunity, or a chance to put your skills to work, come explore what’s available right here in our community.
“Yak” Family Night
Yakima Valley College is hosting Yak Family Night events to connect students and families with campus resources and support academic success. The college will hold events on October 15 in Grandview and October 22 at the Yakima campus. This is the fourth consecutive year YVC has organized the event. Students and families will attend presentations highlighting college programs and community partnerships. Vendors will showcase Bachelor of Applied Science degree programs and other opportunities. Workshops will focus on financial literacy, legal rights information, and career services. Financial aid and campus life details will also be available. Beyond workshops, the events will feature games, music, salsa and cumbia dance lessons, and a raffle. The college also welcomes students pursuing nontraditional paths, including those seeking a GED.
Mrs Roper’s Romp
Grab your caftan, pile on the jewelry, tease up that hair and channel your inner Mrs. Roper — because we’re taking over the Yakima Valley! Join us for an afternoon and evening of shopping, sipping, laughing, trolley riding and all-around Mrs. Roper ridiculousness — all while helping support the Yakima Valley Trolleys! We’ll kick things off at Farmgirl Pickings, where our fabulous Helens will check in and get ready to ROMP!
Then we’re off to visit four wonderful local businesses:
Whimsical Details
The Gathered Home
The Little Soapmaker
Rooted
Each stop will have a little something special waiting for our Ropers before we make our way to the Yakima Valley Trolleys for the next part of our adventure! Then it’s ALL ABOARD! We’ll finish our romp with trolley fun, dinner and an evening together at the trolley barn — with proceeds from the event helping support and keep our historic Yakima Valley Trolleys moving. For pricing and additional info, see the Farmgirl’s Picking’s facebook page.
Yakima Humane Society Howl-O-Ween Event
All cats & dogs are welcome to the Howl-O-Ween Drive Thru Vaccine Event October 18th from Noon to 4pm. Several vaccines for cats & dogs will be available at very low prices! It takes place at the YHS Spay & Neuter Clinic, 106 S. 6th Ave in Yakima.
Madd Hatter’s Haunt Kids Day
Kids Day is from noon to 2:30PM on October 18th. We offer behind-the-scenes LIGHTS ON tours, a 4-H petting zoo sponsored by Selah 4-H, and, of course, our Trunk or Treat event, all for $5 and a can of food. Adults are free. Each kid also receives a ticket to return on the same day and enjoy the haunt with the lights off at night. Adults can also get in on the free ticket deal; they just need to pay the $5 fee and bring a can of food. The Trunk or Treat portion will be from Noon – 1:30 PM. Trunk or Treat participants will receive two VIP tickets to Madd Hatters for the 2026 season and four passes for kids to enjoy the Kids Day event. The first 25 registrations receive a dash plaque. Best Dressed Trunk will receive a handcrafted award. Location 208 Ahtanum Rd. Union Gap
Harvest Carnival @ OIC of Washington
Happens at the Henry Beauchamp Community Center gym October 21st from 6pm-8pm. Come dressed up in a costume! There will be candy buckets for the 1st 300 youth who come through the door. Haunted house, food, pumpkins, raffles and so much more! Visit the OIC of Washington Facebook page for additional info.
Yakima Valley Bigfoot Con
SAVE THE DATE! Happens October 23rd & 24th! Special guest appearances from bigfoot enthusiasts. All brought to you by the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce.
Halloween Trolley 2026
The spooky season is here! Join us for a hauntingly good time aboard Yakima’s historic trolleys. This is an all-ages event! From 3PM-6PM on Friday, October 23rd and 30th, and 10AM – 3PM on October 24th, 25th, and 31st, trolleys will be making runs on our Pine Street Line (approximately 25-minute round trip). Back at our haunted Powerhouse, all manner of ghoulish games and spooktacular surprises await:
* The first 100 kids to ride the Halloween Trolley will receive a free pumpkin through the generosity of Wray’s Marketfresh IGA
* Candy
* Popcorn
* Face Painting and Tattoos
* Fortune Teller
* Coloring
* Costume Photo Station
Tickets are $8/adults, $6/seniors and children. Children aged 2 and under, seated on a lap (not taking up a seat), may ride free.
21st Annual Chili Cook Off
The 2026 Chili Cook-Off is the place to be for a culinary battle where local teams prepare their most mouth-watering, taste-bud-tingling, chili recipes. From classic beef chili to a vegan delight, there is a chili for everyone. It’s an exciting and fun evening for everyone that attends. Saturday, October 24th at State Fair Park in the Modern Living Building 5:00pm – 8:00pm. Silent/Live Auctions, Balloon Pop, Music, and of course all the Chili you can eat! Tickets on sale now at https://yvpr.org/events/chili-cook-off. $30 presale and $40 at the door.
Halloween Town @ Sozo Sports Complex
It’s a community trunk or treat & fall festival that’s happening October 24th from 4pm-8pm! There will be a trunk or treat, constume contest, food trucks, games and activities, music and giveaways! If you’re interested in being a vendor, call 509-452-7696, or go to sozosports.net.
Harvest Fun Family Activity
Harvest FUN at Peach Tree Retirement Center! Bring the kids and come have some FUN! Join us Saturday, October 31 from 5–8 PM for a community Harvest FUN celebration at Peach Tree Retirement Center in Yakima. Explore 25 different stations filled with candy, screen-free fun, old-school toys, bounce balls, funky glasses, mini stuffed animals, slime and plenty of surprises. Stop by our customized photo areas for a fun picture, then visit TSO Custom Keepsakesand turn that moment into a personalized keepsake. Photo buttons are $5 and photo magnets are $10. Tsocustomkeepsakes.com. Costumes are encouraged, all ages are welcome, and our Peach Tree residents are excited to welcome Yakima families into our community. Come play. Laugh. Collect. Make memories. Peach Tree Retirement Center. Yakima.