Oh, Tacoma-so much free fun for you this weekend! Don’t worry if you live elsewhere- there is plenty for you, too!
Here’s a great list of fun ideas for your family this weekend, with kid friendly activities and places to go all over-including free festivals and fun in Lacey, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, and just about everywhere in between!
Headed elsewhere? There is always lots more to explore at ThriftyNWmom thanks to frugal fun finder, Annaliese, of Grays Harbor Deals!
All Weekend/All Over
Friday
Date Night! Kids’ Night Out Every Friday with our sponsors at Pump it Up in Tacoma – a great chance for kids to bounce and play while you get out! Tell ’em you saw it on SFM when you call for your spot!(253) 254-7971 6:30-9:30, and they feed them pizza!
Fall Arts Walk in Downtown Olympia special displays and activities, including hands-on fun for kids at participating businesses and merchants. 5-10 Friday and 12-5 Saturday. See link for map locations.
Kids’ Night out with our sponsors, Bricks 4 Kidz, at Frog n Kiwi in University Place Just 3 spots left!
Saturday
All Over
Kids’ Club at Michael’s Michael’s offers 30 minute craft sessions for kids for 2.00 from 10-12:oo. It’s hand painting Halloween rocks today, the first in a series of Halloween themed projects.
Visit your farmer’s market! Get your fresh on while you can!
Story time at Barnes and Noble Free, weekly story time events. Olympia has Clifford the Big Red Dog today. Note from SFM: We have found participation in these events varies-readers have gone to stores advertising events only to find nothing gong on. Soooooo……….please call to confirm participation before you go (or head out with a spirit of adventure)!
Home Depot Kids’ Club Advance registration is required for these popular, free kids’ building programs. It’s an EMS truck today.
South King County
Fright Fest at Wild Waves Rides,haunted houses, scare free area for kids under 12 and live entertainment. Online tickets are 22.99 for anyone over 48″ tall, plus tax and processing. This is a 5.00 discount off gate admission. You can get the same price at participating Safeway stores. Kids under 48″ are 9.99. Last year, there were coupons at Spirit Halloween stores, and a 5.00 off deal one night with a donation. I don’t see info. on either of those offers right now, but I’ll update this if I find out. I haven’t been to this. If you have, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Weekends in October
Visit the HCC Mast Center at Redondo The center and its touch tanks of sea critters are free and open to the public every Saturday from 10-2
S’more than you imagined in Auburn Outdoor community event with bonfire and smores 6-8PM
Greater Pierce County-Puyallup, Orting
Oktoberfest at the Puyallup fairgrounds children 12 and under are free; adult admission 10.00; half off on Sunday Children welcome until 7PM Saturday and all day Sunday food, drink, weiner dog races, kids’ zone Readers have been split on how fun this is for kids. Let me know what you think
Lego My Library Story Time with Walter the Giant Storyteller 11AM Hear stories and enjoy some Lego building time! Free, drop in events perfect for children 4-8 and their families.
–Fife Harvest Festival We’ve been to this with the boys several times. Carnival games, kids’ entertainment-all kinds of fun. In the past, I didn’t think it had much of a, “Harvest,” flavor, but the organizers told me they were adding more of those elements. We didn’t make it last year, so if you did, leave a review! There will be vendors on hand, but admission is FREE.
Tahoma Farms in Orting 20.00 per carload includes one u-pick carving pumpkin and all activities-corn maze, hay rides, entertainment, kids’ scavenger hunt, and more. Buy ticket online (just one for your carload, remember) or at the event.
Tacoma
Greek Festival at St.Nicholas Church All weekend event; dancing, church tours, and lots of authentic Greek food for sale
Family nature walk at Swan Creek Park Volunteer naturalists lead walks. Registration preferred but not required. Not suitable for strollers; perfect for ages 3 and up. 1PM
Children and all ages shows at the Science Dome presentations and shows on the overhead dome at the area’s only indoor, digital planetarium. Children’s shows at 12:30 and 2; all ages at 3:15 Children’s show is Haunted Night Sky (not scary). All ages is the ghost particle. Children’s shows are interactive and shorter. Henry went to one with me and loved it. The all ages program is longer and has a question/answer session, but nothing hands on. Tickets are free-6.00. Buy in advance of pay cash at the door. No cards can be accepted at the venue.
Shrek the musical at Tacoma Musical Playhouse various shows and times
Candlelight tours at Fort Nisqually Friday and Saturday Purchase tickets in advance.
Pier Peer in Tacoma For ages 8 and up. Special chance to see sea creatures drawn to dock lights. 8.00/person; registration required We’ve done this twice now and had fun, though we’ve never found many sea creatures to speak of.
Lacey/Olympia
Charlie the Noise Guy at the Dupont Library 3PM
Fall Arts Walk in Downtown Olympia special displays and activities, including hands-on fun for kids at participating businesses and merchants. 5-10 Friday and 12-5 Saturday. See link for map locations.
Olympia Family Theater presents BusyTown Join the Lowly the Worm, Huckle the Cat, and friends! This looks adorable for young ones. Various shows and times.
Visit the LOTT Wet Science Center *Link opens lengthy pdf Free and open every weekend with environmental information and activities. Open hours 10-8 Friday and 10-3 Saturday this weekend in conjunction with fall arts walk.
Visit the South Sound Estuarium interactive marine discovery! Open 11-4 weekends at their new location.
Gig Harbor/Kitsap
Scarecrow Festival at Sehmel Park 10-4 farm animals, hay rides, food vendors, entertainment, and more! There is a 2.00 suggested donation for the kids’ zone and a small charge for some other activities-pony rides are 5.00 and camel rides are 10.00. This is a great, family event!
Paradise Theater presents The Adams Family I think this should be fine for older kids, but I’ll try to check for you. Various show times.
Farmer’s Markets continue in Gig Harbor
Blessing of the Animals St. John’s Episcopal Church invites pets for a blessing in celebration of the feast day of St. Francis 8-12
Key Peninsula Farm Tour self guided tour of various farms -petting zoos, hay rides, and more We’ve done other area farm tours and always had a great time. Just be prepared for mud and mess (Henry found the stinkiest puddle ever at an alpaca farm one year. I can still smell it just thinking about it)!
Pier Into the Night with Harbor Wild Watch See sea critters drawn to submersible lights at night. Skansie Brothers Park 7-9PM
Kitsap area readers may also like to get the free newsletter from Macaroni Kid Kitsap
Sunday
Oktoberfest at the Puyallup fairgrounds children 12 and under are free; adult admission 10.00; half off on Sunday Children welcome until 7PM Saturday and all day Sunday food, drink, weiner dog races, kids’ zone Readers have been split on how fun this is for kids. Let me know what you think
The Steilaccom Apple Squeeze Sunday, October 5th Make fresh squeezed cider, purchase apple treats No u-pick apples, but there will be apple trees for sale and an apple expert on hand to answer questions, along with children’s activities, pony rides, and more. If you’re new to the area, this is a lovely town, with an old-fashioned charm.
Apple Sunday at Tumwater Falls Sunday, October 5th Bring your own apples and watch the Homesteaders press them into cider. 10-4
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We went to the Fife Harvest Festival yesterday and it was tons of fun! Thanks for all of the wonderful weekend ideas!