Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings | Trick or treat downtown or Uptown

Posted on October 29th, 2024 By: Charlee Glock-Jackson

The spirits of All Hallows Eve are hovering about town looking for tricks to play, treats to gather and giant pumpkins – oh my!

Harborview Drive will close to traffic and the waterfront will be crawling with little princesses, goblins, fairies, ghosts and other remarkable creatures, as downtown businesses open their doors and their candy jars to young visitors.

The downtown trick or treat event, hosted by the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance, is from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. Harborview Drive will close between Pioneer Way and Rosedale Street.

The Church of the Nazarene on Pioneer Street is also getting into the mix with a Halloween trunk-or-treat with games, inflatables and goodies.

Some businesses even have treats for grownups:

EnLight Candle Company, located in Harbor Landings Mall, is giving away free candle samples.
Lisa Hystek Photography is offering a free 4×6-inch print for costume photos in the studio lobby at 7512 Stanich Lane, Suite 1.
The Narrows Law Group is hosting a raffle and free photo booth for kids and adults at 3010 Harborview Drive, Suite 202.
7Seas Brewing has $1 off first pints for all adults who come in costume, and a prize for whoever can guess the weight of a big pumpkin. 7Seas is located at 2905 Harborview Drive.

Across town at Uptown, Russ Leno will demonstrate his carving skills on Uptown’s giant pumpkin starting at 11 a.m. Leno’s carving will continue through about 4:30 p.m. Uptown businesses will hand out Halloween treats from 4 to 6 p.m.

Find more Halloween events here.

Pumpkin prizes

Oct 31 is the deadline to enter a pumpkin-decorating contest sponsored by Wilco Farm Store.

Send a photo of your carved, painted or otherwise decorated pumpkin and vie for big prizes. Enter as often as you like. Get details here.

Haunted Forest runs through Nov. 1

Over on the Key Peninsula, My Haunted Forest continues through Friday, Nov. 1, with more characters and more scares than ever, including flaming effects and explosive surprises. A costume contest takes place on Oct. 31; the Costume Ball happens Nov. 1. Tickets cost $30, or $45 for a “fast pass.” The forest is located at 17616 S. Vaughn Road NW. Click here for information.

Write in the Harbor

The 10th annual Write in the Harbor writers conference takes place Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1 and 2, at the Gig Harbor branch of Tacoma Community College.

Shawn Wong will give the keynote address and conduct a seminar on this year’s theme, “The Stories we Tell.” Wong is the author of “Homebase” and “American Knees” – a novel that was made into an award-winning film.

There are also numerous workshops taught by regional writers on writing the perfect opening, crafting a compelling memoir, exploring the world of editing and other pertinent topics. Enrollment is $179 or $45 for students. Click here to register.

Pier into the Night

Join biologists and volunteers from Harbor WildWatch at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, for this month’s Pier into the Night. See what’s lurking in the water beneath the Maritime Pier as divers use underwater cameras to project images onto the big screen set up on the pier. Suitable for all ages. Free, but donations are accepted. Dress for the weather.

Disaster preparedness

The Pierce County Department of Emergency Management will present a free class on “Disaster First Aid – Stop the Bleeding” from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church, 7700 Skansie Avenue. Email [email protected] for more information.

Live music

Local favorite Sweet Mary Farr brings her rich vocals and engaging sense of humor to the Olalla Winery at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1. Reserve tickets here.

Sweet Mary Farr plays the Olalla Winery on Friday, Nov. 1.

HD Fusion plays at Kimball Coffeehouse Friday. Doors open at 6 p.m.; music starts at 7 p.m. Free; all ages are welcome. Kimball also hosts an open mic at 6 p.m. Thursdays. Signups start at 5:30 p.m.

At the movies

The Flashback Cinema movie at the Uptown Galaxy Theaters is the horror classic, “the Exorcist” playing at 12:50 and 6 p.m. on Oct. 30, and 6:45 and 10 p.m. on Oct. 31. It’s the Director’s Cut, with footage not included in the original theater version.

The Flashback movie on Sunday, Nov. 3 is “Twister,” the blockbuster about storm chasers who study the deadly world of tornados. Showtimes are noon and 6 p.m. Flashback movies are just $5.

Civic engagement

The Gig Harbor City Council takes the first look at the 2025-26 budget at study sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 29 and 30. The meetings take place at the Civic Center, 3510 Grandview Drive, starting at 3 p.m. Council meetings can also be accessed via Zoom.