If you’ve already had to bust out your scarves, hats and gloves this week, you’re not alone. With temperatures dipping, you may be looking for more indoor activities to fill your weekend with. Or, maybe you don’t mind bundling up a bit and taking in the crisp fall air. Read on to see how you can make the most of your weekend, indoors or outdoors.
Remember, many situations can cancel or cause schedule changes for events and outings, so always check before you go.
Live events
- If you’re feeling cold on Saturday, head over to the Tacoma Dome and warm up by dancing your heart out to the Jonas Brothers. No, you did not accidentally time-travel back to 2007. They are back and will have you burning up at their “Happiness Begins Tour.” You know you’re still a sucker for them, so grab your love bug and celebrate the return of the Jo Bros, because it’s only human. Find more music events beginning Friday night through Oct. 17 here.
- If you’d rather watch people dance instead of doing it yourself, see what our critic Moira Macdonald calls “one of the Seattle dance community’s treasures,” the Chamber Dance Company at their fall concert. More information, along with other hot events happening this October can be found here.
- Looking to heat up with some drama instead? Go see “Sunset Baby,” the ArtsWest-produced play by Tony Award-nominated writer Dominique Morisseau. If ambiguity gets you fired up, check out “M—ER” at On The Boards, named one of seven best bets for theater this fall by our arts and culture reporter Brendan Kiley. Or, visit the Pony World Theatre to catch a performance of “The Christians,” a drama about a megachurch pastor questioning the existence of hell, because what’s hotter than that?
Family fun
- It’s not fall without a harvest festival. Bundle up and head over to Carnation to indulge in some classic fall activities, from picking pumpkins to hay rides and more. For a more serene outdoor activity, visit the Seattle Japanese Garden to admire the colors of fall at the Maple Festival and warm up with some tea at a tea ceremony.
- October isn’t complete without some spooky time. Fright Fest is going on at Wild Waves now through Nov. 2. The Georgetown Morgue is also an option for some scary fun. The haunted house is for those 12 and over, but on Saturday, you can bring the younger ones for Kids Day. Adult tickets are $5, but each child who brings three cans of food gets in free!
- Explore the “new Burke” at the grand opening of the museum on Saturday. In addition to checking out the exhibits, you can also see live entertainment, eat from food trucks and participate in activities. There will also be a Kids’ Day on Sunday with take-home crafts, story time, dancing and more.
- For more seasonal activities and other event ideas, browse our community calendar for the week.
Movies
- See what the Seattle Queer Film Festival has to offer in its 24th year. The festival opened last night with “Sid & Judy,” a documentary featuring clips and footage of Judy Garland. Speaking of the “Wizard of Oz” actress, another film about the star, “Judy,” is in theaters now.
- If action movies are more your style, see Will Smith battle a younger version of himself in “Gemini Man.” The movie uses a new form of digital filmmaking technology that director Ang Lee talked more about with our arts critic earlier this month.
- Bring your furry friend(s) along to The Dog Film Festival for a couple of hours of short films celebrating the bond between canines and humans.
- To see what else is opening this weekend, consult our movie roundup.
Food
- One of my favorite ways to warm up in the colder months is with some piping hot Chinese food. Luckily, the Eastside is becoming home to a growing number of Chinese restaurants.
- For dreamy and nostalgic diner vibes with a modern twist, visit Champagne Diner. If you’re looking for something different, try Everest Kitchen in Lake Forest Park for some South Asian delicacies.
- What if I told you there was a place you could get pie AND wine at the same time? Sounds too good to be true, right? Wrong! Women-owned Elsom Cellars in Sodo is serving up both and it’s genius. If you’d rather grab a beer, there’s not one, but two Rainier brewery sites to choose from. While we’re on the topic of breweries, be sure to vote for your favorite in our Brewery Bracket! The winner will be revealed Sunday.
- Visit Optimism Brewing for the Depressed Cake Shop pop-up. From 11 a.m.-1 p.m., help benefit the Seattle chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and join them for some cake and conversations.
Stay inside
- Avoid the cold at all costs and enjoy these titles now streaming.
- Cozy up with this week’s bestsellers in the Pacific Northwest. Number one is Margaret Atwood’s “The Testaments,” which our book critic called “mesmerizing.”
The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.