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Suddenly October is more than halfway over. How did that happen? Haha…
We’ve got our Halloween costumes lined up — even though just this week our little guy tried to change ideas for a second time — and our decorations are starting to be put up. We have a couple of parties on the horizon, but we’re also trying to find time to work in a pumpkin patch visit. The calendar, which my wife so meticulously manages, has filled up quickly.
There’s so many options to choose from in our area, not only for the gourd grounds but any number of autumn activities.
Looking at the list for the Tri-Valley yields much the same. At least a dozen marquee events through the end of the month alone, as far as I can tell. Our family will do our best to make it down Interstate 680 for something next week or so, but you’ll have to forgive me if I want to avoid navigating the partial freeway closure this weekend in San Ramon and Dublin.
Here are some of the offerings on the Tri-Valley calendar that jump out to me …
When it comes to pumpkin patches, families are presented with the usual suspects: G&M Farms and Joan’s Farm and Pumpkin Patch in Livermore and Moore Pumpkin in San Ramon (next to Forest Home Farms). But Moore’s familiar location in Livermore is not open this season.
The city of Dublin is hosting a fun, buoyant alternative at The Wave: the Floating Pumpkin Patch next Saturday (Oct. 26). Among its many fall activities, the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District’s ranger program is leading “Pumpkin Carving Campfire” that same afternoon and evening at Sycamore Grove Park.
LARPD also has its Haunted Tours of Ravenswood Historic Site this Friday and Saturday nights. Its Halloween Boo Bash follows from 3-6 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Robert Livermore Community Center.
Speaking of local parks, enjoy the spirit of Sunol Wilderness this Saturday (Oct. 19) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., presented by the East Bay Regional Park District. “The Sunol Heritage Festival celebrates fall with live music by the Polka Cowboys, crafts, Ohlone stories, and old-timey ranch activities and games like learning to lasso,” EBRPD reps said.
Of course, the autumn beauty of the southeast will be on full display this whole weekend during the “TASTE: The Livermore Valley Wine Experience”.
The popular Pleasanton Harvest Festival returns to the Alameda County Fairgrounds next Friday through Sunday (Oct. 25-27) with its “thousands of American handmade arts and crafts such as fine and fashion jewelry, ceramics, original art, specialty food, decor, clothing and much more,” plus live music from the Evan Thomas Band, organizers said.
Get into the frightening and spooky sides of the fall in another part of the fairgrounds with the Pirates of Emerson immersive haunted house experience, open through Nov. 2. For softer Halloween happenings, there are the family-friendly Kidz Town Halloween Hay Day in downtown Livermore from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 26, the adults-only Halloween Brew Crawl in downtown Pleasanton from 5-8 p.m. that same day and the pet-filled Howl-O-Ween Costumed Pet Parade at City Center Bishop Ranch from 2-3 p.m. Oct. 27.
The fairgrounds really is a place to be in this month, when factoring in the start of the new, extended fall horse racing season and The Big Bounce America attraction this weekend, plus Diwali – Festival of Lights from 12-11 p.m. this Saturday.
The latter is the first of several major Diwali celebrations for the whole community in the Tri-Valley, including the city of Pleasanton from 1-3 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Veterans Memorial Building and Livermore Valley Arts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 3 outside the Bankhead Theater.
That’s just one of many events on the docket at the Bankhead in the days ahead.
With the “Cosmic Odyssey” immersive experience ongoing, the Bankhead is hosting David Victor’s fourth annual Harmony & Healing Benefit Concert with Beatles tribute Britain’s Finest headlining this Friday, the Livermore Pride Fest (noon) and the Del Valle Fine Arts concert (7:30 p.m.) on Saturday and Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Carlos Moreno’ DÃa de los Muertos show on Sunday. The American Authors concert and Funny Women of a Certain Age comedy show follow next weekend.
Add Pleasanton’s Firehouse Arts Center, Danville’s Village Theatre, and San Ramon’s Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center to that crowded A&E list for October.
The Firehouse has Tri-Valley Theatre Company’s “Spooktacular Broadway” this Friday, Creatures of Impulse “Doomsday Diaries” improv show next Thursday and Stella Heath & Bandjango Collectif in concert next Friday.
The Village Theatre is holding a movie screening of the 1984 comedy classic “Ghostbusters” for the supernatural season next Friday.
The San Ramon Symphonic Band is presenting “A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics” on the evening of Oct. 30 at the Dougherty Valley theater. The San Ramon Library is also hosting a concert, on Oct. 26, featuring The Darrell Green Trio with special guest Camille Thurman as part of its Fall Jazz Series.
I’ll admit I may be only scratching the surface here. Any omission was inadvertent; forgive me. But do take a few minutes to peruse our “Community Calendar” in this week’s paper or online. Our admin associate Carolyn Chan does a stellar job putting it together. Don’t hesitate to email event listings with us or add them online yourself — because after all, those winter holiday activities are just around the corner.
Editor’s note: Jeremy Walsh is the editorial director for the Embarcadero Media Foundation’s East Bay Division. His “What a Week” column is a recurring feature in the Pleasanton Weekly, Livermore Vine and DanvilleSanRamon.com.
