More than trips to Spirit Halloween

Hi everyone! You should know the drill: once the last Thanksgiving dish is emptied, Halloween starts. 

At least that’s how the events go (and mall decorations).
We have a few still happening (Pumpkins After Dark, Vancouver Fall Food Festival , Once Upon a Haunted Sea, Fin‑tastic Fall Days), in case you missed them last week. 

We sifted through 170+ events happening around Vancouver this week (because we’re awesome) and picked only the best of the best so you don't have to.

Here's what made the cut:

🕐 2:00 PM • 📍 Terry Salman Branch
Ukuleles are surprisingly easy for new players. This program invites seniors and adults to learn the basics of playing. Participants will enjoy making music while building confidence in their skills.

🕐 2:00 PM • 📍 Central Library
Freaky movies you won't find on Netflix part 2. Another Hitchcock's thriller. It won't be dark yet, so you can be brave enough to go.

🕐 4:00 PM • 📍 Cambie
An old favourite, bring your Pokémon cards and games to the Cambie Branch for the Trainers' Gym and battle other Pokémon Connoisseurs to hone your skills. Must have own cards and games.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Richmond Public Library – Cambie Branch
Our good old monthly mini-sale is back, and a great chance to grab some mint condition books for $2 dollars or less.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Richmond Nature Park
Visit the Nature Park to explore Halloween-themed decorations along the Pond Trail. Pumpkins will be available for purchase.

🕐 10:30 AM • 📍 Brighouse
Who are we kidding? The rain is coming for us, and if you are a grandma or love knitting/crochet, there's an intermediate/advanced circle to join. You're supposed to have your basic gear to drop-in to this one.

🕐 10:30 AM • 📍 Brighouse
AI is not in our future; the big changes are happening right now. Jobs are changing every single day. You'll want your kids to learn about it. This is an interesting workshop that aims to raise awareness and knowledge about the topic.

🕐 11:00 AM • 📍 UBC Botanical Garden – 6804 SW Marine Dr, Vancouver
A beloved fall tradition celebrating BC's favorite fruit with something for all ages. Sample 50+ heritage apples, enjoy apple cider and pie, live demos, entertainment and a market. Family-friendly and supports the UBC Botanical Garden.

🕐 2:00 PM • 📍 Cougar Creek's House of Horrors
Western Canada's largest haunted house offers a lights-on, no-scare version for families. Explore the themed sets without actors or jump scares. Great for younger kids who want Halloween fun without the fright.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Britannia Mine Museum
This is a chance to see Halloween in a different way, in an unusual setting. Seven tours will leave from 10am to 3pm. Click the link for prices and more info. It happens on Sunday too.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Brighouse
Code Ninjas Richmond, in partnership with Microsoft Arcade Makecode is proud to announce a free coding session. We’ll be using the Microsoft Arcade Makecode platform to build a playable game during the session. No coding experience is required.
At 10am is for ages 5-7. For ages 8-15 there are sessions at 11am and 12pm

Not many seats left, click the links to register.

🕐 1:00 PM • 📍 Brighouse
Join this 5-week program focused on enhancing literacy skills for children aged 2 to 5 through engaging activities, stories, and interactive play for families.

🕐 2:00 PM • 📍 Ironwood
Visit the Ironwood Launchpad to explore Sphero Indis, engaging cars that introduce coding and robotics concepts to children aged 4 and up through hands-on demonstrations.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Granville Island, Vancouver (various venues)
The 38th annual Vancouver Writers Fest features a scintillating lineup of exceptional books, ideas and dialogue. Running Oct 20–26, it gathers 130 local and international authors in 85+ events for youth and adults, sparking reflection, curiosity and laughter. Sessions are hosted on Granville Island and other venues.

🕐 From 10:45 AM • 📍 Science World
This is neat: “Join multidisciplinary artist Ginalina in a series of wild and wonderful experiential sessions to explore sounds and nature. We’ll use natural items such as plants, rocks and fruit to learn about the Earth ... and connect through songs, stories, and art along the way! Each session will feature unique flora, fauna, and hands-on learning”. Free with admission. Also happens on Wednesday.

🕐 4:00 PM • 📍 Ironwood
After-school chill activity with some Nintendo Switch action.

🕐 4:00 PM • 📍 Brighouse
For the kids that are learning French! A recreational reading program intended to stimulate your child's love of reading and practice their French reading and pronunciation. Designed for children in French Immersion Grades 1-3 .

🕐 7:00 PM • 📍 Steveston
Engage in thoughtful discussions about literature with fellow readers at the Steveston Library. This event is perfect for book enthusiasts looking to connect with others.

🕐 4:00 PM • 📍 Brighouse
Kids can team up and explore, share their creations and hang out with like-minded players. The library has some ipads, but bring your device if you have one.

🕐 11:12 AM • 📍 The Liberty Distillery
Grab a book and come join fellow readers at The Liberty Distillery on Granville Island for a book club with a twist — or maybe a splash.

🕐 4:00 PM • 📍 Burnaby Village Museum – 6501 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby
Burnaby Village Museum transforms into a Haunted Village with enchantment and mystery. Wander the 10-acre open-air site to encounter dramatic lights, eerie global folktale scenes (Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Dracula's Castle, Sleeping Beauty's Maleficent, etc.), plus live storytelling, circus acts, and a DJ dance party. A family-friendly Halloween experience suitable for all ages. $10 general, $5 children.

🕐 6:30 PM • 📍 Brighouse
Engage with local educators and community members to explore effective climate solutions and discover actionable steps for a sustainable future. Suitable for ages 15 and up.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Coquitlam Centre – 2929 Barnet Hwy, Coquitlam
A touring international circus under the big top designed with the family audience in mind. Expect aerial artistry, acrobats, and dazzling acts to mesmerize children and adults. Runs Oct 16–26 with multiple showtimes (weekday evenings; weekends 3 shows).

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Cambie
For parents who are more involved in their kids' learning. This 5-week family literacy program helps parents and children, aged 2 to 5, build a love of reading together and improve literacy skills using the alphabet, numbers, stories and active play.

🕐 3:00 PM • 📍 Tipperary Park, New Westminster
An outdoor market with 45+ vendors offering fresh produce, crafts, live music and food trucks. The final market of the season is a great chance to stock up and enjoy the community vibe.

🕐 3:30 PM • 📍 Steveston
If you missed the other session, this one is a kid favourite!

🕐 4:00 PM • 📍 Brighouse
This after-school program offers children aged 8-12 the opportunity to learn coding through engaging projects, enhancing their problem-solving abilities and teamwork skills. Click the link to snag one of the spots!

I would also like to announce that we were named the 🏆 2025 Best Vancouver Newsletter For Parents To Save Time and Find the Good Stuff To Do in Town 👏👏 .

We’re beyond thrilled and all, but what would really make our day is to have you invite your friends to join us. 

Forward them this — it might just save their weekend.

Catch you next week ✌️

Nat, from Nothing To Do