5 Weekend Events in Vancouver, WA (Oct 9–11)
5 Weekend Events in Vancouver, WA & Portland Not to Miss (October 9–11, 2026)
Spooky season and harvest season are officially colliding. This weekend you can hear fiddles and folktales in a historic cabin, catch a circus, scream your way through a drive-in horror show, or head across the river for one of the world’s biggest retro gaming expos and a Gorge harvest festival. Something for every mood, and honestly not a dud in the bunch.
For more on what makes Clark County worth exploring beyond the calendar, check out my guides to Vancouver, Washington and the best pumpkin patches in Vancouver, WA and Portland. And if the drive out to Hood River is calling your name, my guide to the best fall foliage drives near Vancouver, WA is worth a look for the scenic route.
Here are five events worth knowing about this weekend in Vancouver, Ridgefield, Portland, and Hood River.
Fiddlin’ & Folktales — Vancouver, WA
Enspire Arts presents a magical evening of music woven together with storytelling, set inside the cozy charm of the Covington House historic cabin. Seth Moran brings the fiddle (he’s played with the Vancouver-based bluegrass band Fadin’ by 9 since 2008, and these days also performs solo with live looping), while Will Hornyak, a Northwest storyteller with more than 30 years of experience, spins the folktales. It’s presented in partnership with the Clark County Historical Museum.
What to Expect
- Lively fiddling by Seth Moran
- Folktales and Northwest stories with storyteller Will Hornyak
- An intimate evening inside a historic cabin
- Proceeds support Enspire Arts’ arts education work in Clark County
💡 Pro Tip from a Local
Student tickets are just $12, and every ticket supports arts education for Clark County schools, so this is one of those nights out that gives back.
Flynn Creek Circus: The Cricket & the Wren — Vancouver, WA
Flynn Creek Circus brings its 2026 production, The Cricket & the Wren, to Clark College Theatre. It follows a merchant’s daughter trying to break the spell of the Frog Prince, blending classic storybook characters with aerialists, jugglers, knife throwers, and laugh-out-loud comedy. The circus is touring California, Oregon, and Washington, and Vancouver is on the schedule for just a few days.
What to Expect
- A storybook-style circus with aerialists, jugglers, and knife throwers
- Comedy built into the show, with a roughly two-hour runtime
- Friday 7 PM and Saturday 7 PM are the adults-only (21+) shows
- Saturday 4 PM and both Sunday shows (2 PM and 5 PM) are not marked adults only
💡 Pro Tip from a Local
Check which showtime you’re buying before you book, especially if kids are coming. The 7 PM Friday and Saturday shows are the 21+ ones.
Cinema of Horrors Drive-In — Ridgefield, WA
A live-action, drive-in horror experience where monsters from the screen come to life. Across a show of roughly two hours, guests get 18 different horror thrillers, Hollywood-quality makeup, monsters, and plenty of terrifying twists, all with high-quality sound and lighting and in-car audio. The fear returns to the Clark County Fairgrounds in Ridgefield this Halloween season.
What to Expect
- 18 different horror thrillers in a live-action drive-in format
- Monsters, Hollywood-quality makeup, and surprise scares
- In-car audio with high-quality sound and lighting
- Pricing is per car, and tickets must be purchased online in advance
💡 Pro Tip from a Local
Shows sell out nightly and there are no tickets at the gate, so book ahead. Pricing is per car, which makes a full carload the budget move. This one is meant to scare, so think twice before bringing little ones.
Portland Retro Gaming Expo — Portland, OR
One of the world’s largest conventions celebrating classic video and arcade games, with an estimated 30,000-plus visitors. The star attraction is a 30,000-square-foot “retrocade” of hundreds of arcade cabinets, pinball machines, and classic consoles, all set to free play, plus an exhibitor hall with 300-plus vendors selling vintage games, comics, retro toys, and more. And a fun local fact: the very first version of this event, back in 2006, was held in a hotel conference room right here in Vancouver, Washington, and drew about 200 gamers.
What to Expect
- A free-play Retrocade with hundreds of arcade games, pinball machines, and consoles
- 300-plus vendors, panels, cosplay contests, and tournaments, including the Jonas Neubauer Cup Classic Tetris competition
- A Saturday-evening live game collectibles auction
- Special guests listed for 2026 include Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell and Ryan Drummond, the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog
💡 Pro Tip from a Local
Online ticket sales typically close by opening day, and badges at the door cost more, so buy ahead. The Oregon Convention Center is also within walking distance of public transit, which beats hunting for parking in the Lloyd District.
Hood River Valley Harvest Festival — Hood River, OR
The valley’s best farms and orchards bring their bounty to this Travel Portland Editor’s Pick, with stands full of apples, pears, squash, raw honey, flowers, herbs, and more. A juried marketplace features handcrafted, locally made goods, and there’s live music all weekend, along with food carts, kids’ activities, and local beer, cider, wine, and spirits.
What to Expect
- Farm and orchard stands with seasonal produce, honey, flowers, and herbs
- A juried marketplace of handcrafted, locally made goods
- Live music all weekend, food carts, and kids’ activities
- Local beer, cider, wine, and spirits
💡 Pro Tip from a Local
A ticket bought online is good for all three days ($10 plus fees), while a gate ticket covers that day only. It’s roughly an hour’s drive east of Vancouver along the Columbia River Gorge, so make a day of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s happening this weekend in Vancouver, WA and Portland (October 9–11, 2026)?
This weekend includes Fiddlin’ & Folktales at the Covington House in Vancouver, Flynn Creek Circus at Clark College Theatre, the Cinema of Horrors Drive-In in Ridgefield, the Portland Retro Gaming Expo at the Oregon Convention Center, and the Hood River Valley Harvest Festival in Hood River, Oregon.
How much does the Cinema of Horrors Drive-In cost?
Tickets are $59 to $69 per car and must be purchased online in advance, since shows sell out nightly. The drive-in runs at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Ridgefield from October 8 through October 31, 2026, Wednesday through Sunday nights.
Are all Flynn Creek Circus shows adults only?
No. According to the event listing, the Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10 performances at 7 p.m. are adults only (21+). The Saturday 4 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. performances are not marked adults only. Tickets start at $27, and it’s worth confirming details when you buy.
How much does the Hood River Valley Harvest Festival cost?
Tickets are $10, with $5 tickets for military and seniors 65 and older on Friday, and free admission for children under 12. A ticket bought online is good for all three days, while a ticket bought at the gate is good for that day only. The festival runs October 9 to 11, 2026.
Do I need tickets for the Portland Retro Gaming Expo?
Yes. Daily and weekend passes are sold on the expo’s official website. Online ticket sales typically close by opening day, and badges at the door are sold at a markup. Kids ages 3 to 12 qualify for a discounted pass, and children 2 and under enter free with a paid adult.
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Cassandra Marks
Realtor, Licensed in OR & WA License ID: 201225764
Realtor, Licensed in OR & WA License ID: 201225764