The Playlist — Things to do Oct 9-12, 2025

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A Note from the Instigator....

Hello, Friends! Brisk days, chilly nights, fall is rolling in, and with it comes the harvest festivals, the haunted attractions, and a myriad cultural events. Don't wait, the time to play is now! See you out there...

— Carlee, The Instigator

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Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Day on October 11 at the Oregon State Capitol. Scroll down for details.

THURSDAY HIGHLIGHTS

It’s Trivia Night — This once-a-month event hosted by John Croft, third generation of Croft Vineyards and trivia wizard, will challenge your wit, 6 to 8 p.m. Oct 9 at Stomp by Croft Vineyards, 5475 River Road S. There is a 6 person group maximum per table. Full menu of pizzas and small plates from the kitchen and wines by the glass and bottle will be offered. Prize for the winning team. Reservations required so don’t wait. Click here.

Play in the Monster Mash Bingo Bash, 5 to 8 p.m. Oct 9 at The Yard, 4106 State St. Free entry, and one free bingo card per guest. Extra cards are available for purchase: $5 for 3 for $10. Food and drinks available for purchase. All proceeds go to Liberty House.

Live Music: Dante Zapata — self-taught singer and guitar player playing everything from blues to country, jazz to gospel, 1 to 3 p.m. October 9 at Chemeketa Cellars Tasting Room, 215 Doaks Ferry Rd NW | chemeketacellars.com

Willamette Valley Vineyards Winemaker Dinner — Enjoy a six-course wine-paired dinner featuring selections from Willamette Valley Vineyards, thoughtfully curated to highlight each dish for a memorable dining experience. Reservations are required and guests must be 21+. 5 p.m. Oct 9 at The Cozy Taberna. Starting at $198. Click here for tickets. 

Salem Poetry Project features Rosa Lane, author of Called Back (Tupelo Press, 2024) in queer conversation with Dickinson, winner, 2025 Maine Poetry Book Award; Chouteau's Chalk (UGP, 2019), winner, Georgia Poetry Prize; Tiller North (Sixteen Rivers, 2016), winner, NIEA Book Award; and Roots and Reckonings. 7 p.m. Oct 2 at the Bush Barn Annex, 600 Mission St SE. The featured speaker opens, followed by the Infamous Open Mic: 3 poems or five minutes whichever is first.

⭐ FEATURED PICKS

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Day — Celebrate the diverse cultures of the Hispanic and Latino communities in Oregon with live music, dancing, free activities, and more. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. October 11 in the Rotunda at the Oregon State Capitol, 900 Court St NE. Click here for the full schedule of events.

Men’s Roller Derby Association Championships are coming to Salem. Catch three days of roller derby action, October 10-12 at the Oregon State Fairgrounds. Hosted by Concussion Roller Derby, expect to see intense, high-level derby from 11 of the top teams from around the world, representing the US, UK, France and Mexico. Tickets start at $20. Click here for tickets.

Salem Philharmonia presents Eroica featuring Steve Vacchi, bassoon. The orchestra will perform Antonín Dvořák – The Wood Dove, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Bassoon Concerto, Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 (Eroica). Arrive early, 45 minutes before each concert will be a free talk about the show. 7 p.m. Oct 11 and 2 p.m. Oct 12, at East Salem Community Center, 1850 45th Avenue NE. Click here for tickets.

🤝 COMMUNITY

Get Ready

Oregon Ready Fair 2025 — Take in a day of fun, learning, and community connection at Ready Fair 2025! This free event is all about helping Oregonians prepare for emergencies and disasters in a practical, hands-on way. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct 11, at Oregon Emergency Management, 3930 Fairview Industrial Dr SE.

Celebrate a Grand Opening

Celebrate the grand opening of Previous Pizza with a party on October 11. Grab a slice any time, just don’t forget to be there between 6 to 9 p.m. for live music by Sadgasm, Nite Hike and DJ Rayne. There will also be happy hour specials, merch, raffle giveaways and some special guests. It’s all happening at 347 Court St NE

Dance

Tap your toes at the Pan Celtic Ceili featuring dances from the 7 Celtic Nations with live music by D’n’A. No partner, no experience, no problem—every dance is taught (by Elisa, Shannon, Griff and Harry) before the band strikes up. Whether you join in or just tap your toes to the tunes, the energy is contagious. Slip on comfy shoes, bring some water, and jump into the fun. Doors open at 7 p.m. followed by a short dance lesson and live music from 8 to 11, Friday, Oct 10, at VFW Hall, 630 Hood St NE. Cost: $10; $5 student, $30 family. Click here for more info.

Skate

Travelling Wheelz hosts 2000s Night Open Skate, 7:30 to 10 p.m. Oct 10 at The Mad House, 1335 Madison St NE. Click here more info.

An Author Event 

Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author Kelsea Yu will be discussing her newest book Demon Song in conversation with Wendy N. Wagner, author of Girl in the Creek. Kelsea is a Taiwanese Chinese American writer living in the Pacific Northwest. Whether through a speculative or real-world lens, her writing explores diaspora identity, twists on folklore, complicated interpersonal relationships, and characters who make unconventional choices. This event starts at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct 10 at The Book Bin, 450 Court St NE.

Wine, Women & Song

Oregon Spirit Chorus hosts its second annual auction fundraiser with an evening of music, food, and fine wine. Guests can enjoy a delicious dinner, stirring a cappella performances, and a mix of silent, live, and paddle-raise auctions. Proceeds support the chorus’s mission of coaching, education, and community performance. 5 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. dinner Oct 10 at Zenith Vineyards. Tickets $75. www.oregonspirit.org

Shop

Hosted in Deepwood’s Solarium, the Halloween Boo-Tique offers spooky shopping during the evening hours. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct 10 at Deepwood Museum & Gardens.

There will be a Fall Pop Up featuring hand-rolled chocolate truffles from Truffle Shuffle plus fresh produce, wood-fired pizza, beer, wine, cider, kombucha, tea, 4 to 7 p.m. Oct 10 at Minto Island Growers, 3394 Brown Island Rd S

Indoor Winter Market — The greenhouse transforms into a marketplace featuring a rotating array of local vendors selling what they make, grow, and raise. Every Saturday, October 4 through March 14, at Wavra Farms, 7882 Jordan St SE

On Stage

Menopause The Musical 2: Cruising ‘Through The Change’ — The beloved ladies are back, this time setting sail for a new round of laughs, songs, and sisterhood. Five years after their first chance encounter, the sequel takes a cheeky look at menopause with all the hot flashes, mood swings, and memory lapses that come with it. Packed with parodied hits from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, it’s a buoyant celebration of friendship and finding joy through change. 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct 12 at Elsinore Theatre. Click here for tickets.

Rocky Horror Picture Show with The Denton Delinquents — The cult classic returns with a full shadow cast bringing the film to life through costumes, props, and all the iconic dance numbers. Audience participation is part of the fun: shout the callbacks, toss the props, and join in on the Time Warp. An emcee leads the pre-show antics, complete with “Rocky virgin” initiations and rules of the game. Dress how you like: corsets, costumes, or just your boldest self. Two showtimes: 7 p.m. & 11:30 p.m. Oct 11 at Salem’s Historic Grand Theatre. Tickets $10. Parental discretion advised. Click here for tickets.

Pentacle Theatre presents A Comedy of Tenors — One hotel suite, four tenors, two wives, three girlfriends, and a soccer stadium filled with screaming fans. What could possibly go wrong? It’s 1930s Paris and the stage is set for the concert of the century – as long as producer Henry Saunders can keep Italian superstar Tito Merelli and his hot-blooded wife, Maira, from causing runaway chaos. Prepare for an uproarious ride, full of mistaken identities, bedroom hijinks, and madcap delight. Click here for our Press Play feature story.

When: 7:30 p.m. Oct 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, and 2 p.m. Oct 5, 12 and 18

Where: Pentacle Theatre, 324 52nd Ave NW

Tickets start at $20. Click here for tickets.

Halloween

Salem Cinema has an entire month of fun Halloween flicks planned. This weekend, it’s Cat People (6 p.m. Oct 11) and Poltergeist (8 p.m. Oct 11 & 7 p.m. Oct 14). Click here for all the details and tickets.

Powerland Halloween: A Wizard’s Challenge — Step into a kid-friendly Halloween adventure where families become the heroes of a magical quest. Ride a real historic trolley, learn spells, and help gently wake the dragon, all while exploring a whimsical world filled with steam engines, skeleton hunts, and make-believe. Designed to delight, never to frighten. Oct 11-12, 18-19 and 25-26 at Powerland Heritage Park, 3995 Brooklake Rd NE. Click here for tickets.

Fall Festival — Do you have kids or teen clothes sizes 4T or larger that are no longer getting worn? Maybe there are some costumes hiding in the closet from last year's trick or treating? Drop them off at Center 50+ starting October 1 for the fall kids clothing and costume swap! Dropping clothing off early helps them make sure we have plenty on hand when the swap starts. Then check out the swap 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct 11 at Center 50+, 2615 Portland Road NE

Harvest

Fall Fest at Fordyce Farm features a variety of (free and paid) seasonal activities from a pumpkin patch to a hay fort to a corn maze. Thursday nights are Family Night in the Corn Maze, a spooky experience sans jump scares for $5.50 per person. Friday and Saturday nights, the Corn Maze gets haunted and monsters may lurk behind any stalk from 7 to 9:30 p.m. $16 per person (not for little kids). Some events are weather permitting. 9 a.m to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Fordyce Farm, 7023 Sunnyview Road NE. Click here for more info.

Open rain or shine, E.Z. Orchard's Harvestfest boasts fun for all. With hayrides, a pumpkin patch, a corn maze, a petting zoo, cider and donuts daily, plus live music and horse rides on weekends, you would be hard-pressed not to find something interesting to do. Harvest is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at 5504 Hazel Green Rd NE. Cost to participate starts at $5 during the week and $12 on weekends. Learn more here.

Pet a Donkey, Pick a Pumpkin — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays in October at Fruitland Creek Farms, 6000 Sunnyview Road NE. Snuggle with the miniature donkeys. Meet the micro cows. Say Hi to the baby Highlands. Take part in farm games, activities and more. $30 for a family of up to 4 (just $5 each additional person). $10 for individuals (pumpkin included) Every family takes home a FREE carving pumpkin.

Haunts

Mill Creek Haunted Prison

Tormented Illusion brings you a nightmare to remember with the Mill Creek Haunted Prison. This year, your ticket grants you access to two terrifying haunted houses over three floors: the legendary Haunted Prison and the all-new Phobias Haunt. Check it out this weekend, 7 to 10 p.m. Oct 10; 6 to 10 p.m. Oct 11, 6 to 9 p.m. Oct 12, at 5465 Turner Road SE. Tickets start at $32. Upgrades available. Click here for tickets.

Nightmare Factory

Nightmare Factory is Oregon’s oldest running haunted house. This wheelchair accessible amaze winds through 15,000 square feet of basement in the boys dormitory at Oregon School for the Deaf that has been transformed into the ultimate combination of haunted attractions. Thrills await. 7 to 11 p.m. Oct 10-11 at Nightmare Factory, 999 Locust St NE. Tickets start at $20. Click here for tickets.

Scare at the Fair

Fright Planet Scare at the Fair brings you four haunt experiences with one ticket. Brave the industrial grime Distorted, the creepiness of Höbart’s Doll Factory, the eerie clowns of The Painted Ones, and the evils that lurks in the dark of Blackout. Get your scare on 7 to 10 p.m. Oct 10-12 at Oregon State Fairgrounds & Expo Center, 2330 17th St NE Cost: Varies. Cheaper in advance. $10 parking per vehicle. Learn more and get tickets at https://frightplanet.fearticket.com/ 

And a different kind of Haunt…

Extreme Velocity presents The Lost Forest Zombie Shoot, a haunted apocalypse survival walk in 7 acres of zombie-infested dark forest, where you are armed with glowing BBs and a mission to escape. The 30-minute experience isn’t a haunted house; it’s an interactive experience of survival. Fridays and Saturdays in October at Extreme Velocity, 3046 Portland Road NE. $25 in advance; $30 day of. Click here for tickets.

This weekend at Salem Cinema...

🎶 Live Music

New York Voices: The Grand Finale — After more than three decades of redefining vocal jazz, the Grammy-winning ensemble takes a final bow. Known for their seamless harmonies and genre-blending style, New York Voices close their journey with a program spanning Cole Porter to the Beatles, jazz standards to heartfelt originals. It’s a night of dazzling musicianship, improvisation, and the chemistry only years of collaboration can bring. 6 p.m. Oct 12 at Salem’s Historic Grand Theatre. Tickets $35–$55. Click here for tickets.

Shafty: Portland’s Tribute to Phish — Step into the flow as Shafty brings the full Phish experience, channeling the spirit of the jam with deep improvisation, funky grooves, and that anything-can-happen magic that keeps the vibe alive. Expect swirling jams, face-melting guitar, and a setlist that dips into the classics, the rarities, and everything in between. 8 p.m. Friday, October 10 at Salem’s Historic Grand Theatre. Tickets are $20 in advance; $25 day of show. Click here for tickets.

Jer&Co Presents: Progtology, 7 p.m. Friday, October 10 in the Grand Theatre Ballroom. Tickets are $20. Click here for tickets.

Funky Beats Initiative — Party/Dance, 8 p.m. Oct 11 at The Half Penny Public House

And On Monday

Indigenous NOW’s 8th annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day event brings together a collection of vendors, speakers, performances, and information tables with a community dinner at the end, 1 to 6 p.m. October 13 at the State Capitol Mall Park, 900 Court St NE.

🎨 ON EXHIBIT

See Fearless Faces, new work by Dayna Collins, on exhibit at Salem Art Association.

Explore art from prints to paintings...

  • At Hallie Ford Museum of Art, see Memories & Inspiration: The Kerry and C. Betty Davis Collection of African American Art
  • At Salem on the Edge, see an exhibition of art by Paul Meuse and Zachary McRae
  • At Salem Art Association, see new work by Dayna Collins and more
  • At Stefani Art Gallery, see Joshua Blue's Nostalgia Cope
  • At Artists in Action Gallery, see paintings by Judith Baer and CC Willow
  • At World Beat Gallery, a new exhibit about Oaxaca, Mexico, is now open.

Click here for a full list of what's on exhibit this October

Got an event? Submit it here.