Washington Beer Fresh Hop Festival, haunted houses, more fun things to do this weekend in Seattle

Only in Seattle (well, maybe in Portland too) will you find beer festivals, a cat video film series, haunted houses, big Broadway productions, and drag queens playing bingo all in one weekend.

But that’s not all. Keep reading for the scoop on where to find this weekend's events, food and drink celebrations and more.

Hauntings: They scare because they care

As if life wasn’t scary enough, some people will go out of their way and pay to be scared. If you are one of those people, there are several places around the Puget Sound to shake in your boots this weekend.

Near the Tacoma Dome, The Haunted House takes you to the dark underground where “spirits walk, lights fade, and hopes dwindle.” Here you’ll witness the aftermath 100 years after Handstitch Addy’s horrific experiments in reanimation.

For a more “tasteful” adventure, visit the Haunted Factory Tour at Seattle Chocolate. It’s a bit scary, a bit interactive, and you get samples of chocolate at the end, providing that you survive.

People are just dying to get into the Georgetown Morgue. Located at 5000 E. Marginal Way, this place boasts itself as being “Seattle’s Premier Haunted House” — holding the secrets of the most horrifying unsolved crime in Seattle history at a crematorium chamber.

Each 40-minute tour of The Haunted Woods at Maris Farms in Buckley begins at the abandoned farm which is now home to a deranged circus of freaks and mutants. Don’t worry though. You can escape through the cornfields. What could go wrong?

In Snohomish, Stalker Farms, “The Original Haunted Corn Trails in Washington State” offers a whole new experience this year. See what the screaming is all about at the Slasher Family Homestead, Pogo’s Funny Farm or The Scarecrow’s Challenge.

Scaring the pants off people for 10 years now, the Nile Nightmares Haunted House in Mountlake Terrace (6601 244^th St. S.W.) offers six haunted attractions, three escape rooms, and a concession area with carnival treats if you’re not too frightened to snack.

Sure, Wild Waves Fright Fest is family-friendly during the day, but it is a Fright By Night offering “extreme screams” and definitely not intended for the kiddies.

Films: Artistic, Latino and believe or not, cats

Aficionados of cat videos will rejoice with the return of the CatVideoFest held this weekend at SIFF Cinema Egyptian. Each year, the very best in cat videos are carefully selected from hundreds of submissions of sourced animations, music videos and internet sensations. The 70-minute presentation will leave you purring knowing you helped support cats in need through PAWS.

Held at the Grand Cinema, the 16^th Annual Tacoma Film Festival offers 17 feature and documentary films alongside 150 short fictional works — 44 of which were made in the Pacific Northwest — from over 20 countries. Enjoy a selection of fiction, comedy, and late-night films now through Oct. 14.

The 13^th Annual edition of the Seattle Latino Film Festival will be begin at the Seattle Asian Art Museum Friday at 6 p.m. with the Northwest Coast premiere of “The Broken Glass Theory.” A wide variety of films, including four short films created by Pacific Northwest filmmakers, will be presented every day through Oct. 17 at The Beacon Cinema.

Festivals: Beer, comics and LGBTQIA+ reunion

Puyallup’s Munich-inspired Oktoberfest Northwest will celebrate with German beer, live music, games and more Friday through Sunday at the Washington State Fair Events Center. Enjoy live music ranging from traditional German music to the region’s top 80s cover bands. Authentic German food will be serviced, wiener dogs will race, and runners will gallop a 5K race with beer steins in their hands. Enjoy watching the Bavaria Beir-lympics and the exclusive Hammerschlagen Tournament of Champions, and be sure to hit the root beer garden.

Things will be hopping at the Washington Beer Fresh Hop Festival at Marymoor Park on Friday and Saturday. This year's event will feature 25 Yakima Valley breweries, food trucks including Woodshop BBQ, Where Ya At Matt? and Alaskan Dumplings, and local musicians playing during the event.

The Grit City Comic Show gets under way at the Tacoma Convention Center on Saturday with guest comic book artists Jeff Parker, Ibrahim Moustafa, Peter Bagge, and Stefano Gaudiano. Unlike the “big” Seattle Comicon, Grit City is one day only, half the size, and more affordable. Here you’ll find tons of comic books, a chance to meet artists and writers, and possibly dress up like Batman like you’ve always wanted to.

Rapunzel should be so pleased. Green Lake will glow this Saturday during the annual Water Lantern Festival. Beginning at 3:30 p.m., you can enjoy a variety of food trucks and live music, design your own lantern, and launch it on the lake when the sun goes down. Each ticket includes a floating lantern kit.

Seattle Pride’s “All Together Now” event will be celebrating at Volunteer Park on Saturday from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. The event will feature food, drink, fun and games along with performances by Chong the Nomad, DJ Dark Wiley, CarLarns, Cassandra Lewis and the BeautyBoiz. Among the events will be the always-popular Drag Queen Bingo.

Music: "Jesus Christ Superstar," Pier Sounds Concert Series, more

It’s not too late to get tickets to STG & Broadway’s presentation of “Jesus Christ Superstar“ playing at the Paramount Theatre through Sunday. This is a celebration of the Andrew Lloyd Webber production’s 50^th anniversary. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader and award-winning choreographer Drew McOnie, this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades.

Friends of Waterfront Seattle have brought back the iconic Pier Sounds Concert Series at Pier 62. Taking inspiration from the Summer Nights at the Pier concerts that were a hit in the 90s and early 2000s, the new free concerts are designed to help reignite the sense of celebration and community on the waterfront. This Saturday, enjoy the sounds of D’Vonne Lewis and Friendz from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Get your free tickets at here.  

The 14^th Annual Bellevue Jazz & Blues Music Series will wrap up this weekend with several free shows at various venues in downtown Bellevue. For $20, enjoy the sounds of Lady “A” — known as the hardest working woman in blues, soul and funk — on Friday night or fabled trumpet duo Ray Vega and Thomas Marriott Saturday night, both playing at Meydenbauer Center Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Check out the rest of the performers here.

Tickets: Upcoming events to plan for now

Ann Wilson: Oct. 13-16 at the Neptune Theatre

Hockey: Faster Than Ever Exhibit: Nov. 1, 2021-Feb. 27, 2022 at the Pacific Science Center

Coldplay: Oct. 22 at Climate Pledge Arena

Disney on Ice: Oct. 27-Nov. 1 in Kent; Nov. 4-7 in Everett

Nancy Wilson: Oct. 30 at Benaroya Hall

Christmas Ship Festival: Nov. 26 – Dec, 23 in Seattle

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Nov. 27 at Climate Pledge Arena

War 50th Anniversary Tour: Jan. 29, 2022 at the Pantages Theater