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By special guest writer:
Jessica Contreras, Buyer Specialist for The Contreras Team with Windermere Professional Partners
I understand that most people need the summer to refill and recharge. The sunshine, the longer days, the garden tomatoes, it’s all wonderful. But for me, I come alive when the air gets crisp. When the pumpkin spice shows up and the leaves start their explosion of color, that’s when I light up.
This season is my favorite stretch of the year. The golden light, the laughter from my grandchildren bundled up in coats, my daughter and son-in-law tagging along, my sister and mom in law joining whenever they can, it all feels like home. Because I love this community so much, I want to share a few of my favorite local events that make autumn and the holidays around Kitsap County feel so special.
Halloween and the Magic of Fall
Fall in Kitsap County feels like something out of a storybook. The trees from Port Orchard to Poulsbo turn to fire, and the air smells faintly of woodsmoke and cider. By late October, the calendar fills with festivals and family fun, each one with that small-town warmth that makes me so proud to live here.
One of my favorite traditions is visiting Hunter Farms Pumpkin Patch in Union, just a short drive from Kitsap. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel like a kid again, hayrides, animals, and pumpkins of every size. It’s charming, a little muddy, and exactly what fall should be. Learn more about Hunter Farms here: https://www.hunter-farms.com/pumpkin-patch
If you like a good thrill, Port Orchard’s Bay Street Ghost Hunt is a weekend long downtown celebration hosted by the Port Orchard Waterfront Association with Ghost Hunt Bingo through participating Bay Street merchants. Pick up a Bingo card at any shop marked with a jack o lantern, find ghosts to collect tiny treats, complete a ghostly bingo, then drop your card at the library during posted hours for prizes and drawings. The weekend also features pictures with a witch, a spooky market, a charm walk, a costume contest, a haunted escape room, and more. Learn more about the event here: https://www.pobsa.com/boobash
Christmas Lights and All the Wonder
Once Thanksgiving fades into memory, I can’t resist the twinkle lights. Two events top my list every December, and if you’ve never been, I can’t recommend them enough.
The first is Holiday Magic at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup. It runs select evenings in December and truly lives up to its name. There are light tunnels you can walk through, Santa’s Village, ice skating, and a whole midway of rides glowing under the winter sky. Every year, our family goes together—the grandkids squeal, my daughter and son-in-law trade turns on the rides, and my eldest granddaughter and I love hunting for gnomes tucked throughout the park. We always make a stop at the Selfie Barn too, where we snap a handful of silly and sweet holiday photos before heading to the Summit Lounge for unlimited cocoa—a special perk of the Family Four Pack bundle that makes the evening even sweeter. Learn more about Holiday Magic here: https://www.thefair.com/holiday-magic/
The second is Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Park, a drive-through experience with more than 300 animated light displays stretching two miles. It’s pure wonder from the comfort of your car. I always tell friends to go early in the season on a weekday evening if possible—less traffic, more magic. Watching the kids’ faces glow in the reflection of the lights is one of those little moments you carry with you long after the season ends. Learn more about Fantasy Lights here: https://www.piercecountywa.gov/1253/Fantasy-Lights
Another favorite this time of year is the Santa’s Sleighs 5K in Port Orchard, a cheerful, community-centered run that brings out families, friends, and festive costumes of every kind. It’s full of laughter, holiday cheer, and a great way to kick off the season with movement and smiles. Learn more about the Santa’s Sleighs 5K here: https://runsignup.com/Race/WA/PortOrchard/SantaSleighs5K
Finding Your Own Holiday Rhythm
If you do one thing after reading this, let it be this: choose one or two events that speak to you most, something for fall and something for the holidays. Mark them on your calendar, make them intentional, and invite someone you love, or even a neighbor who could use some company.
The best memories are rarely the fancy ones. They’re the ones where your fingers are cold from holding cocoa, or where you’re laughing because the grandkids’ costumes fell apart halfway through trick-or-treating, or where you’re sitting in a car surrounded by light and quiet happiness.
After all the bustle of summer, the holidays invite us to slow down and remember what we’re thankful for; home, connection, and community. If home happens to be here in the Pacific Northwest, well, I think you’ll agree it’s one of the best places in the world to feel that gratitude.
So grab your coat, charge your phone, and go make some memories. Then come back and tell me which event stole your heart, I’d love to hear all about it.
Warmly,
Jessica
The Contreras Team with Windermere Professional Partners
