Day of the Dead, GeekGirlCon, ghosts, and more this weekend!

Halloween is in the rearview mirror, and it is now time for a busy final stretch of 2025.

There are a lot of Seattle-area events this weekend, so let’s dive in!

Day of the Dead Celebrations continue this weekend. There will be lots of music, dancing, and food. The Burien celebration will be Friday night at the Burien Community Center from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Orquesta Northwest will have multiple performances Saturday at St. James Cathedral starting at 2 p.m.

GeekGirlCon is this weekend at the Seattle Convention Center, and there will be all the usual convention activities like workshops, a DIY science zone, panels, and vendors. There will be even more games to play this year as the gaming floor has added even more room for both video and tabletop games. GeekGirlCon also celebrates those who may not always get their flowers when it comes to their contributions to the world of art, science, video games, and more. GeekGirlCon runs through the weekend.

Veterans Day will be celebrated a little early this weekend in Auburn. Saturday at 11 a.m. is the Veterans Parade and Observance. This is the 60th year of the parade, and it starts at 11 a.m. The parade will travel along Main Street. According to the event’s website, there will be over 4,000 participants, including 150 units, 10 marching bands, military vehicles, and more.

Saturday will also feature other Veterans Day events going on throughout Auburn, including the Community Breakfast at the Auburn Senior Activity Center, the Remembrance Ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park, and a marching band competition.

Seattle-area events this weekend include laughs, festivals

The 2025 Seattle International Comedy Competition is underway and runs throughout the month. Thirty-two comedians are competing across the state in 15 different venues. This weekend, you can find shows at Green River College in Auburn, Friday at 7:30 p.m., North Bend Theatre Saturday at 8 p.m., and Whidbey Island Center for the Arts: Langley on Sunday. Only five of the 32 comedians will make it to the finals, which will be at the Washington Athletic Club on November 25.

In Federal Way, the Fall Foliage Festival is this weekend at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden. At the festival, you can get tours of the garden, send the kids on a scavenger hunt, and enjoy the colors of fall. There will also be a pop-up plant sale for those looking to add to their garden or greenhouse, and there will be a food truck on site, keeping you fed. This event is free to attend.

If you aren’t ready to give up on the haunts of Halloween and want to continue to explore the world of the paranormal, you’ll want to hop a ferry and make your way to Port Gamble and check out the Port Gamble Ghost Conference. You’ll be able to learn from experts in the world of Paranormal research and can even join in on some investigations into western Washington’s most haunted locations.

If you love to hunt for vintage treasures, the Northwest’s Largest Garage and Vintage Sale has returned and will be at the Clark County Event Center in Ridgefield. The big sale is Saturday with over 450 vendors — you never know what you might find.

The holiday season is right around the corner. How are you getting ready for the hustle and bustle? Let me know at paulh@kiroradio.com.