A foothill city at the south end of Lake Sammamish.
Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0Source
Saturday and Sunday are Salmon Days downtown. The hatchery is the stop to make, and Sunday afternoon is a free family dance at Pickering Barn. Tuesday evening is storytime.
Upcoming
Today
Snuggle Up Story Time
Issaquah Library, 10 W Sunset Way
Stories, music, movement, and rhymes for newborns to 5 years, with an adult. Up to 30 minutes of play time follows. No registration. Space is limited. Miss Mack hosts.
This weekend
Story Stroll: Watercress
Starts at Issaquah Library, 10 W Sunset Way
A self-led walk through Watercress, by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin. The story starts at the library and continues through historic downtown. The Downtown Issaquah Association lists the stroll from Sep 5 through Oct 3, so the pages are up on the first morning of Salmon Days. Free. Sponsored by the association and Friends of the Issaquah Library.
Grande Parade
Starts at Confluence Park
The chamber lists a 10:00 a.m. start. The 2026 theme is “Stars, Stripes & Salmon.” The route leaves Confluence Park, goes down Rainier Blvd N, turns onto NW Dogwood St, heads north on Front St, then turns onto NE Gilman Blvd toward the dispersal area. Road closures on the downtown info page begin at 9:00 a.m. and reopen after the last entry passes.
Salmon Days Festival
Sat Oct 3 and Sun Oct 4 · 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Historic downtown Issaquah
The 57th festival, hosted by the Greater Issaquah Chamber. The festival information page lists hours as 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. both days. The star stop is the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery at 125 W Sunset Way. A bike valet sits at Rainier Blvd N and NW Dogwood St, staffed with Cascade Bicycle Club. The city’s Pickering Barn farmers market page does not list an October Saturday. The downtown fall market starts the following week.
Family Dance Party
Sun Oct 4 · 3:00–6:00 p.m.Oct 4, 3:00 p.m.Oct 4, 3:00 p.m.
Pickering Barn, 1730 10th Ave NW
Free Hispanic Heritage Month dance with the city and The Circle. Music from Spanish-speaking countries, dance lessons, and snacks. Open to everyone. It overlaps the last hours of Salmon Days, and it is at the barn, not on Front Street. Downtown in the morning, Pickering in the afternoon, works.
Later
Rise & Shine Story Time
Thu Oct 1 · 10:30–11:00 a.m.Oct 1, 10:30 a.m.Nov 5, 10:30 a.m.
Issaquah Library, 10 W Sunset Way
Same shape as Tuesday night: stories, music, and play time after, for newborns to 5 with an adult. No registration. Space is limited. A calm morning before the festival.
Ragtime
Through Sun Oct 18 · evenings 7:30 p.m.
Francis J. Gaudette Theatre, 303 Front St N
The Issaquah run is Sep 15 through Oct 18. Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday’s posted matinee is 2:00 p.m. This Saturday, Oct 3, the 2:00 p.m. show is ASL-interpreted, and the 7:30 p.m. show has pay-what-you-choose seats. A captioned matinee is Sat Oct 17 at 2:00 p.m. Thursday 2:00 p.m. and Sunday 7:30 p.m. do not happen every week, so check the ticket calendar before you promise one of those.
Audience note from the theatre: racist and offensive language, and moments of violence, including murder. Guns are fired onstage. About 2 hours 50 minutes with intermission. Not for young children. Tickets start at $42 online. KIDSTAGE’s next public Issaquah show, Footloose, is in December.
Story Stroll: Apple Pie Picnic
Sat Oct 10 and Sat Oct 17 · all dayOct 10Oct 17
Starts at Issaquah Library, 10 W Sunset Way
The next downtown stroll, after Watercress comes down. Apple Pie Picnic, by Alicia Duran, illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald. Self-led from the library through historic downtown. KCLS lists both Saturdays as all day. Sponsored by the Downtown Issaquah Association and Friends of the Issaquah Library. Oct 17 is also Issaquah Goes Apples, so the pages are on the harvest route.
Fall Farm Fresh Market
Sat Oct 10 · 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Historic Shell Station, 232 Front St N
Downtown Issaquah Association’s fall market, with Ayala Farms. Visit Issaquah lists Saturdays from Oct 10 through Dec 5, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m., and live music 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. The series page lists this Saturday, then Oct 24. Oct 17 is the apple festival on top of the market.
Issaquah Goes Apples
Sat Oct 17 · 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Historic Shell Station, 232 Front St N
The 11th annual harvest day, from the Downtown Issaquah Association. Visit Issaquah lists the Farm Fresh Market, the Historically Hip Artisan Market, an apple cider press, scarecrow building, art, photo spots, and live music, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at the Historic Shell Station. This is the same morning as the regular fall market. You do not need a second trip for produce. The captioned Ragtime matinee is 2:00 p.m., when the market ends.
Ragtime, captioned
Francis J. Gaudette Theatre, 303 Front St N
Village Theatre lists a captioned performance at 2:00 p.m. The Issaquah run ends the next day, Sunday, Oct 18. After that the production moves to Everett. Language and violence, about 2 hours 50 minutes with intermission. Not for young children.
Fall Farm Fresh Market
Sat Oct 24 · 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Historic Shell Station, 232 Front St N
The next Saturday after the apple festival. Visit Issaquah’s series page still lists it, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m., and the season continues through Dec 5. Live music on the Oct 10 listing is 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Know something fun in Issaquah? Suggest an event.