25+ Opportunities in October for Discovery, Enjoyment & Deliciousness
Posted on September 22, 2026 at 6:00 am
Explore art, cooking, gardening, health and wellness, creative technology, personal finances, and more during our library programs for all ages, adults, and kids, teens, and families.
All Ages
View a showcase of artwork by local artists of all ages at each of our libraries for the Fall Community Art Show: Art & Our Environment in October. This fall art show focuses on motifs found in the novel One Two Three, by Laurie Frankel, which is the 2026 selection for Spokane Is Reading.
Switch up your Halloween look without the cost or waste at the Halloween Costume Swap & Mend-It Café. Bring your gently used costumes and accessories to swap, and find new-to-you Halloween attire for yourself or your family. If you have a costume that needs some mending, volunteers from the Mend-It Café will be on hand to help with simple costume repairs.
Adults
During Spokane Is Reading Presents: Laurie Frankel & Her Novel One Two Three on October 7, bestselling and award-winning author Laurie Frankel reads from her novel and answers questions from the audience. Frankel will sign books for attendees after the author talk. This event is open to the public with free admission.
Follow along in your home kitchen to prepare a traditional dish with the online presentation World Cooking: Malaysian food with Chef Alice Koh of SeraiMas Exotic Malaysian Food.
See how to make these delectable spreads, which can be a perfect complement to many meals during A Jelly & Jam Session. This program covers jam made with full sugar, low sugar, no sugar, and honey.
Cheese Tasting & Book Pairing brings together two of our favorite things! Try samples from local cheese shops, and get suggestions for books and movies that pair well with each variety.
Gardeners, discover the time-honored tradition of seed saving during Introduction to Seed Saving, including techniques to identify, harvest, and store seeds. Produce Swaps continue in October: Bring your extra produce (fresh only) to the library, and take home something different from another garden.
Get help researching the story of your family during Genealogy Drop-in Session. During WorkSource Drop-In Help, career coaches from WorkSource Spokane are available for personalized career guidance and support.
Personal finance classes include Estate Planning for Everyone, Homebuyer Education Seminar, and Understanding Your Credit Report & Score.
Two classes of A Matter of Balance: Preventing Falls start in October. Discover how gentle movement can increase flexibility, strength, and balance and how a shift in viewpoint can make falls more controllable.
Get helpful information during several different sessions on the topics of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and memory loss, including Reducing the Risk of Dementia and 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s.
Explore different options during Medicare Open Enrollment sessions in October. Both a general discussion and one-on-one appointments are offered to help you evaluate which options work best for you and your needs.
During the online workshop How to Start a Business, get help from a SCORE Spokane business mentor understanding business startup considerations, including questions about legal issues, taxes, insurance, funding, and more.
Kids, Teens & Families
Celebrate your favorite books and characters during Step into a Story: Book Character Costume Party for kids ages 5 and older and their families. Decorate a book bag, create a character you can take home, and play games. Costumes are optional.
Enjoy a slightly spooky storytime with not-so-scary crafts and activities at Spooktacular Storytime for kids ages 3 and older and their families. Non-scary costumes are welcome.
During Ciencia en español: Electricidad / Science in Spanish: Electricity, kids in grades 1–5 and their families can explore electricity like a scientist—a scientist who speaks Spanish! Explora la electricidad como un científico, ¡un científico que habla español! Para niños en grados 1–5 y sus familias, este programa está dirigido a niños que comprenden el español hablado y están dispuestos a intentar hablarlo.
For six Thursdays starting October 8, tweens and teens ages 10–14 are invited to Coding Club where they can explore the challenges of coding using library computers, robots, and other gadgets. Drop in anytime during the program, and come to as many sessions as you’d like.
Check out these October events at Spokane Valley Library: Mission SEALAB: Deep Sea Dispatch (ages 10–14), Gutsy Gourmet (ages 10–14), Teen D&D Guild (ages 13–17), and 3D Printing: Quirky Costume Jewelry (teens & adults).
