This Week’s Events and News: October 18–24, 2026

This week’s newsletter is a bit more of a public safety reminder (with upcoming events, too!). With the sidewalk construction on Main Street, college students back in town, and the recent nice days for walking—and the not-so-nice ones soon to come—I wanted to pass along this flyer from ODOT and our local Safe Routes to School organization. It’s a helpful reminder of crosswalk laws and safety tips for both drivers and folks walking around town.

https://www.oregon.gov/odot/Safety/Documents/Guide_To_Oregon_Crosswalk_Laws_EN.pdf

Be safe out there!

Here are community events coming up around La Grande for October 18–24, 2026.

Upcoming Events

Sunday, October 18

• Summerville Stables Pumpkin Patch — Oct. 3-31 (Family, Outdoors) — Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 3-31, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Summerville Stables. $15 online; $18 at the gate; free for children younger than 2.

Monday, October 19

• Coffee with Councilor Hickey — Oct. 5-26 (City Council, Government) — Mondays, Oct. 5-26, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at The Press Room, 1124 Washington Ave., La Grande. Coffee available for purchase.
• Union County Trail Expansion Interest Meeting — Oct. 19 (Outdoors) — Union County trail expansion interest meeting — 6 p.m. Oct. 19 at Church of the Nazarene, 1120 Birch St., Elgin.

Tuesday, October 20

• A Man Called York — Oct. 20 (Community) — Tuesday, Oct. 20, 6-7 p.m. at Cook Memorial Library, 2006 Fourth St., La Grande.
• Pinochle social group — Tuesdays (Community) — Tuesdays at 1 p.m. at the La Grande Senior Center. The pinochle social group is open to everyone.

Wednesday, October 21

• Bingo — Wednesdays (Community) — Wednesdays at the La Grande Senior Center. Card sales begin at 1:30 p.m.; bingo starts at 2 p.m. Cash prizes.
• Online privacy workshop for seniors — Oct. 21 (Community) — Online privacy workshop for adults 65 and older — Oct. 21, 2-3 p.m. at Cook Memorial Library in La Grande. Bring a device.
• Parenting Doc Talk — Oct. 21 (Family, Community) — Parenting Doc Talk — Wednesday, Oct. 21, 5:30-7 p.m. at Huber Auditorium in Badgley Hall at Eastern Oregon University.
• Sit and Sip social hour — Wednesdays (Community, Senior) — Wednesdays, 9–10 a.m. at the La Grande Senior Center. Free coffee and tea, with sweet treats most weeks.

Thursday, October 22

• Community Roundtable: Neighbors Helping Neighbors — Oct. 22 (Community) — Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. at Market Place Fresh Foods, 1912 Fourth St., La Grande. Share ideas for neighbors and organizations helping people who need a hand.
• Family Community Dance Night (Family, Community, Music) — Free community dance night with square dances, reels, and circle dances — all taught on site — with live music. Thu Oct 22, 6–7 pm, Willow Gym, La Grande.
• Growing Through Grief Support Group (Community, Health) — Eight-week grief support group meeting Thursdays, Sept. 24–Nov. 12, 2026, 6–8 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in La Grande.

Friday, October 23

• Louie! Louie! Louie! — Oct. 23 (Music) — Louie! Louie! Louie! — Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m., Swartz Theatre, EOU, $20 at the door
• Night Fright Productions Haunted Warehouse — Oct. 2-31 (Halloween, Family) — 7-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 2-31, at 410 Railroad Ave., Imbler. Tickets start at $20.
• Shrek the Musical Jr. — Oct. 16-31 (Family, Art & Music) — Performances run Oct. 16-31 at the Elgin Opera House Mainstage, with Friday evening shows and Saturday matinees.

Saturday, October 24

• Night Fright Productions Haunted Warehouse — Oct. 2-31 (Halloween, Family) — 7-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 2-31, at 410 Railroad Ave., Imbler. Tickets start at $20.
• Shrek the Musical Jr. — Oct. 16-31 (Family, Art & Music) — Performances run Oct. 16-31 at the Elgin Opera House Mainstage, with Friday evening shows and Saturday matinees.
• Summerville Stables Pumpkin Patch — Oct. 3-31 (Family, Outdoors) — Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 3-31, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Summerville Stables. $15 online; $18 at the gate; free for children younger than 2.

This Week in Local Sports

See the complete October 18–24, 2026 sports schedule for Eastern Oregon University and varsity teams from La Grande, Imbler, Union, Elgin and Cove.

More Events Ahead

• Wednesday, Oct. 28 — Community Town Hall — Oct. 28 — Community Town Hall — 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, at EOU Huber Auditorium and online.
• Friday, Oct. 30 — Dinner & Live Theater: Mary Shelley, Frankenstein Author — Oct. 30–Nov. 7 — Three 6–8 p.m. performances Oct. 30 and Nov. 6–7 at the Elgin Museum & Historical Society, 800 Alder St., in Elgin. Tickets are $45; pre-order at elginmuseum.org.
• Friday, Oct. 30 — Night Fright Productions Haunted Warehouse — Oct. 2-31 — 7-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 2-31, at 410 Railroad Ave., Imbler. Tickets start at $20.
• Friday, Oct. 30 — Shrek the Musical Jr. — Oct. 16-31 — Performances run Oct. 16-31 at the Elgin Opera House Mainstage, with Friday evening shows and Saturday matinees.
• Friday, Oct. 30 — Witches Night Out — Oct. 30 — Witches Night Out — Friday, Oct. 30, 4–9 p.m. at K Voelz Wines, 1104 Jefferson Ave., La Grande. Tarot readings and small bites.
• Saturday, Oct. 31 — Community dance — Oct. 31 — Saturday, Oct. 31, 6–9 p.m. at the La Grande Senior Center. $5 admission and a potluck intermission.
• Saturday, Oct. 31 — Halloween Party at Clank-Tronix — Oct. 31 — Halloween Party — Oct. 31 at Clank-Tronix, La Grande. All-ages music 6–8:30 p.m.; later music 9 p.m.–midnight may contain explicit language. $5 admission.
• Saturday, Oct. 31 — La Grande Halloween Safe Trick-or-Treat — Oct. 31 — Halloween Safe Trick-or-Treat and costume contest — 4–6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, along Adams Avenue in downtown La Grande.
• Saturday, Oct. 31 — Night Fright Productions Haunted Warehouse — Oct. 2-31 — 7-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 2-31, at 410 Railroad Ave., Imbler. Tickets start at $20.
• Saturday, Oct. 31 — Shrek the Musical Jr. — Oct. 16-31 — Performances run Oct. 16-31 at the Elgin Opera House Mainstage, with Friday evening shows and Saturday matinees.
• Saturday, Nov. 7 — Goat Got Your Pumpkin — Bring your pumpkins and leaves to the compost yard in North Powder for cider and goats!
• Tuesday, Nov. 10 — 77th Farmer Merchant Banquet — Nov. 10 — Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, at EOU Gilbert Center, 1 University Blvd., La Grande. Start time and admission were not listed.
• Wednesday, Nov. 18 — Grande Ronde Symphony Orchestra fall concert — Nov. 18 — The orchestra performs from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 18 at EOU McKenzie Theatre in Loso Hall, La Grande. Tickets are available through the orchestra.
• Thursday, Dec. 10 — Annual Holiday Gift Exchange — Dec. 10 — Annual Holiday Gift Exchange — Dec. 10, 5–9:30 p.m. at The Train Station in La Grande. Open to all women in Union County. tickets include dinner.
• Saturday, Dec. 12 — Winter Fest — Dec. 12 — Winter Fest — Saturday, Dec. 12, at the old Globe Furniture building in La Grande. Holiday market vendors are being sought.
• Sunday, Dec. 13 — Community invited to join Handel’s ‘Messiah’ performance — Dec. 13 — Performance: 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, at McKenzie Theatre, EOU. Community choir and orchestra rehearsals begin in October.