Madrona's Halloween Weekend Starts a Day Early, at the Market's Last Friday
October 22, 2026
October 22, 2026
On Friday, Oct. 30, the canopies go up for the last time this year in the Madrona Grocery Outlet parking lot at MLK Jr. Way and E Union St. The Friday market runs from 3 to 7 p.m. with Washington produce, fish, meat and artisan foods. The Seattle Farmers Market Association's calendar runs the season every Friday through the end of October, and Oct. 30 is the last Friday on it.
Less than a day later, Halloween moves east to 34th Avenue. Madrona's Friday market spent 2026 reaching out to a wider part of central Seattle, and once it closes, the neighborhood's own volunteer events on 34th carry the season through December. Halloween is the first of them.
This was the market's first season as the Central District Farmers Market. SFMA's calendar listing calls it "formerly the Madrona Farmers Market" and "newly renamed for 2026." The SFMA market page explains the change. The market was founded in 2005 and has grown to serve a broad area of central Seattle that includes Madrona, Cherry Hill and Madison Valley. The new name, SFMA says, "reflects both the market's expanding reach and its hope to connect even more of the community with the farmers and producers at the core of our mission."
The location, hours and Friday schedule haven't changed. SFMA's own copy still nods to the past, welcoming shoppers "whether you've been with us since the Mad/Cap days or are discovering us for the first time." What changed is the market's sense of whom it serves. The name now covers several neighborhoods, and Madrona is one of them.
For a reader on Thursday, Oct. 22, two Fridays are left:
Earlier in October, an SFMA Instagram post told shoppers there were "just 4 more markets (including today) left" in the Central District season. That countdown matches the calendar.
The next afternoon, the action shifts from a regional market to a block-scale tradition. The Madrona Neighborhood Association's trick-or-treat in the Madrona business district runs Saturday, Oct. 31, from 4 to 6 p.m. The MNA event page says local shops and restaurants will hand out candy and special treats to trick-or-treaters "of all ages." It invites everyone to stroll the neighborhood and show off costumes.
That two-hour window ends around dinnertime, and the street has places to land afterward. Madrona Arms says on its website that it opens daily for lunch at 11:30 a.m. and stays open until close. Café Soleil, at 1400 34th Ave, lists dinner service Wednesday through Saturday, so Halloween falls on one of its dinner nights. It also serves weekend brunch on Saturday and Sunday.
Madrona Arms matters to this weekend for another reason. The space in front of it is where the MNA has scheduled its November and December gatherings.
If the 4 p.m. start leaves time for a warm drink first, the north end of the district has more options than it did a year ago. In a September 2026 cafe roundup, Capitol Hill Seattle Blog said 34th and Spring "is shaping up as an east of Capitol Hill cafe hot spot."
The anchor is Yoka Tea, a Filipino- and Korean-inspired specialty cafe and drink shop. Capitol Hill Seattle Blog reported that it opened last year in the space that was Cupcake Royale's Madrona birthplace. The same report credits Yoka with a creative drink menu and shelves of curated Asian pantry goods and retail treats. Yoka also has a Ballard location in the works.
Across the intersection, a second cafe is coming. Capitol Hill Seattle Blog reported that Casa Ella has taken shape in new construction on the northeast corner. It plans to feature the flavors of Colombia, with small-batch imported beans and an emphasis on community. Casa Ella plans pop-ups before it opens. For now, its website at casaella.co sells its Colombian coffee online.
Like the market, Yoka is reaching past Madrona with its Ballard expansion, while Casa Ella adds a new stop to the business district that hosts Halloween.
Once the Oct. 30 market closes, Madrona's outdoor calendar for the rest of the year comes from the neighborhood association. The MNA homepage lists the events, which run in this order:
The last two events share a purpose. The MNA describes the pie sale as a way to "help fund the tree lights at the same time." The Winter Market offers festive lights, local businesses and a community raffle, and all proceeds go to the winter tree lights. The lights that hang over the district in December are paid for by the November and December events in front of the same storefront.
The pie sale is also asking for help. The MNA listing says "Bakers needed!" and gives [email protected] as the contact. The day before Thanksgiving is a natural time for a bake sale. Anyone thinking about contributing a pie has about a month after Halloween to plan.
The association behind all of this calls itself a laid-back, organized group of volunteers focused on helping Madrona thrive. It welcomes help "as much or as little as you'd like." Its monthly meetings meet at the Madrona Playfield Shelterhouse with a virtual option, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. The October session took place on Oct. 7.
For a household that wants the whole handoff, here's the sequence. Do your shopping at the season's last market on Friday afternoon. Head to 34th on Saturday by 4 p.m. for the trick-or-treat window. Then pick a spot along the district for an early dinner or, the next morning, a weekend brunch.
On Friday, Oct. 30, the market closes at 7 p.m., 21 hours before trick-or-treat begins on 34th.
If you're looking at Madrona as more than a place to spend Halloween weekend, the principals at Foundation First Group follow these blocks closely. That includes the new cafe corner at 34th and Spring and the neighborhood events that carry the calendar into winter. Schedule a Strategy Session with a Principal, and we'll talk through what's happening on the streets you care about.
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