Happy Tuesday, Walnut Creek!
💡 Did you know: The Ruth Bancroft Garden sits where the last walnut orchard on the Bancroft family farm used to be. The orchard came down in 1971, and Philip Bancroft offered his wife Ruth the three acres for a new garden. She was in her 60s, and she planted many of the plants from one gallon pots or smaller. In 1988, visitors Frank and Anne Cabot were so taken with the garden that they formed the Garden Conservancy, and it became that group's first preservation project.
In today's edition:
Broadway Plaza celebrates 75 years with a royal parade and street party.
Shadelands Pumpkin Patch is open for fall fun.
Golden hour photography and pumpkin painting at the Ruth Bancroft Garden.
A special Pilates class for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Second City brings the laughs to the Lesher, plus a Halloween-themed singles night at Rotator Taproom.
And at the bottom of today's issue, we're asking what's on your calendar this weekend. Cast your vote, and we'll share the results next week.
Let’s get to it.
Sean Casey
🎂 Saturday: Broadway Plaza Turns 75
Broadway Plaza turns 75 on Saturday with a storybook street party called Once Upon a Street, and the Royal Parade steps off at 12:30 with everyone invited to join in. Around it, you can make a flower crown while supplies last, meet princesses from the Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble, have your photo taken with a ballerina from The Ballet School Performing Arts, and catch performances by Beloved Little Circus. DJ Rich Era keeps the music going, and there is a 360 degree photo booth, face painting and balloon twisting for the kids.
Sign the center's Royal Proclamation and you go home with a free mini tote, while supplies last. Joybound People & Pets will be on the street with pets up for adoption.
📍 Where: Broadway Plaza Street, 1275 Broadway Plaza
📅 When: Saturday, October 17 | 11:00 AM–2:00 PM, Royal Parade at 12:30 PM
💲 Price: Free
🎃 Shadelands Pumpkin Patch Is Open
Fall is officially in full swing at Shadelands Pumpkin Patch, where pumpkin picking comes with a whole lineup of family-friendly activities. Along with finding the right pumpkin for your front porch, visitors can enjoy a cow train, petting zoo, bumper boats, and more.
It's an easy afternoon outing for families looking to get into the Halloween spirit without leaving Walnut Creek. And since the patch is open throughout October, there's plenty of time to make a visit before the season wraps up.
📍 Where: Shadelands Pumpkin Patch, 2660 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Walnut Creek
📅 When: Daily through October 31 | 9:00 AM–9:00 PM
💲 Price: $4 admission | Activities: $4–$8
📸 Thursday and Friday: Golden Hour, Then Pumpkin Pots
Thursday evening the Ruth Bancroft Garden opens after hours for a golden hour smartphone photography workshop led by photographers John Ricca and Richard Valenti. It starts with a short lecture on technique, then you head into the garden to shoot in the late light with one-on-one guidance from the instructors. Bring an iPhone or an Android.
Friday afternoon the garden takes its classroom to Headlands Brewing's Walnut Creek taproom for Paints, Pots & Pints. You paint a pumpkin pot with dots and patterns inspired by Yayoi Kusama, then plant a succulent in it to take home. The ticket covers the pot, art supplies, soil and succulent, and no painting experience is needed.
📍 Where: The Ruth Bancroft Garden, 1552 Bancroft Rd. • Headlands Brewing, 2999 Oak Rd.
📅 When: Thursday, October 15 | Photography 4:30–7:00 PM • Friday, October 16 | Pots & Pints 2:00–3:00 PM
💲 Price: Photography $45 members, $60 non-members • Pots & Pints $30
🎀 Saturday Morning: Jetset on the Mat at Kitava
A little movement for a meaningful cause. JETSET Pilates Walnut Creek is teaming up with Kitava Kitchen for a special Breast Cancer Awareness Month mat Pilates class this Saturday morning.
The 45-minute session starts at 9 AM, followed by complimentary coffee and juice samples, plus 15% off Kitava's menu. Mats will be provided, so just bring water, a towel, and something pink to wear. It's a nice way to start the weekend with movement, community, and a little time for yourself. Registration is required, so check availability before heading over.
📍 Where: Kitava Kitchen, 1699 N. California Blvd., Walnut Creek
📅 When: Saturday, October 17 | 9:00–10:00 AM
💲 Price: Complimentary; registration required
🎭 Saturday Night: Second City at the Lesher
The Best of The Second City plays the Lesher on Saturday night as part of the second annual Diablo Improv Festival. The Chicago troupe pulls sketches and songs from its archive, updates them for today, and mixes in newer material and improvisation from its touring company. The Lesher lists the show at two hours.
If this one gets you hooked, the Lesher takes 15 percent off when you order three or more shows at once.
📍 Where: Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr.
📅 When: Saturday, October 17 | 7:30–9:30 PM
💲 Price: Tickets through the Lesher
👻 Saturday Night: Pitch-A-Friend Gets a Halloween Twist
Looking for a Saturday night plan that's a little different? Pitch-A-Friend Walnut Creek is celebrating its first anniversary with a Halloween-themed singles event at Rotator Taproom.
The concept is simple: friends take the spotlight to introduce their single friends to the room. This time, there's an extra reason to dress up, with costume contests for singles, couples, and groups, plus prizes to celebrate the occasion. Those who sign up to pitch a friend can receive a free drink and surprise gift. Whether you're single, playing matchmaker, or just along for the fun, costumes are encouraged.
📍 Where: Rotator Taproom, 1415 Pine St., Walnut Creek
📅 When: Saturday, October 17 | 7:00 PM
💲 Price: Free admission; ages 21+
🌳 Around Walnut Creek
🗳️ The last day to register to vote in the November 3 election is Monday, October 19. Vote-by-mail packets were mailed October 5, and in-person voting is open during regular business hours at the Contra Costa County Elections Building in Martinez. Polling places open at 7 a.m. on Election Day. Contra Costa Elections
🍨 Bacio di Latte has a date. The Italian gelato shop is taking the former Vineyard Vines space at 1500 Mt. Diablo Blvd., and the developer says a grand opening is planned for December 11, with hopes of opening sooner. The other half of the split space will be Chagee, a Chinese tea shop. Bay Area Telegraph
👔 State & Liberty has moved, for now. The Broadway Plaza menswear shop has temporarily moved to a spot right near the parking garage where SoulCycle used to be, while its store is renovated. No return date has been announced. Beyond the Creek
👋 Hello, Neighbor: Lafayette’s Res Run
Downtown Lafayette becomes a start line on Sunday morning for the Res Run for Education, with a 5K at 8:00, a 10K at 8:15 and an untimed 2 mile run or walk at 8:45. Dogs on a leash and strollers are fine on the 10K and the 2 mile, but the 5K is for runners only. The race raises money for local public schools and the Lafayette Chamber, and last year's run raised more than $37,000 for schools.
📍 Where: Downtown Lafayette, start and finish just west of Moraga Rd.
📅 When: Sunday, October 18 | 5K 8:00 AM • 10K 8:15 AM • 2 mile 8:45 AM
💲 Price: Varies by race, register online
👀 Looking Ahead: Halloween Season Gets Going
Trunk or Treat returns to Civic Park on Friday, October 23 from 3 to 6 PM, with a low-sensory hour from 3 to 4 and the general event, with music, giveaways and a scavenger hunt, from 4 to 6. The Lesher Center's Diwali Celebration is set for October 23 and 24, with details still to come. And on Saturday, October 24, the Makers Market sets up on Broadway Plaza Street from 11 AM to 5 PM, free to browse, with kids and pets welcome.
Other fun notes…
🥗 Weekly Walnut recipe: Walnut & Oat Slab Pie. Three cups of toasted walnuts and a few tablespoons of oats go into a brown butter, cream and cinnamon filling in a flaky crust. It makes one 9 by 13 inch pie and takes about two and a half hours, most of it in the oven.
🎵 Who we are listening to: Stevie Wonder, "Happy Birthday." Broadway Plaza turns 75 on Saturday, so here is the song for it.
🀄 Tonight's game night: T&D Mahj hosts mahjong open play at La Fontaine, 1375 N. Broadway, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. All levels are welcome, guided play is available if you're new to the tiles, and there are raffle prizes. It's $25, and you can DM T&D Mahj for details.
🙏 Positive news around the globe: A couple driving past a barbed wire fence in Spearfish, South Dakota, stopped for what looked like a dead hawk and found a living great horned owl. A passing driver with gloves and wire cutters, a landowner's family and a local vet all pitched in, and the owl is now at the Black Hills Raptor Center, which plans to release it where it was found. Read Article
✨ A week with a royal parade, a golden hour photo class and a succulent in a hand painted pot is a good week.
🗳️ Two votes, before Friday.
The Digest is on the Chamber’s Best of Walnut Creek ballot in two categories this year, Advertising & Media and Marketing & Promotions, and voting closes Friday, October 16. On our nominee page, scroll down to “Listed under” and vote for us in both. It takes about a minute.
What is on your calendar this weekend?
As always, we read every reply and truly appreciate hearing from you. If there’s something you’d like to see more of locally, let us know. Thanks for being part of the Walnut Creek Digest community.
Have an event you want to feature or want to advertise your business to our readers in Walnut Creek? Drop us a line here → [email protected]
