Saturday, October 17th, 2026 | 5:00-8:30 PM | Entry: Free
The Fall Shadows Festival is a unique opportunity for people of all ages to embrace the change of the seasons and experience the magic of fall. This year’s event is brought to you by the Port Angeles Uptown Arts District with activities taking place in Webster’s Woods Sculpture Park, Port Angeles Fine Arts Center Gallery, and the Community Playhouse.
The evening includes interactive art stations, a life-sized shadow theater, shadow theater performances in the playhouse, a spooky story time in the gallery, and a pumpkin carving contest with pumpkins displayed on the trails. Attendees can also enjoy local food vendors and a beer garden.
Also, join the community call-for-art! Everyone is encouraged to carve a pumpkin and enter it into the Pumpkin Carving Contest for a chance to win prizes supplied by Olympic Peninsula local businesses. With multiple categories for different ages and abilities, this event results in Webster’s Woods’ trails being lined with charming, spooky, artistic, silly, and creative pumpkins for the night of the festival.
The Fall Shadows Festival is free to enter with a suggested donation. Donations help us keep this event open and accessible for everyone.
View scheduleCarve a pumpkin at home or during a workshop to be entered to win!
Get into the spirit of the season and help transform Webster’s Woods into a glowing celebration of fall!
Everyone is invited to get creative and join the Fall Shadows Festival Pumpkin Carving Contest, whether you carve during a workshop, with a group, or at home.
During our hands-on Pumpkin Carving Workshops, professional instruction will guide you through carving techniques while you create a one-of-a-kind pumpkin to display along the illuminated Pumpkin Walk.
You can also gather your club, class, coworkers, or community group and enter the Group Category for free. There is no limit to the number of pumpkins your group can submit, so create a design that represents your organization, choose a theme, or let your collective creativity take the lead. Group entries have a chance to win a pizza party or a $100 donation to the organization of your choice and must be dropped off at PAFAC on Saturday, October 17, between 11:00AM and 5:00PM.
Prefer to carve at home? Bring your creation to Port Angeles Fine Arts Center that same day and enter for $5 per pumpkin. With prizes celebrating the silliest, scariest, most creative, and best overall designs, there are plenty of ways to join the fun.
However you choose to participate, your pumpkin will become part of the art, community, and autumn magic of the Fall Shadows Festival!
Experience live perfomances where the magic of the fall season comes to light.
Brand new this year, the Port Angeles Community Players have developed a very special one-night-only shadow theater performance for our audience. Opportunities to see this 20 minute performance will happen throughout the evening.
Also, this year we are excited to bring a Wintertide favorite to our fall activities with the return of the Shadow Sail Theater to Webster’s Woods where attendees have the opportunity to create their own shadow art and become part of the action as you engage with the life-sized shadow theater box on the outdoor stage.
Enjoy the food, drinks, and delicious treats from a variety of local vendors.
Take a break from exploring the shadows and enjoy something delicious from our food and beverage vendors!
Dragon’s Brew Coffee Company will be serving up warm drinks and coffee to keep you cozy, while Pacific Pantry offers tasty bites to enjoy throughout the festival. Grab a treat, warm up with a drink, and keep exploring all that Fall Shadows has to offer!
Embrace your inner creativity with exciting stations designed for all ages.
Join the fun with activity stations offered by Uptown Arts District partners from the Community Playhouse, Olympic National Park, and North Olympic Library System. Additionally, this year Clallam Resilience will join us once again!
Enjoy mask making, learn about the science of shadows, take part in our glow-in-the-dark scavenger hunt, or listen to stories in the gallery. This event is jam packed with fun and creative activities that will keep folks of all age and creative abilities engaged.
Get excited for projects like, Postcards of Connection, brought to you by the Clallam Resilience Project where you can create a custom fall postcard for someone you care about and let them know you’re thinking of them-we’ll provide the postage! Discover how joining in community events like Fall Shadows Festival and sharing feelings through simple acts of connection can create Positive Childhood Experiences that help children and adults thrive.
Get into the spirit of the season at one of our Pumpkin Carving Workshops! Led by a professional artist, these hands on workshops will teach carving techniques while giving you the opportunity to create a one of a kind pumpkin for the festival.
Your workshop registration includes a pumpkin, and every completed carving is automatically entered into the Fall Shadows Festival Pumpkin Carving Contest, where it will be displayed along the illuminated Pumpkin Walk in Webster’s Woods and compete for prizes during the festival.
Learn moreShow off your creativity by entering the Fall Shadows Festival Pumpkin Carving Contest for only $5! Whether you carve your pumpkin at home or during one of our pumpkin carving workshops, every entry becomes part of the magic as it lights the trails of Webster’s Woods during the festival.
Community members and a panel of judges will vote for their favorite creations from a number of different categories and skill brackets, with winners receiving prizes generously donated by local Olympic Peninsula businesses. Join the fun and help transform the woods into a glowing celebration of autumn!
Learn moreDuring the festival enjoy delicious food and drinks from a variety of local vendors! Each year, the Fall Shadows Festival features a curated selection of food, beverages, and seasonal treats to enjoy throughout the evening. Try delicious warm drinks and coffee from Dragon’s Brew Coffee Company, and eat tasty food throughout the run of the festival from Pacific Pantry!
Parking at the festival is limited but nearby options are available. Our onsite lot accommodates about 30 cars, with additional street parking throughout the neighborhood, as well as nearby lots at Franklin Elementary School and Peninsula College on Lauridsen Blvd, both about a 3 to 5 minute walk away. One accessible parking space is available next to the gallery, and drop-offs are welcome for those needing assistance. Please check in with the parking attendant on Jones Street for guidance.
Tickets are not required for this event. But donations are suggested to support the continuation of this program.
While dogs are usually allowed in Webster’s Woods Sculpture Park, during festivals and outdoor events, Port Angeles Fine Arts Center asks that you leave your pet at home.
For the safety of your pet, and all event attendees, please come back with your pet another time. Pets will not be allowed during the festival. Registered service animals will be permitted.
Port Angeles Fine Arts Center utilizes the grounds of Webster’s Woods Sculpture Park as our outdoor event venue. Please wear layers to guarantee your comfortability. There are heated seating areas by fire tables and outdoor heaters throughout the festival but temperatures may vary.
This festival requires many helping hands. Sign up for one of our volunteer opportunities to help support this event on our volunteer page or email associate@pafac.org.
Sponsorships support this festival’s operations and allows it to continue as an accessible community event for locals and visitors. Interested in learning about our sponsorship opportunities? Reach out to rachel@pafac.org.
Become a sponsor for one of Port Angeles Fine Arts Center’s community festivals. Be a part of uplifting accessible spaces for visitors and locals to connect with each other, nature, and art on the Olympic Peninsula in meaningful and impactful ways. Interested? Email rachel@pafac.org.