Top things to do in Kamloops this October
Privato Vineyard and Winery
Royce Sihlis
Fall in Kamloops never sticks to the script
October in Kamloops has a way of going off script. You head out for one sunset hike and end up at a scenic winery, glass of Pinot Noir in hand, eyeing the pumpkin patch at the end of the dusty farm road. You pop downtown for dinner and walk out of a musical about a man-eating plant. The grasslands turn gold, mornings go crisp, afternoons stay warm enough for a patio, and 40 minutes east, millions of sockeye salmon are finishing a 4,000 km journey home.
Visiting Kamloops in October? You're in for a treat, and a few plot twists. Here's our list of must-do experiences to tick off your fall bucket list.
The comeback of the year: the Adams River sockeye run
Every fall, sockeye salmon swim a round trip of more than 4,000 km to spawn in the river where they were born. Most years, it's impressive. This year, it's the headliner. 2026 is a dominant year, when the run is at its biggest, and that only happens once every four years.
The Adams River Salmon Society celebrates with Salute to the Sockeye, running October 9th to 25th at Tsútswecw Provincial Park, about 40 minutes east of Kamloops. Watch the river run red from the viewing platforms, join an interpretive guided tour, and take in Secwépemc cultural ceremonies, an artisan market and local food vendors.
Adams River salmon run at Tsútswecw Provincial Park
Ben Verwey
- Hours: site open daily 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, vendors 10 am to 4 pm
- Admission: $15 per vehicle
- Local tip: go early on a weekday for the quietest viewing, dress warm for the riverbank, then head back to Kamloops for dinner and a cozy night in town.
More planning info on our salmon run page.
Autumn Outdoor Activities
Fall hiking: somewhere between here and there
Cool mornings and golden grasslands make October one of the best hiking months of the year. Whether you're wrangling the whole family or chasing the perfect golden hour, there's a trail with your name on it. Bonus round: the region's otherworldly hoodoos glow in low autumn light, and here are 3 spots to see them.
Kenna Cartwright Park
Dylan Sherrard
KAS Observatory Stake Lake
Phil Marshall
For the beginner or family friendly outing: Rivers Trail
Grab the crew for an easy walk along the Rivers Trail, which follows the Thompson River past bright fall colour. Finish downtown, where cozy cafés are pouring pumpkin spice everything and local spots dish up everything from handmade pasta to a great slice of pizza.
For the hiking enthusiasts: Kenna Cartwright Nature Park
With more than 40 km of trails in one of BC's largest municipal parks, Kenna Cartwright Nature Park has room for easy wanderers and calf-burners alike. Climb the Tower Trail for sweeping views of the Thompson River winding through the valley, or time the Sunset Trail to watch the light slip behind the mountains over Kamloops Lake. Spoiler: it lives up to its name.
Kenna Cartwright Park
Tamra Jaeger
Kenna Cartwright Park
Scott Bakken
For the stargazers: Stake Lake Star Park & Observatory
The best time of year for stargazing in Kamloops is from late summer through fall (August to October), when the nights arrive earlier with pleasantly mild temperatures.
Nestled alongside the cross-country ski trails, Stake Lake Star Park offers a premier stargazing destination. With open landscape and dark, clear skies, it's the perfect place to settle in with binoculars, telescopes, and lawn chairs for a magical night under the stars.
For more spots to catch those starry skies, check out our guide to stargazing in Kamloops.
Fall mountain biking: the shortcut... that wasn't
Dry trails, cool air and a long riding season make October prime time in the birthplace of Freeride. Here's where to soak up the colours from the saddle.
Lac du Bois Protected Grasslands
Dylan Sherrard
All-Wheels Pump Track
Andrew Snucins
For the cross-country mountain biker: Lac du Bois Grasslands
Known locally as "Batch" thanks to its spot near Batchelor Heights, the Lac du Bois Grasslands roll smooth and flowy for every skill level. Open sightlines help newer riders build confidence while experienced riders rip the singletrack. Link Shady Glen to Naked Pistol for some of the best views in the network.
Maintained by the Kamloops Bike Riders Association (KBRA), consider becoming a member or getting involved in trail maintenance to give back to our local mountain bike community.
Looking for more ways to give back? Check out our Freeride campaign here!
For the downhill rider: the Kamloops Bike Ranch
As Canada's largest municipal bike park, the Kamloops Bike Ranch is a playground for jumpers of every level, from small tables to big booters. Bring the whole crew to the paved All-Wheels Pump Track, built for bikes, boards, scooters and blades. Get insider tips for riding The Ranch from a local ambassador, and show the Kamloops Mountain Bike Trail Association (KMBTA) some love for keeping it in top shape.
For the film buff: Freehub PRESENTS
Ride all day, then roll credits. On October 2nd, Freehub PRESENTS: A Night for Freeride brings the best mountain bike films to the historic Paramount Theatre. Doors and happy hour at 6 pm, films at 7 pm, $25. Proceeds support the Freeride Fund, and there's a bike valet by donation.
Searching for more trails? Check out our guide to Kamloops mountain bike trails and grab our local trail map before you roll out.
Peterson Creek Park
Andrew Snucins
Fall harvest: One thing led to another
The sips trail of the season
October is BC Craft Beer Month, and local breweries are rolling out small-batch fall pours. Start with a pint, add a tasting room, finish with a cider on the patio, and suddenly your afternoon has a storyline.
Breweries to add to your sips list
Kamloops' craft beer scene pours more than great brews. It's where a quick pint turns into the best part of the night. On the North Shore, Bright Eye Brewing keeps things lively with an in-house arcade, so you can play a round between sips of their inventive small-batch beers.
As Kamloops' first microbrewery, The Noble Pig is a local classic for its noble brews and scratch-made pub fare. Pair a pint with something hearty and settle in.
In the heart of downtown, Red Collar Brewing is a local favourite and a dog-friendly one too, so bring a friend, your pup, or both.
If you're after more than just great beer, Embers Brewhouse pairs brick-oven pizza with a little friendly competition. Between Saturday night trivia, pool and pinball, your night out is bound to take a fun turn.
And when the evening calls for cozy, Iron Road Brewing is the final stop. Cold brews and legendary nachos make it the perfect place to unwind after a day of adventure. Every one of these breweries brings its own character to the city, serving up great beer and even better stories.
Bright Eye Brewing
Dylan Sherrard
The Noble Pig
BC Ale Trail
Map them all with our self-guided brewery tour!
Must-try wine tasting stops
Fall wine tasting in the Thompson Valley, BC's northernmost wine region, has a special kind of magic. The vines glow gold, summer crowds have headed home, and you can savour every sip at your own pace. It's harvest season too, so you might get the inside scoop on this year's vintage.
Monte Creek Winery
Royce Sihlis
Sagewood Winery
Royce Sihlis
At Monte Creek Winery, Kamloops' largest winery, the experience goes beyond the glass. Sweeping river valley views and a fireside patio make it the definition of sweater weather done right.
Privato Vineyard & Winery is a hidden gem on an 80-acre family farm, crafting small-batch Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In fall, the gardens turn into an autumn wonderland, the pumpkin patch opens, and Woodward Cider Co. pours on site. Cornhole tournament, anyone?
Round out your sip trail at Sagewood Winery, a relaxed family-run boutique vineyard, and Lion's Head Meadery, new to the scene and pouring small-batch mead made with honey from its own bees.
Leave the driving to someone else: DiVine Tours and TasteFull Excursions run guided tours of the Kamloops Wine Trail.
Crisp air, fresh fare
Kamloops Regional Farmers' Market
The outdoor Kamloops Farmers' Market takes its final bows this month, so grab your tote bag. Think fresh-baked bread, heaps of squash, local honey and handmade gifts for getting a head start on the holidays. The Thanksgiving Saturday market on October 10th is the move for stocking up on dinner fixings.
Kamloops Farmers' Market
Johann Vincent
Kamloops Farmers' Market
Johann Vincent
Farmers' Market hours of operation
Saturdays until October 31st | 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, 200 block of St. Paul Street
Wednesdays until October 28th | 8:30 am to 1:30 pm, 400 block of Victoria Street
Family-friendly activities
Pumpkin patches: cue the cozy fall montage
Picture it: a crisp afternoon, a plaid scarf, a warm cider in hand and rows of pumpkins glowing in the golden light. Every great fall movie has a pumpkin patch scene, and this is yours. The hunt for the perfect pumpkin is on!
Here's a list of local pumpkin patches around Kamloops to find your match of the season (and snap those shots along the way!).
- Privato Vineyard and Winery Pumpkin Patch
Kamloops, BC - Stoney Flats Harvest Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze
Pritchard, BC - Desert Hills Ranch Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze
Ashcroft, BC - Horsting's Farm Pumpkin Patch & Haunted Corn Maze
Cache Creek, BC
Choose one pumpkin patch or visit them all! It’s time to dive into the best fall activities that the whole family will love. Check out Spookloops for more October events to get into the scary spirit!
Privato Vineyard and Winery
@emilymayphotographer
Cleavage Axe Co
Game night: Kamloops Blazers hockey
Nothing says fall in a hockey town like a loud night at the Sandman Centre. Catch the Kamloops Blazers at home on October 3rd, 7th, 9th, 12th, 21st and 23rd. The Thanksgiving Monday matinee (October 12th, 2 pm) is a perfect way to walk off the turkey, and on Kids Nights (October 3rd, 9th and 12th) kids 12 and under get in free with an adult or senior ticket!
Kamloops Blazers
Candice Ward/CHL
Kamloops Blazers
Olsen Imaging
For the love of arts & culture
Kamloops Art Gallery
When the trails wind down, the city's creative side warms up. The Kamloops Art Gallery, the Interior's largest public gallery, rotates exhibitions all year, so there's always something fresh to spark your creative side. On display this fall:
- All That You Change Changes You by Laura St. Pierre, September 26th, 2026 to January 9th, 2027. Organized and circulated by the MacKenzie Art Gallery and curated by Crystal Mowry.
- In the rear-view mirror, The Cube, September 19th, 2026 to January 9th, 2027. A group show celebrating graduates of TRU's Bachelor of Fine Arts program.
Kamloops Art Gallery
Mary Putnam
Kamloops Art Gallery Store
Kathleen Fisher
Before you go, browse the Gallery Store for a keepsake or a gift for the art lover in your life.
Want to get hands-on? The gallery's programs and events this month turn art from something you look at into something you make:
- October 3rd: Family Art Saturday, part of Culture Days, for little artists and their grown-ups
- October 3rd and 4th: Pine Needle Basket Workshop, at the Chief Louis Centre Assembly Hall (October 3rd) and the Kamloops Art Gallery (October 4th)
- October 10th: Craftivism: Thriving Neighbourhoods, where art meets community action
- October 15th: Mahjong House, where you have the opportunity to learn about the deep roots and rich cultural history of Mahjong, and the rules of the game.
Gallery hours of operation
Tuesday to Saturday | 10 am to 5 pm
Thursdays | 10 am to 8 pm, with free admission
Culture Days in Kamloops
Running until October 4th, Culture Days fills the city with free workshops, performances and pop-ups celebrating local arts and creativity. Catch the final weekend using the full schedule.
Fall theatre, performances, and more: plot twist, it's spooky season
Little Shop of Horrors
A bloody great musical comedy. Western Canada Theatre opens its 51st season with the cult-classic rock musical about a flower shop clerk and a very hungry plant. Expect sixties sci-fi horror, big laughs and a score you'll be humming for days. Recommended for ages 12+.
October 8th to 25th | Sagebrush Theatre
Evenings | 7:30 pm
Saturday & Sunday matinees | 2 pm
Wednesday Tea Matinee | 11 am
Pay-what-you-choose matinees | October 10th and 17th
No performances on Mondays
William Shakespeare's Playhouse of Horror
The Bard, but make it spooky. TRU Actor's Workshop Theatre presents five "tragical traumedies" featuring some of Shakespeare's most petrifying players.
October 1st to 10th | 7:30 pm | Old Main Building, TRU
Spooky screenings at the Paramount Theatre
The Kamloops Film Society is serving up cult classics all month at the historic Paramount Theatre: The Craft on October 9th, an interactive Rocky Horror Picture Show with live tunes and a costume showcase on October 24th, and Candlelight: Halloween Classics on October 30th.
The Kamloops Symphony turns 50
The KSO is celebrating its 50th season with TRIOLOGY on October 3rd (plus family-friendly Jazz Jams that morning), Gut Feeling: An Evening of Early Music on October 24th, and Symphonically Hip: The Music of the Tragically Hip on October 30th. Go behind the music with Encore! The KSO at 50 at the Kamloops Museum & Archives.
Grown-up Halloween nights out
- Witches Night Out, October 17th, Delta Hotels Kamloops (18+): vendors, tarot, trivia and a best-dressed contest.
- Terror in Transylvania Murder Mystery, October 29th, BIG Little Science Centre (19+): solve a supernatural whodunit after dark.
- FrightCrawl, October 29th to 31st, downtown (19+): costumes, drink specials and 4+ bars.
Sagebrush Theatre
Dylan Sherrard
Plan your fall adventure in Kamloops
October's here and Kamloops is showing off. One day is hardly enough, so give yourself a night or two to slow down, follow the detours and see what the next day adds to the story. Browse places to stay, check the latest hotel deals, or bundle a show and an overnight with WCT's Sandman Stay & Show package.
Don't forget to keep us in the 'Loop with your October adventures! Snap those moments and share your story by tagging @tourismkamloops and using #ExploreKamloops. Too cute to spook? Enter the Spookloops photo contest for a chance to be featured!
