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# Week of October 12–18, 2026
- URL: https://www.fromdurham.ca/week-of-october-12-18-2026/
- Published: 2026-10-12T20:41:49.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-12T20:41:49.000Z
- Description: Durham Region this week: Saturday crams four free fall festivals into a single day, a horror-themed café in Courtice settles into its favourite month, and the Ajax Comedy Club reopens after a week off for construction.
- Author: Arina Kharlamova
- Tags: Ajax, Clarington, Oshawa, Pickering, Scugog, Uxbridge, Whitby, Things to Do

Hey hi hello, Durham,

Happy post-Thanksgiving to everyone currently eating turkey in a fourth format. (Sandwich, soup, the 11pm-standing-at-the-fridge version. We see you.) The pie is gone, the good Tupperware is somewhere at your in-laws' place, and it's officially the stretch of October where every weekend is booked before you've looked at it.

Case in point: Saturday. Pumpkinville in Ajax, Applefest in Bowmanville, Boo Bash in Oshawa and Fall Fling in Pickering all land on Oct 17, and all four are free. You can't do them all. (I mean, you can try. Report back.) Pick your fighter below.

Here's what's on.

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## 🗓️ This week in Durham

**Ajax**

- 🎃 Wed, Oct 14, 6–8pm — [Ajax Council Pumpkin Giveaway](https://ajax.ca/event/ajax-council-pumpkin-giveaway/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — Audley Recreation Centre, Community Hall (Entrance C), free. Grab a pumpkin from council before the patches get picked over.
- 🍸 Wed, Oct 14, 7–9pm — [Quizzes and Cocktails](https://ajax.ca/event/quizzes-and-cocktails/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — Ajax Centre for the Arts, $7\. An "anything goes" trivia night, solo or with a team.
- 🎤 Thurs, Oct 15, doors 8pm, show 8:30pm — [Ajax Comedy Club: Eastern Promises 4](https://www.ajaxcomedyclub.ca/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — 60 Randall Dr, $10\. The club's back after a week off for construction, with a showcase of Durham Region comics (mostly women, this time).
- 🎬 Fri, Oct 16, 7–9pm — [Retro Reels: *Raiders of the Lost Ark*](https://ajax.ca/event/retro-reels-raiders-of-the-lost-ark-45th-anniversary/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — Ajax Centre for the Arts, $7\. Themed cocktails, trivia and prizes for its 45th anniversary. Costumes and PJs encouraged, fedoras implied.
- 🎃 Sat, Oct 17, 11am–5pm — [Pumpkinville](https://ajax.ca/event/pumpkinville-presented-by-td-bank-group/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — Greenwood Conservation Area (2290 Greenwood Rd), free. A live stage, kids' games, a sensory zone, a vendor market and the haunted house.
- 🌙 Sun, Oct 18, noon–6pm — [Golden Age](https://ajax.ca/event/golden-age/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — free. The third annual Islamic History Month celebration, open to everyone.
- 🍝 Opening Mon, Oct 12 — [Olive Garden](https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2026/02/recipe-restaurant-group-international-announces-3rd-new-olive-garden-location-in-canada/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — in the old Buffalo Wild Wings spot. Unlimited breadsticks, now without a drive to Vaughan.
- 🧠 Thursdays — trivia at Falcon Brewing · 🎤 Fridays — karaoke with Rob and Lorraine at the Ajax Legion.

**Clarington**

- 🍏 Sat, Oct 17, 9am–5pm — [Bowmanville Applefest](https://bowmanville.com/events/applefest?ref=fromdurham.ca) — downtown Bowmanville, free. A free shuttle runs from Clarington Central Secondary.
- ☕ Every day — Coffin Creek Café, Courtice. Full story in the Local Gem below.
- 🧠 Mondays — trivia at Chronicle Brewery · Tuesdays at 99 King (6:30pm) · Wednesdays at Tilted Glass · Saturdays at Critical Hit Gaming Lounge, Courtice.

**Oshawa**

- 🤠 Tue, Oct 13 — [Gord Bamford with Dallas Alexander and Hunter James](https://tickets.biltmoretheatre.com/gordbamford?ref=fromdurham.ca) — Biltmore Theatre (39 King St E), 19+, $45 in advance / $55 at the door.
- 🍽️ Thurs, Oct 15, 5:30–8:30pm — [Bites & Banter](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bites-banter-a-night-of-comedy-at-70-king-tickets-1993919075630?ref=fromdurham.ca) — Market at 70 King. One ticket gets you the comedy, a food-hall meal and a drink.
- 😂 Fri–Sat, Oct 16–17, 8pm — [Yuk Yuk's Oshawa: Mark DeBonis](https://www.yukyuks.com/oshawa/show/mark-debonis-42251?ref=fromdurham.ca) — with Etay Kuperman, hosted by Lianne Mauladin. A Great Canadian Laugh Off winner, back from Buffalo.
- 💀 Sat, Oct 17, 1–10pm — [Oshawa Halloween Boo Bash](https://www.festivalsandeventsontario.com/top-100-festivals-events?view=article&id=716&catid=36&ref=fromdurham.ca) — downtown Oshawa, free. The Krampus haunt is back, so maybe not for the very littlest.
- 🤘 Sat, Oct 17, doors 7pm — [Cowboys From Hell (Pantera tribute) plus a White Zombie tribute](https://tickets.biltmoretheatre.com/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — Biltmore Theatre, all ages, $20 in advance. Bring earplugs and a neck you don't need on Sunday.
- 🎸 Sun, Oct 18, doors 1pm — [Hwy 61: The Journey of the Blues](https://tickets.biltmoretheatre.com/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — Biltmore Theatre, seated. A Sunday-afternoon trip through Delta blues and the songs that came out of it.
- 🧠 Wednesdays — trivia at BOND|ST Snack Bar and Torchbearer Taproom (7pm) and The Waltzing Weasel (8pm) · Thursdays at Bollocks Pub.

**Pickering**

- 🍂 Sat, Oct 17, 11:30am–3pm — [Fall Fling](https://www.instagram.com/p/DdZ9NkOPE32/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — Millennium Square, free. This Saturday is the scavenger hunt and line dancing; the Oct 24 round brings train rides, a costume contest and trick-or-treating.
- 🏒 Nightly, 6:30–10pm, through Halloween — [Hockey House of Horrors](https://www.instagram.com/durham%5Fkids%5Fevents/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — 820 Hillcrest Rd, free. A hockey-themed Halloween house, with extra activities planned for Oct 25.
- 🎤 Tuesdays — karaoke at KCR Bar & Grill.

**Scugog**

- 🧀 Sun, Oct 18, 2–4pm — [Chocolate & Cheese Pairing](https://portperrybia.ca/chocolate-cheese-pairing/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — The Port Cheese Co., 203 Queen St, Port Perry. Two of the four major food groups, together at last.
- 🧠 Wednesdays, 6:30–8:45pm — trivia at Old Flame Brewery.

**Uxbridge**

- 👢 Thurs, Oct 15, 5–10pm — [Boots & Bling Ladies Night](https://www.uxbridge.ca/explore-and-play/events/events-calendar?ref=fromdurham.ca) — downtown Uxbridge.
- 🚴 Sun, Oct 18, 9am–3:30pm — [Prologue Cross](https://www.uxbridge.ca/explore-and-play/events/events-calendar?ref=fromdurham.ca) — Elgin Park, free for spectators. Cyclocross is bike racing through mud, sand and stairs, and it's very fun to watch from the side.
- 📚 Sun, Oct 18, 2–4pm — [A Nod to Maud](https://www.uxbridge.ca/explore-and-play/events/events-calendar?ref=fromdurham.ca) — Historic Leaskdale Church, $30\. An L.M. Montgomery author panel, with a tour, refreshments and a $20 book voucher included.
- 🧠 Tuesdays, 7–9pm — trivia at The Second Wedge.

**Whitby**

- 🛍️ Now open — [Northern Binz](https://www.instagram.com/gtawithsarah/?ref=fromdurham.ca) — 103 Dundas St E. A bin store, where prices start at $20 on Saturday and drop every day until everything's $1 by Friday. Go early for the good stuff, or late for the thrill.
- 🧠 Tuesdays — trivia at Town Brewery (7pm) and Banter & Co (Brooklin).

**Planning ahead?**

- 📚 [Box Office Books and Brews: *The Housemaid*](https://ajax.ca/event/box-office-books-and-brews-the-housemaid/?ref=fromdurham.ca), Wed, Oct 21, 6:30–9pm, Ajax Centre for the Arts, free. A book club with a screening attached.
- 🎤 [Ashwyn Singh: The Imperfect Ally Tour](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/ashwyn-singh-in-ajax-the-imperfect-ally-tour-tickets-1993496721357?ref=fromdurham.ca), Thurs, Oct 22, Ajax Comedy Club, $25\. Then Ronnie Edwards (Oct 29), Ali Hassan (Nov 5) and Patrick Haye (Nov 19).
- 🦇 [Meat Loaf "Back Out of Hellowe'en" tribute](https://tickets.biltmoretheatre.com/?ref=fromdurham.ca), Fri, Oct 23, 7:30pm, Biltmore Theatre, 19+.
- 😂 [Scott Faulconbridge](https://www.yukyuks.com/oshawa/show/scott-faulconbridge-42252?ref=fromdurham.ca), Oct 23–24, Yuk Yuk's Oshawa, 8pm.
- 🎃 [18th Annual Pumpkin Giveaway](https://ajax.ca/event/18th-annual-pumpkin-giveaway/?ref=fromdurham.ca), Sat, Oct 24, 10am–2pm, Ajax, free. Pumpkins, face painting and a hot dog BBQ, in support of the Jennifer Ashleigh Children's Charity.
- 🚚 [Food Truck Corral's last market of the season](https://www.instagram.com/foodtruckcorraloshawa/?ref=fromdurham.ca), Sat, Oct 24, 2867 Bridle Rd, Oshawa. The corral closes for the year at the end of October.
- 🎧 [The Mix Lab](https://www.instagram.com/vibrantsoundsdj/?ref=fromdurham.ca), Wed, Oct 28, 7–10pm, Local Lounge (44 Bond St E), Oshawa. A DJ open-decks night, this month with Darryl Q.
- 💜 [K-Pop Dreamworld](https://www.tributecommunitiescentre.com/events?ref=fromdurham.ca), Sat, Nov 7, Tribute Communities Centre.

---

## 📍 Local gem: Coffin Creek Café (Clarington)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/97/41/97410f95-6cd0-4d8b-891b-bcd80ad956dd/content/images/2026/10/unnamed.webp)

It's October, which means it's the one month of the year when the rest of us finally catch up to [Coffin Creek Café](https://www.coffincreekcoffee.com/courtice?ref=fromdurham.ca). This little café in a Courtice plaza (1413 Durham Hwy 2, Unit 6) is Halloween all year round. If you knew it as Deadly Grounds, it's the same place with a new name. It started as a horror-themed coffee company working conventions and selling online, then opened the café when it ran out of room, with the roasting and shipping happening in the back.

Inside, it's horror decor and horror-movie art on every wall, staffed by what the café calls "Boo-ristas." The coffee is the main event: more than 30 of its own roasts and flavours, hot or iced, plus teas and seasonal specialty drinks. The October lineup has names like Witches Brew (chocolate raspberry), Scareamel Apple and Pumpkinhead Pete (pumpkin spice, obviously). There's also horror merch and a shelf of spooky goods from local makers, so it doubles as a very specific gift shop. The café also runs themed events through the year, from movie watch-parties to visits from Krampus and Zombie Santa; nothing's posted for this month yet, so watch [their Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/coffincreekcoffee/?ref=fromdurham.ca). Open 9am–7pm weekdays and 9am–6pm weekends.

💚

****Why it's worth the drive:** it's a genuinely good coffee stop with a sense of humour, it's run by people who clearly love what they do, and there's no better month than this one to sit under a horror poster with a pumpkin latte.

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## 👨‍👩‍👧 This weekend, with littles

- 🎃 Sat, Oct 17, 11am–5pm — [Pumpkinville](https://ajax.ca/event/pumpkinville-presented-by-td-bank-group/?ref=fromdurham.ca), Greenwood Conservation Area, Ajax. Free, with a sensory zone for kids who need a break from the crowd.
- 🍂 Sat, Oct 17, 11:30am–3pm — [Fall Fling](https://www.instagram.com/p/DdZ9NkOPE32/?ref=fromdurham.ca), Millennium Square, Pickering. A free scavenger hunt and line dancing.
- 🍏 Sat, Oct 17, 9am–5pm — [Bowmanville Applefest](https://bowmanville.com/events/applefest?ref=fromdurham.ca). Free, and the earliest start of the four Saturday festivals if you've got morning people.
- 🏒 Any night — [Hockey House of Horrors](https://www.instagram.com/durham%5Fkids%5Fevents/?ref=fromdurham.ca), 820 Hillcrest Rd, Pickering. Free, 6:30–10pm.

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Know a hidden gem (or just an obvious, but well-loved rock) in Durham Region I should feature, profile, or talk to? 

[Submit your Durham gems](https://tally.so/r/lb20yX?ref=fromdurham.ca)

Talk soon, Arina from Whitby