News of Madison Valley

Bring your cameras and capture the breathtaking sight of Japanese maple trees ablaze in fall color at the annual Maple Festival, Oct. 3 – 13, at the Seattle Japanese Garden.

To celebrate the start of this popular festival, and as part of Free First Thursday on Thursday, Oct. 3, the Seattle Japanese Garden will host the opening reception for a watercolor collection by a group of artists from Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Dementia-Friendly Recreation program. The opening reception will run from 3 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. in the Tateuchi Community Room on Oct. 3 and the exhibit will be on display through the end of Oct. On Free First Thursdays, admission to the garden is free after 1 p.m.

The Maple Festival is a family-friendly event features nature-inspired art, maple tree scavenger hunts for the kids, live performances and other cultural activities. Self-guided Maple Tour Brochures will be available on most days. See full event schedule here.

The event is free with garden admission, no advance tickets necessary. Garden admission prices: Adults, $8; City of Seattle residents with ID, $6; Youth 6 -17, students with ID, and seniors 65 and over, $4. Children 5 and under are free. Family and Individual memberships are accepted at this event. On the First Thursdays of the month, admission is free for all visitors from 1 p.m. until closing.

Seattle Japanese Garden is located at 1075 Lake Washington Blvd E. The hours in October are Monday, noon – 5 p.m. and Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. -5 p.m. For more information, visit www.seattlejapanesegarden.org.