Happy Friday, Vancouver. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Vancouver Brief serve up everything you need to know for the weekend ahead.

In today’s edition: Homebuyer subsidies, a family-friendly Baba Yaga musical, a John Prine tribute, and more.

Let’s get to it.

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Portland-area expansion continues: Vancouver’s first In-N-Out is moving ahead on SE Mill Plain, with initial construction underway and a hoped for 2026 opening, making it Washington’s second location after Ridgefield opened in August — get all the details.

New path to ownership: Evergreen Habitat for Humanity has announced $1.5 million in subsidies for first-time homebuyers earning 30-80% of Clark County’s AMI, with applications open for cottage and three-bedroom homes in Clark County — learn about eligibility and applications.

Clark County voting resources: Ballots are in the mail for the Nov. 4 election, with Oct. 23 expected delivery, Oct. 27 deadline for online or mail updates, and in-person registration available through Nov. 4 — find voter resources and deadlines.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Highlights this week

• Explore Vancouver’s haunted past with Pat Jollota
• Support Women Build at bingo night
• Explore Vancouver’s haunted history by foot
• Rave till dawn in cute costumes
• Enjoy free Neewollah trunk-or-treat fun
• Avoid surprises with $300 off auto repair coverage
• Compare life insurance providers for free

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🫶 We got your back

From fairways to habitat: Clark County and the Cowlitz Indian Tribe will present a preferred plan to restore Salmon Creek and expand trails at the Gordy Jolma Family Natural Area on Oct. 29. Join the open house at the Battle Ground Event Center at 6 p.m. or online to learn about salmon habitat fixes and public access upgrades. Get open house details.

Local prevention in action: Time to clean out the medicine cabinet. Clark and Klickitat counties will host free, confidential Drug Take-Back Day events on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at multiple drive-thru sites. Bring unused meds (pills, liquids, inhalers) and vape pens with batteries removed. No sharps. Safe disposal helps prevent misuse and protects waterways. See where and what to bring.

Midweek reset, anyone? When your shoulders creep toward earring territory, Vancouver Wellness Studio: Waterfront Spa delivers real relief with tailored massage, results-driven facials, an infrared sauna, acupuncture, and IV therapy, helping you loosen up and glide into the weekend feeling human again.

An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.

Break up with debt for good: These guys can help you cut ties, pay up to 30% less than you owe, and finally get some peace. This isn’t your average debt relief advice… it’s a financial fresh start, complete with a victory dance and happy cry or two when your balance hits zero.

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Have an event to share? Submit it here for free →

Today

👻 Haunted Walking Tours @ Clark County Historical Museum | Friday (10/17) at 7:00pm – Downtown gets creepy as the Clark County Historical Museum leads haunted walking tours along Main Street and beyond. Fridays and Saturdays through October, rain or shine, bring a flashlight and sensible shoes. A mile of lore, history, and chills you will blame on the weather.

🎤 Grace Honeywell @ Haymaker Bar | Friday (10/17) at 9:00pm – Nothing beats acoustic strings cutting through our PNW drizzle, especially when Grace Honeywell links up with Cross Eyed Possums. Expect folk-Americana with jazz quirks, bluegrass drive, and lyrics that land deep — the real, human kind. Real instruments, tight harmonies, zero filler.

This weekend

🧙 Baba Yaga @ Magenta Theater | Saturday (10/18) at 11:00am – Step into the spellbinding world of Slavic folklore, where witches fly, hedgehogs talk, and houses strut on chicken legs. Baba Yaga is a whimsical, slightly spooky musical adventure featuring brave Marusia, her prickly sidekick, and one very cranky witch. Stick around before or after the show for puppet crafts — because a little DIY magic never hurts.

🧩 Jigsaw Puzzle Swap @ Three Creeks Community Library | Saturday (10/18) at 2:30pm – Clear some shelf space, the library’s hosting a jigsaw puzzle swap. Bring those gently used, no-missing-piece puzzles, trade for your next obsession, and feel virtuous when leftovers go to the Friends. It’s low-key, open house style, like thrift shopping for patient people.

😱 Adult Horror Author Night @ Vancouver Community Library | Saturday (10/18) at 4:00pm – Think you know your chills from your cheap thrills? Settle in for an eerie, adults-only horror panel moderated by Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann, with Caitlin Starling, Keith Rosson, and Hiron Ennes trading dark craft secrets, book recs, and deliciously unsettling laughs.

🧺 King Farmers Market| Sunday (10/19) at 10:00am – If your fridge looks a little sparse, swing by King Farmers Market for a restock. Thirty farmers and food artisans, breakfast and lunch that beat your toaster, plus Food Hero kids activities. Snap accepted, matched up to $20 by Double Up Food Bucks.

🧙 Witchy Watercolor @ Oakshire Beer Hall | Sunday (10/19) at 1:00pm – Does your inner child need a drink and a paintbrush? Oakshire Beer Hall hosts a witchy watercolor night with supplies included, guidance, and two postcard masterpieces, plus optional tarot for $10, or the Luxe package with one included. Art, intuition, and a pint, yes please.

🎶 Souvenirs – Celebrating the Songs of John Prine @ Alberta Rose Theatre | Sunday (10/19) at 6:00pm – Portland’s finest musicians gather once again to honor the wit, warmth, and wisdom of John Prine’s songbook. Backed by the all-star Prine-Time Players, this heartfelt tribute delivers a night of storytelling, humor, and homespun poetry through the songs that made Prine a legend. Bring your heart, your friends, and maybe a tissue — this one’s pure soul.

Next week

🧹 Harper’s Playground Volunteer Cleanup @ Marshall Park | Monday (10/20) at 12:00pm – Help give the Chelsea Anderson Memorial Play Station at Marshall Park a 15th-birthday glow-up, then feel smug about your good deed all week. We’ll weed, rake, and de-trash Vancouver’s first radically inclusive playground, tools and gloves provided.

🎲 Tween & Teen Tabletop Role-Playing Game Adventure @ Three Creeks Community Library | Tuesday (10/21) at 4:30pm – Got a tween or teen who needs a quest that does not involve WiFi? They can play Dungeons and Dragons with beginners and veterans alike, and if you fill out the Character Creation Form, the crew will have a pre-made hero ready.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 10/17 Band After Midnight @ Billy Blues Bar – 9 pm
• 10/19 Indie Improv Showcase @ Curious Comedy Theater – 6 pm
• 10/21 Jed Harrelson @ Kenton Club – 7 pm
• 10/22 Music Bingo @ JB’s Taphouse – 7 pm
• 10/22 Untapped Trivia @ Bye and Bye – 7 pm
• 10/23 Bingo Night & Costume Contest @ West Vancouver Habitat Store – 6 pm
• 10/23 Connor McCutcheon and more @ Ponderosa Lounge – 6 pm
• 10/24 MüZE: Halloween Rave @ Bella Vista – 8:30 pm

🏠️ Price is right – Vancouver edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

Listed by: Rhonda Ziegler (Call It Closed)

Riverfront on the Columbia with a private dock and a .63 acre tideland rights lot sheltered by a neighboring marina. Open beam 25 foot ceilings, a floor to ceiling Camas rock two sided gas fireplace, and a built in bar. The kitchen flexes side by side Sub Zero units, Wolf appliances, knotty alder, and a copper hood.

Covered patios face the river, with a gas fire pit and an outdoor cook station that includes BBQ, griddle, and burner with storage. Oversized circular drive with RV hookup plus a two car garage with cabinets and built in vacuum. Steamboat Landing.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →