Maple Valley's Halloween Saturday Runs on a 2 PM Clock

"No vehicles may enter after 2 pm. No exceptions."

That line comes from the flyer for the Saturday, October 31 Maple Valley, Black Diamond and King County Recycling Collection Event. It's worth taping to the fridge, because it sets the schedule for more than the recycling event. Halloween falls on that Saturday this year. The Maple Valley Farmers Market's last day of the season stops at the same hour. The day's other big draw, the Haunted Forest at Royal Arch Park, doesn't open until 7 PM.

That leaves a 9 AM to 2 PM window for the garage cleanout and the last market haul. After that, nothing on the city's big-event calendar happens until dark. Here's how to plan the day around that clock.

Two Events Open at 9 and Close at 2

The recycling event runs 9 AM to 2 PM behind Tahoma High School, in the student parking lot at 23100 SE Bear Blvd. The flyer asks drivers to enter off 228th Ave SE. The cities of Maple Valley and Black Diamond host it with the Tahoma School District. Funding comes from the Washington State Department of Ecology, the King County Solid Waste Division and the Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County.

The farmers market keeps the same hours. It runs Saturdays 9 AM to 2 PM at the Maple Valley Legacy Site, 25719 Maple Valley Black Diamond Road SE, and its 2026 season runs May 2 through October 31. After Saturday, the next market Saturday is a spring date.

So a household that wants to drop off an old fridge and pick up one more round of market produce has one five-hour stretch to do both. The recycling stop is the one with rules, so it comes first.

What the Tahoma High Lot Takes, and What It Costs

The flyer lists only certain items, and many come with cash-only fees. It asks for exact change.

• Tires: six passenger tires per vehicle, 18 inches and under, free. Extra tires off the rim are $3 each. Tires on a rim are $6, and extra tires on a rim are $9 each. Oversized tires aren't accepted.
• Batteries: car, truck, marine, motorcycle and sealed lead acid batteries. Alkaline AAAA through D cells are also accepted. Rechargeable, nicad and lithium-ion batteries, like tool and vape batteries, are not.
• Electronics: DVD players, VCRs, stereo gear, fax machines, scanners, cell phones, keyboards and mice. Printers and copiers are $5 each.
• Confidential shredding: up to four file-size boxes or five paper bags.
• Porcelain toilets and sinks: a $25 charge, with seats, hardware and wax rings removed.
• Propane: residential tanks only, $10 for a 5-gallon tank and $2 for a 1-gallon.
• Bulky wood: clean, untreated, unpainted wood, pallets, plywood, and branches at least 6 inches in diameter. No OSB, particle board, leaves or brush. The flyer asks you to lay a tarp under the load.
• Appliances and scrap metal: stoves, washers, dryers, dishwashers, barbecues, metal lawn chairs, and lawnmowers drained of oil and gas. Water heaters that still have insulation are $5.
• Refrigerators, freezers and household air conditioners: $35 each, paid at the entrance. Fridges can't be sealed or have food inside.
• Mattresses and box springs: $35 each, any size. Wet or soiled items and frames aren't accepted.

There are a few vehicle rules too. No flatbeds or dump trucks are allowed, the event doesn't offer yard-debris chipping, and organizers can refuse oversized, commercial, contaminated or excessive loads. Maple Valley residents with questions, or who need a disability accommodation, can call the city at 425-413-8800.

What Gets Turned Away Mostly Has a Home on One Road

The no list is long. The flyer excludes paint of any kind, furniture and household goods, construction debris, garbage, plastic toys and hoses, window glass, motor oil, filters, antifreeze, solvents, pesticides, household chemicals, cleaning products, fluorescent lights and cardboard. TVs and computer monitors aren't accepted either.

Several of those items still have somewhere to go, and two of the options sit on Maple Valley Black Diamond Road SE, the same road as the market.

The Algona site is new for South County. The flyer notes that the Auburn hazardous waste collection site has moved there. For anything on the hazardous list, King County's hazardous waste page and the Haz Waste Help Line at 206-296-4692 have the current restrictions. For paint, the flyer points to PaintCare Washington.

The Recology Store is the one stop that stays open past 2 PM on Saturday. Recology's announcement says the store opened August 26, 2026 at Switcher's Landing and keeps Tuesday through Saturday hours, 10 AM to 6 PM. Along with the drop-off, it has a refill station, everyday sustainable goods, help with sorting and waste reduction, and in-person bill pay. The drop-off is for residential Recology customers and only covers selected materials in limited amounts, so ask at the counter before you unload anything.

The Market Holds Its Send-Off at 11

The farmers market doesn't wait until closing to mark the end of its season. A Halloween listing promoted by the Maple Valley Farmers' Market on Yodel calls the 11 AM to 1 PM block an annual "Halloween therapy session." It promises classic rock and "your last chance to catch a CTT show this year," along with the market's vendors, artists and food.

The music lands right in the middle of the 9-to-2 window, which makes the order easy. Unload at Tahoma High early, then head to the Legacy Site while the band plays. The market's vendor directory lists the 2026 lineup, but it doesn't say which vendors will be there on the final day.

One Way to Order the Day

Using only the posted hours, a Saturday could go like this:

1. 9 AM: Pull into the Tahoma High student lot from 228th Ave SE with the trailer loaded, fees in exact change, and personal information wiped from any phones.
2. 10:30 AM: Drive to the Legacy Site on Maple Valley Black Diamond Road SE and settle in before the 11 AM music starts.
3. 1 PM: As the set winds down, finish shopping. Vendors pack up at 2.
4. Afternoon: If something got turned away, the Recology Store at Switcher's Landing is open until 6 PM. Goodwill Maple Valley takes E-Cycle items if a call confirms they're open.
5. 7 PM: Royal Arch Park opens for the night.

The one firm deadline is the first stop. Arriving at Tahoma High at 1:55 with a full truck works. Arriving at 2:05 doesn't.

After Dark, Royal Arch Park

The evening belongs to the Haunted Forest of Maple Valley. Its 2026 show is called "Shady Grove Asylum," at Royal Arch Park, 20821 Renton-Maple Valley Rd. The Haunted Forest site lists Full Fright shows Fridays and Saturdays in October, 7 to 11 PM, so both October 30 and Halloween night are on the schedule. The gentler Family Walk ran Sundays only, with October 25 as its last listed date. Tickets are sold online or at the gate, and online tickets work for any show date and are picked up at Will Call.

The Haunted Forest is an all-volunteer nonprofit haunted house trail. Its volunteers plan all year, build in September and run the show in October, and they choose the nonprofit or charity that gets the proceeds. A ticket on Saturday night goes to that local cause.

Halloween's daytime events wrap up by 2 PM, and the Haunted Forest runs 7 to 11 PM. For many households, the afternoon in between is for porch lights and costumes.

If clearing out the garage on Saturday is part of getting a long-held home ready for a downsize or an estate sale, the Laura Papritz Team is happy to talk through what's worth keeping, fixing or letting go before anything goes on the market. Start with a free, no-pressure home valuation, and we'll help you figure out what comes next.