By 5:30 this evening, the hay wagons will be rolling at Battle Point Park for the last of three sold-out nights. This year the Park District's Haunted Hayride has an "Alien Invasion!" theme, and it runs through 9 p.m. For those hours the park is closed to everyone without a ticket. The District's FAQ says that includes "dog-walkers, evening joggers, etc." If your usual loop goes past the ponds after dinner, tonight you will need another route.
The alien theme is a fitting handoff. Once the wagons leave, the park's evening calendar passes from the Park District to the Battle Point Astronomical Association, the volunteer group that runs the observatory at 10800 Battle Point Drive NE. The association works on two schedules this winter. Its outdoor nights depend on the weather and are few. Its indoor shows are set in advance and rarely change. For anyone on the island who wants a look at the sky before the new year, the indoor schedule is the one to plan around.
One Star Party on the Calendar, and It Depends on the Clouds
The association's public Star Party is this Saturday, Oct. 24, from 7 to 11 p.m. outside the observatory. The event page promises telescopes set up on the grounds and volunteer astronomers to help. You're invited to bring your own telescope, and the onsite scopes may stay out past 11 "depending on group interest." It's free, and donations are welcome. There is an RSVP form, but the listing itself says to drop by.
The listing also carries a condition every Bainbridge resident will recognize from October:
"if the skies do not cooperate, event is canceled. If you've registered, we'll let you know if the event is off."
That condition is the reason to register even if you plan to just walk over. Registering is how you hear about a cancellation before you're standing in a dark parking lot. This also appears to be the only separately listed public star party in the association's October through December calendar. A cloudy Saturday night therefore costs more than one evening. Until December, it's the only night on the calendar built around open telescopes on the lawn.
The Planetarium Runs on a Fixed Saturday Schedule
The second schedule is the dependable one. Starting in November, the observatory's Rudolph Planetarium has shows on six Saturdays, each at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.:
- Nov. 7
- Nov. 21
- Nov. 28
- Dec. 5
- Dec. 12
- Dec. 19
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children, with a $5 discount for association members, and you buy them at the door. The one firm rule is that no one gets in after the planetarium door closes. Come a few minutes early, especially on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when out-of-town family may be along. Wheelchair access is available with advance notice.
Clouds and darkness, the two things that threaten the Oct. 24 star party, don't affect the planetarium. A 12:30 show on a gray December Saturday goes ahead as scheduled. Six Saturdays with two showings each gives twelve chances to see the sky between Nov. 7 and Dec. 19. The outdoor telescope nights in that same stretch all depend on the forecast.
Two Saturdays That Do More Than Run the Show
Two dates in that stretch break from the routine.
Nov. 14, 3 to 6 p.m. No planetarium shows are listed that day. The observatory instead hosts "Make Space for Wonder," and the association's listing so far says only "More details coming soon." The association's campaign post calls it a fundraiser and spells out what the money pays for: public Star Parties, planetarium shows, youth programs, school outreach, science talks and hands-on workshops. A donor has offered to match gifts dollar for dollar, up to $5,000. In short, the event funds the calendar described in this post.
Dec. 12. This is the fullest Saturday of the season at the observatory. The planetarium runs both afternoon shows, and at 6 p.m. the Second Saturday Science Talk follows. According to the Bainbridge Currents listing, Education Director Erin Howard will cover seasons on Earth and on other planets, and a telescope session afterward depends on clear skies. The topic suits the timing, since Dec. 12 falls nine days before the winter solstice. The weather condition applies again: the talk is certain, and the telescopes are a bonus if the clouds part.
After the holidays, the association's 2027 Annual Meeting is set for Saturday, Jan. 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the observatory.
The Park Goes Into Winter With New Fields and New Restrooms
The observatory is not the only part of Battle Point that changes with the season. The park's two synthetic sports fields were replaced this year and are heading into their first wet season.
The Park District set construction to start June 8 and run through Aug. 14. In its August director's letter, the District called the replacement "officially complete." The fields keep their existing layout and striping. What changed is underfoot: cork infill replaced crumb rubber.
That change has history behind it. The Bainbridge Island Review reported in February that commissioners chose AstroTurf for about $1.02 million, or about $1.12 million after sales tax. In the same article, Executive Director Dan Hamlin said cork echoes community discussion that has surrounded the fields since they were installed in 2005. The Review's reporting also explains why this winter matters for the new surface. Cork absorbs water, so in heavy rain the particles can migrate, grow mold and freeze, and the material usually needs replacing every eight years or so. Crumb rubber can last up to 12. A Bainbridge November will be the first real test of the fields that soccer families, weekend walkers and the Park District's maintenance crews will live with for most of the next decade.
The second change is at the KidsUp! playground. The District's Current Projects page describes a new 520-square-foot restroom building with four individual ADA-accessible family-assist restrooms. It replaces the old structure, which will be decommissioned and kept for storage. In late summer a crane lifted the new building into place. The District's September letter joked that the unusual sight overhead "wasn't early setup for the Haunted Hayride." Plumbing, sewer and electrical work followed, and an opening announcement is still to come. The District projects a fall 2026 opening.
The restrooms tie into the observatory calendar. For a family pairing a planetarium show with time at KidsUp!, four family-assist rooms next to the playground will make a December afternoon easier than the building they replace.
A Winter Saturday at Battle Point
Put together, the park's winter has a clear rhythm. The hayride ends tonight, and the park reopens to everyone tomorrow. Saturday night's star party is the first outdoor gamble of the season, and its RSVP list is how you'll hear if clouds cancel it. From Nov. 7 on, the reliable plan is a 12:30 or 2:30 planetarium show, then a walk on the paths past the new fields while there's still light. That routine works whether or not it rains, and through December it's the most dependable way to see the sky on the island.
Battle Point is one of the places that makes daily life on the west side of the island what it is, and the observatory's volunteers are a big part of why. At The Agency Bainbridge Island, we pay attention to these seasonal rhythms because they shape how a home here is actually lived in from month to month. If you're weighing a move near the park or wondering how that part of the island fits your plans, we'd welcome the conversation. Schedule a private consultation, and we'll share what we know about the neighborhoods around Battle Point.
