Things to Do in Seattle

The Seattle Coffee Festival brings a friendly tilt to our city’s elitist espresso reputation, pairing live music with bottomless tastings. Dozens of local roasters and coffee shops lend their beans and know-how, from Pegasus and Caffe Vita to hometown mushroom coffee aficionado Wunderground.

The Seattle couple behind Princess and Bear Wines have a slight obsession with France’s Languedoc-Roussillon region; the final in the shop’s Root-To-Sip series, this month centers the red carignan grapes and their bottles, winemakers, and histories in a seven-part educational tasting experience. 

Dinner plans gone stale? The annual Seattle Restaurant Week is back with prix fixe menus across the city, like a two-week tasting menu sprint. Restaurants aren’t the only ones in on the exploratory fun: bars, food trucks, and pop-ups (like Vietnamese-American cookies from Anh Oi Bake Shop) all curate special menus for the occasion. 

Fresh art drops at the National Nordic Museum, courtesy of multidisciplinary artist Nina Katchadourian. Her works range from photographs, to video, to an immersive installation surrounding a real-life shipwreck disaster. On June 22, Katchadourian will join a survivor of the shipwreck, Douglas Robertson, in conversation at the gallery. 

The Museum of Flight houses more than history this season: South African artist Ralph Ziman transformed a Cold War-era MiG-21 fighter jet from a relic of violence into a work of art. The entire craft now wears a mosaic-like cloak made from thousands of glass beads. Alongside the seminal work, colorfully beaded Afrofuturistic flight suits spark curiosity about how creative and design-forward space travel could be, and interactive stations allow visitors to create their own digital flying works of art.

Go ahead, interact with the art in Anila Quayyum Agha’s new exhibition at the Volunteer Park museum, the first solo show from a Pakistani American artist in SAM’s 90-years. Laser-cut steel cubes suspend from the ceiling, lit by a halogen bulb that paints the room—and visitors—with intricate shadows that illuminate the light and dark of life. 

Blending her heritage and experiences living in Tacoma and Yucatán, Mexico, artist Priscilla Dobler Dzul’s museum debut features sculpture, textile, and video work that center climate injustice. Water—from Mexican cenotes to Washington wetlands—takes center stage in her work; on October 26, she’ll visit the Frye for a weaving demonstration and panel discussion. 

Wildly fun Seattle rock n’ roll band Linda From Work has a party in store. To salute their third album’s release, the four-piece brings their meld of garage, glam, and dance punk to Capitol Hill’s Neumos for a hometown celebration show. 

The Saturday evening KEXP show goes live in the public radio station’s gathering space, celebrating PNW bands with a night helmed by DJ Kennady. Portland’s indie rock outfit Quasi will perform a live set and music lovers will mingle inside a Seattle institution. 

Values and patience levels are tested in Seattle Public Theater’s world premiere show Stage of Fools when a pretentious, egotistical movie actor approaches a broke feminist theater company with an offer they can’t refuse—but should they? 

The Broadway musical’s revival started in 1996 and hasn’t stopped running since; vaudeville star Velma Kelly and chorus girl Roxie Hart just keep dancing. The notorious murderesses bring their sultry jazz to Seattle on a nationwide tour. 

Aziz Ansari (Parks and Recreation‘s Tom) directs and stars in a new comedy opposite Seth Rogen and Keanu Reeves. Like It’s a Wonderful Life gone wrong, a guardian angel fumbles around in the lives of a struggling gig worker and his wealthy venture capitalist boss, creating a strange, supernatural comedy.

If costumed actors groping through the dark aren’t quite your Halloween haunted house vibe, the light show at the Seattle Chinese Garden just might fit the bill with a touch of spooky season thrill. Illusions, shadows, echos, and fog create mystery during a one-hour stroll through the garden’s shadows. For other haunted happenings—with more sinister spooks—check out our full guide. 

Honoring departed relatives, the annual festival brings the Mexican tradition to the Seattle Center with ofrendas, music, dance, and food. Interactive workshops allow visitors to learn and take part in block printing, crafting sugar skulls and paper marigolds, and fashioning creative masks. 

Benaroya Hall’s National Geographic series hosts experts in their fields for enlightening lectures—and a plethora of trivia knowledge—alongside stunning imagery and behind-the-scenes stories. Next up, archaeologist Lisa Briggs dives deep into pirates that shaped the Roman Empire, Asia, and beyond.  

Chef Meghan Morrill, the 118-acre Woodinville estate’s executive chef, will act both as instructor and creative mastermind behind a seasonal meal. The family-style dinner wouldn’t be complete without the locale’s requisite wine; an expert educator will pair glasses and provide insights into the pours. 

Culinary literary house Book Larder teams up with author Arnold Myint for a four-course dinner inspired by his Thai recipes—and their infusion with Nashville’s Southern flair. The menu boasts mashups like elote smothered with red curry butter and bacon krapao tacos for a truly unique plate.