Seattle Events and Festivals

(Seattle, Washington - WA, USA)

Many of Seattle's festivals and events focus on live outdoor music, carnivals of food and thankful celebrations of the sunshine. As the summer months are usually the only respite from the rainy weather, most festivities in Seattle tend to be held during this time. Scattered throughout the many parks, piers and various outdoor venues, a majority of Seattle's favorite events are free to the public.

Seattle's extensive tourist information centers offer useful sources for current events and festivals in Seattle and the Washington area. Many of the events and festivals in Seattle attract vast crowds of participants and spectators, providing visitors with a wide range of things to see and do whilst staying in the exciting city of Seattle.

National Public Holidays

• 1st January - New Year's Day
• Third Monday in January - Martin Luther King Day
• 12th February - Lincoln's Birthday
• Third Monday in February - Washington's Birthday
• Last Monday in May - Memorial Day
• 4th July - Independence Day
• First Monday in September - Labor Day
• Second Monday in October - Columbus Day
• 11th November - Veterans Day
• 4th Thursday in November - Thanksgiving
• 25th December - Christmas Day

Seattle Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Seattle Boat Show - January, a popular event showcasing over 1,500 boat related exhibits and various marine related equipment
• Seattle Chamber Music Society Winter Festival - mid-January, presenting world-class chamber music in casual settings

February

• Northwest Garden Show - February, exquisite gardens recreated inside the Convention Center
• The Golden Ear Awards - early February, celebrating the accomplishments of longtime Seattle jazz artists and marking the induction of new members into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame
• Seattle Improvised Music Festival - February, the longest running improvised showcase celebrating musicians dedicated to playing free form music

March

• No significant festivals in March in Seattle

April

• Seattle Men's Chorus Concerts - April, May and December, featuring full scale productions with the largest gay men's chorus in the world

May

• Northwest Folklife Festival - late May, celebrating traditional arts of North America with four days of world music, international dance performances, folklore exhibits, music workshops, crafts and a surplus of food stalls
• Seattle International Film Festival - May to June, showcases over 170 feature films and 100 short films from international directors
• Annual World Rhythm Festival - May, the largest free percussion festival in the world featuring over 80 artists showcasing international percussive arts and many participatory workshops
• Seattle Men's Chorus Concerts - April, May and December, featuring full scale productions with the largest gay men's chorus in the world

June

• Seattle International Film Festival - May to June, showcases over 170 feature films and 100 short films from international directors
• Summer Nights at the Pier - June to August, a concert series hosted on Seattle's waterfront featuring 20 nights of ranging musical styles by nationally recognized artists
• Zoo Tunes at Woodland Park Zoo - June to August, a family oriented event with international musicians playing music among the animals
• Seattle Peace Concerts - June to September, free summer park concert series featuring established Northwest musicians, held at various parks throughout the city
• Seattle International Dance Festival - Beyond the Threshold - held mid-June over ten days, this event is a celebration of contemporary dance

July

• Womad USA - July, music and dance from around the world, including many workshops
• Capitol Hill Block Party - July, a two-day non-profit event premiering the best of local bands, trendy fashion and underground art
• The Bite of Seattle - third weekend in July, a Seattle tradition featuring tastes of local and international fare
• Ballard Seafood Fest - end of July, offering freshly caught local fish and salmon specialties
• Pioneer Square Fire Festival - held at Occidental Square Park commemorating the Great Fire of 1889
• 
  
• The Taste of Tacoma - the last weekend in July, held at the Point Defiance Park and offering a great variety of foods and family activities
• Seafair - July to August, one of Seattle's largest events celebrates summer and sunshine with parades, art and music festivals. The Torchlight Parade, the US Navy Blue Angels air show and the Seafair Unlimited Hydroplane Race are the main events. As of 2013 the Summer Fourth an Independence Day fireworks display was added to the line up replacing the Family Fourth fireworks
• Zoo Tunes at Woodland Park Zoo - June to August, a family oriented event with international musicians playing music among the animals
• Summer Nights at the Pier - June to August, a concert series hosted on Seattle's waterfront featuring 20 nights of ranging musical styles by nationally recognized artists
• Seattle Peace Concerts - June to September, free summer park concert series featuring established Northwest musicians, held at various parks throughout the city
• Seattle Dragon Boat Festival Race - late July, August or September, first held in 2004 and based at the South Lake Union Park, raising funds for local charities with fun boat races, plenty of family activities and free admission

August

• Seafair - July to August
• Zoo Tunes at Woodland Park Zoo - June to August

September

• Bumbershoot - Labor Day weekend, September, one of the largest and liveliest multi-arts Seattle festivals held at the Seattle Center. Hundreds of local and internationally renowned bands, world dancers, theater, film, visual arts, comedy, literary arts, children's and street performances, as well as the Art Market, International Bazaar and Taste of Seattle
• Seattle Peace Concerts - June to September, free summer park concert series featuring established Northwest musicians, held at various parks throughout the city

October

• Annual Earshot Jazz Festival - October to November, a non-profit music and art festival featuring more than 55 events over 22 days with concerts, films, educational and outreach programs in venues all around Seattle
• Annual Legacy Luncheon - early October, a charity event hosted by the Providence Mount St. Vincent Foundation and featuring speakers, live music and plenty to eat

November

• Ballard Jazz Festival - mid-November, featuring national and local jazz ensembles in concert, club and educational venues
• Annual Earshot Jazz Festival - October to November, a non-profit music and art festival featuring more than 55 events over 22 days with concerts, films, educational and outreach programs in venues all around Seattle

December

• Seattle Men's Chorus Concerts - April, May and December, featuring full scale holiday related productions with the largest gay men's chorus in the world
• New Year's Eve Celebrations - December 31, annual firework display from atop Seattle's Space Needle and lively celebrations occuring throughout the city