This weekend brings all sorts of ways to get a dose of Seattle arts and culture without ponying up all your cash, ranging from not one Past Event Like List but two Past Event Like List drive-in plays with Dacha Theatre to Mance Engine's The Gifts of Distraction Past Event Like List and other gallery openings coinciding with the Seattle Deconstructed Art Fair Past Event Like List , and from the In the Spirit Arts Market & Northwest Native Festival Past Event Like List to SIFF's cINeDIGENOUS Summer Film & Drive-In Series Past Event Like List . As always, you can also scroll through our top picks for the week Like List , the best movies to watch Like List online and in theaters, and the best things to do all month long Like List .
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FRIDAY
COMMUNITY
From Hiroshima to Hope
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This ceremony will honor war victims on the anniversary of the 1945 U.S. nuclear attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by floating candle-lit lanterns down the lake "to guide the spirits of ancestors back to the other world."
Green Lake Park (free)
MUSIC
Dreamspeak, The I.R.S. (REM Tribute) & Common Law Cabin at the Funhouse
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Proudly declaring themselves a "prototypical jam band of the 1980's," Seattle's Dreamscape will lead off a night of rock from a few decades back with support from R.E.M. tribute band I.R.S. and Common Law Cabin.
The Funhouse, Belltown ($8)
Jim O'Halloran Trio
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Whether you considered this Afro-Caribbean jazz trio's casual concerts a weekday tradition in pre-pandemic times or you've never seen them before, get yourself to Columbia City for tasty Ethiopian food and live tunes.
Kezira Cafe, Rainier Valley (free)
Swindler, The High Seagrass
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Fusing jazz, soul, funk, and blues into a sonic monstrosity, Swindler will soundtrack the Nectar stage at its grand opening, along with a set by local bluegrass band The High Seagrass.
Nectar, Fremont ($10)
PERFORMANCE
Dacha Theatre's Dears in Headlights
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Live acting takes on the drive-in-movie format with Dacha Theatre's love letter to classic cinema, which combines "pastiche, clowning, vignettes, and physical theatre" for a lively outdoor viewing experience, with or without cars.
Various locations (pay what you can)
Dacha Theatre's Star Play
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The same deal goes for this play. Billed as a "wondrous, galaxy-sized adventure for all ages," it follows Pleione, the seventh brightest Pleiades sister, as she charts a course through the Milky Way to save the red giant Betelgeuse from going supernova.
Various locations (pay what you can)
FRIDAY-SATURDAY
FILM
cINeDIGENOUS Summer Film & Drive-In Series
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Together with U.S.-based Indigenous rights nonprofit Nia Tero, SIFF presents two weekends of free drive-in screenings centering Indigenous-made films from around the world.
Various locations (free)
Movies at the Mural
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Stretch out on the lawn and enjoy new and old film favorites like The Farewell (Friday), Strictly Ballroom (Saturday), and more.
Mural Amphitheatre, Seattle Center (free)
PERFORMANCE
Theatre22 Presents: Alice in Wonderland
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Starting in present-day Seattle, Julie Beckman's adaptation of Alice in Wonderland follows its curious heroine as she hops down the proverbial rabbit hole into a blur of space and time. "Expanding on the iconic characters, the script combines a powerhouse cast, imaginative visuals, and a handful of puppets with a bit of edgy blues, 60's rock, and a splash of Mardi Gras," writes Theatre 22. "Add a twist of TikTok and a drag queen facing off with a narcissistic dictator and you'll find a perfect summer cocktail."
Volunteer Park, Capitol Hill (free)
VISUAL ART
Contemporary Northwest Print Invitational 2021
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There are bound to be many treasures at this showcase of contemporary fine art prints and works on paper at Davidson and Seattle Print Arts' invitational fair, featuring pieces by 67 artists.
Davidson Galleries, Pioneer Square (free; opening)
In here
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Have you ever noticed how a room gradually takes on different characteristics as you spend more time in it? This group show explores our subjective experiences of spaces with work by Molly Magai, Tessa O’Brien, Emil Robinson, Gail Spaien, and Jay Stern.
Studio e, Pioneer Square (free; opening)
Mance Engine: Gifts of Distraction
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It's natural to want to scrape hidden meanings from works of art, but this series challenges the viewer to take the sculptural curiosities, assemblages, modified ready-mades, and collages at face value.
BONFIRE, Pioneer Square (free; opening)
Northwest Artists: Mid-20th Century
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Works by Paul Horiuchi, Helmi Dagmar Juvonen, and others comprise a sampling of art from the era of the Northwest School.
Davidson Galleries, Pioneer Square (free; opening)
Seoul Kim: Hand-Colored Etchings
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Seoul Kim's playful yet dark prints explore our attachment to objects and the paradoxical feelings of emptiness that can come with surrounding ourselves with stuff.
Davidson Galleries, Pioneer Square (free; opening)
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
COMMUNITY
Green Lake and Wallingford Improvement Party
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Thanks to your tax dollars through the Levy to Move Seattle initiative, the Seattle Department of Transportation has rolled out some sweet improvements in Green Lake and Wallingford. Head to their week-long opening event to be the first to enjoy new bike paths (they'll even have an inaugural bike ride/run/stroll along the new two-lane paths going from the Woodland Park Zoo to Green Lake Way North), freshly paved walking paths, and shiny new traffic stops (less recreational, but exciting nonetheless).
Various locations (free)
PERFORMANCE
GreenStage's Shakespeare in the Park
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Laying out a spread of one's favorite snacks and swatting away gnats as players belt familiar verses of iambic pentameter across a park lawn never gets old. GreenStage's free Shakespeare in the Park series returns this year with productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.
Various locations (free)
VISUAL ART
In the Backspace: Holding Pattern by Forest Perrine
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Forrest Perrine makes his SOIL member debut is a "waiting room dedicated to the people and things that help us in the waiting," as the gallery puts it. "The fleeting eye contact and head nod in an otherwise empty elevator, radio pledge drives on a crawling highway, a magazine article detailing famous people making sexy mistakes, a podcast of unsolved murder while cleaning dried teriyaki sauce, Bad Boys 2 seen at 10,000 feet in the middle seat, the meal dropped off by a friend when your body can’t swing it, the nurse spending a little extra time sitting to make sure the meds are working."
SOIL, Pioneer Square (free; opening)
Mineral Dive
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Through biomorphic sculptures, site-specific murals, and pencil drawings, respectively, Colleen RJC Bratton, Amie Cunat, and Drew Miller invent lively forms using imagery "once removed from its sources." In addition to the large works on display, the artists have also collaborated on a zine and posters to flip through.
SOIL, Pioneer Square (free; opening)
Seattle Deconstructed Art Fair
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Over 40 galleries are coming together for the second iteration of the Seattle Deconstructed Art Fair, which will take place across the city all month long. You can filter your experience by venue, or you can check out SDAA-hosted events, like an opening reception for Mance Engine's Gifts of Distraction at Bonfire Gallery (Wed Aug 4), a Summer Exhibition Celebration at CoCA (Thurs Aug 5), and a Make Your Own Icarus workshop at AMcE Creative Arts (Sat Aug 7).
Various locations (free)
SATURDAY
COMEDY
Just a Phase: A QT/POC Comedy Show
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For this edition of the local stand-up showcase that features local up-and-comers who are traditionally underrepresented in comedy, enjoy sets from Monisa Brown, Andy Iwancio, Lucy Tollefson, J. Jones, Stephanie Nam, and host Aaron Mack.
Big Time Brewery & Taphouse (pay what you can)
Skylark Comedy Night
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Join host Reid Clark for a night of stand-up comedy with Kate Carlson Carlsen, Travis Sherer, Bernice Jing Ye, Amy Phillips, Kyle Kordsmeier, Janice Fox, Robb Constantine, and Steven Mays.
Skylark Cafe & Club, West Seattle ($10+)
COMMUNITY
Duwamish River Festival
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Learn about the Duwamish River and how to protect it at this Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition-sponsored event. There will also be interactive booths, boat tours, live music, entertainment, and free food.
South Park Plaza (free)
Umoja Day of Unity Parade & March
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The organizers of Umoja Fest, an annual celebration of Black diaspora culture in the Northwest, will celebrate with a march and parade from the Central District to Jimi Hendrix Park. They promise drill and dance teams, speakers, kids' activities, and more all-ages fun.
23rd & Union, Central District (free)
FILM
Black Summer Camp
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Join Sankofa Film Society every Saturday for outdoor screenings of movies centering the Black American experience, including tonight's Daughters of the Dust. “Some of these films are campy, some of these films are silly, some of these films pack a punch, but all of these films are about the Black experience,” writes Sankofa co-founder Karen Toering. “We just picked the films we love. The films we know that afterwards—or even during—folks will want to talk about.” They have a popcorn machine, but viewers are welcome to bring takeout from nearby restaurants.
El Centro de la Raza, Beacon Hill (free)
MUSIC
Glass Beaches, City Of Pines, Tim Mechling
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Bluesy indie-folk outfit Glass Beaches will headline after rockers City Of Pines and Tim Mechling.
Tim's Tavern, Greenwood ($10)
Rainier Valley's all-ages Jazz Night School will treat denizens of Columbia City to donation-based performances outside of neighborhood businesses.
Geraldine's Counter, Columbia City (free)
DJ Paco will juice the sweetly ripened fruit of nostalgia with a night of hip-hop classics from the '90s and early aughts.
Lo-Fi Performance Center, Eastlake ($10)
R.C.K., Javelin, Sweet Creature
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Get into some '70s-inspire punk from R.C.K. right after sets from Javelin and Sweet Creature.
Lucky Liquor, Tukwila ($10)
PERFORMANCE
Back in the Saddle
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Local drag queen Beau Degas is back on the scene, but first she needs to be rescued from the healing crystal pyramid scheme she was sucked into over quarantine. Watch in wonder as she claws her way back to reality through the power of dance, drama, and drag, with the help of Hot Pink Shade, Dion Dior Black, Killer Bunny, Bitch Hazel, and Strawberry Shartcake.
Kremwerk, Belltown ($10)
SHOPPING
In the Spirit Arts Market & Northwest Native Festival
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For thousands of years, the Pacific Northwest has been home to dozens of indigenous tribes and nations whose distinctive cultural traditions have persisted despite centuries of suppression. This year, the Tacoma Art Museum will produce this free, family-friendly community festival featuring singing, dancing, storytelling, food, a Native arts market, carving and drum-making demonstrations, and a Native designer fashion show. It's a great opportunity to directly support indigenous artists and come face-to-face with people carrying forward the ancient creative and spiritual traditions of the land we live on.
Tacoma Art Museum (free)
SATURDAY-SUNDAY
SHOPPING
Urban Craft Uprising: Tacoma Summer Fest
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Urban Craft Uprising's annual Spring Fest has been rescheduled for summer, bringing handmade goods from over 75 local vendors—plus games and food trucks—to the Point Ruston waterfront.
Point Ruston, Tacoma (free)
SUNDAY
FOOD & DRINK
S'mores Day at Theo Chocolate
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Theo Chocolate's homemade s'mores put the "glam" in glamping. Gobble a freshly toasted campfire treat and stick around for games, music, a s'more-themed photo booth, and free samples of other confections. Vegan marshmallows and gluten-free grahams will also be available.
Theo Chocolate, Fremont ($5 per s'more)
MUSIC
Ricky Gene Powell & Deadgrass
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Celebrate Nectar's return by blissing out to your favorite Grateful Dead tunes, courtesy of Ricky Gene Powell.
Nectar, Fremont ($10+)
Vera on YR Block
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The Vera Project is teaming up with Friends of Waterfront Seattle for an eight-week music series centering up-and-coming artists from the PNW (like Supercoze), plus pop-up programs like screenprinting, civic engagement opportunities, and more.
Pier 62, Downtown (free)
SHOPPING
Basement Bazaar: A We Are Witchy Event
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Moving from its original locale at Dino's, this market will welcome witchy artists, artisans, and DJs to Fremont's appropriately dim Bar House for your shopping, dancing, and mingling pleasure.
Bar House, Fremont (free)
