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Jump to: Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Multi-Day

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FRIDAY

FILM

Burden of Dreams Past Event Like List
I have been emotionally preparing for the death of Werner Herzog for the last decade, because I'm a little afraid to live in a world without the man who coined the term "the poet must not avert his eyes" when discussing trash television. He also openly talks shit about chickens. Oh, and his insight into extremity, sublimity, and the human condition makes him perhaps our most obsessive modern philosopher. What's not to love?! Well, one small thing—his film sets were often dangerous, and Fitzcarraldo even led to injuries and deaths. Les Blank's '82 documentary Burden of Dreams digs into the madness of that particular production, highlighting Herzog's kinda-sorta bonkers approach (he insisted on hauling a 320-ton steamboat over a mountain, for example). LC
(SIFF Film Center, Uptown)

Movies at the Mural Past Event Like List
Every Friday this summer, starting July 26 through August 23, the Seattle Center is hosting outdoor movie screenings at the Mural Amphitheatre. Bring your blankets or low-back lawn chairs for The Princess Bride, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Dune (1984), The Color Purple (2023), and my personal highlight, Singles. Watching Matt Dillon’s grunge frontman character Cliff Poncier explain the fictional song “Touch Me I’m Dick” to a music journalist while Alice in Chains play at a fictional nightclub on a 40-foot screen under the Space Needle? Doesn’t get much more Seattle than that. STRANGER ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR MEGAN SELING
(Mural Amphitheatre, Uptown)

LIVE MUSIC

DRAMA Past Event Like List
Downtown Summer Sounds is a Seattle tradition that hosts musical talent across various downtown parks. This week, the series continues with a performance from Chicago-based R&B duo DRAMA. Across their decade-plus as a band, the pair have released two albums of catchy electronic-infused tunes that they describe as "happy sad music." AV
(Westlake Park, Downtown)

South Lake Union Block Party Past Event Like List
Every year, South Lake Union throws a free, all-ages party featuring diverse musical performances from local bands. This year, partiers will be treated to performances by Tomo Nakayama, Nite Wave, Thief Motif, and more. Food trucks, a beer garden, lawn games, art activations from the Gage Academy of Art and Cornish College of the Arts, and booths from local community businesses and organizations will add to the party atmosphere. SL
(South Lake Union Discovery Center, South Lake Union)

SATURDAY

COMMUNITY

2024 Summer Park Pop Up Past Event Like List
Head to this dance and music pop-up in University Heights after hitting the University District farmers market on Saturday morning for performances by Double Dutch Divas, Tlalokan Danza Anahuac, Groove Nation Band, and Neon Brass Party, among several other multi-genre creatives. The free, fam-friendly arts fest will also introduce attendees to local organizations, and you'll find free food options, too. LC
(University Heights, University District)

WHAT’S GOOD?!: The Hillman City Block Party Past Event Like List
You'll find Hillman City conveniently nestled between the Columbia City and Othello light rail stops, so there’s really no excuse not to visit. The neighborhood’s first-ever summer block party features live performances from songstress Josephine Howell, award-winning trombonist Freddy Fuego, the Seattle Steel Pan Project, Jazz Night School, and more. You can get your groove on at the East African Dance Party, check out linocut printmaking workshops at Lucky Rabbet, and take a tour of Seattle's historic Black & Tan Hall. Face painting and double Dutch will keep the kiddos occupied, and two beer gardens will keep the adults happy. SL
(Various locations, Hillman City)

FESTIVALS

Glass Fest Northwest Past Event Like List
Glass Fest Northwest is a solid reason to make the drive down to Tacoma—Pacific Northwestern art takes center stage at the all-day fest, which brings together local artisans, a live glassmaking demonstration by visiting artist Raven Skyriver, and musical performances, plus free admission to the Museum of Glass. While you're in town, swing over to the Washington State History Museum for the IN THE SPIRIT Arts Market and Northwest Native Festival, which will celebrate contemporary Native American artwork with more live tunes, cultural vendors, and a fashion show. LC
(Museum of Glass, Tacoma)

IN THE SPIRIT Arts Market and Northwest Native Festival Past Event Like List
The Washington State History Museum’s annual summer show celebrating contemporary Native American artwork from the Pacific Northwest and beyond is back. Shop from over 30 Native vendors on the plaza, check out a fashion show, and stomp your feet to local live music; you'll also be able to explore this year's exhibition and vote for the People’s Choice Award winner. Hosted in collaboration with the Tacoma Art Museum and Museum of Glass, this community event includes free admission to all three points of interest and access to Glass Fest Northwest just across the street. SL
(Washington State History Museum, Tacoma)

19th International Sea Glass Festival Past Event Like List
If there's one thing we can virtually all agree upon, it's that sea glass looks cool, even if it's technically bad for the environment. And since there is an organization for damn near everything, the International Sea Glass Association (ISGA) will head to Fisher Pavilion for its 19th International Sea Glass Festival. You'll see "exquisite sea glass creations crafted by talented artists," plus washed-ashore bottles, toys, pottery shards, and more. This deeply appeals to the voracious scavenger and collector in me, but it's for a good cause, too: The ISGA advocates for the preservation and restoration of global waterways and coastlines. LC
(Fisher Pavilion, Uptown)

FILM

C-ID Summer Cinema Past Event Like List
C-ID Summer Cinema, the Seattle Asian American Film Festival’s free, family-friendly outdoor movie series, returns to Hing Hay Park. You’ll find live music, face painting, and popcorn before the movie each week. Don't forget to grab some delicious Asian food from surrounding C-ID businesses before or after the screening. Bring a chair or a blanket and get ready for some fun films! SL
(Hing Hay Park, Chinatown-International District)

Movies by The Tower 2024 Past Event Like List
Who better to advise you on what to watch this summer than Scarecrow Video, the physical media mainstay organization with a video collection that exceeds 130,000 titles?! They know what they're talking about, people. Their film series, co-organized with the Maple Leaf Community Council, will serve up screenings on a "Women (and Girls) Saving the Day" theme this year. The series starts with Ava DuVernay’s fantastical adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time at Maple Leaf Reservoir Park on August 10. Moviegoers can pop up early to set up their chairs and blankets, grab beers, and take some guesses at trivia. LC
(Maple Leaf Reservoir Park, Northeast Seattle)

FOOD & DRINK

Laina's Ice Cream Social Past Event Like List
Happy ice cream season to all who celebrate! The small-batch, family-owned neighborhood ice cream shop Laina's Ice Cream is run out of the Stonehouse Cafe and offers unique flavors such as sweet corn, ube, and lilikoi. Throughout the spring and summer, they'll make the most of the warm weather with ice cream socials, featuring limited-time flavors and discounts on pints and single servings. It's right by Rainier Beach, so secure your scoops and then enjoy them while gazing out over the waterfront. JB
(The Stonehouse Cafe, Rainier Beach)

Mercadito Mamnooncita Past Event Like List
Want to avail yourself of excellent food from immigrant-owned businesses in one convenient spot while also supporting a worthy cause? The mama restaurant group's Lebanese-Mexican fusion spot Mamnooncita will host this market pop-up with music, vendors, and food from Jose Garzon of the takeout sandwich kitchen Bad Chancla, Sara Upshaw of the Korean spot Ohsun Banchan, and Mehdi Boujrada of the Moroccan and Levantine pantry product line Villa Jerada. The chefs will collaborate on dishes like tacos and rice bowls. Plus, a portion of proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Northwest Immigrant’s Rights Project's mission to provide legal aid to immigrants. JB
(Mamnooncita, South Lake Union)

LIVE MUSIC

Lusio Pop-Up: Raica, WNDFRM and Cam Macnair Past Event Like List
Multimedia artist Mollie Bryan (aka Mokedo) will take over the Chapel Performance Space for an evening of envigorating visuals. Mokedo works with ethereal elements of light, color, and nature to envelop the viewer in "pure joy and wonder." Electronic musicians Raica, wndfrm, and Cam Macnair will soundtrack the evening with soothing, blissful sounds to match. AV
(Good Shepherd Center, Wallingford)

SHOPPING

MRKT 24 | A Capitol Hill Market Past Event Like List
Dad hats, crystals, and plants, oh my! Head to the east edge of Cal Anderson this Saturday to check out a new pop-up vintage market. You can grab free drinks from Guayaki and Polar and peruse clothing, home goods, jewelry, and more from 150 vendors. MRKT 24 advertises retailers from all across the state, including 4AM Spokane and their massive fill-a-bag sale; I'm hoping it's less intense than the ones I've seen on TikTok. SL
(Cal Anderson Park, Capitol Hill)

Saturday Night Markets Past Event Like List
Taking a dip off Madrona Park Beach into Lake Washington sounds ideal in this heat wave (you could even bare it all at nearby Denny Blaine). While you're drying off or killing time before sunset, head over to local salon and event space Rock Paper Scissors to check out their new night market series. There will be local vendors, tasty treats, and tunes from DJ Tai Lander. Past markets have featured handcrafted candles, art prints, and vintage threads. SL
(Rock Paper Scissors, Madrona)

VISUAL ART

Yes, And: Photographic Center Northwest Past Event Like List
Planned in partnership with Photographic Center Northwest (PCNW) as part of their Agent for Change series, this workshop (staged in the Frye's galleries) will explore the Manila-born conceptual artist Stephanie Syjuco's solo exhibition, After/Images. Associate Curator Georgia Erger will chat about the show's dominant themes before participants relocate to PCNW, where teaching artist Elizabeth Vasquez Hein will lead a photo collage session. Expect to explore ancestral inheritance, familial archives, generational trauma, and racialized and erased histories—BIPOC artists are especially encouraged to participate. LC
(Frye Art Museum, First Hill)

SUNDAY

COMMUNITY

Summer at SAM Past Event Like List
Seattle Art Museum's summer-long series of free visual art, music, and community offerings will come to life at Olympic Sculpture Park again this year. On Thursday nights, attendees can expect live music and art activities, while Sunday mornings will serve up movement classes and guided tours of the park's sculptures. The festivities continue on August 11 with an hour-long vinyasa flow, followed by a Hawaiian surface design workshop, a native plant identification session, Zumba, and a guitar performance by the Seattle-based musician Tim Bertsch. LC
(Olympic Sculpture Park, Belltown)

FILM

3 Women Past Event Like List
Robert Altman's 3 Women lent a mystical, dreamlike edge to 1970s New Hollywood cinema, and it's also one of my favorite films of all time. Starring young Shelly Duvall and Sissy Spacek, the film revolves around a love that teeters on obsession. The psychodrama's isolating effect is heightened by its setting within the washed-out, surreal desert of Southern California. I can think of few better ways to celebrate Duvall's memory than with this film, which spotlights her unparalleled artistic connection with Altman. LC
(Grand Illusion, University District)

Shadowland Past Event Like List
There's really nothing like the dreamy, emotional territories of director Fritz Lang to make you forget your Sunday scaries. You might've already seen the German Expressionist filmmaker's sci-fi masterwork Metropolis, which Roger Ebert called "one of the great achievements of the silent era," but this Sunday afternoon screening series introduces viewers to his other gold-standard films. On August 10, the Beacon will screen Hangmen Also Die!, which earns bonus points from me for sounding like the name of an emo band. The shadowy thriller, set in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, was inspired by the real-life assassination of "Hangman of Prague" Reinhard Heydrich by Czech resistance operatives. Your job doesn't seem so rough now, does it? LC
(The Beacon, Columbia City)

LIVE MUSIC

St. Yuma, Fine Arts, and Cooper Stoulil Past Event Like List
St. Yuma is the project of singer-songwriter Stevan Alva who—whether playing solo or with a band—always aims to "evoke emotional depth through music and sonic exploration." Alva's latest release Country Sleight of Hand draws inspiration from the passing of his father, tackling the intricacies of death, love, and uncertainty. He will stop by the Sunset Tavern to support the album alongside retro pop ensemble Fine Arts and indie folk artist Cooper Stoulil. AV
(Sunset Tavern, Ballard)

SHOPPING

PCNW’s Photo Zine & Book Fair Past Event Like List
Photo nerds unite! The Photographic Center Northwest will host its third annual Photo Zine and Book Fair, where more than 40 exhibitors will set up shop to sell their photo books, zines, and prints. Some are handmade, some are professionally printed and bound, and all showcase the boundless potential of photography as an art form. STRANGER ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR MEGAN SELING 
(Photographic Center Northwest, Capitol Hill)

MULTI-DAY

COMMUNITY

West Seattle Glass Float Hunt Past Event Like List
Getting to West Seattle already feels like a bit of a scavenger hunt, so why not do an actual one that will yield prizes? Starting August 1st, glass floats will be (gently) scattered around the neighborhood for lucky searchers to find—and keep! The glass spheres are hand blown by Avalon Glassworks and will be hidden out in nature and at local businesses. Now in its third year, organizers promise the hunt will be bigger and better than ever. SL
(Various locations, West Seattle, Friday–Sunday)

EXHIBIT

Being Present: PCNW’s 26th Juried Photography Exhibition Past Event Like List
At Photographic Center Northwest's yearly juried exhibition, artists from around the world (including Seattle-based photogs) showcase snapshots that reflect our current moment. This year's juror, G. Gibson Projects art dealer and owner Gail Gibson, has selected 48 of the best works from the open call's overwhelming 2,600 entries. Expect a thought-provoking mix of "intimate portraits, sweeping landscapes, abstract compositions, and documentary narratives." (I'm partial to Andy Reynolds' Raccoon in Cabin.) LC
(Photographic Center Northwest, Capitol Hill, Friday–Sunday)

FESTIVALS

Flock Fiber Festival Past Event Like List
As an obsessive knitter, I am beyond giddy to attend Flock Fiber Festival, which could be considered the Coachella of the Pacific Northwest fiber arts scene. Knitters, crocheters, weavers, and other fiber artists from far and wide congregate at this annual yarn show to caress and coo over gorgeous skeins from a variety of vendors. There's also a full lineup of panels, discussions, and workshops, ranging from stretch breaks to colorwork classes to talks on ableism, neurodivergence, and size inclusivity in the crafting community. I'm hyped to check out niche knitting micro-celebrity Aimée Gille's Paris-based yarn brand La Bien Aimée, a Chappell Roan-themed yarn series from colorful indie dyer Superglo Fiber, the witchy Portland-based business Ritual Dyes, Bellingham's yarn-world-famous "sheep-to-skein" spinners Spincycle Yarns, Montana-based producer The Farmer's Daughter Fibers, and so much more. Stock up on supplies for some fun, cozy projects to see you through the Seattle fall and winter. JB
(Seattle Convention Center, Downtown, Saturday–Sunday)

FILM

Center City Cinema Past Event Like List
Seattle Parks and Recreation presents this summer series of much-loved film screenings under the stars, with pre-movie activities kicking off around 6 or 7 pm and each film beginning at dusk. The series continues this weekend with Gen X's fave postmodern rom-com Reality Bites at Freeway Park on August 9, followed by Raya and the Last Dragon, which features this cute thing, at Hing Hay Park on August 10. LC
(Various locations, Friday–Saturday)

Seattle Arab Film Festival 2024 Past Event Like List
Emerging and established Arab filmmakers are front and center in this two-day festival, which will return in its fifth iteration with another selection of compelling short films. I think you should see 'em all, but themed screenings allow festival-goers to choose what interests them. The "Parallel Time" and "A Place Without A Door" sections were inspired by the late Palestinian author Walid Daqqa, balancing themes of gender roles, sexual desires, estrangement, and gatekeeping. SAFF will also feature films labeled "Made in Palestine" to "address the horrifying injustices that continue to be inflicted on Palestinians in Gaza," including award-winners An Orange from Jaffa and The Key. LC
(Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill, Saturday–Sunday)

Un Bouquet de Breillat Past Event Like List
Catherine Breillat's filmmaking approach is very, well, French—she often seeks to illuminate the taboo in provocative explorations of desire, violence, and women's psychology. Grand Illusion's celebration of the controversy queen spans every decade of her directing career, including screenings of brand-new 4K restorations (A Real Young Girl, 36 Fillette, and PerfectLove) and Janus Films' 35mm print of my favorite Breillat, the abrupt and rattling 2001 film Fat Girl. LC
(Grand Illusion, University District, Friday–Sunday)

Vashon Island Film Festival Past Event Like List
Head to Vashon Island for a jam-packed weekend of feature films and shorts causing a buzz on the festival circuit, plus live tunes and lots of networking and connection opportunities with fellow cinephiles. Presented by the nonprofit Vashon Film Institute (VFI), the Vashon Island Film Festival aims to foster independent filmmaking in the Pacific Northwest. I'm looking forward to the mind-melting multigenre flick Fluxx, which left last year's Egypt International Film Festival with awards for Best International Film, Best International Director, and Best Actress. LC
(Vashon Theatre, Vashon, Friday–Sunday)

FOOD & DRINK

El Sueñito Brewing Grand Opening Past Event Like List
Since opening in 2015, the queer-owned, Mexican-owned community-focused Frelard Tamales has won over Seattle with its lovingly handcrafted tamales, made from a family recipe with top-notch ingredients. Last year, co-owners Osbaldo Hernandez and Dennis Ramey debuted a Bellingham outpost along with El Sueñito Brewing Company—Washington's first Mexican and gay-owned brewery. "Sueñito" means "little dream" in Spanish, representing the realization of the couple's longtime dream to open a brewery. Excitingly for us Seattleites, they're now opening a joint Frelard Tamales and El Sueñito location in Fremont and will be celebrating their grand opening this weekend with tons of tamales, tacos, and cold beer. I'm not ordinarily a beer girlie, but even I can get excited about brews like Un Poco Gay (a hazy IPA with "notes of passionfruit, guava, and grapefruit") and Banana Bear (a take on a German Hefeweizen with "hazy appearance and a signature clove and banana aroma"). JB
(El Sueñito Brewing, Fremont, Friday–Sunday)

Li'l Woody's Seafood Month Past Event Like List
If you couldn't get enough of Li'l Woody's Burger Month, in which the local fast-food chain offers new burger specials created in collaboration with local chefs each week, get ready for their Seafood Month. This version gives the Burger Month format a fishy spin, with exclusive sandwich creations inspired by the bounty of the sea. This week's specials is the "Saucy Li'l Devil" (panko-breaded fried rockfish, deviled Spam tartar sauce, and slaw on a Li'l Woody’s bun) from Kamala Saxton and Roz Edison of Marination. JB
(Li'l Woody's, Capitol Hill, Friday–Sunday)

National S'mores Day @ Theo Chocolate Past Event Like List
The Fremont-based chocolatier Theo Chocolate is celebrating National S'mores Day all weekend with custom made-to-order s'mores, special flavors of their famed Big Daddy marshmallow bars, discounts and offers, and a s'mores-themed selfie station. Plus, the staff will create the biggest of Big Daddies (fittingly dubbed the "Mega Daddy")—guess how much it weighs for a chance to win delicious prizes. A dollar from every s’more and specialty flavor Big Daddy purchased will be donated to FareStart. JB
(Theo Chocolate, Fremont, Saturday–Sunday)

Rosé Month Past Event Like List
Happy rosé season to those who celebrate! Whatever your thoughts on the ubiquitous blush beverage, it's hard to imagine a drink better suited for summer. Throughout the month, the farm-to-table pop-up-turned-restaurant Three Sacks Full will offer a weekly rotation of rosé specials by the glass, culminating in a special rosé dinner on August 28. (Co-owner Matthew Curtis is a licensed sommelier, so you can expect some well-curated picks.) JB
(Three Sacks Full, Roosevelt, Friday–Sunday)

OUTDOORS

Cedar River Salmon Journey with the Seattle Aquarium Past Event Like List
Thanks to the tireless efforts of countless ecological stewards, Washington’s salmon population is slooooowly rebounding, and you can learn all about how these humble fish support our entire ecosystem at a family-friendly gathering by the Ballard Locks. Salmon may look like slippery little weirdos, but their whole lives are fascinating quests rivaling those of the most intrepid adventurers. And here in Seattle, we’re fortunate to be able to cheer them along on their journey—one that helps keep countless other species from dropping off the face of the Earth. The Salmon Journey gatherings are hosted by trained naturalists on Saturdays from July to September; you’ll learn how to spot a spawning salmon, about their surprisingly epic exploits, and the cruel enemy threatening to wipe them out. (Shocking twist: It’s people!) FORMER STRANGER STAFF WRITER MATT BAUME
(Ballard Locks, Ballard, Saturday–Sunday)

PERFORMANCE

GreenStage Presents FREE Shakespeare in the Park Past Event Like List
Throw on your old-timey feathered caps and get thee to a nunnery—or maybe just head outdoors for GreenStage's always-free Shakespeare in the Park, which returns for its 36th season this year. They'll offer up productions of the Bard's Henry VI—Parts Two and Three and familiar rom-com Twelfth Night, plus some scaled-back "Backyard Bard" one-hour shows, including "problem play" All's Well That Ends Well, at parks across Seattle. Peep their calendar for performance times and locations. LC
(Various locations, Friday–Sunday)

VISUAL ART

Andrea Dezsö: Storytelling Past Event Like List
I wasn't previously familiar with artist Andrea Dezsö's work, but I've quickly become a fan: Dezsö's detailed pochoir stenciling techniques, charming birch-carved designs, embroidered musings, and pyrovitreography reveal an artist who fears no medium. Her work also feels distinctly more bouba than kiki. I'm in love with the weird little guys populating her compositions, and I want to know all about their folktale-informed world, which also grapples with "women’s roles, authoritarianism, family, ideological and societal influence on the individual, relationships with nature, and the body." You'll probably dig it, too. LC
(Traver Gallery, Downtown, Friday–Saturday)

David Hytone: Rest/Less, Less/Rest Past Event Like List
In Rest/Less, Less/Rest, Tacoma-born painter David Hytone renders complicated scenes in acrylic and on Okowara paper, a thick, fibrous Japanese handmade paper made of kozo and sulphite pulp. The solo exhibition feels rife with symbolism—titles like The Bureau of Hypnagogia Human Resources Department Would Like a Word and Three Seventeen AM in the Arms of Saint Dymphna feel like glimpses into the artist's dreamscape. "I am interested in the intersection between specificity and approximation, particularly how this relationship informs our perception of the world around us and the role memory plays in that interface," the artist explained in a recent bio. That sense of interplay reveals itself in Rest/Less, Less/Rest; moments of heavy detailing are found among floating heads and abstracted forms. LC
(Greg Kucera Gallery, Pioneer Square, Friday–Saturday)

( ((elapse)) ) Past Event Like List
Research-based multimedia artist Lauren Ruiz and Washington-based poet/novelist Ocean probe the depths of "horological decay, compression, sempiternity, and aqueous time" in this multimedia, speculative fiction-inspired installation, which blends video and sculptural pieces with text-based works. Not sure what "horological decay" or "sempiternity" means? That's okay—just imagine you're exploring the artworks in ( ((elapse)) ) from aboard a subterranean research vessel. LC
(The Vestibule, Ballard, Friday–Saturday; closing)

Lino Tagliapietra: Maestro, Mentore Past Event Like List
If you're in the mood to see transparent art created by melting raw materials like sand, soda ash, and limestone at a high temperature—aka glass—you might have your eye on Glass Fest Northwest this weekend. ut if Tacoma is too far of a trek, Lino Tagliapietra: Maestro, Mentore is a killer alternative. The show welcomes the legendary Venetian glassblower, maestro Lino Tagliapietra, to exhibit works alongside his team members, Nancy Callan, Jen Elek, John Kiley, Dante Marioni, and Dave Walters, for an exhibition that "tell[s] a story of artistic mentorship and mutual reverence." The team's sense of pattern and angular forms is dizzying to behold. LC
(Traver Gallery, Downtown, Friday–Saturday)

Summer Flow Past Event Like List
Woman-run gallery Koplin Del Rio gets it right again with Summer Flow, a group exhibition that serves as a solid window into the space's 42-year history. The anniversary show is a "revolving door," displaying a rotation of artists and artworks informed by the gallery's "whims, mood, and atmosphere." Stop by to see pieces by some of the many artists affiliated with the gallery; it's a well-rounded way to anticipate the aesthetics you'll see in the space in fall, winter, and beyond. LC
(Koplin Del Rio Gallery, Georgetown, Friday–Saturday; closing)