Cheap & Easy

The Best Bang for Your Buck Events in Seattle This Weekend: June 2–4, 2023

Seattle Pride in the Park, Bite of Greece, and More Cheap & Easy Events Under $15
June 2, 2023
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Shoppers can score this limited-edition commemorative tote, which is not a ludicrously capacious bag, at Pike Place Market PDA's 50th Anniversary Celebration. (Pike Place Market via Facebook)
We want you to make the most of your precious weekend, which means not wasting a lot of time deciding what to do. To that end, we're suggesting the best, budget-friendly events around, from Seattle Pride in the Park to Pike Place Market PDA 50th Anniversary Celebration and from Bite of Greece Seattle to Plein Air Magnuson Park Paint Out and Festival. For more ideas, check out our top picks of the week.

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


FRIDAY

LIVE MUSIC

Terra Nobody, Asterhouse, and Kathy Moore Super Power Trio Past Event List
Billed as a "Black female-fronted, genre-bending, experimental alt-rock/indie-pop band," Seattle locals Terra Nobody balance seething angst with joyful empowerment on songs like "Inconsequential," and "Wicked Is The Woman." They will be joined by fellow alt-rockers Asterhouse and Kathy Moore Super Power Trio. AV
(Sunset Tavern, Ballard, $12)

The Rallies: Live In-Store Performance Past Event List
The Rallies are a Seattle-based quartet that combines equal parts jangly power pop, surfer harmonies, and beachy indie rock with a splash of Americana twang for your perfect summer soundtrack. They will stop by the long-running record shop for a free concert in honor of their new album, It Must Be Love⁠. Regardless of the artist, Easy Street's in-store performances are always a lot of fun for all ages. Plus, as a delicious bonus, Huskey Deli's homemade ice cream is only a few steps away! AV
(Easy Street Records, Junction, free)

PRIDE

White Center Pride & Future Primitive Queer Beer Release Party Past Event List
As former Stranger digital editor Chase Burns wrote in 2019, "After successfully gentrifying Capitol Hill and turning it into a bedroom community for Amazon elites, the gays have set their sights on White Center." In celebration of the beginning of the neighborhood's pride festivities, Future Primitive Brewing will release its annual Pride IPA, along with special limited-edition merch. The evening will feature DJ tunes and a lineup of singers and drag queens to kick off the month in fabulous style. JB (Future Primitive Brewing, White Center, free)

READINGS & TALKS

Conversion—Jos Charles, Sequoia Nagamatsu, Putsata Reang, Lucia Flores-Wiseman Past Event List
If you're anything like me, after the last few years, the idea of "rebirth" sounds pretty appealing. Hugo House seems to agree—this season's Hugo Literary Series draws on rebirth as a conceptual theme, inviting writers of all stripes to reflect on revival and resurgence through prose, poetry, and songs. In this session, novelist Sequoia Nagamatsu, local journalist Putsata Reang, singer-songwriter Lucia Flores-Wiseman, and trans poet and Pulitzer Prize finalist Jos Charles (a personal favorite of mine—just read this wild poem) will chat all things conversion, sharing new works based on the juicy sub-theme of changing and shape-shifting. LC
(Hugo House, Capitol Hill, $5-$15)

VISUAL ART

Elisheba Johnson: Department of Imagination Past Event List
Before being appropriated by state-run lotteries, "numbers games" once provided the Black community with a means of resource-sharing amid hardship and a chance at wealth beyond systemic barriers. Often, lottery winnings would be reinvested in Black communities, but today, the lottery brings to mind an exploitative system and a busted American dream. In Elisheba Johnson's Department of Imagination, the artist critiques "the brokenness of capitalism" with mosaic imagery of optimistic gamblers and a zine of "number-running histories and custom-designed scratch tickets." The exhibition spotlights Black resilience during challenging economic times, but also invites the viewer to envision new and improved systems of solidarity. LC
(Gallery 4Culture, Pioneer Square, free)

SATURDAY

COMEDY

Unexpected Passions: Improvised Love Takes the Most Unexpected Turns Past Event List
Lust! Drama!! SECRETS!!! It's all par for the course at Unexpected Passions, an improvised soap opera modeled after the schlocky '80s- and '90s-era daytime shows you either love or love to hate. A cast of improvisers—starring as "classic soap opera archetypes like the evil twin, the bad boy with a heart of gold, and the manipulative business tycoon"—will create a series of off-the-cuff, but connected story arcs, so audiences can check out a single show or come back for more development of the cheesefest's overarching plot. We hope there's a dreamy ingenue with amnesia. LC
(Unexpected Productions' Market Theater, Pike Place Market, $12-$15)

COMMUNITY

Pike Place Market PDA 50th Anniversary Celebration Past Event List
If you didn't know already, the Pike Place Market's Preservation & Development Authority are the behind-the-scenes folks who maintain and operate the historic attraction so that tourists can keep catching fish, taking selfies in front of the gum wall, and admiring the world's largest collection of giant shoes. The PDA will celebrate its 50th anniversary with an all-day extravaganza featuring free historical tours, trivia, artist battles, a "tater truck derby" competition, friendship-making booths, and as always, music from the Market's live buskers. AV
(Pike Place Market, free)

FESTIVALS

​Fiber Fusion Northwest 2023 Past Event List
Giddy up, fleeceheads! You'll find alpaca, wool, mohair, llama, and angora threads at this free, fiber-focused show and sale, plus demos, over 70 vendors, a "spin-in," and probably lots of cool older people wearing knitted vests. You won't want to miss the live fiber animal exhibit, either; we imagine it'll be a very soft experience. (The show's "featured breed" is the Dorset sheep, an ancient English breed with horns and impeccable vibes. Why not show up to celebrate them?) LC
(Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe, free)

Plein Air Magnuson Park Paint Out and Festival Past Event List
Sun's out, paints out: The Magnuson Park Gallery's inaugural Plein Air Magnuson Park Paint Out and Festival will bring art displays, live music, food trucks, and plenty of paint splatter to Seattle’s second-largest park. Join in on the sliding scale "paint-out" earlier in the day and create with fellow artists in three park meetup spots (if it's a clear day, you might catch an inspiring view of Mt. Rainier across the lake). From 2-6 pm, the event will transition into a festival with a display of wet works, snacks, and tunes. LC
(Magnuson Park Gallery, Northeast Seattle, Festival is free, paint-out is $10-20 sliding scale)

PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE

Hyper: Pride Past Event List
Beep beep! DJs Jane Don't, HYPERPOPPERS, and Rowan Ruthless are throwing a party 4 u to kick off Pride month inspired by futuristic pop luminaries like SOPHIE, Charli XCX, A.G. Cook, and more. Drag superstars Pupusa, Betty Wetter, and Hoochie Papa will also be on board to hype up the crowd with sickening performances straight out of 2099. Let's ride. AV
(Cherry Nightclub, Downtown, $10)

Taylor's Version Past Event List
Get hyped for the Eras tour (if you were lucky enough to score tickets) by dancing like you're 22 to a mix of Taylor's Version hits and remixes for this all-T Swift, all-night dance party. This will be an excellent place for Swifties to gather and cast spells on Scooter Braun, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ticketmaster, and John Mayer, so make sure to dress for revenge! AV
(Neumos, Capitol Hill, $5-$15)

PERFORMANCE

México en el Corazón Past Event List
Groovy mariachi outfit Juvenil Colotlán, traditional dance company Ballet Folclórico Guadalajara Oficial, and energetic Guadalajara-born group Banda Colores will perform for free as part of México en el Corazón, a jangly celebration of the country's vibrant cultural traditions with "the music, dance, and colors of Jalisco, Chiapas, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Nuevo León, and Campeche." Get ready to sway along in your seat, and speaking of, make sure to snag your spot early—seating isn't guaranteed after 7 pm. LC
(Paramount Theatre, Downtown, free)

The Foolish Oracle Past Event List
The inaugural April Fool's Day edition of The Foolish Oracle, a "brunch time news arts variety show," has come and gone, and the event persists—so it must not be a prank, right? Old-school magazine hawkers Bulldog News play host to the show, which targets those of us who are too damn old/tired/annoyed for late-night poetry slams and dance parties. (The Foolish Oracle self-describes as "like the Internet come to life, but not all the bad parts, and more equitable. In other words, the Foolish Oracle is the antithesis of the Internet." So, it's for those of us who are sick of being online, too.) Best part? The performance is free, so you can snag a "fast espresso" and a magazine, too. LC
(Bulldog News, University District, free/donations gratefully accepted)

PRIDE

Seattle Pride in the Park 2023 Past Event List
FKA The Volunteer Park Pride Festival, this event has mutated to represent the whole city by this point. Volunteer Park simply cannot contain its powerful energy any longer. Hosted by Seattle Pride, the park will be home to food trucks, craft and nonprofit booths alike, beers (as well as booze-free bevs), dogs in hats, people in hot pants (and probably also hats), and lots and lots of music and outdoor dancing. The party in the park is just the beginning, after which an entire month of Pride-ful festivities on and around the Hill will ensue. STRANGER CONTRIBUTOR MEG VAN HUYGEN
(Volunteer Park, Capitol Hill, free)

SUNDAY

FILM

Werckmeister Harmonies Past Event List
Before you make the joke, Werckmeister Harmonies does sound like the embodiment of the meme about a film bro trying to get you to watch a two-hour, black-and-white movie about the Serbian government shown through the eyes of a pigeon. However, in addition to swapping out the pigeon for a giant stuffed whale and Serbia for Hungary, this film defies any other easy comparisons. Using only 39 meticulously staged shots over 145 haunting minutes, the precise director that is Béla Tarr makes each one count, immersing us in a film that could initially appear small in scope but reveals itself to be mesmerizingly vast in ambition. The premise, about a small town that becomes forever changed by the arrival of a traveling circus, is merely the beginning of a gorgeously shot experience where a looming darkness soon takes hold of the characters, creating a reverie as oddly alluring as it is subtly disquieting. STRANGER CONTRIBUTOR CHASE HUTCHINSON
(SIFF Cinema Egyptian, Capitol Hill, $13-$14)

MULTI-DAY

FILM

But I'm a Cheerleader Past Event List
When a spunky cheerleading teen is sent to a wackjob conversion therapy camp to "cure her lesbianism," she meets someone special (spoiler: it's a girl) and learns more about herself than she anticipated. Natasha Lyonne and Clea Duvalle deliver the sapphic goods in this campy '99 flick, which Movie Guide: Movie Reviews for Christians deems "vulgar." That's a shining endorsement, if you ask us. Happy Pride! LC
(Central Cinema, Central District, $12, Friday-Sunday)

Hedgebrook Filmmakers Showcase 2023 Past Event List
This hybrid showcase spotlights the filmmaker alumnae of Hedgebrook, a nonprofit organization supporting visionary women-identifying writers with retreats, public programs, and more. Check out what the talented folks have been up to at an in-person screening on June 3, or scope out their forward-thinking flicks from home through June 2. (We're intrigued by Tapping Into Our Future, Tapping Into Our Past: Ayodele Casel, which follows the breakout star choreographer and dancer's work inspired by the history of Black tap dancers.) LC
(Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill, $7-$14, Friday-Saturday)

Unstreamable – Liquid Sky Past Event List
Your internet besties (former Stranger staff writer Jas Keimig and former editor Chase Burns) will present another flick that you can’t find anywhere online (legally, at least) as part of their ongoing project Unstreamable, which has blossomed from a column on Scarecrow Video's blog into a live screening series. Burns and Keimig, who've written "more than 350 (!) blurbs and reviews about offbeat, forgotten, and otherwise unobtainable pieces of cinematic history" (Matt Baume), will share their exhaustive knowledge of lost media on the big screen. If you're into aliens, New Wave nihilism, '80s-era punk aesthetics, and lots and lots of heroin, Slava Tsukerman’s Liquid Sky should do the trick. LC
(Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill, $7-$14, Friday-Sunday)

FOOD & DRINK

​Bite of Greece Seattle 2023 Past Event List
Longing for a Mamma Mia!-esque escape to Greece? Head to this free festival to stuff yourself with gyros, slow-roasted lamb sandwiches, grilled souvlaki, Greek salad, spanakopita, and other authentic Mediterranean delights prepared by the community of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption. You'll get to peruse a marketplace with pastries, crafts, imported deli items, and more. Plus, brush up on your fancy footwork with Greek dancing lessons and traditional live music. JB
(Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, free, Friday-Sunday)

Outer Planet Brewing Sour Fest 2023 Past Event List
Pucker up for this three-day celebration of refreshing sour beers. The taps will be dominated by tart brews, including Outer Planet's new release One Small Step For Mango and guest beers from Optimism and Urban Family. Other festivities include live music, raffles, flights, free stickers, and merch raffles. JB
(Outer Planet Craft Brewing, Capitol Hill, free, Friday-Sunday)

LIVE MUSIC

Summer Concerts at the Ballard Locks 2023 Past Event List
From June through September, live music performances from symphonic bands, show choirs, jazz trios, and more will echo through the scenic gardens by the Ballard Locks. This weekend, the series kicks off with performances from the Boeing Employees' Concert Band (Saturday) and NW Swing (Sunday). Don't forget to bring chairs, blankets, and other picnic supplies to get extra comfy. AV
(Ballard Locks, Ballard, free, Saturday-Sunday)

PERFORMANCE

More Than Friends: a Triptych on Queer Love Through the Ages Past Event List
If Pride month isn't the perfect time for one-act chamber operas by contemporary LGBTQIA+ composers and librettists, when is?! Kick-start the queer vibes with More Than Friends: a Triptych on Queer Love Through the Ages, which will include Thirst, a 10-minute production with a femme-centric, magical realist lens, Emily & Sue, an acapella Emily Dickenson pop opera, and Achilles & Patroclus, an ancient tragedy told through flashes of intimate memory. (We suggest copping a cool pair of these beforehand.) LC
(18th & Union: An Arts Space, Choose your own price, Friday-Sunday)

VISUAL ART

Imminent Existence: Critical Mass 2022 Top 50 Past Event List
Pulling images from Photolucida's Critical Mass program, which connects photographers across the world and awards yearly recognition for the top 50 snapshots, this exhibition will showcase the best of the best selected by curator and Atlanta gallerist Arnika Dawkins. LC
(Photographic Center Northwest, Central District, free, Friday-Sunday; closing)

Indigenous Strength & Wellness Past Event List
In celebration of the museum's 10th anniversary, this group exhibition centers over 20 Native American and First Nations artists, primarily those living and working in the Salish Sea region. Co-curated by Robin Sigo (Suquamish Tribe), Gail Tremblay (Mi’kmaq and Onondaga Tribes), and BIMA’s chief curator Greg Robinson, Indigenous Strength & Wellness confronts challenging topics related to inequality and the lasting impact of generational trauma. LC
(Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Winslow, free, Friday-Sunday; closing)

A Living Legacy: Recent Acquisitions in Contemporary Art Past Event List
The Frye Art Museum has always been one of my favorites, and not just because it's totally free—the curation is consistently on point, blending thoughtful nods to historical movements with the most contemporary work on the scene at any given moment. Marking their 70th anniversary, A Living Legacy will bring together eight recently acquired artworks by art stars Amoako Boafo, Sky Hopinka, Gisela McDaniel, Bony Ramirez, Tschabalala Self, Ann Leda Shapiro, and Sadie Wechsler, each of whom responds to or complicates "[narratives around] landscape and portraiture traditionally associated with the Frye’s founding collection of nineteenth- and twentieth-century European and American art." Artistic production and acquisition is an evolving, imperfect process—head to this exhibition to see what the artists themselves have to say about it. LC
(Frye Art Museum, First Hill, free, Saturday-Sunday; opening)

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