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Jump to: Comedy | Community & Festivals | Film | Food & Drink | Live Music | Performance | Readings & Talks | Visual Art

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COMEDY

Taylor Tomlinson - Tries Out New Ideas Past Event Like List
Age is just a number, but it can also work in your favor—just ask Taylor Tomlinson, a member of Forbes’ 2021 class of 30 Under 30. The now 30-year-old comedian began performing stand-up at 16, an era in which I was busy being distinctly unfunny. On the heels of her Netflix specials Quarter-Life Crisis and Look at You, Tomlinson will return to the stage to continue slinging jokes for the millennial-and-under set. ("I don't know if you've tried to convince a dude on a dating app to wear a condom lately," says Tomlinson, "but it's kind of like convincing a five-year-old to wear a jacket over his Halloween costume.") LC
Here-After at the Crocodile, Belltown (Sept 6–7)

SketchFest Seattle 2024 Past Event Like List
If you dig Netflix's I Think You Should Leave or HBO's A Black Lady Sketch Show, here's your opportunity to see sketch experts from beyond the confines of your couch. SketchFest Seattle will return for its 25th year to gather a gaggle of the strongest sketch comics in the country. With slapstick shows planned across three nights, featuring local and farther-flung chuckleheads like Honey Roasted Hams, Drop the Beer and Run, Maple Daddies, Field Trip, and Bad Medicine, you can expect to hear nonstop laughs coming from Unexpected Productions’ Market Theater. LC
Unexpected Productions' Market Theater, Pike Place Market (Sept 6–8)

I Saw You: A Comedy with Heart Remind Like List
See someone? Say something. I Saw U, The Stranger's take on Craigslist Missed Connections, returned in March, which means you can read pickup lines like "How's your praxis? Because I think we could be more than just a theory ;)" whenever you want. Unexpected Productions has since devised an improvised response to the column, transforming the weekly listings into comedy sets that "imagine what would happen if the individuals actually went out on a date." I hope they address the love blossoming at Biscuit Bitch. LC
Unexpected Productions' Market Theater, Pike Place Market (Sept 6–28)

John Early: The Album Tour Remind Like List
I'll be honest: Most of my knowledge of John Early comes from my diehard obsession with his longtime creative collaborator, Kate Berlant. But if you're anything like me (obsessed with alt comedians like Berlant, Jacqueline Novak, Tim Heidecker, Joe Pera, Jo Firestone, etc.) then Early needs no introduction. The absurdist visionary with a glittery, desperate gleam in his eyes will visit Seattle with iced coffee in tow. LC
The Showbox, Downtown (Tues Sept 10)

David Cross: The End of The Beginning of The End Remind Like List
One is willing to risk a night of intense eye-rolling when a veteran funnyman such as Cross grips the mic. Don't underestimate the goodwill he's accrued by his acting stints on the sketch comedy series Mr. Show and the sitcom Arrested Development, or from his previous stand-up sets full of caustic left jabs against wrongheaded right-wingers and the cartoon-level evil of corporations and rank hypocrisy of politicians and Bible-thumpers. Cross has long been a master of transmuting incredulity and exasperation over the world's manifold sociopolitical idiocies into pointed humor. STRANGER CONTRIBUTOR DAVE SEGAL
The Showbox, Downtown (Wed Sept 11)

Tim Murray’s WITCHES! Remind Like List
Tim Murray self-describes as being "like a gay Bo Burnham, but painted green, doing drag," which is the kind of pre-Halloween cheer I didn't realize I needed. He'll bring his creepy-crawly comedy hour Witches! to Seattle, blending stand-up with original comedy songs about his favorite pop culture crones and enchantresses, from Sabrina to Anjelica Huston. There's a deeper meaning to the toil and trouble, too—the show is "a tribute to LGBTQIA people and how we discover our magic once we find our coven." If you can't get enough of Murray, never fear. His upcoming sketch comedy TV show Wish You Were Queer, produced by fellow magical queen Trixie Mattel, was announced last year. LC
The Rabbit Box Theatre, Pike Place Market (Sat Sept 14)

Ms. Pat: The Hot and Flashy Tour Remind Like List
Comedian, writer, and podcaster Patricia Williams (aka Ms. Pat) started out as a struggling single mom in Atlanta. The raw comic's meteoric rise led her from small stand-up sets to her own BET+ sitcom, The Ms. Pat Show. Her autobiography, Rabbit, was nominated for an NAACP Award; hopefully, she'll share more candid reflections on her fascinating life in this performance. LC
Neptune Theatre, University District (Sun Sept 15)

Mike Birbiglia: Please Stop the Ride Remind Like List
Stand-up master, actor, and storyteller Mike Birbiglia has more than his fair share of solo shows, books, and feature films to his credit—his "household name" status is years in the making. Fresh off a new Netflix special, The Old Man and The Pool, in which he chats about the perils of heart disease and cardio, Birbiglia will swing by Seattle to seek out our best pizza and pancake places. LC
Moore Theatre, Belltown (Sun Sept 22)

COMMUNITY & FESTIVALS

PAX West 2024 Past Event Like List
Unsurprisingly, PAX (originally the "Penny Arcade Expo") was started in our tech-centric neck of the woods. Since its 2004 founding, the expo has expanded to include multiple annual meetups across the globe, with Seattle hosting PAX West every Labor Day weekend. This massive video game convention and celebration of all things gaming boasts panels with special guests like famed voice actors Suzie Yeung, Britt Baron, and Briana White; new game demonstrations; hands-on activities; and an exhibit hall with booths spanning multiple fandoms. Tickets can be on the pricey side, but there are always lots of fun (and cheaper) affiliated parties going on around town. SL
Seattle Convention Center, Downtown (Sept 1–2)

Washington State Fair 2024 Remind Like List
Lest you forget, most of Washington state is farmland, which translates to communities with county fairs. Check out the biggest and best there is at the annual Washington State Fair, founded in 1900 in Puyallup. (If you don't know how to pronounce the town's name, ask a local and brace yourself for the jingle they sing back). Featuring outdoor concerts, rodeos, quilt and flower displays, vegetable creations, baby bunnies, and photo exhibits from local and international artists, there’s fair fun of all stripes. Plus, '90s rock band Matchbox Twenty, rapper Wiz Khalifa (with support from Burien local Travis Thompson), and comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias are on the tour circuit this year. Don't forget to grab a classic Fisher fair scone to munch while walking around, or get a baker's dozen to take home—my mother always freezes them to enjoy beyond the summer season. SL
Washington State Fair Events Center, Puyallup (Sept 1–22)

San Gennaro Festival Past Event Like List
This Georgetown Italian street fair returns for its 10th year, bringing together the best local Italian cuisine with live music, a vendor market, and family-friendly entertainment. If you close your eyes and ignore the architecture (and the language), you can almost imagine yourself at a market in Italy, eating delicious food amid the daily bustle. The procession of San Gennaro (the patron saint of Naples) is a hallmark of the festival, and will kick off Saturday morning. You can even register your kids for a talent show, and help them search for all 20 regions of Italy among the vendor booths. SL
1225 S Angelo St, Georgetown (Sept 6–8)

MEXAM NW Festival 2024 Remind Like List
Hispanic Heritage Month runs from mid-September to mid-October, a time during which many Latin American countries celebrate their national independence days. MEXAM NW Festival is an exhilarating multi-event, multi-venue festival curated by the Consulate of Mexico in Seattle that showcases the vibrancy of Hispanic and Mexican American culture. The festival kicks off with live mural painting and celebrations in Lakewood and Auburn and concludes in mid-October with a Día de los Muertos concert. Two of the biggest events in Seattle take place on September 14 and 15, with the Fiestas Patrias Parade in South Park on Saturday and Fiestas Patrias Sea Mar at Seattle Center all weekend long. Expect tons of Latin American food, mariachi bands, folk dancing, arts and craft markets, and community joy. SL 
Various locations (Sept 7–Oct 19)

Rave Green Run Past Event Like List
This year, the route for the Sounders' Rave Green Run will take participants through the team's newly built Renton headquarters and training facility. The 5K (which they say is "flat," music to my ears) raises money for the RAVE Foundation, which builds fields for free play to make soccer more accessible to youth. Speaking of kids, they can sign up for Sammy's One Mile Kilometer Dash. All finishers receive a special scarf, race shirt, and access to the Finish Line Festival, where awards and giveaways will be doled out. You might hear a familiar voice over the loudspeaker: former Sounder and current team broadcaster Brad Evans emcees the event. SL
The Sounders FC Center at Longacres, Renton (Sun Sept 8)

Moon Viewing 2024 Remind Like List
Catch the harvest moon before it reaches its full supermoon magnificence at two enchanting evenings at the Seattle Japanese Garden. Settle into tranquil reflection with the sounds of the shakuhachi, a traditional bamboo flute, and enjoy a butoh dance performance. As the sun sets, luminaries on the ground, lanterns in the sky, and illuminated trees will bring a warm glow to the gardens. Attendees can get creative at a haiku station, add on a traditional tea ceremony experience, and peep the moon through a telescope provided by the Seattle Astronomical Society. SL
Seattle Japanese Garden, Madison Park (Sept 12–13)

C-ID Night Market 2024 Remind Like List
The C-ID Night Market took a break in 2023, but makes a triumphant return in late September with an afternoon and evening of eats, shopping, and cultural performances. The streets will be closed to car traffic so you can leisurely explore food vendors and nosh on snacks like dumplings and noodles before heading over to Hing Hay Park to check out a lion dance, taiko performance, and martial arts demonstrations. The sun sets two hours before the market closes, so the ambience will shift from golden hour to glowing lanterns. SL
Hing Hay Park, Chinatown-International District (Sat Sept 21)

Luminata Remind Like List
Bring your own lanterns or buy one on-site at Fremont Arts Council's annual autumnal equinox celebration, which will help ease you into the less-sunny season. The evening will kick off with an opening ceremony followed by a parade around Green Lake and a dazzling display of illuminated art. The community always shows up for this truly magical evening—bring your date, bring your kids, bring your dog, and throw on any glow-in-the-dark and light-up items you own. SL
Green Lake Park, Green Lake (Sat Sept 21)

Walk the Block Remind Like List
This year, Wa Na Wari's annual Central District festival has transitioned into a free event spanning two days! Centered around the theme “Who We Are...Where We Are...How We Are," the fundraiser amplifies the anti-displacement organizing work of Wa Na Wari's CACE 21 program. Friday's "Walk the Block Institute" will feature creative community building workshops and a keynote from Miami-based architect and educator Germane Barnes. The beloved Walk the Block Art Festival takes place on Saturday, celebrating Black art with an afternoon walk through the Central District, where fresh installations and performances will be on view in businesses, parks, porches, and other common spaces. Catch stimulating visual and sculptural art, video installations, live music, dance parties, community stories, and more. VIP ticket holders will get treated to food from chef Donna Moodie, an aura photo, and a headlining performance by soul songstress Aliah Sheffield. SL
Wa Na Wari, Central District (Sept 27–28)

FILM

Derek Jarman: Do We Continue to Grow Marigolds Even as The Emergency Sirens Blare? Remind Like List
Although his death of AIDS-related illness in '94 cut his life and career criminally short, Derek Jarman's revolutionary directorial style sent shockwaves through the queer cinema canon that still reverberate now. Modern directors using avant-garde aesthetics, poetic sensuality, and experimental storytelling techniques like Andrew Haigh, Xavier Dolan, and Luca Guadagnino have Jarman to thank—I said what I said. Jarman's gutsy, myth-drenched films will make your September more vivid and romantic, with screenings of the homoerotic Roman Empire-set Sebastiane (complete with a Brian Eno score), the writhing, angry AIDS crisis epistle The Garden (featuring Tilda Swinton), and BLUE, Jarman's final work, in which the director "fills the screen with blue—still and unyielding for an hour and nineteen minutes." LC
The Beacon, Columbia City (Sept 2–25)

CatVideoFest 2024 Past Event Like List
There's nothing you could say to convince me that you don't already watch cat videos at home. The question, therefore, is this—why shouldn't you watch cats do their weird, wonderful thing on a big screen? Oscilloscope Laboratories' annual fest compiles the most exemplary cat videos from unique submissions and sourced animations, music videos, and Internet icons, creating a program that appeals to the kitty video connoisseur in all of us. If you truly need another reason to attend, a portion of ticket sales support cat-focused charities and welfare associations. LC
Grand Illusion, University District (Sept 7–8)

Scarecrow Video Benefit: House Remind Like List
Nobuhiko Obayashi's Hausu (aka House) is a film that utterly defies description, but here goes: The 1977 cult classic is a psychedelic romp akin to Scooby-Doo on hallucinogens. It's also one of my all-time favorites, and the perfect apéritif before creepy season. When a squad of teenage girls travels to a creaky, cobwebby country manor, they discover that evil spirits have overtaken the house. (This is why I don't travel to creaky, cobwebby country manors!!) Antics ensue with a possessed piano, floating heads, and the film's unsung hero, a big-ass, fluffy house cat named Blanche. Support Scarecrow Video on Friday the 13th at this benefit screening for the physical media mainstay. LC
SIFF Cinema Egyptian, Capitol Hill (Fri Sept 13)

2024 HUMP! Part Two Remind Like List
Dan Savage's pioneering erotic film fest premiered an all-new lineup of sexy films featuring all genders and orientations earlier this year. Since 2005, HUMP! has brought inclusive, creative, and kinky films to the big screen—and since this year's fest features not one but two feature-length lineups, you can scope out the sex-positive fest yet again for a tantalizing treat. Part two includes a feast of 25 brand-spanking-new feasts for your eyeballs, including "smokin' hot paranormal encounters, a mind-bending space carnival, spine-tingling ASMR, [and] all the thermal eye candy you can eat." It's worth a venture outside of your sex dungeon, but you can still wear the latex catsuit. LC
On the Boards, Uptown (Sept 19–Oct 5)

Local Sightings Film Festival 2024 Remind Like List
Back in 2015, Stranger senior staff writer Charles Mudede wrote, "What is this city becoming? What have we lost in the rush and thrust of all these new developments? To whom does this growing city belong? The brilliant Local Sightings Film Festival will show films that reveal the answers to these questions, through features, shorts, and animation that are born here or hereabouts. There's much to see and much to talk about." The premise of the hybrid festival hasn't changed much since then—Local Sightings returns for its 27th anniversary this year, offering up another round of curated screenings and transforming the city into a hub for indie filmmakers who forgo New York or LA for the Pacific Northwest's endearing eccentricity. The always-great, hyperlocal film festival also offers opportunities for regional filmmakers, emotional storytellers, and documentarians to meet at the festival's events. LC
Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill (Sept 20–29)

FOOD & DRINK

Cider Summit Seattle 2024 Past Event Like List
Listen up, lovers of apple-based libations: This festival billing itself as the "region’s largest hard cider tasting event" is poised to make a triumphant return, with over 150 drinks from more than 40 producers and both local and international options in the mix. This year also features a pre-opening cider/cheese/charcuterie tasting, an expanded mead selection, cider cocktails, fruit spirits, craft vendors, and more. JB
South Lake Union Park, South Lake Union (Sept 6–7)

Mid-Autumn Festival at Lucky Envelope Brewing Remind Like List
Ballard's culturally inspired craft brewery Lucky Envelope Brewing always goes all out for Mid-Autumn Festival, and this year is no exception. They'll host a celebration with new beer releases (including Taro Up My Heart lager and Mid-Autumn Hazy IPA infused with açaí blueberry black tea), baked mooncakes, and limited giveaways of red envelopes for good luck (a Chinese tradition that inspired the business's name). The food truck Panda Dim Sum will also make an appearance. JB
Lucky Envelope Brewing, West Woodland (Sat Sept 14)

Fremont Oktoberfest 2024 Remind Like List
Break out the dirndls and lederhosen in celebration of "Seattle's largest beer festival," where you can taste over 100 German and domestic craft beers (excuse us, "biers") and feast on Bavarian-style food like bratwust and warm pretzels, in addition to a selection of food vendors. You'll also find games like stein hoisting and "Texas chainsaw pumpkin carving," pups in costumes, a DJ tower with a dance floor, a "street scramble" scavenger hunt, and more throughout the streets of Fremont. JB
Fremont Oktoberfest, Fremont (Sept 20–22)

Northwest Tea Festival 2024 Remind Like List
Channel your inner Uncle Iroh at the 14th edition of this two-day festival dedicated to all things tea, "from the cultural to the historical and the sensory to the scientific." Whether you're a casual tea fan or a devoted aficionado, you're invited to enjoy samples, presentations from noted tea experts, and browse teas and teaware for sale. 
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, Uptown (Sun Sept 29)

LIVE MUSIC

Pink: The Trustfall Tour Past Event Like List
During a cultural juncture that has included the Eras Tour, the Renaissance World Tour, and the Chromatica Ball, the caliber for touring female pop stars is in the heavens—and Pink is reaching it (LITERALLY). Pink has long been known for her stunts—aerial silks, acrobatics, trapeze, and other gymnastics—but takes it to a whole new level on her Trustfall tour by catapulting herself into the air and flying around the arena. In the same spirit as the infamousBeyoncé and Ed Sheeran meme, women are out here shooting themselves out of cannons while Ed Sheeran just stands on stage in a hoodie (just sayin'). Similar to the structure of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, Pink’s set is divided into four acts, marking each epoch of her career. My favorite is her M!ssundaztood era..."Don't Let Me Get Me" belongs in the Great American Songbook! AV
Tacoma Dome, Tacoma (Sept 3–4)

Gracie Abrams: The Secret of US Tour Past Event Like List
Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams (we’ll save you a Google—director J.J. is her dad) makes emotional pop songs about heartbreak full of quivering vocals and sparse arrangements. Her star has risen in recent years after clinching an opening slot on Taylor Swift's Eras Tour and subsequently collaborating with the pop superstar. Although her nepo baby status has helped her break into the mainstream, her sheer talent for songwriting stands on its own. Prepare for the show by listening to her stirring sophomore album, The Secret of Us. AV
WaMu Theater, SoDo (Fri Sept 6)

The Softies, Seapony, and Lisa Prank Past Event Like List
I shrieked when I saw this lineup! The Softies are one of the best, most underrated bands of the '90s. The duo of Rose Melberg (Tiger Trap, Gaze, Go Sailor) and Jen Sbragia started their delightfully saccharine indie pop project back in 1994 with a handful of records on Olympia's K Records and Oakland's Slumberland Records. Their debut album It's Love is pure pop perfection with gentle jangly guitars, breathy harmonies, and diary entry-esque lyrics. Trust me, I listened to a lot of twee pop as a teenager and none of it holds up for me the way the Softies do. The pair disbanded in 2000, but luckily, they've reunited for a handful of PNW shows this year. Don't miss opening sets from indie pop gems Seapony and Lisa Prank. AV
Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Fremont  (Fri Sept 6)

AFROPUNK Seattle Past Event Like List
Since 2005, AFROPUNK has brought its annual arts festival to Brooklyn, Paris, Atlanta, Johannesburg, Miami, Minneapolis, and Bahia to highlight alternative Black creators around the globe. This year, the festival is teaming up with KEXP and Friends of Waterfront Park for a mini-festival along the pier featuring jazzy R&B singer-songwriter Cautious Clay, local punk trio Black Ends, and DJs BLAST, Lace Cadence, and Faridaguyzzz. AV
Pier 62, Downtown (Sat Sept 7)

CupcakKe Past Event Like List
CupcakKe's new album Dauntless Manifesto contains multitudes. The album zig-zags from touching, emotional tracks about depression like "Rock Paper Scissors" to humorous sex-positive anthems like "Queef" (which includes pearl-clutching poetry like "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, He gon’ make this pussy fart.") Despite covering such varied topics, the album is impressively cohesive in its delightfully dreamy production reminiscent of Beyoncé's Lemonade. She will return to Seattle with support from Portland-based rapper Karma Rivera. AV
Showbox SoDo, SoDo (Sat Sept 7)

Sophie Ellis-Bextor Remind Like List
Many have claimed that Saltburn made Sophie Ellis-Bextor's 2002 bop "Murder on the Dancefloor" a success, but I would argue it was the other way around. I hated the film until that infamous closing scene. The neo-disco song choice was a huge exhale at the end of the film, nudging the viewer to rethink the narrative as pure camp rather than an earnest psychological thriller. While many will attend this concert to hear the one song, I hope this tour brings more of Ellis-Bextor's infectious dance tracks to the masses. Her sophomore album Read My Lips is up there with Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor and Kylie Minogue's Fever. AV
Moore Theatre, Belltown (Wed Sept 11)

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio Remind Like List
I’ll admit it; jazz can feel very intimidating! There are so many subgenres to learn, names to remember, and history that feels gatekept by boomers with hi-fi equipment. However, nothing compares to hearing a skilled jazz ensemble play live. It's truly transcendental. If you haven't had the pleasure, Seattle-based ensemble Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio is an excellent place to start. The trio employs Jimmy Smith-style organs, Motown-spiced rhythms, and Jimi Hendrix-hazed guitars for timeless, feel-good soul-jazz you can dance to. AV
Jazz Alley, Belltown (Sept 19–22)

R-Day 2024 Remind Like List
R-Day is quintessential Seattle: it's quirky, it's fun, there's live music, and of course, the Rainier is flowing. The annual free, 21+ celebration commemorates the moment when Rainier Beer’s iconic “R” was restored to its place atop the Old Rainier Brewery in Georgetown. In addition to a herd of "Wild Rainiers," wacky merchandise, eclectic art, and more, there will be explosive live performances. Check out the hazy grooves of LA band Allah-Las, the woman-fronted punk of Sheer Mag, and Seattle rock band Monsterwatch. SL
Georgetown, Georgetown (Sat Sept 21)

Beabadoobee: This Is How Tomorrow Moves Remind Like List
Upon my first listen of This Is How Tomorrow Moves, I had the sudden urge to dig up my childhood CDs, including Michelle Branch's Hotel Paper, Vanessa Carlton's Be Not Nobody, and Corinne Bailey Rae's self-titled debut. Like the young pop singer-songwriters of the early aughts, Beabadoobee (aka Beatrice Laus) embraces the polished sparkle of radio-friendly pop while never sacrificing her earnest authenticity. The album feels like reading through that fuzzy purple diary tucked away at your parent's house—grounding, reflective, and a little sappy. She will be joined by indie pop duo Hovvdy and viral singer-songwriter Keni Titus. AV
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville (Tues Sept 24)

Orville Peck: Stampede Tour Remind Like List
After taking the world by storm with his Sub Pop-released debut album, Pony, the mysteriously masked cowboy known as Orville Peck found himself collaborating with country-pop queen Shania Twain, modeling for fashion labels such as Dior and Ivy Park, and rubbing elbows with mainstream names on the Grammy red carpet. Now, supporting his third album, Stampede, Peck will lasso his way right into your heart with his deep baritone vocals and cinematic queer-anthems. Don't miss opening sets from country queens Nikki Lane and Emily Nenni. AV
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville (Wed Sept 25)

Cigarettes After Sex Remind Like List
Yes, the band name Cigarettes After Sex is extremely cringy, but their music is so lovely that it almost makes up for it. The trio revives the reverb-heavy dream pop of Mazzy Star, Cocteau Twins, and Julee Cruise in an accessible fashion, garnering an impressive list of famous fans including Kylie Jenner, David Lynch, Lana Del Rey, and Françoise Hardy (this band might be the only thing these four have in common). The band will support their third album, X's, which marks their first new music in five years. 
Climate Pledge Arena, Uptown (Sat Sept 28)

PERFORMANCE

TITANISH Remind Like List
Your fave doomed romance flick is parodied in this unsinkable musical comedy, which comes complete with original music and fast-paced action that's more hilarious than tragic. Titanish will crash on stage again after winning the 2022 Broadway World Critics' Choice Award for best new musical; the escapist spoof "has songs and satire on deck," according to Crosscut. (Jokes about the Titanic are either too soon or arriving just on time, depending on your thoughts about last June's submersible implosion.) LC
Seattle Public Theater, Green Lake (Sept 5–22)

Javaad Alipoor: Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World Remind Like List
When the '70s-era variety showman Fereydoun Farrokhzad, who might be envisioned as an Iranian Tom Jones, was forced into political exile in Germany post-Islamic Revolution, he continued performing sold-out shows, but was eventually found murdered in 1992. Because few things are as fascinating as the unsolved murder of a beloved pop icon, Javaad Alipoor's Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World dives down the rabbit hole. The performance draws from Wikipedia articles, flawed search engines, and true crime podcasts to "sort through the tangle of information available online in a post-colonial world." Consider my ears perked. LC
On the Boards, Uptown (Sept 12–14)

Mouthwater Festival: A Disabled Dance Festival Remind Like List
Envisioned as the "beginning of an arts hub by and centering Black and Indigenous disabled artists to present, collaborate, and get uplifted for their crafts," the Mouthwater Festival espouses values we can get behind, anticapitalism and antifascism among them. The fest brings together artists with disabilities from across the country for solidarity, community-building, and over a dozen artsy events. I'm looking forward to Vanessa Hernández Cruz's experimental piece Soul Seeker and the Mouthwater Cabaret, featuring performances by India Harville, Saira Barbaric, Mx. Pucks A’Plenty, and others. LC Various locations (Sept 23–Oct 13)

READINGS & TALKS

Marisel Salazar: Latin-ish — Bold Flavors that Break Boundaries Past Event Like List
James Beard Award judge, Michelin Guide contributor, restaurant critic, and food writer Marisel Salazar has dedicated her career to celebrating the Hispanic diaspora. Her new debut cookbook Latin-ish contains over 100 recipes based on cuisines from across the country, including Floribbean, Tex-Mex, Alta California, NYC Latine, and more, resulting in enticing dishes like San Antonio-style migas, mango Chamoy salads, guava cream cheese cinnamon rolls, Cuban pizza, and plantain upside-down cakes. Join her for a conversation about the vibrant range of Latine-influenced gastronomy at this event hosted by Town Hall. JB
Town Hall Seattle, First Hill (Tues Sept 3)

Khushbu Shah with J. Kenji López-Alt Past Event Like List
With her debut cookbook Amrikan: 125 Recipes From the Indian Diaspora, Food & Wine writer and editor Khushbu Shah asks the question, “What is Indian food in America?” She delves into the answer not only with irresistible-sounding recipes I'm eager to add into my rotation, like saag paneer lasagna, achari paneer pizza, spinach tadka dal with rice, panipuri mojitos, and masala chai Basque cheesecake, but also with images and essays that meditate on the connection between food and identity. As Shah told the New York Times in a 2019 interview, "Food is undeniably intersectional. It’s impossible — it’s irresponsible — to deny it." She'll chat about the release with chef and food writer J. Kenji López-Alt. JB
Town Hall Seattle, First Hill (Sat Sept 7)

Chelsea Bieker with Danya Kukafka — 'Madwoman' Past Event Like List
If authors like Flannery O'Connor, Shirley Jackson, Alissa Nutting, and Melissa Broder are your literary jam, local author Chelsea Bieker should definitely be on your TBR list (that is, if she isn't already). Bieker evokes a unique "California gothic" aesthetic all her own with her 2020 debut novel GODSHOT, an unsettling Ethel Cain-esque story about a young girl trapped in a cult led by a power-hungry pastor, and her 2022 short story collection Heartbroke, a collection of tales about down-on-their-luck dreamers. Her highly anticipated novel Madwoman follows Clove, a wife and mother of two whose dark past threatens to upend her idyllic present-day life in Portland. Bieker will discuss with Seattle-based novelist and lit agent Danya Kukafka. JB
Third Place Books, Seward Park (Mon Sept 9)

Esther Perel Remind Like List
Armed with a Belgian accent and enough insight to cut through your most persistent mental chatter, therapist Esther Perel's bestseller Mating in Captivity might've already blown up your stagnant sex life. Her podcast, Where Should We Begin, is where I typically land on my daily "sanity walks"—there's nothing like listening to other people's problems to help you reframe your own. Show up to hear more from the straight-talker at this show, which will draw from Perel's decades of research on psychotherapy, neuroscience, attachment theory, and neuro-linguistic programming. LC
Paramount Theatre, Downtown (Mon Sept 16)

Author Talk: Tue Nguyen, Di An Remind Like List
Vietnamese chef, social media star, and rising culinary luminary Tuệ Nguyen, who boasts over 471,000 followers on her popular Instagram account @TwayDaBae and opened her first restaurant DiDi in Los Angeles in summer 2023, will visit Book Larder to celebrate the September 17 pub day of her debut cookbook Di An: The Salty, Sour, Sweet and Spicy Flavors of Vietnamese Cooking with Twaydabae. You'll find flavorful recipes like lemongrass chili oil noodles, shaking beef, fish sauce wings, bo kho "birria" tacos, and bitter melon soup contained within its colorful pages. Tuệ will chat about her journey from culinary school to content creation with Sly Peoples, followed by a Q&A and book signing. JB
Book Larder, Fremont (Tues Sept 17)

Author Talk: Renee Erickson, Sunlight and Breadcrumbs Remind Like List
You're most likely already familiar with James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur Renee Erickson via her fleet of nationally acclaimed Seattle restaurants, including The Walrus and the Carpenter, The Whale Wins, and Bateau. Now, she's following up her cookbooks A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus: Menus and Stories and Getaway: Food & Drink to Transport You with her latest release Sunlight and Breadcrumbs: Making Food with Creativity and Curiosity. Kind of like a version of The Artist's Way for food lovers, the new book tells the story of how Erickson, a former art school student, reconnected with her creative side through painting, photography, ceramics, and cooking. Pore over pages packed with elegant, unfussy recipes like melted anchovy toast, raspberry and pecan crumble cake, and white beans with pork sausage, lemon peel, and green herbs—you'll no doubt find yourself inspired to exercise your own imagination in the kitchen. Erickson will stop by Fremont Abbey for a chat with bestselling author J. Kenji López-Alt, followed by a Q&A and signing. JB
Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Fremont (Wed Sept 25)

Rae Armantrout Remind Like List
One of the most complex, vibrant voices in American poetry, Pulitzer Prize winner Rae Armantrout, will offer a reading from her latest collection, Go Figure, called "a welcome balm for uncertain times" by Publishers Weekly. Armantrout's new work is interested in an "ongoing attempt/ to catalog the world," observing the planet's escalating disasters with a curious, precise pen. LC
Elliott Bay Book Company, Capitol Hill (Thurs Sept 26)

Author Talk: Kristina Cho, 'Chinese Enough' Remind Like List
I'm a big fan of Kristina Cho's James Beard Award-winning debut cookbook Mooncakes & Milk Bread, which demonstrates how to turn your kitchen into a personal Chinese bakery with sweet and savory recipes like steamed barbecue pork buns, hot dog flower buns, juicy dumplings, almond cookies, and crackly-topped pineapple buns. (It's also the first book of its kind to focus exclusively on Chinese bakeries and cafés.) That's why I'm so excited for her follow-up Chinese Enough, which revolves around savory dishes that "blend the flavors of traditional Cantonese cooking with California ingredients and a Midwestern sensibility," resulting in something "neither entirely Chinese nor entirely American, but Chinese enough." I'm hungry just thinking about dishes like San Francisco garlic noodles, miso pork meatballs, creamy tomato udon, smashed ranch cucumbers, and chili crunch salmon rolls, and the chapter on banquet-worthy dishes alone is enough to inspire you to plan a Babette's Feast-level bacchanalian bash. Kristina will chat with local baker and Pieometry author Lauren Ko. JB
Book Larder, Fremont (Fri Sept 27)

Author Talk: Tu David Phu, The Memory of Taste Remind Like List
Oakland-raised chef, Top Chef alum, and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Tu David Phu, executive chef and managing partner at the Las Vegas restaurant District One, cut his culinary teeth working in some of the country's most prestigious restaurants, but he later realized that it was his Vietnamese refugee parents who imparted the most important lessons, including but not limited to "frugality, food-covery cooking, and practical gill-to-fin eating." His new book The Memory of Taste: Vietnamese American Recipes from Phú Quoc, Oakland, and the Spaces Between captures this resourceful, pragmatic spirit with childhood memories, stories of his family's life on Phú Quốc, stunning photography, and tips on everything from fish butchering to whipping up Dungeness crab donburi. He'll be joined by local author Susan Lieu, who wrote the heart-wrenching memoir The Manicurist's Daughter. JB
Book Larder, Fremont (Mon Sept 30)

VISUAL ART

Meot: Korean Art from the Frank Bayley Collection Remind Like List
Featuring pieces from the collection of art patron Frank Bayley (the grandson of Emma Baillargeon Stimson, the first female director of the Seattle Art Museum) and celebrating his friendships with "seven internationally renowned Korean artists," Meot: Korean Art from the Frank Bayley Collection builds intriguing conversations by positioning contemporary Korean artworks alongside historical works in similar mediums. The effect highlights how traditional Korean art-making has persevered and evolved across centuries, including examples in buncheong ware, paintings, photography, calligraphy, wood, and more. LC
Seattle Asian Art Museum, Capitol Hill (Sept 1–Mar 2, 2025)

Jeffry Mitchell: Alligators, Elefants, & Alphabets Remind Like List
"If Jesus comes back, I'm introducing him to Jeffry Mitchell," former Stranger writer Jen Graves once opined. "Jeffry can bring Christ up to speed on things like humor and gayness and art, and Jesus can feel good about what humanity's been up to, and together they can visit the Berninis in Rome." The self-proclaimed "gay folk artist" creates work that is flatly impossible not to love. It’s playful, human, and elaborate, with a friendly vitality that nods to the importance of both meticulous craft and self-acceptance. This solo exhibition of Mitchell's work features sculptural works in clay, neon, and wood, plus works on paper, which are "foundational" to his detailed process. LC
Traver Gallery, Downtown (Sept 5–28)

A.K. Burns: What is Perverse is Liquid Remind Like List
A.K. Burns, a New York-based multimedia artist (and current fellow at Harvard's Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study) dials into queer perspectives through videos, sculptures, and installations, highlighting transfeminist issues through an imaginative lens. Focusing on Burns' Negative Space series, this solo exhibition delves into the artist's "intersections of landscapes, human bodies, and water." The works pull from non-linear and sci-fi sources to challenge the status quo. What is Perverse is Liquid "reflects on environmental vulnerability, marginalized communities, and their relationships with place," using negative space as a setting upon which to imagine new and evolving systems for marginalized voices. LC
Henry Art Gallery, University District (Sept 7–May 4, 2025)

Unpoetry at The Frye Remind Like List
Local poet Eric M. Acosta will lead this museum tour and ekphrastic writing workshop, which will mine Frye's galleries (specifically new shows Mary Ann Peters: the edge becomes the center and Boren Banner Series: Samantha Wall) to "explore the bond between language and art." Frye's partnership with Unpoetry fosters new conversations inspired by its current exhibitions—local drummer Casey Adams, performance artist Changing Bodies (Madhava), Poetry Séance creator Emily J. Mundy, and dance collaborators Hannah Rice and Alia Swersky will also share their perspectives. LC
Frye Art Museum, First Hill (Sat Sept 28)