Venues may have health guidelines in place—we advise directly checking the specific protocols for an event before heading out.

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MONDAY

FOOD & DRINK

Tessellate Dinner with Ba Ba Lio Past Event Like List
Taiwanese-American chef and Seattle food scene veteran Tiffany Ran founded her pop-up BaBaLio in 2018 after longing for the dishes she missed from home. The name BaBaLio (BB6) translates to "886," the international calling code to Taiwan that connected Ran to her roots while living in Seattle. At this one-off event, she'll draw inspiration from the flavors and ambience of Taiwan's popular late-night rechao (stir-fry) restaurants, slinging wok-fired meals alongside refreshing saisons from Fair Isle.
(Fair Isle Brewing, Ballard)

LIVE MUSIC

Vanessa Carlton Past Event Like List
We'd wager that pop pianist Vanessa Carlton has enough star draw to fill a hall larger than the intimate Triple Door, but as part of her Future Pain Tour, she’ll treat a small audience to An Evening with Vanessa Carlton. Could she deny us a live rendition of the ear worm hit single "A Thousand Miles" (which still holds up)? Who cares, this show sounds magical! As long as we get something from her 2002 studio debut—like the similarly effervescent "Ordinary Day," "White Houses" from 2004’s Harmonium, and / or certainly "Future Pain," the lead single from her most recent album Love is an Art, we'll walk a thousand miles—and buy those tickets right now! Speaking of right now, eager fans can revisit the ultra calm vibes on her 2011 Christmas EP, Hear the Bells. JENNI MOORE
(Triple Door, Downtown)

READINGS & TALKS

InVerse Functions: An Evening of Science Poetry Past Event Like List
If poetry readings and open mics no longer light your Bunsen burner, try this "poetry journal in theater form," curated by poet and playwright Pamela Hobart Carter. A "script" of contemporary science poems will be delivered by an ensemble cast of actors, including Eric Ray Anderson, Mary Ewald, Frank Lawler, Meena Rishi, and Celeste Mari Williams.
(University Heights Center, Northeast Seattle)

TUESDAY

LIVE MUSIC

Okay Kaya with Zannie
Past Event Like List Okay Kaya is the musical project of Norwegian actress Kaya Wilkins (have you seen her in the 2017 thriller Thelma?) who flexes her theatrical abilities, creative brilliance, and crystalline vocals to create indie pop feminist anthems like "Asexual Wellbeing," "Psych Ward," and "IUD." She will support her latest album, SAP, alongside the like-minded, Kill Rock Stars-signed artist zannie.
(The Crocodile, Belltown)

READINGS & TALKS

Claire Dederer with Sonora Jha and Angela Garbes: Monstrous Artists Past Event Like List
In her new book Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma (out April 19 on Knopf), Claire Dederer expands on the questions she began to explore in her 2017 Paris Review essay "What Do We Do with the Art of Monstrous Men?" Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, John Lennon, Louis CK, Bill Cosby, Michael Jackson—they have all been accused of (and, in some cases, admitted to or been charged with) horrific and/or criminal behavior but goddamn if I don't start to shimmy the moment "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" comes on at a bar. Can I still dance? Michael Jackson is dead. He can't (allegedly) hurt anyone anymore. The debates have raged on for years. But, as Dederer makes clear, the question of whether or not we can separate the art from the artist is so much more nuanced than just a yes/no. Should we? With everyone? Who should we consider when "canceling" an artist? Their victims? Ourselves? Dederer will discuss the book at Town Hall with Sonora Jha (How to Raise a Feminist Son) and Angela Garbes (Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change). We'll all probably leave with more questions than answers but at least we won't be alone in giving a shit. MEGAN SELING
(Town Hall Seattle, First Hill)

WEDNESDAY

FILM

South Korean Cinema: An Unconventional Crash Course
Past Event Like List Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook devotees shouldn't miss this opportunity to dig deep into the key themes, stylistic trends, and critical moments in South Korean cinematic history with film programmer and Harvard grad Hannah Baek. The series continues with a talk on the "Asia extreme" quasi-genre on April 26. (Oldboy fans, don't miss it!)
(SIFF Film Center, Uptown)

FOOD & DRINK

Skål! Icelandic-Inspired Dinner with Brennivín at STELLA.
Past Event Like List Iceland has always sounded like a magical place to me: it has the highest literacy rate on Earth, it's filled with hot springs and glaciers and volcanoes, and many of its citizens still believe in elves. Though you may not be able to jet over to the land of ice and fire anytime soon, you can settle for partaking in this five-course meal, featuring Icelandic dishes like savory cabbage parcels, beetroot fennel tarts, beet-cured salmon lox, Nordic fish soup, and apple crumble, each paired with libations made with the country's signature distilled spirit, Brennivín aquavit. JULIANNE BELL
(STELLA., First Hill)

LIVE MUSIC

Lewis Capaldi
Past Event Like List Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi reached the top of the UK charts for his single "Someone You Loved," which you may have heard covered by the Jonas Brothers. Capaldi’s enthusiasm was palpable: "First single release, selling out the arena tour, number one album, number one single... all mean fucking nothing compared to the fact the Jonas Brothers just covered my fucking tune. My tune." He'll come back to town with tracks from his sophomore album, Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent, with indie pop artist Medium Build in tow.
(WaMu Theater, SoDo)

PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE

Burleskaraoke
Past Event Like List Live out your lounge-singer dreams at this evening of burlesque-meets-karaoke, which lets audience members take the mic, for better or worse. Bewitching burlesque performers like Briq House, The Shanghai Pearl, Dulce D'jour, and Gitana Rose will tantalize the crowd while you croon—what could be more glamorous than that?
(Queer Bar, Capitol Hill)

READINGS & TALKS

Designing Beyond the Binary Edit Past Event Like List
Designing Beyond the Binary, a Seattle Architecture Foundation research program aiming to "honor and better understand the lived spatial experiences of trans, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, and queer individuals and communities," is currently conducting a nationwide survey to enhance their gender-inclusive designs and foster inclusivity in built environments. Drop by this presentation, offered by landscape designer Jake Minden and interior designer K Kaczmarek, to learn more about the principles behind inclusive design.
(Center for Architecture and Design, Seattle Waterfront)

Gretchen Rubin Past Event Like List
Gretchen Rubin, the Happier podcast host and New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project, will stop by Seattle in celebration of her new tome Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World. (Self-help queen Glennon Doyle describes the book as an invitation "into the seismic shift toward a life grounded in sensation, vitality, and innate intelligence.") Rubin will chat with the New York Times Magazine writer-at-large Jon Mooallem.
(Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park)

In Person Author Talk: Max Miller, Tasting History Past Event Like List
Ever wondered what it would be like to eat a meal aboard the Titanic? How about what it would be like to dine as a pirate or Viking? Max Miller, who recreates historical recipes for over 1.6 million subscribers on his YouTube channel Tasting History, has the answers. He'll discuss his debut cookbook with Seattle Times food and drink writer Tan Vinh.
(Book Larder, Fremont)

Jen Sincero: 10 Years of You Are a Badass
Past Event Like List If you're not convinced you're a badass, Jen Sincero will do it for you. The world-renowned author and success coach is celebrating the 10th anniversary of her bestseller, You Are a Badass, which contains chapter titles like "Your Brain Is Your Bitch" and was described as "more feisty than academic" by Publishers Weekly. Let Jen remind you of your ass-kicking status at this talk, where she'll reflect on the how-to guide's success and her "signature Jenisms."
(Town Hall Seattle, First Hill)

THURSDAY

COMEDY

Jet City Improv and Pork Filled Productions Present: Joy Market Past Event Like List
Set against the backdrop of a market, an all-AAPI cast will dip into the lives of vendors through a delicious combination of sketch comedy and improv. Joy Market, which aims to amplify Asian voices and stories, was organized as a collaboration between Jet City Improv and Pork Filled Productions, the oldest Asian American theatre group in the Pacific Northwest.
(West of Lenin, Fremont)

FILM

Cartoon Happy Hour
Past Event Like List This two-hour block of free classic cartoons and wacky animation will help you gets a head start on the weekend with family-friendly laughs, adult-friendly bevvies, and food specials.
(Central Cinema, Central District)

LIVE MUSIC

Hippie Sabotage: Trailblazer Tour
Past Event Like List Back in 2019, former Stranger writer Kyle Fleck wrote: "California's Hippie Sabotage, much like our own local boys Odesza, perform the sort of sun-baked beachtronica that will make you feel like cracking open a Corona and playing hooky for a week." The duo will bring some much-needed sunny vibes to the PNW in support of their 2021 album Floating Palace.
(Showbox SoDo, SoDo)

Nils Frahm
Past Event Like List On his latest album, Music for Animals, German composer and musician Nils Frahm follows in the footsteps of the patron saint of ambient music Brian Eno. Along the lines of Eno's 1978 albums Music for Airports and Music for Films, Frahm trades his usual piano for an electronic palette in order to create atmospheric works with titles like "The Dog with 1000 Faces" and "Seagull Scene." Frahm's shows are regularly sold out, so don't miss the chance to experience his moving compositions IRL that land at the intersection of ambient, electronic, and modern classical music.
(Paramount Theatre, Downtown)

Y La Bamba Past Event Like List
Led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Luz Elena Mendoza, Y La Bamba's singular fusion of Mexican folk music and dreamy indie-pop has made them a PNW treasure for over a decade. Jump on the opportunity to see them with fellow Portlanders Brown Calculus.
(Barboza, Capitol Hill)

READINGS & TALKS

Anastacia-Renee presents Side Notes from the Archivist: Poems
Past Event Like List Formidable poet, genre-crossing artist, TEDx speaker, podcaster, and former Seattelite Anastacia-Renee will drop by her old stomping grounds in celebration of Side Notes from the Archivist: Poems, a funky, feminist new collection that illuminates Black femme culture through coming-of-age poems set in '80s Philly.
(Third Place Books, Seward Park)

Matika Wilbur Past Event Like List
Visual storyteller Matika Wilbur, a Swinomish and Tulalip tribe member who was raised in a family of commercial fishermen, will debut her long-awaited photographic narrative Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America, which celebrates contemporary Native life through imagery of 562 Native American tribal nations and conversations on tribal sovereignty.
(Elliott Bay Book Company, Capitol Hill)

VISUAL ART

Taking Care: Collections Conversations
Past Event Like List This series of talks led by museum collections professionals is planned in tandem with Taking Care: Collection Support Studio, a new exhibition that illuminates the often-invisible process of assessing, cataloging, and photographing artworks. The final talk of the series will feature a panel of collections managers, including Judith Rinehart, owner and director of J. Rinehart Gallery, Jessica Bellingham, registrar of The Lumiere Group, and MoPOP collection manager Melinda Simms.
(Henry Art Gallery, University District)

FRIDAY

COMEDY

Megan Stalter, Patti Harrison, and Sarah Sherman: The Live Nude Girls Tour Past Event Like List
Hacks star and LA-based comedian Megan Stalter will stop by Neptune Theatre with a witty style that Harper's Bazaar once described as “a soothing comedy balm for a scathing grease fire of a year.” (That quote is from 2020, but doesn't "grease fire" kind of describe every year nowadays?) Check out the surreal oasis that is Stalter's sense of humor at this show, where she'll head to the stage alongside other millennial comics like Shrill and Theater Camp star Patti Harrison and SNL featured player Sarah Sherman.
(Neptune Theatre, University District)

Tacoma Arts Live and Red Scarf Revolution present: Southeast Asian New Year Comedy Celebration Past Event Like List
Kick off the Southeast Asian New Year with laughs, bites, and community at this celebration organized by Tacoma Arts Live and Red Scarf Revolution. DJ JusPlay will spin '90s tracks and Southeast Asian hip-hop, and a lineup of funny folks (Lin Sun, Juno Men, and others) will sling jokes in celebration of the region's vibrant diaspora and comedy culture.
(ALMA Tacoma, Tacoma)

LIVE MUSIC

Caroline Rose
Past Event Like List New York-based singer-songwriter Caroline Rose brings her shapeshifting blend of indie rock back through the town to support her new album, The Art of Forgetting. The album reaches new heights by moving in an avant-folk direction, utilizing finger-picked guitars, textural percussion, and sound collage. 
(The Showbox, Downtown)

UW School of Music: Improvised Music Project Festival
Past Event Like List The University of Washington's Improvised Music Project is back with its annual festival, featuring two evenings of performances by students, faculty, and guests. Featured artists include Grammy-winning jazz pianist Kris Davis (night one) and multi-instrumentalist/composer Michael Libramento (night two).
(Meany Center for the Performing Arts, Northeast Seattle)

PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE

Dungeons and Drag Queens!
Past Event Like List Described as "fantasy and hilarity on a magical journey" by the South Seattle Emerald, drag queens of the bard, druid, and paladin variety play the legendary tabletop game of monsters and mayhem in this recurring show. Mysterious Dungeon Master Paul Curry will lead the way through a collaborative storytelling adventure.
(Broadway Performance Hall, Capitol Hill)

READINGS & TALKS

Hugo Lit Series—Second Chances: Danez Smith, Rachel Khong, Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello, Zan Fiskum
Past Event Like List After the last few years, the idea of "rebirth" sounds pretty appealing. 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, writers Danez Smith, Rachel Khong, Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello, and Zan Fiskum will encourage audiences to try again with new works based on the juicy sub-theme of "second chances."
(Hugo House, Capitol Hill)

SATURDAY

COMEDY

Brandon Rogers
Past Event Like List Comedian and viral YouTuber Brandon Rogers will bring one of his most cutthroat characters, business bitch and CEO Bryce Tankthrust, to Seattle, delivering an "exclusive seminar" based on her bestselling book Be Better! Be Me! (Expect musical numbers and a murderous plot twist.)
(Here-After at the Crocodile, Belltown)

COMMUNITY

SAM Body & Mind
Past Event Like List What better way to beat SAD than with SAM? The art museum will present free, first-come, first-serve wellness activities on the fourth Saturday of each month this winter to help you combat the tedious post-holiday doldrums. Head to Olympic Sculpture Park for a 60-minute Vinyasa flow led by Take Care Yoga (BYO mat), followed by a vibrationally chill sound bowl session by Biom and a self-reflective art activity by The Feels Foundation.
(Olympic Sculpture Park, Belltown)

FESTIVALS

Crosscut Ideas Festival
Past Event Like List Think big at the Crosscut Festival, a gathering of political leaders, authors, journalists, and scholars centering the most pressing topics of our time. Attendees can tune in from home or head to in-person keynotes and activities—there's something for everyone, with events focusing on artificial intelligence, mental health, medical advancements, and more. Key speakers include Deepak Chopra, The Daily host Michael Barbaro, UBI advocate Andrew Yang, CNN anchor Audie Cornish, and Jeopardy! whiz Ken Jennings, among many others.
(Amazon Meeting Center, Downtown)

FOOD & DRINK

Seattle Boba Fest Past Event Like List
The U-District is hosting its second annual Seattle Boba Fest in honor of National Bubble Tea Day. Get your fill of slurpable, chewy boba specials at participating businesses across the neighborhood, including Sweet Alchemy Ice Cream, Don't Yell At Me, Oh Bear Cafe and Teahouse, YiFang Taiwan Fruit Tea, and more.
(University District, University District)

Theo Chocolate x Caffe Vita: Chocolate & Coffee Class Past Event Like List
Because of their similar origins, chemical makeup, and production process, coffee and chocolate are a heavenly combination. At this tasting led by 2019 US Barista Champion Sam Spillman, you'll get to learn all about their origins and expand your palate by tasting several examples.
(Theo Chocolate, Fremont)

LIVE MUSIC

Andre Nickatina Reimagined
Past Event Like List West Coast hip-hop legend Andre Nickatina, formerly known as Dre Dog, will reimagine his hyphy classics like "Smoke Dope and Rap" and "Ayo for Yayo" with the backing of a full symphony.
(Benaroya Hall, Downtown)

Billy Porter
Past Event Like List Best known for his trailblazing roles both on the screen and on stage (TV shows like Pose, American Horror Story, and Tony-winning Broadway musicals like Kinky Boots), the multi-hyphenate fashion icon Billy Porter is also a successful recording artist and released his self-titled neo-soul debut in 1997. Don't miss this rare performance from the national treasure as he supports his upcoming album, Black Mona Lisa, which Porter teased as his "magnum opus."
(Paramount Theatre, Downtown)

Laura Stevenson with Completions and Katie Malco
Past Event Like List Long Island-born singer-songwriter Laura Stevenson will bring her signature brand of brutally honest and self-aware indie rock to Seattle in honor of the 10-year anniversary of her acclaimed third album, Wheel. With the help of a string section, she will perform the album in its entirety along with some deep cuts and tracks from her 2021 self-titled album. The orchestral rock project Completions and British indie rock artist Katie Malco will open.
(Vera Project, Uptown)

Seattle's Son: A Tribute To The Music of Chris Cornell Past Event Like List
Seattle musicians including rock quartet Rain Light Fade, grunge tribute group Outshined, hard rock outfit Always Naked, and legendary street performer Artis the Spoonman will honor late grunge frontman and hometown hero Chris Cornell with an evening of covers from his bands Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Temple of the Dog. All proceeds will benefit NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).
(High Dive, Fremont)

Shania Twain: Queen Of Me Tour
Past Event Like List Let's go girls! Queen of country pop Shania Twain will embark on her first tour in five years in support of her new dance floor-ready album Queen of Me, which Pitchfork described as "a dozen tracks of optimistic affirmations and pumping electro-pop rhythms."
(Climate Pledge Arena, Uptown)

PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE

Stayin' Alive: Galactic Love Past Event Like List
Slap on some polyester pants and boogie down at Supernova's Pride celebration beneath the mirrored twinkle of a disco ball. Described by organizers as "THE party of the season," the event serves as an amuse-bouche for all things Pride-related with glittery drag queens, roller disco dancers, and DJs pumping hustle-worthy tunes.
(Supernova Seattle, SoDo)

SHOPPING

Lake City Record Show Past Event Like List
Refresh your record collection at this annual vinyl market featuring a wide range of formats, genres, eras, and price points. And admission is free…we love to hear it!
(Shoreline Elks Hall, Ridgecrest)

Seattle Independent Bookstore Day 2023
Past Event Like List The only way Seattle can possibly keep enjoying a wide variety of excellent, engaged, helpful independent bookstores is to support them, love them, and buy as many books as we possibly can from them—and not Jeff Bezos, even if his company offers convenient delivery. Seattle Independent Bookstore Day gives you a perfect excuse to visit your favorite shops, stock up on new releases and old classics, and maybe even meet some local authors and/or get some sweet swag. For the book nerdiest among you, don't miss the beloved Bookstore Day Passport Challenge: If you visit all 27 participating bookstores between April 29 and May 8, you'll get a Bookstore Day Champion Stamp Card, good for a one-time 25% discount at each participating store for the next year, not to mention serious booklovers' street cred. Alternatively, visit just five stores during that period to earn a single 25% off coupon.
(Various locations)

SUNDAY

LIVE MUSIC

FKJ Past Event Like List
Rapidly rising star of the Parisian electronic scene FKJ (also known as French Kiwi Juice) is a gatekeeper for the New French House music zone who blends looping and live jazz instrumentation into his infectious dance floor tunes. Catch him supporting his latest output, Vincent, at the first of his Seattle dates in 2023, or catch him in May at The Showbox.
(Paramount Theatre, Downtown)

Portland Cello Project: '90s vs '90s
Past Event Like List The Pacific Northwest's "premiere alt-classical ensemble" will be joined by accomplished vocalist Patti King (of the Shins) to explore both well- and lesser-known works from the 1790s, 1890s, and 1990s. Expect to hear chamber music renditions of everything from Beethoven to No Doubt (you know, only stuff us that '90s kids remember). It's the perfect time to pull that flannel waistcoat out of your closet.
(Triple Door, Downtown)

Wolves in the Throne Room
Past Event Like List Olympia, WA-based black metal demons Wolves in the Throne Room will bring their atmospheric, emotionally stirring tunes up to Seattle in support of their new album, PrimordialArcana, which was entirely produced, recorded, and mixed by the band in the eerie Washington woods. Arrive in time to catch an opening set from medieval-inspired metal artist Hulder.
(Neumos, Capitol Hill)

MULTI-DAY

EXHIBITS

The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Seattle Past Event Like List
Fans of Monica's compulsive cleanliness, "Smelly Cat," and "the Rachel" shouldn't miss this utterly '90s experience, which will feature nostalgia-stuffed rooms with original props and costumes from FRIENDS, plus set re-creations, a retail store, and more.
(Pacific Place, Downtown, Thursday-Sunday; closing)

From the Ground Up: Black Architects and Designers
Past Event Like List From the Ground Up: Black Architects and Designers looks closely at the history of Black pioneers in the architecture field, whose structural innovations can be found in ancient temples, cultural institutions, and soaring skyscrapers. The traveling exhibition spotlights groundbreakers like Georgia Louise H. Brown, Philip G. Freelon, and Roberta Washington, and considers how these experts have navigated racism and discrimination in the field to imagine better buildings and better worlds.
(MOHAI, South Lake Union, Monday-Sunday; closing)

FILM

Air
Past Event Like List Ben Affleck directs this sporty dramedy that follows shoe salesman-turned-Nike-exec Sonny Vaccaro's pursuit of then-rookie Michael Jordan for a partnership that would define the sneaker brand. Viola Davis plays MJ's uncompromising mom, which elevates the film to a must-see, and Affleck also appears on screen as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, whose contradictory interests (Buddhism and the bottom line) become a running joke.
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Monday-Thursday)

Beau is Afraid
Past Event Like List The trailer for Ari Aster's new "sweatbox of anxieties" brings up more questions than answers, but perhaps it's better that way. The director of Midsommar and Hereditary, whose style leans more toward existential dread than jump scares, has a gift for the unexpected (and deliciously depraved). From what we can tell, Beau is Afraid follows a paranoid man's voyage home to visit his mother. We suggest taking the journey with him, but bring road snacks—the film is three hours long.
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Monday-Thursday)

Cadence Video Poetry Festival 2023
Past Event Like List Programmed in collaboration with artist Râna San and Seattle writer Chelsea Werner-Jatzke, this experimental festival explores the boundaries of video poetry through screenings, workshops, and discussions. In celebration of National Poetry Month, the festival honors video poetry as both a literary genre and a complex visual landscape, facilitating opportunities for critical and creative growth within the medium.
(Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill, Thursday-Sunday)

Desperate Living in 35mm
Past Event Like List All hail the king of sleaze—it's John Waters' 77th birthday! Celebrate at this special 35mm screening of the pervert prince's '77 classic Desperate Living, which follows a murderous housewife who finds herself in a freaky community run by a fascist queen. The show will also commemorate the Grand Illusion's 19th anniversary as a volunteer-run establishment and beloved local cinema landmark.
(Grand Illusion, University District, Tuesday & Thursday)

Joyland
Past Event Like List Saim Sadiq’s 2022 Joyland is more than a beautiful piece of cinema, it is a cultural trailblazer. Based in Pakistan, the melodrama explores gender and sexual identity in a country that criminalizes both. The film follows the life of a young married man, Haider (Ali Junejo), who becomes a backup dancer for a trans performer named Biba (Alina Khan). Out of fear, Haider keeps his new job and relationship a secret from his conservative family. Joyland has received international support for questioning tradition and defying gender norms. Unsurprisingly, it has been banned in Pakistan's heavily populated Punjab province on behalf of “un-Islamic” material. To make it even more upsettingly queer, the film stars Pakistan’s first-ever trans lead, Alina Khan! If art is an act of resistance, Joyland is a fucking force. Also! Joyland recently won Best International Film at the 2023 Independent Spirit Awards! It’s not easily streamable so don’t miss it! BRITTNE LUNNISS
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Monday-Thursday)

National Film Festival for Talented Youth 2023
Past Event Like List This forward-thinking film fest spotlights fresh work by emerging filmmakers, with a focus on work by young women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and others from traditionally marginalized communities. Similar to the 2022 lineup, the youth will continue to hone in on society's most critical issues—look out for films that grapple with racial equality, gender, Indigeneity, and more.
(Various locations and virtual, Thursday-Sunday)

Sam Now
Past Event Like List Blending Super 8, home video, and modern-day digital footage,Sam Now follows Seattle documentarian Reed Harkness, his half-brother Sam, and their family over the course of 20 years as they grapple with Sam's mother's sudden disappearance.
(Grand Illusion, University District, Saturday-Sunday)

The 20th Seattle Black Film Festival
Past Event Like List The 20th annual Seattle Black Film Festival offers a melanated blend of over 50 boundary-pushing films. Screened in-person to celebrate the best of Black local, national, and international filmmaking, the festival will include a family-friendly selection, an LGBTQ+ program co-presented with Three Dollar Bill Cinema, and discussions with visiting filmmakers. The festival programming also boasts a centerpiece screening and performance of Tariqa Waters' Thank you, MS PAM (Martyr Sauce Pop Art Museum) and an experimental film program at Wa Na Wari.
(Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, Central District, Monday-Sunday)

PERFORMANCE

Ayaka Nakama: Freeway Dance Past Event Like List
Informed by her friends' and family's first memories of dancing, Japanese dancer Ayaka Nakama choreographed Freeway Dance, an exploratory four-hour performance. (In case you're wondering, my first memory of dancing is in my childhood living room, where I wiggled haphazardly to steel drum tunes on The Little Mermaid'ssupplementary VHS, Sebastian's Caribbean Jamboree.) If four hours sounds like a long time, never fear—audiences will be invited to freely explore the performance space, an indoor planted garden where "phenomena that induce new dance, stimulated by her dance, lurk everywhere." LINDSAY COSTELLO
(On the Boards, Uptown, Thursday-Sunday)

Daniel Alexander Jones: I Choose To Remember Us Whole Past Event Like List
Performance artist and playwright Daniel Alexander Jones will activate multiple venues at the University of Washington, Meany Center, and across Seattle this spring, offering conversations, workshops, and rituals that will culminate in the installation of temporary altars across UW and a one-day processional performance on May 20. The project's three core components include altars co-created by Valerie Curtis-Newton, Leon Finley, Afroditi Psarra, Althea Rao, and Timothy White Eagle, an altar installation at Henry Art Gallery, and a participatory element. (Fill out a "memory card," available at the Henry's front desk, to contribute to the installation.) Jones will be on-site at the Henry on April 26 and 27, so drop by to share a memory on a colorful postcard.
(Various locations, Wednesday-Sunday)

How I Learned What I Learned
Past Event Like List Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson's one-man show follows a journey of excavation to discover what it means to be a Black artist in America. Originally performed by Wilson himself, this 20th-anniversary production of How I Learned What I Learned will star stage veteran Steven Anthony Jones.
(Seattle Repertory Theatre, Uptown, Tuesday-Sunday)

How To Break
Past Event Like List How to Break follows two hospitalized teenage hip-hoppers coming of age in difficult circumstances, and the show's distinctive mix of poetry, breakdancing, and beatboxing makes salient points on the broken state of the American health care system.
(Village Theatre, Issaquah, Wednesday-Sunday)

Intiman Theatre: The Niceties Past Event Like List
In playwright Eleanor Burgess's explosive The Niceties, a white Gloria Steinem-era feminist and a Black millennial on an elite university campus clash over the impact of slavery on the American Revolution.
(Erickson Theatre Off Broadway, Capitol Hill, Tuesday-Saturday)

Our Dear Dead Drug Lord Past Event Like List
According to the New York Times, Our Dear Dead Drug Lord "starts off as a hoot and winds up a primal scream." Set against the backdrop of the 2008 presidential election, the play follows a gaggle of teen girls who meet in an abandoned treehouse to summon cartel kingpin Pablo Escobar's ghost. (Sounds spooky, but honestly, coming of age is spookier.) It's got blood sacrifice! It's got cool girls doing witchy stuff! Sign us TF up.
(12th Avenue Arts, Capitol Hill, Friday-Sunday)

Springshot 2023 Past Event Like List
Celebrating a "diverse garden" of performance artists, Springshot serves as a launch pad for brand-new dance, theater, burlesque, and comedy shorts over three weekends. Each performance is named after a spring bloom (aster, tulip, peony, and more), and the series features over 20 creatives.
(18th & Union: An Arts Space, Cherry Hill, Friday-Sunday)

The Squirrel Plays Past Event Like List
Nonprofit theater company Mirror Stage's first fully-staged production in over a decade is actually a cycle of short plays. Chicago playwright Mia McCullough's The Squirrel Plays is a darkly comedic raid on suburbia delivered in three parts: Infestation, Compensation, and Eradication. (It's about a squirrel plague, but it's really about reproductive rights. You'll see.)
(12th Avenue Arts, Capitol Hill, Thursday-Sunday)

Sweeney Todd
Past Event Like List Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s '79 melodrama musical Sweeney Todd is a spine-tingling penny dreadful that offers up a surprising taste of anticapitalist revenge with a side of camp. Expect endless witticisms, strange pies, gory thrills, and a body count only rivaled by The Last of Us.
(The 5th Avenue Theatre, Downtown, Wednesday-Sunday)

Twelfth Night Past Event Like List
This boisterous contemporary adaptation of the Bard's slapstick tale was named one of the best theatrical productions of 2018 by Time, the Hollywood Reporter, and the Washington Post. An onstage band will bring the story of mistaken identity to new life with a jazzy, soul-driven score by lauded New York composer Shaina Taub.
(Seattle Center, Uptown, Wednesday-Sunday)

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Past Event Like List Seattle Children's Theatre will transform its stage from a dusty Kansas farmstead to the glittery land of Oz in this adaptation of L. Frank Baum's dreamy classic. Flying monkeys ages five and up will approve.
(Seattle Children's Theatre, Uptown, Friday-Sunday)

READINGS & TALKS

National Geographic Live: Adaptation
Past Event Like List Environmental anthropologist and filmmaker Alizé Carrère travels from Vanuatu's island waters to the ice pyramids of Ladakh in northern India to discover how people around the world are adapting to a changing climate. Her discoveries of innovations and ancient techniques might give you some hope for our very warm future. Find out more at Adaptation, presented as part of the National Geographic Live series, which shares the efforts of its diverse, adventurous contributors.
(Benaroya Hall, Downtown, Monday-Tuesday)

SPRING

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival 2023 Past Event Like List
After the long, hard winter, the best way to shock you out of seasonal depression is to stick your face in a ton of fresh flowers. You’re in luck, because Skagit Valley’s annual Tulip Festival is really something to behold as, quite literally, millions of pink, yellow, purple, orange, and red tulips shoot up from the ground and announce that winter is finally over. (Or at least, it’s over in the rest of the world. It’ll be chilly here through June.) While you could fly to Holland to get your fill of tulips, the trip up I-5 is quicker, safer, cheaper, and, with one mountain range to the east and another to your west, even more Instagrammable than Amsterdam.
(Various locations, Skagit Valley, Monday-Sunday)

Spring Bloom
Past Event Like List Every weekend in April, Chihuly Garden and Glass will herald the arrival of spring with chic offerings like gin-based seasonal cocktails, live ikebana and bonsai demos, tours of the garden in full bloom, and more. It's all included in your general admission ticket, so bring a friend from out of town or #treatyourself.
(Chihuly Garden and Glass, Uptown, Friday-Sunday)

Tulip Town 2023
Past Event Like List Kaleidoscopic rows of vibrant tulips have sprung forth in the fields of Skagit Valley every year since 1984. Tulip Town's old-school trolley rides, local ice cream, and epic selfie opportunities will return again with a new "anytime plus" ticket option, which includes reservation-free access to the fields, a fresh bouquet, and a "barn experience."
(Mount Vernon, Monday-Sunday)

VISUAL ART

GUM BABY: Tariqa Waters
Past Event Like List Tariqa Waters, contemporary artist and founding owner of Martyr Sauce Pop Art Museum and Gallery, presents glass sculptures and subversive imagery in GUM BABY. The immersive installation and "temporary memorial to the assured" references the distorted tall tales of Americana; Waters calls out contradictions through a larger-than-life, technicolor aesthetic. 
(Museum of Museums, First Hill, Wednesday-Sunday; closing)

Michèle Landsaat: The Alchemy of Love Past Event Like List
Seattle-based writer and illustrator Michèle Landsaat will share new drypoint etchings and papier-mâché sculptures in The Alchemy of Love, a delicate, whimsical exhibition that speaks to the artist's interest in alchemical processes, storytelling, and the "transformative potential of loss."
(Davidson Galleries, Pioneer Square, Tuesday-Saturday; closing)