SEATTLE EVENTS

Among Seattle's best-known annual cultural events and fairs are the 24-day Seattle International Film Festival, Northwest Folklife over the Memorial Day weekend, numerous Seafair events throughout the summer months (ranging from a Bon Odori celebration to hydroplane races), the Bite of Seattle, and Bumbershoot over the Labor Day weekend. All are typically attended by over 100,000 people annually, as are Hempfest and two separate Independence Day celebrations.

Several dozen Seattle neighborhoods have one or more annual street fairs, and many have an annual parade or foot race. The largest of the street fairs feature hundreds of craft and food booths and multiple stages with live entertainment, and draw more than 100,000 people over the course of a weekend; the smallest are strictly neighborhood affairs with a few dozen craft and food booths, barely distinguishable from more prominent neighborhoods' weekly farmers' markets.

Other significant events include numerous Native American powwows, a Greek Festival hosted by St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Montlake, and numerous ethnic festivals associated with Festal at Seattle Center.

As in most large cities, there are numerous other annual events of more limited interest, ranging from book fairs and specialized film festivals to a two-day, 8,000-rider Seattle-to-Portland bicycle ride.

Annual Events

January

Pike Place Market

Paramount Theater Tours

February

Seattle Roadster Show

March

Quilters Anonymous Annual Quilt Show

Whirligig!

Vegfest

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

April

ArtSpring

Chinese Book Expo

FringeAct

May

Butterflies & Blooms

Kilt & Mini Bash

IGBO Day

Seattle International Film Festival

Salute to America’s Armed Forces

June

Fremont Fair

Marysville Strawberry Festival

Pig Out on the Farm

Slugfest

SOS Taste of the Nation

July

Fourth of Jul-Ivar’s

Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival

Moo at the Zoo

Seafair & Torchlight Parade

Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival

Taste of Bellevue

August

Kent Canterbury Faire

Seattle Boat Show at Shilshole

Seattle Hempfest

September

Aki Matsuri Fall Festival

Blackberry Festival

DjangoFest

October

Bark in the Park

Pumpkin Prowl

Italian Festival

Oktoberfest

Issaquah Salmon Days Festival

Annual Space City Mixer Halloween Bash

November

Heather Tartan Ball

Hmong New Year

Winterfest at Seattle Center

December

Children’s Christmas in Scandinavia

Winterfest at Seattle Center

Matzo Ball