Scrambling to figure out what to do this weekend, but don't want to break the bank? We've got you covered. If you've already checked out our list of cheap and easy holiday-themed events happening this weekend and are in the mood for something a little less seasonal, check out this list of non-holiday-themed events that won't cost you more than $10. Find options ranging from the closing weekend of The Bureau of Arts & Culture to a day of free activities at the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center, and from a Star Wars-inspired glow sword battle to Sunnier, Rainier: A String Quartet for Seattle. For even more options, check out our complete Things To Do calendar, or our list of the best movies playing this weekend.

Get all this and more on the free Stranger Things To Do mobile app—available now on the App Store and Google Play.


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FRIDAY

ART

1. U-District Art Walk
This art walk happens the third Friday of every month and features art in cool funky business of the U-District such as Chaco Canyon, Cafe Solstice, Gargoyles Statuary, Moksha, and Trabant Coffee & Chai.
(University District, free)

COMMUNITY & CIVICS

2. March for Aleppo
This march for Aleppo—presented in collaboration with Americans for Refugees & Immigrants—will begin at the park right next to Pike Place, and move to Seattle's Russian Consulate. They write, "The people of Aleppo are being massacred by the Assad regime and Russia and WE WILL NOT BE SILENT. We condemn the lack of action by world leaders."
(Downtown, free)

GEEK & GAMING

3. Beer & Board Games
Taste three different ciders from Finn River while you play board games from Blue Highway's extensive selection. If you're one of the first 24 people to arrive, you'll also receive a pint glass, and other raffles will take place throughout the evening.
(Queen Anne, $10)

READINGS & TALKS

4. Youth Speaks Seattle Poetry Slam Prelim #2
This preliminary poetry slam will help to decide which local youth poets will represent Seatle at Brave New Voices in San Francisco, the international youth poetry slam festival. Youth (ages 13-19 by July 2017) are eligible to participate in this slam that will feature host Ebo Barton, DJ Reverend Dollars, and the Catch 'Em All Dance Crew.
(West Seattle, free)

MUSIC

5. Actionesse, Red Tank!, Screaming Multitudes, Ferrari Boys, Cashing in Karma
Bellingham garage-dance-ska-punk outfit Actionesse headlines at Lucky Liquor, with opening sets from Red Tank!, Screaming Multitudes, Ferrari Boys, and Cashing in Karma.
(Tukwila, $5/$8)

6. CLAP: Briggan Kraus String & Reed Quartet
Internationally recognized saxophonist Brogan Kraus will show off his guitar and sax skills in a program featuring support from his longtime collaborator and keyboardist Wayne Horvitz, clarinetist Beth Fleenor, and percussionist Greg Campbell.
(Wallingford, $5-$15)

7. Foolish: Death Star Disco Edition
Fridays at Timbre Room are FOOLISH, a chance to sweat out your weekday worries to a different special guest DJ each week. This week will feature a gathering of all Star Wars fans across the galaxy in celebration of the release of Rogue One this week. So come dressed in your spacey best, and dance to live sets by DJ ShmeeJay, Erin O'Connor Drew, Chris Tower, and James Sorrell.
(Downtown, $5/$10)

8. Great Grandpa, Snuff Redux, Familiars
Grunge pop revivalists Great Grandpa headline Barboza with other locals Snuff Redux and Familiars.
(Capitol Hill, $8)

9. Hell Mary, Witch Bottle, Fragile Weapons
Seattle indie folk musician Rachel Mary Helen Angerman inverts her name for Hell Mary, an alter ego solo project that, in her words, "embodies the duality of my nature. It’s a way to honor the darkness and the light that lives within us all." She'll be joined by Witch Bottle and Fragile Weapons.
(Capitol Hill, $10)

10. Lagos, Fort Loveless, The Jesus Chords, Ape Tit, The Donahues
Alt garage rock band Lagos described their music as "songs for palm reading, clover smoking, stone bleeding." They'll be joined by Fort Loveless, The Jesus Chords, Ape Tit, and The Donahues.
(Greenwood, $8)

11. The Line: A Cabaret
Hear songs to inspire you to perseverant action— selections from "Stevie Wonder, Irving Berlin, Carly Simon, Cole Porter, Loretta Lynn, Demi Lovato, and others."
(Downtown, free)

12. Mint: DJ Christyle
Mint is a fresh (minty, see?) spin on Seattle nightlife that hits the ground every third Friday at Q Nightclub, with fully-fleshed out party vibes thanks to open format spinners like DJ Christyle, Kutt, Lourawk, Pat Nasty, and Henski, who throw down a high energy blend of "classic jams, current hits, remixes and forward thinking sound."
(Capitol Hill, $10)

13. Redwood Son, Slings & Arrows, Bradford Loomis
Americana roots artist Redwood Son plays down home alt country and rock from the Northwest. They'll be joined by Slings & Arrows and Bradford Loomis.
(Ballard, $8)

14. The Rusty Cleavers, The Heels, Shaken Growlers
The Rusty Cleavers incorporate bluegrass and punk elements into their cacophonous stage show, with interludes of mandolin, banjo, and general clatter. They'll be joined by openers The Heels and Shaken Growlers.
(Georgetown, $6)

15. Sloucher, Automotive Steamhorse, Miss Burmuda Dunes
As Sean Nelson astutely observed in a Slog post from July, Seattle’s Sloucher have deftly assimilated the influences of several paradigmatic indie-rock bands from the 1990s and ’00s, including Pavement, Elliott Smith, Yo La Tengo, Bedhead/New Year, and Sebadoh. The songs on Sloucher’s debut EP, Certainty (which you can hear on Bandcamp), tap into a humble yet beautiful melodic wellspring where that certain introspective timbre of guitar jangle and yearning white-guy vocal convey so much pathos. It isn’t easy to make slacker rock sound compelling in 2016, but Sloucher nail all the moves with an easygoing charm that suggests they’ll have a long, fruitful career. If they don’t play Pitchfork Music Festival by 2018, I’ll slowly shake my head in disbelief. DAVE SEGAL
(Ballard, $10)

16. Soul-Fi
Get your weekend started right with Soul-Fi, bringing you everything soul, R&B, funk, hiphop, disco, house, dancehall, reggae, and more, with DJs Vatti, Toya B, Star Swagg, and Reverend Dollars (Darqness/Soul-Fi) on the decks all night long.
(Downtown, $0-$10)

17. theZim & ARock with Guests
Fusion artists theZim & Arock have been playing together for years, and will bring their joint folk-rock-pop efforts to the Skylark stage this weekend.
(West Seattle, $10)

18. A Tribute to the Loft and David Mancuso
DJs Riz, J-Justice, and Carlos R. will throw down consecutive live sets, spinning classics inspired by (and in honor of) David Mancuso, resident DJ of the Loft, a legendary New York venue. This event will also be raising funds for the ACLU.
(Downtown, $5 minimum donation)

19. Vesuvian, SixTwoSeven, Amelia, Chamber 6
Melodic metalists Vesuvian make music from the corpse of now defunct band The Fabled, with songs skewing away from the tech-death metal side of things. They'll be joined by SixTwoSeven, Amelia, and Chamber 6.
(Eastlake, $8/$10)

20. WebbWavvy with Guests
WebbWavvy of Fine Malt Lyrics headlines a $1 show at Vera, hosted by Shane Diamanti, with sets from Da Homie, Devero, The Blur, Conner Reynolds, and Adrian Lopez.
(Seattle Center, $1)

21. Women's Blues Jam
The neighborhood of Hillman City is home to a growing number of great places to eat and drink, such as Big Chickie, Tin Umbrella Coffee, Union Bar, and the brand-new Slow Boat Tavern. It’s also home to Spinnaker Bay Brewing, Washington’s only 100-percent women-owned microbrewery. Owners Janet Spindler and Elissa Pryor don’t hold back, brewing robust, flavorful—and strong—beers. The brewery’s monthly All-Star Women’s Jam features a rotating roster of female blues musicians. Guys are welcome too, but to just to be clear, “the priority is for the women.” ANGELA GARBES
(Hillman City, free)

FRIDAY-SATURDAY

PERFORMANCE

22. Short Shorts
Parley will present an evening of truly short shorts: each play clocks in at 9 minutes or less, and deals with the idea of "peace." See new work by playwrights Tré Calhoun, Elizabeth Coplan, Ryan Nole Fields, Amber Hughes, Barbara Lindsay, Susan McNally, Hannah Merrill, Nelle Tankus, and Celeste Mari Williams.
(Capitol Hill, $10)

SATURDAY

ART

23. Artist Talk: Al Farrow
Sculptor Al Farrow has a show titled Divine Ammunition that's opening at BAM this weekend (Jen Graves writes, "All of his objects are as terrible as beautiful, and they suggest that our strongest devotions inspire our greatest blind violence") and today he'll sign books and speak about his work, as well as addressing the ways in which religion and violence are connected.
(Bellevue, $10)

24. Each Other
In conjunction with the exhibit We Are a Crowd of Others, Tia Kramer and Tamin Totzke will present a series of public rehearsals (and one performance) that will "physicalize the reciprocal relationship between body and environment" and "examine the body as a record of lived experience and a vehicle for deep empathy."
(South Lake Union, free)

25. Jennifer Mehigan: Watch Yourself Rot
Jennifer Mehigan (from and based in Cork, Ireland) is known for her multimedia works and paintings. In this show, she presents "skins" of large vinyl decals on the walls, and they're gross and sexy at the same time. A three-channel video projection is futuristic and gothic, involving female wrestlers, fembots, and stilettos destroying pretty cakes. "Queer femme desire," as the gallery describes it, is getting a workout, and it's a mighty thing to see.
(Georgetown, free)

26. Pound Arts Annual Open Studio Party
Visit Pound Art Studios (also known as The Pound) and check out their artists' studios, featuring work including fine art, tattoo, metalwork, photography, and sculpture.
(Capitol Hill, free)

READINGS & TALKS

27. Cats of Valiant Cosplay
This December, Valiant started a revolution in comics publishing by releasing special editions of its titles—with cats. Yes: real, live, cosplaying nerd cats on each cover! And you can meet these fearless felines at Comics Dungeon for a signing (with human author Ben Fisher, Dynamite's Grumpy Cat) and release party! Will your life ever be the same again? As a bonus, there are special sales on the Cat Cosplay covers, and part of the profits go to the Brooklyn Animal Rescue Coalition.
(Wallingford, free)

28. Punch to Kill 2 Release Party: City Scum Edition!
Meet Marc J Palm, Kevin Clarke, and Wil Long, the creators of Seattle's gore-soaked, iconic martial arts comic Punch to Kill, now releasing its second issue.
(Ballard)

PERFORMANCE

29. Finnegans Wake
Composer Neal Kosaly-Meyer has spent the last 17 years learning and performing each chapter of James Joyce's abstract masterpiece Finnegans Wake, and tonight will perform the dubious task of reciting Chapter 3 from memory for the first time. It promises to be "formal, theatrical, even liturgical, exploiting the acoustics and evocative qualities of the Chapel, supported by minimal but thoughtfully designed sets, props, lighting and sound."
(Wallingford, $5-$15)

30. Reunited: An Actor and Drama Teacher Compare Notes
Explore "two very different lives in the arts" through a story featuring a high school drama teacher and a New York actor.
(Greenwood, $10)

COMMUNITY

31. Flash Mob Pillow Fight
Smuggle a pillow into a to-be-announced public space for this "Sack the Holidays" event. At the signal, start whalin' away! (Not too hard though, and remove your glasses before you start.)
(Secret location, free)

32. Glow Sword Battle
Celebrate the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story at this "ultimate nocturnal showdown" that will be split, naturally, into two teams: good and evil. 10% of all proceeds will go towards the Fire Relief Fund for Victims Oakland Ghostship Fire.
(Sodo, $10 per sword)

33. Pop-Up Minecraft!
Celebrate Minecraft with live streaming, free play, demos, and coloring stations—and be transported into the Minecraft world yourself when you venture into the Living Computer Museum's life-size build park.
(Sodo, $10)

34. Preserving the Duwamish Cultural Landscape
This free, day-long event will illuminate the connection between Duwamish cultural heritage and native habitat restoration—and will use talks, demos, workshops, food, and storytelling to make key points. You'll learn about the Duwamish Reforestation Project and the Duwamish Hill Preserve, make baskets, eat brunch, and engage in a participatory cultural sharing presentation with songs, stories, and dance. Come for the whole day or drop in on just one activity; it's up to you.
(West Seattle, free)

35. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Celebrate this weekend's new release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story by watching a free screening of The Force Awakens, last year's Star Wars installment that Charles Mudede wrote "does not offer much of a new story but simply and brilliantly retells much of the old one."
(West Seattle, free)

MUSIC

36. The Absent Light, Mister Master, Dogstrum, Reverend Bear
Prog-metalheads The Absent Light spread their ambient art-noise with Mister Master, Dogstrum, and Reverend Bear.
(Belltown, $8)

37. Four Lights, Amsterdam, Dirty Outs, Foxhole Norman
Indie rock group Four Lights celebrate the release of the vinyl version of their album Death to False Posi with support from Amsterdam, Dirty Outs, and Foxhole Norman.
(University District, $5)

38. Golden Gardens, Planning For Burial, God & Vanilla
At the time of this writing, a project halt and environmental investigation has been ordered for the DAPL, but the water protectors’ fight isn’t over yet. Trump, ETP, and other malevolent forces could easily overturn this small victory, so 100 percent of the proceeds from this night of dreamy, dark sounds will still go to the Oceti Sakowin Camp. The well-curated bill features local gothtronic-pop duo Golden Gardens, who produce a shimmery and propulsive brand of effervescent electronic dream pop. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania–based one-man band Planning for Burial (aka Thom Wasluck) ushers forth a doomy, romantic slowgaze that sounds like a black-metal Kevin Shields. His ambient wall-of-noise looms over its listener with lush and twinkly atmospheres and passionate, brooding synth side glances. While local ambient act God and Vanilla’s stark minimalism will also permit space for reflection in times of darkness. BRITTNIE FULLER
(Capitol Hill, $10/$12)

39. Golden Idols, Pop Cycle, Don DiLego, The Moonspinners
Posi vibe dance rockers Golden Idols want to soundtrack your dream life, with Pop Cycle, Don DiLego, and The Moonspinners.
(Georgetown, $6)

40. Grynch, Jake One, Miguel Rockwell
If you pay attention—and you will never go wrong doing just that, trust me there—you know Grynch's trademark thoughtful everyman steez, and either you rock with it or you don't. If you do, you'll be glad to hear the 2014 edition. He's still taunting doubters and bragging on his young-vet status in the Six ("Shine"), keeping it West Coast (the Kokane-featuring "On a Good One"), and being as disarmingly self-deprecating as ever (the amorous failure-to-launch hookup ode "My Folks' Spot"). The smooth '80s grooves and R&B assists that served him so well last time out are even slicker (check his chemistry with Malice and Mario Sweet on a couple cuts), and he sounds even more at home in the mix—if town-rap ever had an earthy Bobby Caldwell, it's him. And just like Mr. Do for Love, Grynch is just as fucking nostalgic as ever ("Time Flies")—he's virtually Seattle rap's Kevin Arnold. LARRY MIZELL JR.
(Ballard, $10)

41. HouseQuake with The Wonder Twins and Mr. Linden
Seattle Quake Rugby presents HouseQuake, a rowdy night of house music with selections by resident Kremwerk spinners Mz Artiz & Julie Herrera (a.k.a. The Wonder Twins), and Mr. Linden, and dancing all night long with your favorite gay rugby boys.
(Downtown, $5/$8)

42. Lo-Flydelity Records Presents: Padpushers Vol. 50
Every third Satuday, Vermillion and Lo-Flydelity Records host a beatmakers showcase with featured DJs. This time around, enjoy live sets from Vaughnilla, Akira Gautama, Golden Alchemy, Wizdumb, and Able Fader.
(Capitol Hill, free)

43. The Moon Is Flat, The Naims, Sunsets West, Guests
Psych rock jammers The Moon Is Flat throw down some cosmic noise at Blue Moon with The Naims, Sunsets West, and other special guests.
(University District, $5)

44. Stiff Spirit, Bad Koala, Men, Martians and Machines, The Almost Faithful, Postcard From the Badlands
Stiff Spirit plays infectious and unpretentious rock and roll, and they'll share that common man vibe with Bad Koala, Men, Martians and Machines, The Almost Faithful, and Postcard From the Badlands.
(Greenwood, $8)

45. Verlaine, Daggerhands, English Gardens, Nikol Kollars
Alt ambient rock band Verlaine will spread the vibes thick with Daggerhands, English Gardens, and Nikol Kollars.
(Pioneer Square, $5/$8)

46. Weatherside Whiskey Band, Deception Past, Caleb & Walter
Down-home country rockers Weatherside Whiskey Band play honest-to-God roots music with a focus on layered harmonies, acoustic guitars, mandolin, and upright bass. They'll be joined by Deception Past and Caleb & Walter.
(Ballard, $8)

47. Wild English, The Daisy Strains, The Shows, The Regrets
Lo-fi garage rockers Wild English prioritize the party vibes, with The Daisy Strains, The Shows, and The Regrets.
(Fremont, $8/$10)

48. Wolves in Argyle, Success, Thadeus Gonzalez
New California band Wolves in Argyle will be joined by Grammy-Nominated rocker Thaddeus Gonzalez and Seattle punks Success for a short and sweet live set.
(Eastlake, $7)

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

ART

49. The Bureau of Arts & Culture
Art in the age of Donald Trump can no longer be neutral. When I walked into The Bureau of Arts & Culture, the new exhibit by PDL (a collective that includes Jed Dunkerley, Greg Lundgren, Jason Puccinelli, and Arne Pihl), my question was this: What part of Trumpism is it challenging? After a look at the 21 installations, I concluded that the answer was capitalist realism. The show presents proposals that imagine other kinds of economies, connecting art to circuits that are clearly outside of the market. Some of the proposals in the show are comic and some are very serious. The whole show argues that there is an alternative, and its materialization will require a little dreaming, a little nonsense, and a lot of courage. CHARLES MUDEDE
(Pioneer Square, free)

SUNDAY

PERFORMANCE

50. House of Sound and Sea
This performance about a lesbian couple (who might be haunted—or even be haunting someone themselves) will upend time and space. They say, "Who is real? Who is memory? Who has existed and who might come to exist?"
(Belltown, $9)

51. Match Game
Audience contestants try to guess local celebrities' answers to silly questions for a ribald evening. This month, the theme is a twofer: Star Trek and the holiday season. Feel the inexorable pull of the "Wormhole of Comedy."
(Downtown, $10)

COMMUNITY & CIVICS

52. Say My Name: Name and Gender Marker Change Clinic
If your legal identity doesn't match up with your gender, this event may be very important for you. The Gender Justice League, Q-Law Legal Foundation, and the King County Bar Association will help you file paperwork to change the name and gender marker on your driver's license, your social security card, your passport, your birth certificate, and other documents. There will also be a photographer for on-site passport photos. Financial assistance available.
(Capitol Hill, free)

MUSIC

53. Alicia Amiri, Ghost of Kyle Bradford, See Me River
Dark goddess Alicia Amiri of Year of Death and Nightmare Fortress will headline a solo set with Ghost of Kyle Bradford and See Me River.
(Capitol Hill, $8)

54. Blicky, Science & The Beat, The Science of Deduction
Industrial dance rockers Blicky take the stage with dark pop weavers The Science of Deduction, and Science & The Beat.
(Fremont, $6/$8)

55. Chris Cheveyo, Lazer Kitty, Cool Ruins, Zo
In a fundraising effort for women's rights, local musicians Chris Cheveyo, Lazer Kitty, Cool Ruins, and Zo, with DJs Glitter Lizard and G$unnie, will perform live for free, with a donation table and information for Planned Parenthood.
(Capitol Hill, free)

56. E-Neptunes, Duchamp, Keyan Keihani
Space-noise group E-Neptunes describe their own work as "enchanting and hypnotic vocals sprinkled heavily over a landscape consisting of swirling symphonies of intriguing musical noise." They'll be joined by Duchamp and Keyan Keihani.
(Ballard, $6)

57. The Final JK Pop!
Go wild at the last iteration of JK Pop, a high-energy dance party facilitated by DJ HOJO and filled with Top40 J-Pop and K-Pop bangers, with support from Bishi, BLC, HOSTBOI, Firedrill, and DJAO.
(Capitol Hill, free)

58. John Craigie with Guests
Portland singer-songwriter John Craigie likens himself to the lovechild of John Prine and Mitch Hedberg with a vagabond troubadour edge.
(Belltown, $10)

59. MusicWorks Northwest: Rainer Piano Quartet
Enjoy an existential evening with the Rainer Piano Quartet as they perform the masterpieces by Johannes Brahms, Piano Quartet Number 1 and Number 3, that touch on life's lamentations and complex romances. Pianist Carlin Ma—along with string musicians Michael Center, Annie Chang Center, and Pamela Liu—play in their second season together.
(Bellevue, free)

60. Mutiny Mutiny, Freeway Park, Another Perfect Crime
Post-punk group Mutiny Mutiny continue to evolve their methods of intricate guitar and bass work and heavy subject matter. They'll be joined by Freeway Park and Another Perfect Crime.
(Ballard, $8)

61. Pucker Up, Proofs, Don Gero, Slow Elk
Experimental Boston punks Pucker Up make some noise at Victory Lounge with Portlanders Don Gero and Slow Elk, and Proofs.
(Eastlake, $8)

62. Rucker with She Thinks I'm Alex
Everett-based alt rock band Rucker will play an all ages show at Skylark with pop-punkers She Thinks I'm Alex.
(West Seattle, $5)

63. September Mourning with Anthrocene
September Mourning, citing influences like Motionless In White, Disturbed, and Muse, aims to be both rock star and superhero in their Manson-like experimental dark pop fantasy project. They'll be joined by Anthrocene.
(Eastlake, $10/$12)

64. Sunnier, Rainier: A String Quartet for Seattle
Presented by the Serendipity Quartet, this world premiere of Adam Stern's newest string quartet, "Crossroads," explores the natural setting of Seattle with an objective musical portrait of the city, as well as performances of two audience favorites: Shostakovich's ​​String Quartet No. 8 and ​Dvořák's ​String Quartet No. 12.
(First Hill, free)