Panicking because you don’t know what to do this weekend and you're short on cash? Don't worry—below, find all of your options for last-minute entertainment that won't cost more than $10, ranging from the winter edition of the Seattle Night Market to Theo Chocolate's Broken Bar Day, and from the Black Panther-themed event Freedom Blueprints to the Seattle Art Museum's Diwali Family Festival. For even more options, check out our complete EverOut Things To Do calendar and our list of cheap & easy things to do in Seattle all year long.
Jump to: Friday | Saturday | Sunday
- Christopher Hill & The Stardust Crush, Sean Croizier and Allison Preisinger
Billing themselves as a "meditative rock band" and a cross between Bob Dylan and Radiohead, Christopher Hill & the Stardust Crush will play in Wallingford with support from Sean Croizier and Allison Preisinger.
(Wallingford, free) - Daniel Rapport Trio
Seattle-born jazz musician Daniel Rapport, who performed in Garfield High School's lauded jazz ensemble and has since shared stages with the likes of Macklemore and Blue Scholars, will perform a night of world, jazz, and blues standards.
(Downtown, free) - Den Tapes Showcase
Sarah Pasillas from Antonioni, Roger Hutchins from Happy Times Sad Times, and other artists on local label Den Tapes will link up for a night of tunes.Â
(University District, $5-$10) - Despairer, DieNasty, WildSwings, Burien
Northwest hard rock bands Despairer, DieNasty, WildSwings, and Burien will play loud and fast in Eastlake.Â
(Eastlake, $10) - Full Service 002 (The Prefunk Edition)
Discover deep house and nu-disco from around the world with DJs Rozzville and Shaggy.Â
(Rainier Valley, $3) - Georgetown Orbits, Easy Big Fella, The Cascadians
The Georgetown Orbits will bring "traditional ska" and upbeat reggae to Columbia City for their 15th anniversary show with opening support from fellow Northwest ska bands Easy Big Fella and the Cascadians.
(Columbia City, $10) - Jacqueline Tabor
Local jazz vocalist Jacqueline Tabor will take the stage for an evening of sultry standards.
(Downtown, free) - Jay Loud & Guests in the Gallery
Local up-and-coming hip-hop artist Jay Loud will headline this all-ages show with additional support from Keshawn, Truly, Big Jones, L'Shawn, B-Rose, Noah, and others.Â
(Seattle Center, $8/$10) - The Scaners, Juicy Thompson and the Snuggle Regime, Guests
All the way from Lyon, France, cosmic synth-punks the Scaners will come to Seattle with support from Mexico indie-rockers Carrion Kids and locals Juicy Thompson and the Snuggle Regime.
(Tukwila, $8) - The Scoffs, The Swaggerlies, Thin Men
Newly formed Seattle punk band the Scoffs will show you what they've got after opening sets from the Swaggerlies and Thin Men.
(Shoreline, $8) - Spread Presents: Franks & Deans, Kids on Fire, Unemployables
If punk and drag are two of your favorite things, look no further than this live show with musical performances by Franks & Deans, Kids on Fire, and Unemployables.Â
(Belltown, $10) - W Music: Lydia Ramsey
Local singer-songwriter Lydia Ramsey will incorporate dusky southern tones into classic folk music in this solo set.
(Downtown, free) PERFORMANCE
- Come and Get It!
Seattle's own Bitsy Bates will host a night of "laughter, song, and oddities" with performances by Everett band NarrowTarrot, performance artist Tootsie Spangles, and singer Kerry Neisen.
(Georgetown, $10) - Global Party
This performance will celebrate the diversity of the Seattle community with music and dancing from various cultures.
(Belltown, $10) - The Power of Love: A Celine Dion Show
SHE and Beau Degas will pay tribute to the French Canadian tune-belter. Watch Arrietty Fatale, Butch Alice, Cannoli, and Mona Real demonstrate their reverence.
(Downtown, $9) READINGS & TALKS
- Allison Stanger: How Whistleblowers Preserve Our Democracy
Stanger, a Harvard Technology and Human Values Senior Fellow, will read from her book, which is subtitled Honesty in America from Washington to Trump. In it, she shows how whistleblowers have performed vital acts of public service since the days of the Revolutionary War.
(First Hill, $5) - Johanna Stoberock: Pigs
Four children eke out a living caring for a herd of ferocious pigs on an island where all of Earth's garbage is sent. One day, they find not another piece of flotsam but a boy, whose arrival challenges their routine. This Jack Straw fellow and Artist Trust GAP recipient's new book was a runner-up for the Italo Calvino Award.
(Capitol Hill, free) - Spotlight Fiction: Peg Alford Pursell and Sharma Shields
Peg Alford Pursell (A Girl Goes into the Forest) and Sharma Shields (The Cassandra) will read "fractured myths and modern fables."
(Capitol Hill, free) - UW Bothell Reading Series
Current students, alumni, and faculty of the University of Washington Bothell’s MFA program in Creative Writing and Poetics will share work in this installment of the quarterly reading series.Â
(Wallingford, free) VISUAL ART
- The Black Embodiments Studio
Artist and author Kameelah Janan Rasheed will talk about their exploration of institutional power through the use of architecture, collage, and large-scale text.
(University District, free) - David Rue: A Physical Homage
David Rue, a dancer who "transmits the metaphysical and makes a person want to move" (according to former Stranger writer Jen Graves), has curated an incredible series of outdoor performances dedicated to AIDS activists and those who perished from the disease. The first iteration kicks off on June 21 and features Randy Ford, whose sheer range and talent has moved me to consistently call for someone to award her $100,000 so that she may create work at her leisure. When Ford dances, she uses modern, bounce, vogue, and moves from genres I've never seen before to communicate maximum velocity, sharpness, and strength—all qualities shared by ACT UP and other activist groups fighting against the deafening and deadly silence of the US government.RICH SMITH
(Capitol Hill, free)
Closing FridayFRIDAY-SATURDAY
FOOD & DRINK
- Seattle Pizza Week 2019
If you were a fan of The Stranger’s Burger Week this past summer, we’ve got another exclusively crafted (and priced) food to deliver to your mouth: $2 pizza slices! During our inaugural Pizza Week, 11 restaurants are participating (Andare Kitchen & Bar, the Ballroom, Belltown Pizza, Humble Pie, Johnny Mo's Pizzeria, Little Maria's Pizza, Nine Pies Pizzeria, Ozzie's, South Town Pie, Southside Pizza & Gelato, and Watershed Pub & Kitchen), with three vegetarian offerings amid the meaty meats, and even one that’s gluten-free. Check out the Pizza Week calendar for details on who’s serving what for this one-week-only event. LEILANI POLK
(Various locations, $2+) SHOPPING
- Nordic Holiday Bazaar
Pick out handmade Scandinavian commodities from over 20 vendors, snack on lefse and pickled herring, and enjoy traditional live music and performances.
(Everett, free) VISUAL ART
- Gillian Theobald: And the Language Was Beauty
Gillian Theobald’s paintings are absolutely, deliciously tropical. They remind me of the most fantastically patterned fabric that makes up the 1970s dress of my dreams. I’d like to drape myself in her images and forms. She creates abstract-ish landscapes that build “a meditative, slow space using families of color playing off each other,” like a call-and-response. In her first solo show at studio e, Theobald—who was a finalist for the 2017 Neddy Award—will be exhibiting new paintings, drawings, and bas-relief collages made of found paper and paint. JASMYNE KEIMIG
(Georgetown, free)
Closing SaturdayFRIDAY-SUNDAY
FOOD & DRINK
- Cheers to 3 Years! (With Free Nachos & Crackle the Camel)
For their three-year celebration, West Seattle-based Ounces Taproom is going all out with an anniversary hazy IPA from Urban Family Brewing Company, free birthday cake and Nacho Mama's molten-cheese-covered nachos, plenty of prize giveaways, and even an appearance from a real, live camel named Crackle.
(West Seattle, free) VISUAL ART
- Dawndra Budd: Tales of the Night
Seasonally spooky, magical realist art by conceptual photographer Dawndra Budd makes a perfect pairing for the waning light of fall.
(West Seattle, free) - Myra Lara: Everyday Cry-sis
Urban living is a lot—especially in a city like Seattle where the disparities between the rich and poor are at untenable levels. We pride ourselves on being liberal, green, and socially conscious, and yet we don’t tax big business, we don’t have enough public transit, and we let rents go through the roof. It’s exhausting! Artist Myra Lara will be exploring “the realities of life, political priorities, and social justice” in our fair, emerald, technocratic city in her latest cartoon series, Everyday Cry-sis.JASMYNE KEIMIG
(Ballard, free) - Sara Osebold and Taylor Hanigosky: Relic
Local artist Sara Osbeold plays with textures and materials that represent her native Northwest landscape in this series of sculptures.Â
(Ballard, free)
Closing Sunday WINTER HOLIDAYS
- Holiday Express Train & Poinsettias Display
The Volunteer Park Conservatory will partake in the holiday season with their annual holiday express train and display of bright-red Poinsettias. And, at the open house on Friday, cookies!
(Capitol Hill, free)SATURDAY
COMMUNITY
- Freedom Blueprints
The social justice-focused library Estelita’s will display special selections of archived Black Panther newspapers to flip through, and will also play host to a DIY silkscreen station inspired by legendary Black Panther designer Emory Douglas, community organizers whose work is inspired by the Black Panthers, and live hip-hop and spoken word performances from local artists. That Brown Girl Cooks will provide refreshments.
(Beacon Hill, free) - Kshama Sawant Victory Party & Concert
District 3 Socialist Alternative councilmember Kshama Sawant will celebrate her general-election victory with some help from a live indie-rock band, poet and activist Nikkita Oliver, comedian Brett Hamil, and other special guests.
(Downtown, free) FESTIVALS
- Diwali Family Festival
At this celebration of the Hindu festival of lights, take a tour of the special exhibition Flesh and Blood: Italian Masterpieces from the Capodimonte Museum and take in live performances.
(Downtown, free) FOOD & DRINK
- Original Music Inspired by Samin Nosrat's Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
Chef and food writer Samin Nosrat's runaway hit cookbook Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, which distills the elements of good cooking into four simple principles and spawned a Netflix series of the same name, will provide fodder for art and music from a lineup of local artists from the Bushwick Book Club.
(Capitol Hill, $10) - Seattle Night Market: Winter
This yearly market series (now indoors for the first time) gathers a lineup of over 125 vendors, food trucks, pop-ups, artists, and more, including favorites like Pecos Pit, Sticky Treats and Sweets, and Alexandra's Macarons. There's also a craft beer and cocktail garden with breweries like Reuben's Brews and Fremont Brewing, and this edition will feature a "hot sauce fest" pop-up with a focus on local makers of the spicy stuff, like Ballyhoo Hot Sauce and Mike's Fine Brines.
(Sand Point, $1) MUSIC
- Anatomy of a Hindustani Music Concert - Indian Classical Music Appreciation Lec-Dem
Enjoy an evening of Indian classical music and sip a free cup of chai.Â
(University District, free) - Chris LeVaughn Live
Join singer-songwriter Chris LeVaughn and his sultry voice in Beacon Hill.
(Beacon Hill, free) - Cyndi's Birthday with Primate Five & The Fall-Outs
It's someone named Cyndi's birthday, and that warrants a night of live garage rock with Skull Island's Primate Five, the Fall-Outs, and DJ Marvelette.Â
(University District, free) - FEDU RELOADED - Garifuna Party Zone
DJ Manny will spin reggaeton, soca, and other Latin beats into the wee hours.
(Central District, $10) - Freak Out Fest Afterparty: Nots, Guests
Self-proclaimed "nuevo no wavo" band NOTS bring lush punky energy over a backdrop of comic synths and swirly vocals. The Tennessee quartet will headline after Freakout Fest with Seattle synth-punks Clarko.
(Belltown, $10) - Greenlake Saturday Night Music with Creeping Time and Jake London
Seattle-based alt-country acts Creeping Time and Jake London will share a bill.Â
(Green Lake, free) - The Hot McGandhis
Get down to "funky jazz and boogaloo tunes" from a quintet of seasoned Seattle musicians as they play standards from the 1960s to the present.
(Downtown, free) - Jazz Abbey with Special Guest Al Keith
Local jazz fusion group Jazz Abbey will play music by well-known acts like Snarky Puppy, Thomas Marriott, Jim Cutler, Russell Gunn, and others with support from special guest Al Keith.Â
(Ballard, $5) - Kay Tita Family Affair
Kay Tita's Family Affair will celebrate 12 months of work in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with a free all-ages show featuring Haitian-born, Brooklyn-based DJ Savine Blazin, plus libations from That Brown Girl Cooks, Haitian coffee from the Breach Barista Collective, a community art mural, and more.Â
(Seattle Center, free) - Last Rockers Presents - Doom and Gloom with Diyu
Heavy rockers Diyu, Bella in the Wych Elm, Power Skeleton , and Darkmysticwoods will bring their dark celestial vibes to Tukwila.Â
(Tukwila, $7) - Marlo Kapsa, 129,600, Baby Jessica
Local rock band Baby Jessica's last show for the foreseeable future will double as a celebration of their new EP. They'll share this bittersweet bill with dream-popper Marlo Kapsa and alt-rock oufit 129,600.
(Ballard, $10) - Marshall Family Band
Two parents and their son play piano, accordion, fiddle, and guitar in the Marshall Family Band. Tap your toes to their "contemporary perspective on country, blues, and old-time with a hint of gospel."
(Columbia City, free) - New Sensation & Lovecats
INXS cover band New Sensation and the Cure cover band Lovecats will light up the '70s rock circuit in Shoreline.
(Shoreline, $10) - Rachael's Children, Don Forgetti, Flying Fish Cove, Garden Chat
Local bands Rachael's Children, Don Forgetti, Flying Fish Cove, Garden Chat will uplift you with their high-energy rock.
(Ballard, donation) - RX: Live at the Royal Room
Local singer-songwriter Robbie Christmas will exhibit his artful guitar playing. (Note: His set is unrelated to the Yuletide.)
(Columbia City, $10) - Skates!, Hobbyist, Bugs
Hot-shit surf punks Skates! will headline with support from Chicago rockers Hobbyist and Bugs.Â
(Eastlake, $8) - Women Who Rock: Stacy Jones & Polly O'Keary
In addition to her blues chops, bassist and vocalist Polly O'Keary must have some fascinating stories: She was raised in a log cabin with no electricity and spent her teenagerhood waiting tables in Mexico. She's won multiple awards from the Washington and Inland Empire blues societies, who must have thrilled to that rich rhythmic throb in her voice. Tonight, she'll be joined by Southern blues-rocker Stacy Jones.
(North of Seattle, $10) PERFORMANCE
- America: A Play Based on the Novel by Franz Kafka
Based on Franz Kafka's incomplete first novel, this one-man play produced by Thalia Theater Hamburg deals with displacement, social decline in a foreign country, and longing for home.
(Capitol Hill, free) READINGS & TALKS
- Douglas Margeson: Gazing at the Distant Lights
Local author Douglas Margeson will read from his new novel—a coming-of-age story about a young man who attends college in the 1960s.
(Edmonds, free) - Jennifer Ott: Olmsted in Seattle
Environmental historian Jennifer Ott, the Assistant Director of HistoryLink, will fill you in on the origins of Seattle parks designed by the legendary Olmstead brothers, including Seward Park, Mt. Baker Park, Woodland Park, and Volunteer Park.
(Downtown, free) - Watershed: A Poetry Workshop with Claudia Castro Luna
Washington State Poet Laureate Castro Luna will lead a poetry workshop inspired by "the waters that flow and churn inside each of us." Press materials add, "Like watersheds leave marks on the terrains they traverse, so do feelings, memories, dreams, questions, leave traces inside our bodies. Come experiment with words, reflect upon water’s shape, movement, power, the way it manifests in nature and in the liquid geography of our own bodies." Participants will be given the option to have their finished work featured in a temporary display.Â
(University District, $10) - Women Make Art! A Reading.
Enjoy visual art and readings by creative local ladies, including Alissa Palmer, Natalie Copeland, and Sarah Herrin.
(West Seattle, free) RESISTANCE & SOLIDARITY
- Block Amazon's Bid on Biden: Abolish ICE, Save the Planet!
The Seattle Democratic Socialists of America, District 3 councilmember Kshama Sawant, and others will rally against corporate politics in anticipation of Joe Biden's upcoming private Seattle fundraiser hosted by Amazon's general counsel and vice president.
(Queen Anne, free) SHOPPING
- Burien Art Market
Dozens of artists show and sell works to benefit the Burien Arts Association.
(Burien, free) - Holiday Bazaar
Get a head start on holiday shopping knowing that proceeds will benefit the Greenlight Education Center grade school in Kenya.
(Greenwood, free) - Holiday Makers Market
Northwest makers specializing in all things wellness-related—from crystals to bath salts to essential oils—will sling their wares for all your holiday shopping needs.
(Shoreline, free) - Snohomish Harvested Holiday Market
Whether you want to stock up on fresh produce, jams, spices, and other goodies for Thanksgiving, or you're a proactive holiday shopper on the hunt for handmade goods from local artists and artisans, you'll have plenty to work with at this annual market.
(Snohomish, free) - A Very Merry LadyMakers Holiday Sale
Shop a variety of handcrafted items made by a collective of women artists. Plus, enjoy live music by Chris Ballew of Casper Babypants, raffles, snacks, and drinks
(Beacon Hill, free) - Witch, Please Market
Lovers of the dark arts can get their fortunes read by a tarot reader and shop for jewelry, drawings, pottery, clothing, and more from local vendors.
(Capitol Hill, free) VISUAL ART
- MFON: Women Photographers of the African Diaspora
Hear a talk about Black diaspora women photographers from authors Laylah Amatullah Barrayn and Adama Delphine Fawundu, artist Berette Macaulay, and photography specialist Michelle Dunn Marsh in conjunction with the tripartite exhibition MFON: Women Photographers of the African Diaspora.
(First Hill, free) - Museum of UnNatural History
Shoreline Public Art will present this art show and market, which begins at Modern Glaze and continues at Shoreline City Hall.
(Shoreline, free) WINTER HOLIDAYS
- Christmas Tree Lighting and Laser Light Show
This annual Christmas tree lighting and laser show features live family-friendly entertainment, appearances from holiday legends like Frosty the Snowman, and chances to take selfies with a red-nosed Rudolph.
(Renton, free)SATURDAY-SUNDAY
SHOPPING
- My Favorite Craft Fair
If you're a fan of the podcast My Favorite Murder, this market is specifically for you. Artists and artisans will sling their crafty wares related to the beloved program about serial killers, from candles and pet products to paper goods and jewelry.
(South Park, free) VISUAL ART
- Carol Young Bagshaw: Reflection
See work by the late Northwest Coast Haida carver Carol Young Bagshaw in this posthumous show.
(Downtown, free)
Opening Saturday - Christopher Boffoli: Bite Sized
Boffoli positions minuscule, hand-painted human figurines on seemingly vast landscapes of food and drink. You may have seen his tongue-in-cheek photography featured on NBC First Look or in Business Insider.
(South Lake Union, free)
Opening Saturday - Tori Karpenko
Tori Karpenko, trained as a painter in Italy, renders beautiful landscapes—transparent lakes, brambly mountains, and gleaming ice. He also sculpts with natural materials.
(Downtown, free)
Opening Saturday WINTER HOLIDAYS
- Molbak's Holiday Kick-Off Weekend
No need to hold back on holiday cheer until after Thanksgiving—the garden supply and home goods store Molbak's will play host to a weekend of wintery activities like a seminar on festive plant arrangements with Jodi Burkland (Sat), a meet-and-greet with holiday village artist Tom Bates (Sat), a glassybaby pop-up (Sat), and more.
(Woodinville, free)SUNDAY
COMEDY
- Horror Unexpected
Taking content cues from the masters of horror and real-time cues from you, the audience, this silly night of comedy is brought to you by the Unexpected Productions improv team.
(Downtown, $10) - Wolf Noises Emmett Montgomery's Comedy Class Student Showcase
Unexpected Productions comedy students will show you what they've learned from local comedy mentor Emmett Montgomery.
(Downtown, $5) COMMUNITY
- RICA Diwali
When you're not dancing to Bollywood spun by a live DJ, fill up on sweet and savory Indian-inspired food and drinks and watch dance performances.
(Bellevue, free) FILM
- Finding Hygge: A Documentary
The Danish word hygge is fuzzy both in texture and definition, but a quick Google search pegs it as "a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture)." Take in a documentary on the concept and snack on "cozy treats" for purchase.
(North Seattle, $10 suggested donation) FOOD & DRINK
- Broken Bar Day - Holiday Edition!
Sometimes Theo Chocolate bars get smashed to smithereens, but you can pick up the pieces at this event, where shattered shards will be on sale for $10 a pound. The first 10 people in line will also receive two free bars of Theo's newest flavor.Â
(Fremont, free) MUSIC
- In Motion Quartet
Swing around to some lively experimental jazz from saxophonist Steve Treseler and trumpeter Kevin Woods' quartet.
(Columbia City, free) - POP + Hip Hop: History of the Battle
Learn the history of lyrical combat in hip-hop through artifacts from legends like Grandmaster Flash and the Notorious B.I.G, live performances, and a film screening.
(Seattle Center, free) - The Yes Masters, Dany Laj and The Looks, Tuff Talk
Seattle pop-punk trio the Yes Masters, fronted by Kurt Bloch of the Young Fresh Fellows and Filthy Friends, will be joined by Dany Laj and the Looks and Tuff Talk.
(Tukwila, $8) READINGS & TALKS
- Amy Rigby: Girl to City
Amy Rigby shares her story (that of a girl from Pittsburgh who went on to become enmeshed in the '70s New York City punk scene) in her debut memoir. She'll be joined in conversation with Kristi Coulter, the local author of Nothing Good Can Come from This.Â
(Ravenna, free) - Cindy Safronoff: The History of 4th Church of Christ, Scientist, and Its Building
Back in Seattle's early days, a progressive congregation called Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist built a gathering space in what is now the beloved Town Hall building. In this talk, Cindy Safronoff will share stories of a homeopathic doctor, a prominent dentist, an Assistant U.S. Attorney, a prominent bootlegger, and a ragtime music composer who all followed the church's Reverend Mary Baker Eddy.
(First Hill, free) - Daniel Brook: The Accident of Color
In parts of pre-Civil War New Orleans and Charleston, a subset of openly mixed-race urbanites enjoyed some rights of citizenship and the privileges of wealth and social status that other people of color were denied. In this talk, journalist and author Daniel Brook will share insights from this crucial time in American history as outlined in his latest book, The Accident of Color.Â
(First Hill, $5) - The Inside Story: New Children's Books from Local Authors
Local authors and illustrators behind new children's and teen books will share their work and chat with readers.Â
(Downtown, free) - José Olivarez & Michael Haeflinger
Poets José Olivarez and Michael Haeflinger will read new work from their most recent collections.Â
(Wallingford, free) - Me, Interrupted: Mental Illness and the Search for a True Self
Writers Sarah Brickman, Shira Erlichman, and Nic Masangkay will read work about how mental illness issues pose questions on selfhood and the "cohesive mind."
(Capitol Hill, free) - Strange Fruit Group Reading: Poems on the Death Penalty
Norma Bishop, Summer Brenner, Sharon Carter, Nancy Fowler, Ed Harkness, Terry Persun, Sally Hedges-Blanquez, Adria Libolt, and other contributors to Strange Fruit: Poems on the Death Penalty will read aloud.
(Capitol Hill, free) SHOPPING
- Crystallography Gem + Mineral Market
If you're in need of some mystical healing, shop from over 50 crystal, gem, and mineral vendors, visit tarot readers, psychics, and "crystal intuitives," and enjoy live painters and DJs.
(Shoreline, $2) VISUAL ART
- Jeffry Mitchell In Residence
PDX Contemporary Art teams up with Oxbow to bring you Mitchell's ceramics, furniture, and metalwork made in residencies in the U.S. and China.
(Georgetown, free)
Opening Sunday - Julia Wald: Teatotaler / Jordan Christianson: Tea Dance
Illustrator Julia Wald uses India ink to explore the cultural significance and history of tea-drinking. Local artist Jordan Christianson shows trasferware patterns using both traditional and contemporary decals that hark back to a time when being queer was considered a crime.
(Capitol Hill, free)
Opening Sunday