Northern Hemisphere dwellers will experience the shortest day of the year (or the longest night, depending on your outlook) on Saturday, December 21—the solstice occurs at approximately 8:19 p.m PST. If that makes you sad, there are many ways for you to keep your days (nights?) warm and bright with winter solstice events in Seattle. We've compiled them all below (and on our solstice calendar), from BRRR! Winter Solstice Celebration at Lo-Fi to the Winter Solstice Night Market.

DECEMBER 19

SPORTS & RECREATION

Seward Solstice Run
Take advantage of the little daylight we do have this time of year by running a 4.2-mile or 10K trail run through Seward Park's old growth forest. 
Seward Park (Rainier Valley)

DECEMBER 20

MUSIC

BRRR! Winter Solstice Celebration
Dance in the shortest day of the year with a constellation of local hip-hop favorites. Lo-Fi’s multitude of eclectic corners will feature six acts throughout the night. The duo of Remember Face grafts abstract beats behind stoic storytelling, while Portland’s Blossom swirls autobiographical lyrics in R&B liqueur. The trap and boom bap of multi-instrumentalist Samurai Del will elasticize the evening’s energy, as DJ Kween Kay$h keeps the hype up and the cold out, while Portland producer Sxlxmxn is sure to fire up his recent EYRST record label remixes. Seattle rapper and singer-songwriter Mr. Hentvii hosts. AJ DENT
Lo-Fi Performance Gallery (Eastlake)

YOGA & SPIRITUALITY

Winter Solstice Celebration
Rev. Abigail Schairer will lead a secular service celebrating "endings and new beginnings" with musical accompaniment from Garnett Hundley, Beverly Daugherty, and Jennifer Bundy.
Center for Spiritual Living (Sand Point)

DECEMBER 20-21

FOOD & DRINK

Winter Solstice Night Market
This edition of the now-monthly Seattle Night Market (spearheaded by South Lake Union Saturday Market’s Ryan Reiter) is held over a weekend in which the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year, winter solstice, falls. Hence the name. It’s also indoors, which makes for a comfortable shopping (and eating) experience, with more than 150 booths, food trucks, and restaurant pop-ups that offer “locally made wares and tasty fare” spread all throughout Magnuson Park’s giant (20,000-square-foot) Hangar 30. Separate tickets into the Winter Solstice Beer Festival include samples of wintry brews from upwards of 25 local and regional breweries. Oh, there’s live music, too. In sum, it’s a groovy, beery, shoppy good time. LEILANI POLK
Magnuson Park Hangar 30 (Sand Point)

OUTDOORS

Solstice Walks
A parade of lanterns will light up the darkest days of the year at this annual winter solstice walk. The afternoon walks are family-friendly and the evening walks are boozy.
Bloedel Reserve (Bainbridge Island)

DECEMBER 20-22

OUTDOORS

Solstice Stroll
Brighten up the darkest days of the year by walking through an illuminated garden, which will be open each day until the winter solstice passes.
Kruckeberg Botanic Garden (Shoreline)

DECEMBER 20-JANUARY 15

VISUAL ART

Dark Winters Night
Many local artists and artisans show off their knack for creating eerie, chilly, and sinister sights.
Gargoyles Statuary (University District)

DECEMBER 21

COMMUNITY

Seattle Secular Solstice 2019
The church will host an unhallowed evening of food, songs, and community on the winter solstice. 
St. Patrick Catholic Church (Capitol Hill)

Solstice Shenanigans: Diversi-tree Trimming!
Bring an ornament to hang on the tavern's rainbow tree and be bestowed with a gift at this party hosted by Fantasy Arts, Events & LARP, whose favorite holiday is the winter solstice. 
AFK Tavern (Everett)

Winter Solstice Spiral
Spend an evening reflecting on your inner life at this ceremony accompanied by calming instrumental music.
Inner Alchemy (West Seattle)

FOOD & DRINK

4th Annual Marley Was Dead/Festival Of Darkness/Holiday Jam
Bid adieu to the darkness and prepare for brighter days ahead with this solstice party at Snoqualmie's acclaimed No Boat Brewing, and be the first to try their new 2019 Bourbon Barrel Aged Marley Was Dead Imperial Stout with Cuban Drinking Chocolate and Pine Drop Ecuadorian Cold Brew. You can also admire a blazing yule log, watch Christmas movies and live music, and nosh on Latin fusion fare from the Mexicuban food truck. Ugly sweaters are "strongly encouraged."
No Boat Brewing Company (Snoqualmie)

Annual Darkest Day at the Red Hot
Offset the winter darkness with some "dark, gnarly beer" and creative hot dogs at the laidback Tacoma pub the Red Hot.
The Red Hot (Tacoma)

Dark Beer Day
As solace for the shortest day of the year, Populuxe will tap an array of dark beers. Scoop up some upscale sandwiches from the recently launched food truck Layers Sandwich Co. to go with them.
Populuxe Brewing (Ballard)

Saimin Night
Cold weather calls for a warm bowl of saimin, a Chinese noodle dish whose origins date back to the late 1800s in Hawaii. For one night only, Super Six will serve up their rendition with Dashi and shoyu broth, kalua pork, smeared spam, egg, fish cakes, bok choy, nori, and scallions. 
Super Six (Columbia City)

Winter Solstice Celebration
Warm up with mulled wine and comfort food on the longest night of the year. 
The George & Dragon Pub (Fremont)

Winter Solstice Dance Dinner
Bring a tasty dish to add to a potluck (except for bread—they'll have plenty) and your own beverage to a night of dancing and midwinter revelry. 
OmCulture (Wallingford)

MUSIC

Leif Totusek - Candela - Winter Solstice Celebration
Jazz mainstay Leif Totusek will play world fusion compositions on Soukous guitar and Cuban Rumba-inspired percussion on the winter solstice.
Latona Pub (Green Lake) 

The Long Dark
Show up to the members-only goth club dressed as a "pagan priestess or horned god" for an unholy dance party with DJ Hana Solo. 
Mercury (Capitol Hill)

SeaMuse
Dusty Strings’ annual solstice celebration welcomes back SeaMuse, a four-piece band with local ties and global sounds. With a repertoire of traditional folk songs from Turkey, Greece, England, and more, their set is a chance to see instruments such as lutes and glockenspiels in action. SeaMuse’s seasonal numbers and original poetry will light up the Fremont space as they prepare to release their upcoming album, Solstice Fire. Celebrating 40 years in business this month, Dusty Strings offers warm hues and rich acoustics—a fittingly convivial venue in which to salute the longest night of the year. AJ DENT
Dusty Strings (Fremont)

Solstice: Music of Light for the Holidays
The winter concert of Seattle Pro Musica's 2019-2020 season will focus on carols and holiday music connected to the winter solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, and other festivals of light.
Seattle First Baptist Church (Capitol Hill)

Winter Soulstice with Uniting Souls
DJs Madly in Dub, Ramiro, and Derric Deep Thorsen will womp-womp you into the lighter half of winter at this solstice dance party. 
Substation (Ballard)

OUTDOORS

A Bonsai Solstice
Tour the enchanting bonsai collection under holiday lights, and enjoy free hot cocoa and coffee, live music, and free custom poetry. Bring your own flashlight.
Pacific Bonsai Museum (Federal Way)

2019 Snohomish Winter Solstice Walk
Candles will light up the Snohomish trail at sunset to keep the cold, dark night aglow. 
Centennial Trail (Lake Stevens)

2019 Winter Solstice Walk
Take a luminary forest walk, make holiday crafts, warm up with hot drinks, and enjoy the Americana stylings of Bryan Rust.
Washington Park Arboretum (Montlake)

Winter Solstice Bonfire
Stay roasty-toasty on the longest night of the year by bringing your own food, drinks, and firewood to this casual bonfire.
Golden Gardens Park (Ballard)

PARTIES

The Darkest Night Soirée
Lean in to the mystical side of the winter solstice with tarot readings, apothecary libations, and performances.
Columbia City Theater (Columbia City)

Longest Night: Liminal Space
Spend the longest night of the last year of the decade swaying to ambient music, doing movement exercises, and partaking in wellness activities and rituals to carry you into the new year. Also, if you're on the Sagittarius-Capricorn, this is a birthday party for you.
Northwest Film Forum (Capitol Hill)

SEX

The Longest Night: Winter Solstice Top 5 Sex Tips
Make the most of the longest and sexiest night of the year by picking up tips "for keeping that yule log burning all night" from Babeland educators. 
Babeland (Capitol Hill)

VISUAL ART

Performance Potluck Salon
The Degenerate Art Ensemble will gather filmmakers, artists, performers, organizers, writers, and other artistic types for a potluck and art share. Hear from such diverse and fascinating creatives as video artist Etsuko Ichikawa, painter Paul Rucker, LandForms Dance, actor/director Paul Budraitis, butoh dancer Shoko Zama, and many others.
Taoist Studies Institute (Phinney)

YOGA & SPIRITUALITY

Winter Solstice Singing Bowl Yoga & Sound Bath
Join sound healer Maria Ayanna Nunez and yoga instructor Shaefeather Windsong for a short meditation followed by a gentle yoga session to balance your chakras for the rest of the season. 
East West Bookshop (Roosevelt)

Winter Solstice Soul Spa Sound Bath & Meditation
Harness that good moon energy on the solstice by meditating to the sounds of Tibetan and crystal singing bowls, a Wu Xing symphonic gong, Native drums and rainsticks, and koshi chimes. 
Inner Alchemy (West Seattle)

DECEMBER 21-22

FOOD & DRINK

Winter Solstice Tasting
Try a lineup of beers representing the "culmination of darkness and a slow return to lighter days" with Lantern Brewing's vertical tasting comprised of five different releases of Sombre (their Abbey-style Quadrupel) from 2015-2019, plus some lighter favorites for balance. Pair them with Smokestack Lightning BBQ or Kaffeeklatsch German-style pretzels with Lantern Brewing beer cheese sauce.
Lantern Brewing (Greenwood)