A new week in Phase 2 means a mixed bag of events happening virtually, in-person (modified to accommodate physical distancing, of course), and, sometimes, a combination of both. We're here to guide you through our top picks in every genre—from a Little Shop of Horrors watch-along with Central Cinema's Baron Von Terror to a virtual TUSH! anniversary show, and from Virtual Fleet Week to Fight for Our Lives: A Virtual Reading for Black Lives Matter. In addition, check out our guides to supporting black-owned businesses and artists in Seattle, educating yourself through anti-racism resources, and donating to social justice causes. Find even more events on our complete streaming events calendar and our resistance & solidarity calendar, and check back on Friday for a roundup of the best local virtual events this weekend.


Jump to: Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | All Week

MONDAY

COMMUNITY

BJ Cummings, Cecile Hansen And Lynda Mapes Discuss The River That Made Seattle
Author BJ Cummings will read excerpts from The River That Made Seattle: A Natural and Human History of the Duwamish on Zoom and show new and old photographs highlighting the river's Native, immigrant, and industrialist histories. He'll be joined by Cecile Hansen (the great, great, great grandniece of Chief Seattle) and Duwamish leader Lynda Mapes. 

FILM

The Stranger Presents: Collide-O-Scope
The mind-melting video compilation extravaganza also known as Collide-O-Scope will stream obscure oddities from film, VHS, music videos, and other forms of media live on the internet.

FOOD & DRINK

Outbound Herbivore Digital Vegan Mini Market
Plant-based people of Seattle: The Outbound Herbivore has launched an online market brimming with locally made, animal-product-free food items, which you can order remotely at discounted prices and pick up in person. 

GEEK

Sporcle Live Virtual Trivia - Baseball!
How much do you know about America's favorite pastime? This Sporcle Live team-based trivia night on Zoom will test your dedication to the sport and will offer winners prizes.

MUSIC

Tomorrowland - Around the World
Using 3D visuals and game design to mimic the experience of Tomorrowland, the EDM music festival held annually in Belgium, this two-day virtual event boasts Katy Perry, David Guetta, and Steve Aoki among its headliners. 

READINGS & TALKS

Big Friendship: Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman in Conversation
Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman—the hosts of the "highbrow and lowbrow" political and pop-cultural podcast Call Your Girlfriend—co-wrote a book about the highs and lows of their friendship. Join them for a virtual conversation with writer Alicia Garza.

Zadie Smith + Vinson Cunningham
What have you been doing during the stay-home order? Unsurprisingly, award-winning novelist Zadie Smith wrote another book. Join the author for a virtual talk on Intimations: Six Essays, in conversation with New Yorker theater critic Vinson Cunningham. 

SPORTS & RECREATION

Seattle Mariners vs. Houston Astros
Watch the Seattle Mariners live from Houston's Minute Maid Park as they take on the Astros for the final game in the first round of 2020 games. You can tune in on Root Sports NW or listen on 710 ESPN or the Mariners Radio Network.

TUESDAY

COMEDY

The I, Anonymous Show
The long-running Stranger and Portland Mercury column “I, Anonymous” is famous for asking readers to send in their most whacked-out rants and scandalous confessions—anonymously! In this special LIVE-STREAMED edition of The I, Anonymous Show, your host Kate Murphy will read some of the wildest and uncensored I, Anonymous submissions we've ever received. And even better, these secret (often very naughty) stories will be dissected and discussed by a panel of hilarious, nationally recognized comedians: Arlo Weierhauser, David Gborie and Sean Jordan! So if you're looking for a night of side-splitting, jaw-dropping rants and confessions—don't miss this live-streamed edition of The I, Anonymous Show!

COMMUNITY

Atlas Obscura Presents: Oregon Trail Live!
Take a virtual tour of the Oregon Trail route's historic sites, and learn forgotten stories, characters, and other "lost secrets" along the way.

Filson & Westland Distillery Present: A Backcountry Evening
Filson, Westland Distillery, Atlas Obscura, and Birds of North America author Jason Ward will trace the history of camping culture in America with artists and scientists. 

Womxn of Color RISE to Leadership
Celebrate womxn of color political candidates at this virtual event hosted by organizations like OneAmerica Votes, proceeds from which will benefit progressive, pro-immigrant leaders endorsed by OneAmerica Votes' Grassroots Leadership and Youth Council. 

MUSIC

Donavon Frankenreiter
Billabong-sponsored surfer and frequent Jack Johnson collaborator Donavon Frankenreiter comes back ashore for a livestreamed set from the Belly Up in Solana Beach.

PERFORMANCE

Bedroom Bingo with Betty Wetter and Cookie Couture
You don't need a bingo card to tune in to fun game nights every Tuesday with powerhouse drag queens Betty Wetter and Cookie Couture on Zoom.

READINGS & TALKS

Lunch-and-Learn: Jim Crow Laws & Nazi Racial Policy
Did you know that Nazis in 1930s Germany used US legislation and initiatives to legitimize their actions within the German legal system? Keene State College's Tom White, who teaches about mass genocide events throughout history, will enlighten you on the disturbing details of the subject. 

Olumide Popoola with Sarah Ladipo Manyika
London-based Nigerian German author Olumide Popoola will join Elliott Bay for a virtual Goethe Pop-Up book club chat on her newest novel, When We Speak of Nothing, which centers young, queer, and Black characters. 

The Round: Elisha, Jessica Rycheal, Allison Morton
Spoken-word poet Jessica Rycheal and painter Allison Morton, both based in Seattle, will share their work with you live on this episode of the video podcast The Round. 

TUESDAY-THURSDAY

COMEDY

Welcome to El: An Intimate Night of Comedy with El Sanchez
Beloved local comedian El Sanchez recorded an intimate, hilarious show at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center just before the quarantine took effect. For those who missed it, the show is now on demand!

WEDNESDAY

COMMUNITY

In Community We Flourish
Hear inspiring stories of resilience in the face of COVID-19 from Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Bitaniya Giday, Queer the Land member Evana Enabulele, and others. 

Virtual Silent Reading Party
The first worldwide silent-reading party was such a huge success that we're making it weekly. Every Wednesday at 6 pm we're going to throw these parties, at least until stay-at-home is over. Attendees at the first Zoom silent-reading party included famous actors, writers, composers, artists, families, teenagers doing their homework, people staring into space listening to the music because it was just so beautiful, cats, and even one household on Orcas Island that was eating dinner and decided to broadcast the reading party as their background music. (What a brilliant idea!) It wasn't just a great party to be at. Behind the scenes, this was a roaring success as well. The Stranger brought in revenue from the reading party for the first time ever, our musician Paul Matthew Moore made ten times more on Venmo tips than he's ever made in the tip jar at the Sorrento (thank you for your generosity—he deserves it!), and hundreds of people at the party have written us emails, clamoring for more. CHRISTOPHER FRIZZELLE

FOOD & DRINK

All You Can Eeeeeatscon Week 2: The Great BBQ Debate
Comedian and apparent BBQ expert Paul Scheer will co-host the second installment of this virtual edition of the Infatuation's annual food festival. He'll be arguing about slow-cooking meats with Kevin Bludso from LA’s Bludso's, Orchid Paulmeier of One Hot Mama’s, and Jon Gray, Lester Walker, and Pierre Serrao from Ghetto Gastro.

Hops n' Water: How Healthy Watersheds Create Great Beer
Washington Wild and Yakima Chief Hops will team up to teach you about why water is so important for growing hops for tasty beer. They'll also invite brewers from around the state to discuss their local watersheds. 

GEEK

Harry Potter Books Trivia
Revisit the first four Harry Potter books to prepare for this virtual trivia night with Raised by TV and MAP Theatre.

PERFORMANCE

The Michelle Obama Podcast Premiere
If you loved former First Lady Michelle Obama's memoir Becoming, be sure to tune in to her new podcast that explores the relationships that shape us, where she'll interview her closest loved ones. We bet you can guess the debut guest (hint: it's Barack). 

READINGS & TALKS

Jim Woodring
Floating World Comics hosts this virtual book signing starring Jim Woodring, the creator of And Now, Sir—Is THIS Your Missing Gonad?, a collection of previously unpublished single-panel comics, annotated by Woodring.

WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY

COMMUNITY

Food & Mask Drive with WashMasks
In partnership with WashMasks Mutual Aid, Seattle Rep will hold a drive to benefit local farmers in need of food and face masks (especially baby food and child-sized masks) for four days at their Patron Services office. Gather what you can and stow it in the trunk of your car—volunteers will pick it up without contact.
Seattle Repertory Theatre (Seattle Center)

THURSDAY

COMMUNITY

Atlas Obscura Presents: Tales From the Museum
Learn about some forgotten women of history from Kylie Holloway, the host of the educational comedy podcast Nevertheless She Existed. 

The Dr. Fauci of the 1918 Flu
The Spanish flu of the early 1900s has no doubt been on your mind more than usual these days, what with the global pandemic still racking up cases across the world. Join Forbes writer Alex Knapp as he examines the parallels between then-Washington health commissioner Dr. Thomas Tuttle and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

What's Goin' On? Silent Service Vol. 2
The second installment of this socially distant gathering invites you to honor Black voices of the past and present by downloading a program onto your phone (which features readings of seminal works like Audre Lorde's Your Silence Will Not Protect You and excerpts from Toni Morrisson's Charlies Rose interview) and listening silently.
MLK Memorial Park (Mount Baker)

FILM

The Little Shop of Horrors with Baron Von Terror
The campy, carnivorous, puppet-filled film adaptation of the Howard Ashman musical—deemed "the third-best movie musical of all time" by former Stranger Arts Editor Sean Nelson—will be screened online with commentary from Central Cinema's Baron Von Terror. Be prepared to have "Suddenly, Seymour" stuck in your head for the rest of the summer and possibly your life.

FOOD & DRINK

Virtual Pints for Preservation with Aslan Brewing!
Join the Washington Trust for a virtual happy hour, where you'll get a tour of Aslan Brewing's historic location in Bellingham's Depot Building.

MUSIC

The Beths
Don’t worry about placing the Beths within a larger trajectory of New Zealand music. Sure, the Auckland four-piece has a few things in common with the influential “Dunedin sound” and the reservoir of remarkable bands that made up the roster of Flying Nun Records, but the Beths are closer to power-pop than jingle-jangle, existing in a warm, cozily seductive place that’s not quite twee, not really punk, not exactly pop, and not too rock—it’s a place that can only be described as the Beths, and it stands a pretty good chance of being your favorite new place to hang out this year. Catch them live on KEXP's YouTube channel this afternoon.

Dermot Kennedy
It's about time there was another famous Dermot on the scene so Mr. Mulroney didn't have to carry all that weight by himself. Dermot Kennedy is exclusively livestreaming this special "Some Summer Night" event from the Natural History Museum. No audience, no on-demand replays. The only way to catch this show is online, as it airs.

Grounded - Danny Denial & Beverly Crusher
BIG BLDG's cozy weekly music series will return with a virtual performance by "alt-gloom" indie rocker Danny Denial and high-energy acid-punk trio Beverly Crusher. 

HDLSC Presents: The Dylan Revue
The Mondegreens, who perform Bob Dylan covers as the Dylan Revue, will go live on High Dive's virtual stage in support of Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County. 

Lucius - Streaming Shows!
Fiery Brooklyn five-piece Lucius are teaming up with the Seattle Theatre Group for a month-long virtual concert series "to promote local engagement and fundraising for small businesses facing financial hardship." 

PERFORMANCE

Black Dance Stories
Renowned dance choreographers Kyle Marshall and Okwui Okpokwasili will lead this live performance on YouTube highlighting Black stories. 

Seattle Dance Collective presents Continuum: Bridging the Distance
After being forced to cancel its second season, Seattle Dance Collective commissioned five new works for the digital stage, all created and filmed during quarantine by Seattle's Henry Wurtz. The videos will premiere every Thursday in July. The series wraps up on Thursday with Bruno Roque's The Space Between Us, "which explores the nonverbal cues we use to communicate with others during our daily interactions," according to Rich Smith.

Speakeasy!
Former Stranger staffer Callan Berry, the creator of Police Reports Illustrated and a person who is good at making cocktails, will teach you how to mix up a boozy concoction and draw a little comic every other Thursday. He'll also answer your most pressing questions.

TUSH!
This pinnacle of rowdy, uncategorizable drag nights (normally held at Beacon Hill's Clock-Out Lounge) will celebrate its second anniversary with a DJ dance party with local star Arson Nicki, followed by a slew of performances hosted by the glamorous Betty Wetter, with support from Angel Baby Kill Kill Kill, Miss Texas 1988, Beau Degas, Markeith Wiley, D'Monica Leone, and Violetta Sparxx.

READINGS & TALKS

Cathy Park Hong
Question your view of the world by hearing poet and essayist Cathy Hong read from her memoir Minor Feelings, which explores "racialized consciousness" in America.

Fight for Our Lives: A Virtual Reading for Black Lives Matter
Support the Rainier Scholars, the Trans Women of Color Collective, and Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County at this virtual reading with local poets and writers Kamari Bright, Nia Dickens, Katrina Otuonye, and Ebo Barton. 

Quarantine Write-In with Amber Flame
Spend half an hour writing and half an hour sharing and discussing in these free weekly Zoom workshops with former Hugo House poet in residence Amber Flame. 

VISUAL ART

Global Draw Along Art Party with Charles Miano
Floridian painter Charles Miano will join Gage Academy of Art for a virtual drawing party, where he'll demonstrate his portrait-making process in red chalk. 

Public Art In Tacoma
Join a virtual conversation with South Sound artists who have been painting murals on plywood panels in Tacoma during the pandemic. 

ALL WEEK

COMMUNITY

Nordic SĂłl
Seattle loves a good opportunity to bliss out over our Nordic culture (Reykjavik is our sister city, in case you haven't heard), and this summer extravaganza is no exception. While it won't take place in person this year, you can look forward to a whole month of virtual activities focused on sustainability and the beauty of the outdoors.

Virtual Fleet Week
From ship tours to interviews with Blue Angels pilots, you'll find a slew of virtual Boeing Maritime events for a whole week in this year's socially distant rendition of the Seafair highlight. Check the website daily for new activity links. 

Vote in the Primary Election
There's an important Washington State Primary Election on August 4, and the Stranger Election Control Board has painstakingly interviewed candidates via Zoom to help you fill out your ballot. Grab a pen, read their endorsements, and stuff your nearest ballot box with purpose. 

FOOD & DRINK

Mike's Shave Ice Preorders
Stake your claim on frozen treats for another (hopefully) sunny weekend in Seattle from Mike's Shave Ice, which is accepting preorders through Thursday for Saturday pickup only. 

Pike-Pine Summer United
Get 10% off your bill at local bars and eateries like Amandine Bakeshop, A Pizza Mart, Bateau, and tons of other places on Capitol Hill moving into Phase 2 of reopening by mentioning The Stranger's Pike-Pine promotion.
Various locations (Capitol Hill)

PERFORMANCE

Oedipus the King
Play Your* Part is a theater company that partners with nonprofits to bring productions to underserved, "under-invited" communities. For this ASL-incorporating adaptation of Sophocles's Oedipus the King, perhaps one of the most fundamental works of Western literature, they'll stage the play digitally.

Saint Joan
Despite George Bernard Shaw's trenchant atheism, his classic depiction of the Maid of Orleans stresses her strength, bravery, faith, and humanity in the face of political and religious oppression. The original date of this production, staged by Mathew Wright, was canceled due to COVID-19. This is a digital rendition.