Our critics have already recommended 56 awesome things to do this week, but there are many, many more events happening this week. See some of Seattle’s more unusual and out-of-the-ordinary events below, from a cannabis trivia night to Sharknado in “hecklevision,” and from a belly dance-off brunch to Mike Rowe. For all of your options this week and into the future, see our complete Things To Do calendar.
TUESDAY
1. February Literary Mixer
Movable Type presents this literary mixer as an opportunity to socialize with an easy out. Head to this cozy, artsy bar with your favorite book (E-readers work), and prepare to meet other readers.
2. Nerd Nite Seattle: Share the Love Fundraiser
Learn about black spirituality from UW Ph.D. student Nicholas Hunt-Walker and how to “control your inner caveman and laugh more” from Anthony Poponi. All proceeds will be donated to the Virginia Tech research team that helped expose the Flint water crisis. “Be there and be square.”
3. Octopus Week
Talks, feedings, and interactive activities are promised at the Seattle Aquarium’s Octopus Week; great for families and adults fascinated with these very strange creatures. Highlights include an octopus release and the opportunity to watch divers swim with an octopus. (Through Sun)
4. Taking Back Tuesday: Emo Night Seattle
Emo returns with a vengeance to the Crocodile’s new DJ night.
WEDNESDAY
5. Cannabis Trivia Night
“A monthly cannabis-themed trivia night from the good folks at Dockside. The event description promises “education, fun, and prizes.” Important to note: Hooverville has free peanuts, gourmet personal pizzas, and skee-ball. Stoner paradise.” -Tobias Coughlin-Bogue
6. The Necessity Defense: Climate Change and Civil Disobedience
Think and Drink’s new edition tackles the following questions: “As climate change worsens, what role will civil disobedience play? How far is too far? Can lack of access to things like clean air be considered a civil right in the traditional sense? And what parallels can be drawn between the 60s Civil Rights movement and the actions of environmental protestors like the Delta 5 and ‘kayaktivists?'”
THURSDAY
7. Art Speak 101: Art History Happy Hour
Whether you have an art history degree you’d like to brush the dust off of, or you’re interested in learning more about a long tradition, come to Pivot’s Art History Happy Hour for an entry into “the often convoluted and (let’s be honest here) self-important history of art.”
8. CannaCon
“This thing is gonna be ridiculous and corporate, but everyone who is anyone will be there trading business cards, gladhanding, and plotting weed world domination. If that’s your thing, this is the thing for you.” -Tobias Coughlin-Bogue (Through Sat)
9. Disaster and a Movie: Sharknado in Hecklevision
Matt Auflick from the City of Seattle’s Office of Emergency Management will talk about preparing for disaster, then Central Cinema will screen Sharknado while fully encouraging rowdy nonsense.
10. Ignite Seattle 29
This unique public speaking series, featuring a variety of topics, is back. It’s sort of like a TED Talk on crack, where presenters only get five minutes and 20 slides that automatically rotate after 15 seconds. Try to keep up.
11. Masters of Hawaiian Music
George Kahumoku, Led Kaapana, and Jeff Peterson bring the Hawaiian vibes to Triple Door’s main stage.
12. Memento Mori
Professor Vanderbeck presents this exploration of madness and mortality, inside Seattle’s Death Museum. Be warned that the prof “believes that proper understanding of the underlying principles of the Universe allows him to penetrate the veil of the future and garner insight into the mysteries of space, time, energy, mind and spirit.”
13. The Twelfth Story
Through the story of an outcast academic researching a strange post-apocalyptic society, this play explores a group of botanists who tell stories to their plants to keep them alive.
FRIDAY
14. Campout Cinema: Purple Rain
Watch the rock musical Purple Rain on EMP’s SkyChurch screen while cozying up in a pile of blankets; also enjoy themed drinks, photo ops, trivia, giveaways, and “other surprises.”
15. Marvel Universe Live
A live-action “arena experience” featuring Marvel superheroes (The Avengers, Spider-Man, and Wolverine), an original story (involving the Cosmic Cube), and special effects (including pyrotechnics and motorcycles). (Through Sun)
16. Weird Romance
Weird Romance, with music by Disney/Little Shop of Horrors composer Alan Menken, is actually two one-act musicals, based on two episodes of The Twilight Zone.
SATURDAY
17. Belly Dance Off Brunch
The Belly Dance Off competition, described as the American Idol of belly dance, comes to Teatro ZinZanni for an improvised performance in which dancers draw song names from a hat and perform with a six-piece band playing music from the “Golden Age of Egyptian cinema.” You’ll get to vote for the winner—and even dance after you’ve finished brunch if you’re so inclined.
18. Greatest Hits Tour: Chart Toppers and Heart-Stoppers
Learn about the most unique and influential buildings in our city’s skyline on this walking tour with the Seattle Architecture Foundation.
19. High Art: Cannabis and Creative Expression
“Learn about painting while enjoying the creative influence of cannabis. They’ll provide munchies, beverages, everything you need to paint, and glassware and accessories for weed consumption—but you’ll need to BYOC (bring your own cannabis).” -Tobias Coughlin-Bogue
20. Mike Rowe
Mike Rowe talks dirty jobs, from a life of “grime, slime, and overtime.”
21. Ogopogo
Ogopogo is a cross-disciplinary performance series. This weekend, they’ll feature “musician and comics artist Helen America, flaneur/pornographer/poet and author of Shufflepoems Lydia Swartz, performer and poet Anastacia Tolbert, and author and co-founder of the Till writing residency Chelsea Werner-Jatzke.”
22. Seattle Rock Lottery
Five groups of musicians, all combined randomly through a lottery system of 25 volunteers, have 12 hours to create a band name and three to five songs before performing in the evening.
23. Tainted Tales: Sinners, Scoundrels, and Dragtagonists
The Haus of Keebler’s newest drag show brings classic stories to life—from the villain’s point of view.
SUNDAY
24. Mostly Nordic Chamber Music Series & Smörgåsbord
Musical representatives from all five Nordic countries will visit the Nordic Heritage Museum for this series of live concerts, followed by gourmet bites from the featured country.
