Panicking because you don’t know what you’re doing this weekend? Don’t worry—there are still lots of cheap and easy entertainment options that don’t require advance planning or more than $10. Below, you’ll find options ranging from BrasilFest and Viking Days to the Seattle Street Food Festival and the Arts in Nature Festival. As always, for even more options, see our complete Things To Do calendar.
ALL WEEKEND
1. 25th Annual Hempfest
Hempfest! It’s a word that floods love into the hearts of countless marijuana activists and pot aficionados (tie-dyed Phish-shirt division). Since its 1991 kick-off as the “Washington Hemp Expo” in Volunteer Park, Hempfest’s grown into a nationally recognized destination event on the Seattle waterfront, where hundreds of thousands of weed-curious citizens gather for a three-day festival of weed-themed music, speeches, and tchotchke commerce, and law enforcement looks the other way as dense puffs of smoke sporadically fill the air. DAVID SCHMADER
(Downtown, $10 suggested donation)
2. Highlarious Comedy Festival
Combine comedy and cannabis at the Highlarious Comedy Festival (conveniently timed for Hempfest weekend), when Seattle will collectively get a bad case of the giggles. No smoking required—all you need to do is not hate weed, and you’ll be welcome.
(Capitol Hill, $10 per show)
FRIDAY
3. Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, and Tonics
Warren Bobrow, also known as The Cocktail Whisperer, will sign copies of his book, Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, and Tonics, and discuss some of the 75 recipes included in the book, including cocktails made with cannabis-infused liquors, cannabis bitters, and cannabis smoke.
(Capitol Hill, free)
4. Concerts at the Mural
In true KEXP fashion, another enjoyable round of free family-friendly concerts this year are up at the Mural Amphitheater at Seattle Center. Tonight’s show will feature The Mynabirds, Radiation City, and Crater.
(Downtown, free)
5. The Dread Crew of Oddwood, The Fun Police, Spiderface, The Wild Lips
Southern Californian pirate-themed band The Dread Crew of Oddwood categorize themselves as professors of “Heavy Mahogany” music, or a mixture of heavy metal, Celtic rock, folk punk, and acoustic instruments.
(Eastlake, $8/$10)
6. Dylan Ward: Sleep Nod
As part of Matthew Offenbacher’s The Lion Side of Under the Porch, watch dancer/choreographer Dylan Ward perform a new dance in the belly of a whale sculpture.
(Queen Anne, free)
7. The Fierce Awakens
Three Dollar Bill Cinema presents this series of free outer-space-themed movies in Cal Anderson Park, where there will be a DJ starting at 7 pm, and concessions including popcorn and candy on sale, proceeds from which will benefit Three Dollar Bill Cinema’s year-round efforts to provide voices for the LGBTQ community through film. This week, they’ll screen 1968 fantasy/action movie Barbarella.
(Capitol Hill, free)
8. Fish & Chips Street Dance Competition
206 Zulu presents Fish & Chips, a 1 vs 1 all-styles dance battle, and crowd participation pro/amateur battle. In the Pro/Am Battle, members of the audience (the amateurs in question) will be paired with seasoned dancers (the pros) to compete in a spontaneous 2 vs 2 competition. Or, you can sit back, do no dancing of any kind, and enjoy the efforts of your peers against the lights of the Great Wheel on Pier 57.
(Downtown, free)
9. Greet the Sea, Pacific Echoes, Moose Light Kingdom
Seattle natives Greet the Sea express their orchestral anthems of the regional landscape that inspires them, with Pacific Echoes and Moose Light Kingdom.
(Capitol Hill, $8)
10. Hugo Housewarming and BBQ
If you haven’t been to the new Hugo House space on First Hill, here’s your chance—they’ll have yard games and prizes, food from George’s Sausage & Delicatessen and Stockbox Neighborhood Grocery, and PBR for $1/can. Eat food, play games, and get stoked for what Hugo House has on offer this fall.
(First Hill, free)
11. Marielle Jakobsons, Chuck Johnson, Medina/Walsh, Blessed Blood
When bliss-generating Bay Area drone specialists Date Palms dissolved in 2013, it dealt a blow to their small die-hard fan base. Thankfully, violinist/flautist/synthesist Marielle V Jakobsons has emerged as a formidable solo artist. She proved on 2012’s Glass Canyon that she’s one of the country’s deepest practitioners of drone-based composition. DAVE SEGAL
12. Outdoor Movies in Jefferson Park
Beacon Hill’s outdoor movie nights start at 7 pm with an open mic, followed by family-friendly movies at dusk. This week, they’ll screen the ever-so-charming Despicable Me.
(Beacon Hill, free)
13. Pokemon Go & Pokemon: The First Movie
Come out to the Pioneer Square area for some Pokemon love. The Downtown Seattle Association will be dropping lures throughout the neighborhood and will host an outdoor viewing of the first Pokemon movie in Occidental Square.
(Pioneer Square, free)
14. Retirement, Dim Desires, Kuvoza
Indie piano sludge group Retirement headlines at an all-ages Hollow Earth show, with tender saps Dim Desires and Bellingham cruisers Kuvoza.
(Central District, $5)
15. Rock Against the TPP Rally
Rock Against The TPP as a movement is a nationwide uprising and concert tour organized to halt the Trans-Pacific Partnership in its tracks. RATTPP as a show, though, is a star-studded line-up of celebs and artists throwing their considerable weight behind this social movement, featuring the performances from Talib Kweli, Evangeline Lilly, Anti-Flag, Downtown Boys, bell’s roar, Taina Asili, Evan Greer, and more.
(Sodo, free)
16. SAAFF Outdoor Film Series
The newly renovated Hing Hay Park is collaborating with the Seattle Asian American Film Festival to bring you a free outdoor screening of Lilo and Stitch. The Disney tale of a Hawaiian girl and her unlikely alien bestie starts at sunset.
(International District, free)
17. Seattle Outdoor Cinema: Dude Fest V
The Seattle Outdoor Cinema (formerly Fremont Outdoor Movies) is celebrating its 24th season. All screenings are 21+, there will be a beer garden (proceeds from which will benefit various rotating non-profits), and other pre-screening entertainment. This week, they’ll screen The Big Lebowski.
(South Lake Union, $5/$10)
18. Seattle StorySLAM
A live amateur storytelling competition much like The Moth, in which audience members who put their names in a hat are randomly chosen to tell stories on a theme.
(Capitol Hill, $10)
19. Summer Nights in the North Plaza
On Fridays throughout the summer, CenturyLink Field will have games, food trucks, drink specials (21+ only, and no vertical IDs accepted), music, and occasional movie nights—including tonight, when they’ll screen Raiders of the Lost Ark, which will follow a DJ set by the brilliant DJ Larry Mizell Jr.
(Pioneer Square, $1)
SATURDAY
20. 18 Hour Comic
Create an 18-page comic in 18 hours at Push/Pull—they’ll provide coffee, tea, pastries, lunch, dinner, and limited supplies. Afterwards, you can choose to display it on their wall. Artists pay $20 for food and supplies; watching the art-making is free. The reception from 6-9 pm will reveal the results!
(Ballard, free)
21. Arthaus 3.0: Werks of Art
Version 3.0 of Kremwerk’s drag-queen battle royale/dance party is upon us. Teams of hilarious and artsy queens will compete for bragging rights, shade throwing rights, and the right to play puppet master at the following year’s Arthaus series. As I predicted, Betty Wetter, Cookie Couture, Miss Americano, and Khloe5X of Halfway Haus won the series last year, and they’ll be hosting and picking the themes this year. For the launch party, Haus of Hocus and Haus of Trash Qweenz will compete. Hellen Tragedy will perform along with returning champions Halfway Haus. Pizzarina Sbarro will DJ. Drinks will be had. The theme for the night is “Werks of Art,” so expect to see some drag queen Andy Warhols, or maybe some Yayoi Kusamas. I’ve got my fingers crossed for a drag queen Rothko. RICH SMITH
(Downtown, $5/$7)
22. Central Area Community Festival
The 20th annual Central Area Community Festival promises collaboration between community members and local business—plus “food, music and fun!”
(Central District, free)
23. CHOMP!
Celebrate local food with cooking demonstrations by local celebrity chefs, garden farming workshops, live music, and a giant selection of local foods available for your consumption.
(Eastside, free)
24. Duwamish River Festival 2016
The Lower Duwamish Waterway Group and the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition host a free all-ages festival celebrating the tenth anniversary of this event, with boat tours, folklorico dance groups, art vendors, local food from Phó Oralè and MUY MACHO, live music from Banda Vagos, a photo booth, and much more for the whole family.
(South Park, free)
25. Fantastic Fishes
The Burke’s newest fish event allows you to explore the museum’s ichthyology collection, from sharks, to rays, skates, fish (of varying species) and so many more gilled beings. You will have the opportunity to explore the research boat, make sea-inspired rafts, view a finished Angyaaq (traditional Alaskan open-boat), and tour the UW Oceanography’s tide models.
(University District, $10)
26. Frogs & Dogs 2016
Bring your pup out for a day of fun with Rogue Ales and Spirits. There will be doggie mingling, dog games, dog baths, and for humans: face painting, live music, and lots of beverages. This summer marks the eighth year in a row that Rogue Ales has invited dogs and their friends to come out and celebrate summer.
(Issaquah, $5)
27. Kaveh Akbar, Paige Lewis, Michelle Peñaloza and Jane Wong
Two visiting poets and editors (Kaveh Akbar and Paige Lewis, both from Florida) will join two local poets (Michelle Peñaloza and Jane Wong) for a promising evening of readings.
(Capitol Hill, free)
28. Linda’s Fest 2016
Capitol Hill brunch-and-brews institution Linda’s Tavern continues to give back to the community with a yearly sample of free local music. And while the average income of the restaurant’s neighbors continues to change, the sonic fare of Linda’s Fest does not—heavy, rhythmic, and loud continue to be adjectives of consequence. JOSEPH SCHAFER
(Capitol Hill, free)
29. MOHAI Movie Night
In conjunction with their Toys of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s exhibit, MOHAI presents this outdoor screening of Toy Story, plus pre-show entertainment including live music from Brian Vogan and His Good Buddies, hula hooping, and games.
(South Lake Union, free)
30. Mommy Long Legs, Mr. Wrong, Sleepy Genes
Revel in a night of razor-sharp brat punk from Seattle stand-outs Mommy Long Legs, Portland newcomers Mr. Wrong, and Sleepy Genes.
(University District, $5)
31. Movies at the Mural
Bring your lawn chairs and watch West Side Story for free on Seattle Center’s 40-foot-screen on the Mural Amphitheater lawn.
(Seattle Center, free)
32. Research: Recloose
Back in the late 1990s and early ’00s, Recloose (aka Matthew Chicoine) ranked as my third favorite artist on Planet E, behind label boss Carl Craig and Moodymann. That’s not a bad placing, as both of those Detroit producers created some of the most emotionally moving and elegantly crafted techno and house music of that era… A scan through recent Recloose output reveals that he’s slickened his sound somewhat, but clever ideas continue to percolate through his work. DAVE SEGAL
(Downtown, $10)
33. Seattle Anarchist Book Fair
Everyone from the staunch anarchist to the “anarcho-curious” is invited to this book fair that will include talks about anarchist theory and current events, as well as books from publishers from across the country.
(Central District, free)
34. Slurred Shopping Pop-Up DIY Craft & Artist Fair
Central Saloon kicks off what will become a monthly occurrence: a crafts and makers market pop-up that will cater to every skill and discipline under the DIY umbrella, including screen printers, writers, musicians, and handi-crafters.
(Pioneer Square, free)
35. Snap! ’90s Dance Party
The longest running ’90s dance party on the West Coast comes back to Lo-Fi with a funky vengeance.
(Eastlake, $10)
36. Summer at SAM
This day-long arts celebration, set against a gorgeous natural backdrop, offers activities including outdoor yoga and zumba, an interactive open studio session focused on creating an illustrated, nature-inspired story, and a public tour of the Olympic Sculpture Park.
(Belltown, free)
37. Urban Ag Bike Tour
Anyone who eats at Southeast Seattle’s many Vietnamese and East African restaurants knows that it’s one of the most diverse areas of the city. Unfortunately, it’s also an area that has high rates of poverty, food insecurity, diabetes, and asthma, as well as lower rates of physical activity. To counteract these health issues but also celebrate their communities’ commitment to providing good food for residents, two great organizations, the Rainier Valley Food Bank and Columbia City’s Bike Works, are teaming up to host family-friendly bike tours of some of Southeast Seattle’s local food havens, open to bicyclists of all levels. ANGELA GARBES
(Rainier Valley, free)
38. The Wake: Waterfront Morning Dance Party
The Wake is an early morning dance party for everyone and anyone who likes sunshine and aerobics at the crack of dawn. Go get a workout by the Ferris wheel and enjoy the beats from special guest DJs Kryspin and Johnny Monsoon. Pre-dance yoga starts at 9 am, with the dance party itself to follow from 10 am to noon, with free coffee, juices, and breakfast snacks all morning long.
(Downtown, free)
39. West Seattle Outdoor Movies
The 13th annual season of the West Seattle Outdoor Movie theater will have family-friendly movies at dusk, with pre-movie music and trivia, raffles, and concessions for sale. This week, watch the super-quotable action/fantasy film The Princess Bride.
(West Seattle, free)
SATURDAY-SUNDAY
40. Arts in Nature Festival
The Arts in Nature Festival presents a series of acoustic, unplugged performances by musicians, dancers, actors, and other performers, set against the most beautiful backdrop: real nature.
(West Seattle, $10-$16)
41. Don E Wirtshafter
Head to Dockside SoDo this weekend for an enlightening tour of Don Wirtshafter’s collection of vintage cannabis medicine bottles hosted by the jolly fellow himself. Wirtshafter is a longtime cannabis advocate from Ohio (they have those there, apparently), and also one of the world’s most prolific collectors of rare cannabis artifacts. Seeking to remind the public that marijuana was once considered a harmless over-the-counter medicine, he has tracked down as many pre-prohibition cannabis jars, bottles, droppers, and suchlike as humanly possible, and lent a good chunk of them to Dockside for their Cannabis Museum. Fun fact: before Eli Lilly was in the business of boners (Cialis!), they were making pot oil. Go see for yourself! TOBIAS COUGHLIN-BOGUE
(Sodo, free)
42. Out of Sight
Now that the madness of the international Seattle Art Fair has subsided, take some time with the artists who actually live here. For months, a team of eight curators and exhibition designers worked to bring you Out of Sight, a survey of more than 200 works of art by more than 100 artists and artist collectives from across Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. This is a show you really, truly must not miss, because it is a massive task to bring together artists from all up and down Cascadia, and it never happens at this scale, and may never again. JEN GRAVES
(Pioneer Square, $10)
43. Seattle Street Food Festival
Head to South Lake Union to check out over 100 local food trucks at the fourth annual Seattle Street Food Festival.
(South Lake Union, free entry)
44. Viking Days
This Nordic festival has tons of traditional food and drink, plus entertainment including performance and interactive activities—they’ll even have a Viking Encampment with “weaving, weapon-forging, and war!”
(Ballard, free)
SUNDAY
45. Afrolatino Festival
In its sixth year, the Afrolatino Festival invites everyone in the family to come out and have some free fun. Throughout the night there will be live music, dance, salsa lessons, delicious Latin American food, a soccer tournament, raffles, and so much more. There will also be fun games for kids as well as free face painting.
(North Seattle, free)
46. BrasilFest 2016
This festival of all things Brazilian celebrates 18 years of going strong. The annual party throws out drumming, dancing, music of every regional genre, and so much food, drink, and general merriment, along with workshops and exhibits of cultural information and local practices.
(Seattle Center, free)
47. Hip Hop at The Substation
Treat yourself to a Substation showcase of quality local hiphop acts like Golden Alchemy, Inimeg, DeadMics, and more.
(Ballard, $8)
48. Home Slice: Pink Wolf, ePP, Paris Alexa, DJ Able Fader
Prep yourself for Home Slice, a monthly showcase of local hiphop talents, this month featuring the raw talent of Pink Wolf, ePP, Paris Alexa, and DJ Able Fader.
(Belltown, $5)
49. Mindy Fried
Sociologist Mindy Fried will read from Caring for Red: A Daughter’s Memoir, a personal account of caring for her father (famous actor Manny Fried) with her sister, during the last year of her father’s life.
(Capitol Hill, free)
50. The Pizza Pulpit: Monsterwatch
This edition of The Pizza Pulpit (always free, all ages, and at the Back Bar of the Croc) features the groovepunk coastal hybrid stylings of Monsterwatch.
(Belltown, free)
51. Weekend Walks
No registration necessary for these free weekend walks through the arboretum—just show up to look at and learn about plants from hydrangeas to mopheads and climbing vines.
(Madison Park, free)
